Hey all!
As I said, I thought I would jump in here with a few photos of the A-10 progress to get this GB going!
Yes there is a gap between the gear bay box and the fuselage! The bay was a bit hard to fit in place.Only I will ever see it though…
Tired, better hit the sheets!
Jim
Looks great Jim, getting us off to a great start there!
Great work once again Jim! [Y] [Y] And thank you for getting the new build started!
Ken
Okay, I’m on the right GB page now. I’ll post a pic of the Firefly when I get a chance; it’s too far along to use as this build’s model. Sounds like everyone’s on some kind of diet losing weight and all. I think that’s wonderful. I’ve been fortunate to have been relatively thin my whole life so can only imagine how challenging that must be. Congrats on that!
What a night tonight! The expected storm hit right at rush hour and when I got out of work, the entire city is locked up in a grid lock! I finally gave up and looked for a place to hole up! I managed to make it into Bass Pro Shop and forced myself to kill over an hour browsing at boats, fishing gear, knives, guns, ammo and other assorted goodies! Finally traffic cleared out and though still a bit slow going finally made it home! Too tired to play at the hobby desk. Another storm is to hit tomorrow night at rush hour, so another long miserable day will be in store.
Jim
Glad to see you made it home fine Jim. We ended up getting about six inches of snow overnight but it’s supposed to hit about 40F/ 4.5C today though the weekend so hopefully it won’t stick around too long.
I primed the Hellcat last weekend but it dried kinda on the rough side so I sanded her down with some fine grit sandpaper last night. Hopefully I’ll get to painting her soon. I was going to road-trip with some guys from our club to a IPMS show this Saturday but we’ll have to see what the weather does.
Anyway here’s the Wildcat- still lacking those two friggin’ decals…
Welcome Mike! [snWcm] I have added you to the roster with a “TBA”. Just let us know what you want to start off with.
Ken
Hi Jim,
I hope you make it home safe again tonight. This winter has to end soon!
Ken
Fine job on the Hellcat Cliff! Very nice indeed. [Y] [Y] I hope those decals show up soon!
It is supposed to get down to -3 degrees tonight. Tomorrow night it is supposed to get down to -5 degrees! Way too freaking cold!
Ken
Lol Ken thanks but that’s the Wildcat- I lost the two small '2’s that go on each side of the cowling. I found some in the spare decal drawer but nothing quite the same. If I don’t find them soon I’m going to assume I threw them out with the used scraps of decal paper and just go ahead and improvise.
The Hellcat is still in white primer. Hopefully I’ll get the white belly painted sometime soon.
I think the Hellcat looks great!
I too, also get the gritty finish when I spray flats. I don’t know what paint you are using, I use MM paints. I read of a builder (in FSM I believe) who buffs his flat paint smooth. Don’t recall what he used, but I decided to try it with my usual Colgate cavity preventive toothpaste (white stuff - no gels) and an old t-shirt to buff the paint. I allowed the paint to cure for several days and then buffed it out. The finish ended up very smooth, but still looked flat. In fact, I thought it looked more true-to-scale. I also find my gloss went on easier as it didn’t have to try and level itself over the grainy finish.
I of coarse rinsed and scrubed it down with a soft brush before going forward.
The author claimed he put decals down over this, but I wasn’t sure, so I used a clear gloss anyway.
I’ve only tried this on the A-10 so far, so I wouldn’t call it a tried-and-true method yet.
I should also mention that I had to be very careful of edges and raised detail, as I buffed through the paint to the bare plastic. Some touch up was called for.
Jim
Thanks for the advice Jim. I was using Alclad white primer here and I think I was spraying it from too far away so the paint was slightly dried when it hit the model. I just hit it with a bit of fine grade sandpaper and it’s smooth as silk now.
I saw a demo a show a few years ago with a guy who claims he never sprays gloss varnish on before decaling. He just buffs the flat paint to a semigloss and then puts the decals down on that. I keep meaning to give it a try since his results looked fantastic.
Well, another truly wondrous day! Briefly: snowy commute to work was horrible, very busy hectic day, migraine that the aftereffects are going to linger into tomorrow, lost my phone somewhere in the warehouse (calling it didn’t work, which tells me it’s either broken or in a place that the network won’t connect) nearly 2 hours in the Verizon store buying a replacement (of course I didn’t have insurance!) There were several families ahead of me who were buying phones and tablets for the whole gang! I had no choice but to wait as I have to have a phone! It was nearly 45 minutes after they closed before I got out of the door!
Also sad at the passing of Leonard Nimoy. So many of the old Star Trek gang are gone now, including Deforest Kelly, James Doohan, Majel Barret, and of course Gene Roddenberry!
Well, still not feeling well, so off to bed!
Jim
Hello friends!
I wanted to start this morning by announcing that my morning weigh-in 2 days in a row has me under the 300 pound mark, so I am making it official as a loss of 25 pounds!! (So far!) Woo-Hoo ![t$t]
Don’t mean to go on and on about it, but I am trying to encourage myself to continue this direction! At times I feel like I’m trying to kick a drug addiction, or quitting smoking all over again! Even now, I have this impulse I’m fighting to get up and root around the fridge for something to eat.
My goal when I started was just to lose weight, but now I would like to see if I can at least return to the 250 mark! That’s where I was many years ago when I was biking a lot, and belonged to a gym. My knees, though not 100% feel much better and I am considering digging the bike out for spring!
On to other things:
I did manage some time in on the A-10 last night, adding more decals and painting on the landing gear and doors.
The one in the upper left is actually a 3 part decal. I’m going to add the 3rd sometime today.
Still so much to do on what was originally an out of box build!
Well, yesterday I was a bit out of it as I was still feeling the after effects of the migraine Friday, and today I start with another one! I am loading up on caffeine to combat it.
Lastly, I wish to say that I am the Papa of 6 new additions to my home! I got some fish for the recently re-vamped fish tank, though I am dismayed at today’s prices! 22 bucks for 6 tiny fish too small to even eat for a snack!
Well, in the mean time, maybe I can get another walk in before the next round of snow hits sometime today!
Jim
Hey Jim, hope you’re feeling better soon, and congrads on losing the weight. And congrads on the new fish! The A-10 is coming together quite well.
Not much done here, went to a show yesterday and managed to win a 2nd and 3rd place. And found this electronic P-40. I had one as a kid back in the early '80s - it had a small electric motor to spin the prop and the guns lit up with a push button. Gosh I wore the darn thing out from ‘flying’ it around the house and yard. I still have most of the parts but still very happy to find another kit!
Sorry about that Cliff. It does look like the wings are low like the Hellcat in that picture.
Ken
Way too cool about the weight loss Jim! Congratulations! I just weighed myself and as of this morning I too have lost 25 pounds! I am exercising at lunch time then hit the swimming pool after work.
Great job on the decals! They look good! [Y] [Y]
Ken
Congratulations on the placement in the contest!!! Way too cool. And also great score on that kit!!
Ken
Congrats on the weight, hang in there. Wife lost 187 lbs with change in diet over 2 1/2 years, long ago, and diabetic. I’m trying to get rid of the 30 I put on after heart issues 4 years ago. Put it on at 10 a year for the first 3 and can’t get it off, but my exercise and walking is next to nil due to the issues.
Nice job on the decals. She is getting there.
Well I started the Indy last week and totally forgot that it was part of this build, so to remedy that, I’ll catch y’all up. Here’s a pic of the bagged parts, I went ahead and purchased a PE kit ($40, ouch, almost he price of the kit) and I’m am going to populate the decks with wee little PE sailors. Since they are flat and 2D, I’m going to apply a touch of white glue to add a little depth, I hope I don’t end up with a bunch of fat little sailors. I also plan on displaying it in moderate to heavy seas, and 1945 measure 22 paint referencing the “Camouflage Instructions - Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Destroyer Escorts, Assigned to the Pacific Fleet.” C-S19-7(631) of 26 February, 1945.).
I was thinking about placing 2 torpedo wakes heading for the starboard bow, but thought better of it. This is supposed to be an honor to the ship, not a time freeze just prior to it’s horrific demise.
Next day’s post.
I have the hull together and the deck on. Tonight I’ll spray the deck color, according to the 1945 Measure 22 stats “Apply Deck Gray (20) to decks and other horizontal surfaces exposed to weather.”.
I am pleased with the look and the fit of the kit so far. It has been outstanding.
The kit is longer that I had expected. You see it pictured on a TV tray.
I an waiting for the PE set to arrive from Australia, and getting the house ready to go on the market tomorrow, I will continue to work on her later this week .
Steve
