As many of you know, I’ve just completed a Revell 1:72 SR-71. I had fun building such a cool looking plane. My daughters boyfriend Brett, made this same kit many years ago with his now deceased grandfather. He told me that was his favorite build as well as his favorite aircraft of all time. Who can argue with that!
For Christmas, my present to my son will be the the Revell 1:426 USS Arizona as we are originally from Hawaii. The SR-71 will go to Brett in memorial with his time with his grandfather. I normally only like to build WWII aircraft but, I’ve been having fun messing around with ships and armour as well. Who knows what I’ll build for 2016?
This build is just a precursor to my main build which is a Trumpeter 1:32 Late SBD Dauntless (Clear Edition). Now that Mrs. Toshi gave me the whole den to myself and my models, I can really start building things! LOL!
Here is an idea I thought would enhance the look of this kit. I just have the holes drilled. I have to still clean it up a bit but, it looks good to me overall. I’m glad I bought this tool from Harbor Frieght Tools, a generic Dremmel set for $10.00. As you can see it works great.
The center dive flaps that I drilled out had 64 holes. The dive flap you see in the photo has 17 holes that were drilled out. I have three more dive flaps to drill out. If my math is correct the three dive flaps has a total of 51 holes to be drilled out. Total holes when project completed is 132.
This should enhance the Dauntless a bit. Thank you so much stikpusher for the interest and the support. I greatly appreciate it!
You made me rush into my hobby room closet (my aircraft stash and some ships) to check my 1/48 SBD-5 by Accurate Miniatures just to see if I’d have to be drilling all those holes. Fortunately, for me, that kit has the holes already made.
I expect to see your finished model in 72 hours or so - LOL [:D]
I’ll be watching this thread along with, I’m sure, many others since it’s fascinating how you work so quickly yet so well with all the models you build.
I’m in between ships right now and I usually build an aircraft between them as a change of pace. I’m about to embark on my HobbyBoss 1/48 F4U-4 Early. I wish I could up my skill level as quickly as you have.
Sorry there 1943Mike, I didn’t mean to scare you like that. LOL! Thank you sir for the very kind words as well as the support, it’s extremely appreciated. I still am at the novice learning stage, I am sure that I need to catch up with a veteran builder like you. Thank you for the read and reply.
I remember building that same kit, it was Monogram back then, on my bedroom floor. The hobby shop had one built sitting in a display case and I really admired it and talked my parents in getting me the kit.
I now have the Accurate Minitures kit, but it is a lot work to build. I liked the old Mongram, now Revell kts because they don’t have a huge part count.
I too remember this very kit as a Monogram, I never got around to build it. I also wanted to build the Monogram Avenger and Devestator. After this build, I have a Trumpeter 1:32 Late Dauntless Clear Version. This Revell Dauntless will give me a basic idea of the Trumpeter SBD. Thanks for the read and reply!
Coming along nicely there Toshi. I have the same kit as a perpetual work in progress for many many years. But I am doing a lot of dress up work on it ands sideline it for long periods of time when that gets too monotonous…
Thank you very much sir. Oh stickpusher, I know exactly where you’re coming from. It could be a simple quick straight forward build, or in your case I agree in which a break is needed from time to time.
I probably could have this build done yesterday, but I am pacing myself between building the SBD Dauntless and addressing my other hobby passion. The collecting of rare and hard to find football cards. So there’s a nice break I look forward to when I need it.
Either way, as you and many forum members have mentioned, the most important key initial point is to just have fun of which I am doing so. That’s the best advice I’ve been given to this point in not only my passion of model kit building but just life in general. Thank you so much sir for your support, visit, read, and especially your replies/comments. I’ve learned so much from you and the many FSM forum members.
Please don’t laugh at my meager attempt to mask my canoppies of the SBD Dauntless. I’ve never done it this way before, placing Tamiya tape over the entire canopy and then cutting the frame work out free hand.
I’ve purchased Eduard pre-cut masking and also had the opportunity to cut masking that has been outlined on all the WWII Tamiya 1:32 aircraft series. I just hope my end result is such that I can be happy with, if not, I’ll have to start over from scratch and just paint in the frame work free hand. Well, here goes.
Great work on the masking, that to me is the hard part of any build. Its practically impossible to see the frames under the tape and you need a extremely sharp blade.
