First post - latest model

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hi ‘Guys’

This is my first post on here and indeed on any plastic modelling forum though I have regularly posted on the model engine maker forum for my other interest.

I returned to plastic modelling after along layoff around 2003 and have enjoyed it immensely since though it does at times (like right now) conflict with those other interests. In my previous PM era there was no aftermarket resin or etch, limited paints and airbrushes were the domain of a very select few so to come into it again with all that is now available was a real eye opener.

Although I have built the odd model OOB I do like to use the aftermarket embellishments particularly resin on aircraft and etch on armour.

This is my latest model, a 1/32 Trumpeter F8E Crusader built using Aires cockpit, wheel bay and engine nozzle.

The speed brake bay is scratch built as is the detail under the wing. With the exception of the information stenciling and the few warnings around the cockpit area all markings and lettering is masked and sprayed.

This is rather ‘stylised’ with everything open but that’s how I set out to do it - weathering was kept low key but an attempt was made at faded paint - main reason for painting the markings. It was my first 1/32 after mainly 1/48 and proved at times a bit of a handful but despite saying that I wouldn’t do another (1/32) I now have the Trumpeter F-100d which I hope to begin shortly.

Hope this is of interest to someone there are more pics should anyone wish to see them but I don’t want to over do things at such an early stage.

Regards to all - Tug

PS ‘Guys’ is in commas - it includes all female members too

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This is one gorgeous Crusader. Nice faded paintwork. Perfect masking for all your markings as well. Got the canopy sealant lines done perfect too! This must be a monster in 32nd.

3

Now there’s an eye-popping first post! Thing of beauty, Tug!

Everyone here likes pics, so if you have others to share, go for it. Me, I’d like to see some closer in detail work if you have any since it looks awesome from here already.

Welcome aboard!

4

WOW! I’ve been building models for roughly 40 years and WISH my stuff could look half as good.

5

Very nice work. Thanks for sharing.

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Some way to introduce yourself. That’s a stunner.

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I concur, that’s a beautiful bird, no matter how long you’ve been at it. Yep, that’s a stunner alright!![Y]

Gary

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That is a beautiful F8. Thanks for posting.

Ken

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nice, very nice!

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Hi again, Thanks for all your appreciative comments. This is the biggest aircraft built to date and it did prove to be a bit of a handful during construction. Once the fuselage was together it was held on a simple fixture made of balsa and particle board, the nose having an extension from plastic tube and plastic-card webs for support - the nose cone was finally fixed over this with a lump of Milliput to bring the weight forward though with that rear mounted main U/C , even with the Aires resin tailpipe, tail dragging wasn’t an issue. This shows it at a late stage just as the wings were added

Greg suggested a few more detail pics so I hope this isn’t over the top…

This is the top of the engine bay under the wing. Much of the kit detail was removed and replaced using various means - plasticard and rod/tube, wire, etch, tinfoil etc. The detail was copied as much as possible from the squadron walk round book.

This is the detail under the wing above the engine. The bolts are punchings of .010 plasticard applied with the tip of a brush and fixed with a drop of thin cement.

Once assembled most of this cannot be seen but it was the effect of the full size with the wing raised that was sought after.

The wheel bay was Aires with a minor amount of detailing added , the speed brake bay was rebuilt from scratch

The gun bays were enhanced with wire and etch though only the etched ammo feed chutes were used from the kit etch

And finally, as I’m sure you’ve had enough and I don’t want to over do things the cockpit …

Those canopy seals are masked and sprayed but are a little wider than liked - unfortunately they are moulded on so little could be done to narrow them.

Hope you guys don’t feel that’s over kill for a newbie on here but I look forward to sharing - both ways - in this super hobby we have.

Lastly a couple of questions - I see when I hit the preview button the lower part of the page is obscurred by a black banner and only the initial part of the post above this can be viewed - Is this usual and is there a way of previewing the entire post before posting?

Second question is - is it possible to view the recent previous replies as you are constructing a reply - I wanted to add your names here and there but couldn’t recall them - now that is an age thing

Regards - Tug

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If you give building lessons, sign me up please. I expected some ‘good’ detail, but WOW.

If you are referring to the preview tab up top, I’d never used that before but can’t seem to duplicate your problem. Does it have a scroll control at the right? Sometimes the lower banners have close buttons off the right, they get in my way sometimes too.

If you just use the input reply box, you can scroll up and see one whole page of posts. I suspect you might be hitting the ‘Use rich formatting’ button, in which case we can only see the post immediately above.

I’m relatively new here, so hopefully somebody can help you if my reply doesn’t help sort out your questions.

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Hi Greg,

You’re right, I was using Rich Text as the reply box seemed so small however I see that the posts are indeed viewable as you reply however the ability to preview is no longer there unless as you say you use RTF. I’ve only really posted at length on two previous (model engine) forums both of which allowed a full preview of what you had written before posting.

Its early days as yet - I’m sure I’ll find my way around in due course - glad you liked the pics.

Tug

Ha - Just realised - the more you write the bigger the box gets!

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I’d wondered about that, but was too lazy today to test. :slight_smile:

This forum is set up a bit differently in some aspects than others (non-modeling related, this is the only such forum for me) I’ve frequented, you sort of get used to it. [8-|]

14

Wow Tug, really nice work. I love the details, particularly the foil in the wing bay around the (hot air??) conduit.

Welcome and don’t be a stranger!

Best, Marty

15

Wait, you painted the markings? Thats even more awesome! Great job!

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Glad to have you here, Tug, I think you will be a great addition. The more you show the better, most of us are real sponges and we just soak it in!

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Hi again Guys, again thanks for your kind welcome, it’s really nice to ‘meet’ you.

Marty, I’m not sure what the foil actually covers I just copied it from the SS walk-round book. I’m afraid I’m a bit of a ‘detail nut’ though I don’t count myself a ‘rivet counter’ - I just like to put detail in to give a more realistic effect. That said I find it hard to use artistic license - there has to be some proof. A considerable part of any build time is studying photos - usually in books rather than the net.

Allan - I’ve been painting markings for some time now. It’s not that difficult though it can be a bit time consuming. The preference to do so began when painting a Flanker - I faded the paintwork only to realise the decals didn’t quite match. It’s evolved since then, at first using ready made masks as well as cutting them out by hand . I now have a quarter share in a decal cutter which is an absolute boon - that will cut some pretty small masks. The smallest on the Crusader is the ‘09’ on the rudder

I do love weathered subjects of varying degrees and am usually inspired by a pic of something grubby. For the most part I only use Tamiya paints for airbrushing and Vallejo for hand painting detail. I also love attempting metal finishes using mainly Alclad2. Not much of an area here on the F8 but I’m looking forward to doing that back end on the F-100d

I have very few pics of my models but they are - for the most part - all here stored in their mount-board boxes . This is where the F8 lives…

They very rarely see the light of day once finished save for the odd show but but I’ll try to take some pics of them over coming weeks.

On that note, just to be sure - re the protocol on here guys - is this the correct thread for pics of finished models or should they go elsewhere?

Thanks again - I look forward to being part of this fine community

Regards - Tug

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You are quite right on the faded paint-markings mix, Tug. Im very much interested to see the decal cutter system you mentioned. Don’t know if that will work in 1/72 but Im very much interested.

:slight_smile:

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It’s called a ‘Robo-Cut’ vinyl cutter Allan - we bought it from a UK company - The Airbrush Company.

At the time plans were for a 1/48 F8E in VF235? markings - red nose with stars on. I asked them to send a sample of how small the stars could be cut and believe it or not a couple of ‘plucks’ on the mask, once looked at through a 10x eye glass, showed microscopic stars. The problem is the smaller the part being cut the more the likely hood the part gets pulled off its backing. It has not had a great deal of use - in fact it can be such a while between projects I have to re-learn how to use it again - but that’s definitely an age thing . I have done some pretty small stuff with it though.

The 1/48 F8 never materialised seeing the 1/32 version put a hold on that though it still sits in the stash complete with all the aftermarket bits - ah well one day

Regards - Ramon

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Tug without question, thats the best Crusader I’ve ever seen…period. Besides the ME 262 and F-86, that’s the only jet I have any interest I building. Ok, maybe the A-10 too. I hope to see more of your work. Welcome aboard…

Joe