This is the one of the first models I’ve built in awhile. Got this one from the MAPS air museum at akron canton airport. They had someone donate a bunch of models and were offering them at a good price as part of a fundraiser.
here is the cockpit. I think my dry brushing needs some more work. I was just going to use this model to practice how to do washes on the plane to bring out the panel lines but once I got started I couldn’t help trying to do some detailing in the cockpit.
This one is looking tougher than I thought…check out how bowed the fuselage sections are. I assume it’s just because of how old the model is. If anyone has any advice on this build based on one you’ve done before feel free to toss out your thoughts
I can tell you one piece of advice now…modeling putty…get a lot of it. Have this same kit in my stash, partially built. Not one seam lined up remotely close to well for the fuselage. This one was the only game in town when I picked it up, would love to see one of the better model companies revamp it in this scale
OH, one more thing, not sure how accurate you are looking to build this one, but there were several configurations of EA-6B in service. This kit is supposed to depict an ICAP 1 aircraft, around the mid 1980s in USN service or so. Even then, there could be differences in the antennas carried on a particular plane. You would really have to research a specific aircraft to really get it right…though, I get the feeling you are not looking to go that far with this build, just wanted to pass the info along
Yeah, for this one I want to focus on my technique. I plan to do a F4 in Thunderbirds format once I have enough practice.
I spent 20 minutes last night trimming the tabs on the wings so they would fit in the slots as the cockpit overlapped in the corners where the tabs were supposed to slide in. Then I tried the nose gear bay assembly and found it wouldn’t fit into the opening. Going to tackle that later tonight or tomorrow. Will ad pics tomorrow to as photobucket won’t cooperate with my iPad
I just put the 1st bits of putty onto my model. First time I’ve done this. Any advice on sanding in the corners? Seems I need something small to sand with. I was thinking of some sandpaper on a toothpick. Any tricks that you would share? Pics when I figure out a better way to post them lol
For tight spots I found some round sanding sticks with a pointed conical tip about 5-6 inches long, maybe 1/4 inch in diameter at my hobby lobby. They are blue in color. If you can’t find anything like that, I have also used sandpaper in tweezers.
Groot
Another thing to try, which I just found out about on this forum, is to put down the putty and then use a Q-tip wet with acetone to smooth it away until just the seam is filled. Too late for my a-36, but will be trying on my next effort. Good luck. I would also suggest test fitting everything, and gluing the fuselage in stages. So for an example, glue the nose around the cockpit and get it to line up as well as you can and let that glue harden before working your way back. Regardless, looks like you are in for some sanding. Good luck.
John
Just to give you a couple of tips about using putty. There is a product called Perfect Plastic Putty that is water based. I read about it in this site. I found it a my LHS and the stuff is great. You apply it and even when dry, you use a moistened Q Tip to smooth out the join as along a wing root with no sanding.
If you do sand, it dries fairly fast and sands out very smooth.
I am going to have to get some of that putty. The wing root gap was to small for the filler I used and it flaked out in places.
For thin gaps like that u need Touch and Flow applicator and Plast I Weld.
Oh I wanna see the Phantom Thunderbird. I tried Blue Angel and Thunderbird builds many moons ago.
That’s a good tip. I’ll have to find me some of that!
Tubs look good! Let’s see the IP’s…I have one of these waiting “in the wings” so to speak.
It’s been awhile since I posted to this. I finally found time to finish this the way I wanted wanted to. This is my first time doing anything except painting with a brush. Wing roots and other areas I had to putty came out really well.
Now I need to figure out how to post pics from my ipad.
[t$t] Hooray to a finished project! Are those aftermarket decals?
Nice work.
Another thing to add to the techniques for filling seams is to put tape on both sides of the seam before you sand the filler. Do most of the sanding before you remove the tape. Perfect Plastic Putty is good stuff.
