I’m wondering if you guys could recommend a kit. Now here’s the catch, I’m looking for a build that has a NMF.
I’m currently building a P-47 in NMF using alclad. I just picked up some Talon acrylic NMF paints and would like to give them a try. Now I’m not one who likes to build a dozen of the same plane just because there’s some odd variation. For example, a P-47 razorback is the same as a P-47 bubbletop to me, because they’re both P-47s.
So, what I’m looking for is a kit that goes together well, has decent detail (or at least has AM available for it) and has an NMF.
If it helps any, my current unbuilt stash is an F4U-4, P-61 and an Fw190A-6.
Okay Fred. You really kind of left the field wiiiiiiiiiiiide open. [;)]
The only one of the kits that you have listed that I have ever seen in NMF is a variation of the P-61, the F-15A Reporter. Lone Star Models offers a conversion set to do that one. I am getting ready to send my order in within the next week. By the looks of the set, you can build the F-15A or the XP-61D or E. If you think you might be interested in that one you will need to order it pretty quick, as Mike will be shutting down on November 1st for an extended break. He is NOT shutting down for good. He just needs a break to spend time with the family.
There are numerous others. It all depends on what type you want to build. There is the B-17, B-25, B-26, B-29, P-36, P-38, P-51 plus many others by other manufacturers. You can get into the jet age and there are even more choices. From the onset of the jet age until just a little after Viet Nam probably every jet produced, was seen in a NMF finish at one time or another.
Those are some suggestions but, it is solely up to you to build what YOU want to build.
Chopperfan, I just recieved my cockpit for the Widow from Mike, the detail is outstanding. I already have a bunch of AM stuff to build her as an A variant, so I don’t want those to go to waste. But if you are building up another Widow, maybe we can start a joint thread and share tips and tricks - like a really tiny groupbuild [(-D]
I’d like to try and keep it WWII as late korea/'nam jets all kinda look alike to me.
Marc, I like the idea of the P-40 (mostly because of the concealed engine [(-D]). Do you know where I can find reference for them?
I Think I’m going to go with the Tamiya 1/48 P-51D http://www.megahobby.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2030 and some resin upgrades from squadron. I’m thinking the wheel bays from Aires, the cockpit from true details and I was considering the exhaust stack from quick boost, but it says “type B” - any idea what that means?
Fred you are going to love that kit. A real shake and bake if there ever was one. I highly recommend the Aries Master Series resin cockpit. Fantastic detail and a great fit. And if you get the Aires Wwheel wells… good luck getting them to fit. I sure as heck couldn’t. Had to buy a new kit just for the wings I screwed up.
Also, check out the AM upgrades form Ultracast. The kit prop blades area bit off in shape and the flaps have a notch that does not exist in the real world. Ultracast make replacements for those as well as wheel, exhausts etc. Great stuff.As far as the type “B”… they may just mean that they are unshrouded.
You can see some of that AM stuff used HERE I chose to fill the ghap in the flaps (actually… I forgot to order them[:-^])
Not ‘sometimes’ Bullet21. Always. The only dumb/stupid question is the one not asked. Good to have you here and ask away. Somebody will have an answer. [#welcome]
I ran out of things that I could get thinned enough for them to fit so I could glue up the wings. The top of the wells were sanded almost thin enough to read through. Did the same thing to the inside of the upper wing and still no go.By the time I sanded enough off the gluing surface the wells were so shallow they looked like… well… you know. Maybe I had a bad set or maybe I was just a major bonehead that day. [%-)]
It most likely wasn’t you. I added an aires resin gun/ammo bay to my jug and sanded it so thin, I thought I was going to have to replace the floor in it. For parts that are supposed to be drop in additions, you’d think they more carefully measure the working space.
Do you know where you got that cockpit set by any chance? Squadron doesn’t list it, so I was wondering if you might remember.
Hey Fred. I don’t know where Marc got his but, Sprue Brothers shows to have one in stock. I have had excellent service from these guys as well as a number of others from other forums that I frequent.
Ahhh, for some reason Spru bros is blocked at work, so I usually don’t check there (lunch hour is short enough without getting frustrated searching inaccessible websites).
You haven’t stated if you have a preferred scale and whether or not you want strictly OOB subjects. My suggestions below are therefore of kits that are available in 1:48 or 1:72 scale and most can be found with NMF finishes OOB; alternatively, some of my suggestions are based on subjects for which after market decal sheets are available.
It looks like your “theme” is prop-driven fighters, so the most obvious choices for a NMF (Natural Metal Finish) would be a P-51 or a P-38. Remember that the P-51 had painted wing surfaces though!
But you could do a Spitfire or P-40 (eg. the RAAF stripped the camo off many of their Spits & Kittyhawks toward the end of the war), a P-63 or post-war Beaufighter. If you want some early or pre war ideas, you could choose a F2A Buffalo (lovely yellow wings) or P-36.
You could do a captured Japanese aircraft (Zeke, Jake, Oscar) in NMF with either US or Brit markings.
Or maybe you could extend your theme into the early jets and do a T-33 or F-86?
From the Germanic side, choices are more imited but I’m sure I’ve seen a photo of a Me262 in NMF somewhere, and I have read about Me109’s being delivered to units in North Africa in NMF (to be painted in the field). Maybe a prototype '109?
