Second Annual USAF Vietnam Group Build

[plasticjunkie]

Ken

That looks like a fantastic model just as an OOB build. Too bad some panels were not left off to expose part of the engine. That cockpit looks very detailed!

[Striker8241]

Hi Everyone,

I made a purchase tonight and I thought I would share since it is a Vietnam era model. It is the new Italeri 1/32 F-104 A/C Starfighter. Completely new tooling and lots of detail.

You can read the review here:

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/it/kit_it_2504.shtml

Wow, what a kit! Let’s see…you should be about 94 when you get around to it… [:D]. Looks like fun though! Congratulations!

Russ

[mailwalker]

Hey Mailwalker,

Russ is right; we are all on this hobby journey and all of us still have room to grow and learn new techniques. As far as dry brushing goes it’s okay to pre-treat your bristles with a little thinner, but you want to make sure your brush is almost completely dry.

After I paint the base coat, I let it dry for a good while. Then I get my wide, soft brush and dip it in the paint enough to cover the bristle tips. Then I lightly drag it across a textured paper towel or napkin to remove most of the paint. Once most of the paint is gone, the remaining paint will form a more defined pattern and only attach to the very highest point of your model. (Like the knobs, switches, and buttons on your side panels). Once I’ve got the paint down to that small amount, I transfer it to the model itself.

Looking at your pictures, it looks like you are getting the technique, but maybe you’re applying a little too much pressure on the brush and the bristles are doing into the work deeper than you wanted. Try using a lighter touch and work in one direction at first- left to right, or up and down. It takes a little practice, but you’ll get there.

I also like to find good pictures of what I’m trying to replicate and will have a picture of the actual item from a book, or pulled up from my internet file on my computer to capture the actual ‘look’ of the item.

You can also use ‘washes’ to give those small details more ‘pop’ and visibility and to add shadows in areas where they’d appear on the actual item. And maybe one of the guys on here can explain ‘color modulation’ techniques…(Still struggling with that one myself.!!)…like I said, always something we can learn!!!

Good luck with your Super Sabre!

TAD

Thanks, Tal Afar for the tips. Being as I am on the learning curve, I have since repainted the base coat on everything and have begun repainting the details. It’s looking much better. Hopefully I’ll get enough done soon to post some progress pics. Great tips and encouragement, I appreciate it. Thanks again!

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Ken

That looks like a fantastic model just as an OOB build. Too bad some panels were not left off to expose part of the engine. That cockpit looks very detailed!

I agree with you on the detail. I don’t think I will need to buy any aftermarket parts for this one!

Ken

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Hi Everyone,

I made a purchase tonight and I thought I would share since it is a Vietnam era model. It is the new Italeri 1/32 F-104 A/C Starfighter. Completely new tooling and lots of detail.

You can read the review here:

http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/it/kit_it_2504.shtml

Wow, what a kit! Let’s see…you should be about 94 when you get around to it… . Looks like fun though! Congratulations!

Russ

I would guess closer to 104! [:D]

Ken

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Hi Everyone,

Today’s date is an important one. It was on this date, November 1, 1955, that the American Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) for South Vietnam was created. Here is an excerpt from the online Wikipedia:

“The MAAG was reorganized from covering all of Indochina into MAAGs for each of the countries (Cambodia, Laos, South Vietnam). General Samuel Tankersley Williams was the chief of the newly created MAAG.^[37] Due to the creation of the MAAG for Vietnam on this date, in 1998 after a high level review by the Department of Defense (DoD) and through the efforts of Richard B. Fitzgibbon’s family, November 1, 1955 became the earliest qualifying date for inclusion of American combat deaths on the wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.^”

^{So this date is considered by the United States government to be the date that the Vietnam War began.}

Ken

[mailwalker]

Just an update to show that I am still at it.

Here is the forward control panel. Much better I think than before. Still some to do on it. My references showed some of the dials to have a black mounting “box?”, some were just a black ring around the dial. Thats what I am trying to portray.

Here is the cockpit mocked up still working on it also, But it is also better than my first attempt IMO.

Here is the ammo bay. I expect it to really pop once it gets some weathering done.

Slowly but surely I will get there, guys! Thanks for all the tips and comments.

Mike

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Just an update to show that I am still at it.

Here is the forward control panel. Much better I think than before. Still some to do on it. My references showed some of the dials to have a black mounting “box?”, some were just a black ring around the dial. Thats what I am trying to portray.

Here is the cockpit mocked up still working on it also, But it is also better than my first attempt IMO.

Here is the ammo bay. I expect it to really pop once it gets some weathering done.

Slowly but surely I will get there, guys! Thanks for all the tips and comments.

Mike

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Just an update to show that I am still at it.

Here is the forward control panel. Much better I think than before. Still some to do on it. My references showed some of the dials to have a black mounting “box?”, some were just a black ring around the dial. Thats what I am trying to portray.

Here is the cockpit mocked up still working on it also, But it is also better than my first attempt IMO.

Here is the ammo bay. I expect it to really pop once it gets some weathering done.

Slowly but surely I will get there, guys! Thanks for all the tips and comments.

Mike

Sorry about that. I accidently hit the post button before I wrote anything! [00ps]

Hey Mike, that is looking really nice! Great job! [Y] [Y] I’d say your honing your skills very well!

Ken

[plasticjunkie]

The kit nose guns did not look very good

So I got some barrels from Quickboost

Much better

I then raided my tackle box for some small sinkers for nose weight and secured them with masking tape as they will be sandwiched against the nose bulkhead

And then disaster as the nose slipped out of my grip and landed on the tile floor busting 3 freaking barrels!

I spent the next few minutes exclaiming some choice words but was able to fix the damage. One barrel broke in half and flew into oblivion. I had to use one of the kit plastic barrels as a replacement after drilling out the muzzle and cutting it to size.

Damage repaired

The nose is on and the weight keeps it from being a tail sitter.

[modelcrazy]

Good save PJ.

[plasticjunkie]

Thanks MC. I just hope the dropping thing is an isolated case.

[Tal_Afar_Dave]

Hey Mike,

Looks like you are really coming along!! Big difference![Y]

Dave

[Tal_Afar_Dave]

Wow, PJ, that had to suck majorly!! Glad you were able to save it; can’t even tell which barrel is the replacement!

TAD

[plasticjunkie]

Thanks TAD. I was so pissed that I forgot to photograph the damaged nose guns but just thought about repairing the damage. This is the second model I drop this year. The other one was a 1/35 Eduard Hetzer that I was building for the Tank Hunter GB and dropped it loosening the front gears and transmission inside the tank. I had to carefully cut the front bottom armor plate to glue the parts then re glue the armor plate to the hull.

[Tal_Afar_Dave]

Dang, that does stink! I finished up a P-51D that came out really good and I wanted a red background behind it for pictures. Had the picture all framed up and focused and it was going to be a great photo. Then WHAM! It happened…that big, fat, beautiful red book fell on top of the Mustang, crushing the landing gear…Still get ticked when I think about it…I never found the tail wheel…

Glad to see that you bounced back!!

TAD

[plasticjunkie]

Wow TAD, sorry to hear about that! It sucks when you put all that work into a model and things like that happen. Can you repair the gears?

[Tal_Afar_Dave]

Wow TAD, sorry to hear about that! It sucks when you put all that work into a model and things like that happen. Can you repair the gears?

I managed to salvage the main landing gears, but I have no clue where the tail wheel went after it flew away from it’s mount…I will probably cast one in resin (one day) to replace it…we’ll see how that goes…

TAD

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

The kit nose guns did not look very good

So I got some barrels from Quickboost

Much better

I then raided my tackle box for some small sinkers for nose weight and secured them with masking tape as they will be sandwiched against the nose bulkhead

And then disaster as the nose slipped out of my grip and landed on the tile floor busting 3 freaking barrels!

I spent the next few minutes exclaiming some choice words but was able to fix the damage. One barrel broke in half and flew into oblivion. I had to use one of the kit plastic barrels as a replacement after drilling out the muzzle and cutting it to size.

Damage repaired

The nose is on and the weight keeps it from being a tail sitter.

Hi Plasticjunkie,

Those Quickboost guns are a real improvement. They look great! Very sorry to hear about their “accident” but you did a fantastic job of repairing them! [Y] [Y]

Ken

[Son_Of_Medicine_Man]

Thanks TAD. I was so pissed that I forgot to photograph the damaged nose guns but just thought about repairing the damage. This is the second model I drop this year. The other one was a 1/35 Eduard Hetzer that I was building for the Tank Hunter GB and dropped it loosening the front gears and transmission inside the tank. I had to carefully cut the front bottom armor plate to glue the parts then re glue the armor plate to the hull.

Ouch Plasticjunkie! That makes me cringe just reading about it. That must have been a horrible feeling to see it crash. Hopefully there won’t be anymore instances like that!

Ken