I don’t mind doing research most of the time, but it seems when it comes to anything related to what was stationed at our base there is limited information and pictures. I spent hours online trying to find a picture of a camo C-130 from our base in the 80’s and turned up nothing. Only reason I even know we had them is I could see 6 of them in the background of a picture of an F-101 Voodoo. Short of going to the base and asking them, which I think might make me look like a crazy person, I’m not sure how to obtain anymore information. I can’t afford to buy a book on every airframe I decide to do, wish I could.
A goal of mine is to complete a rendition of every aircraft that was stationed here. They certainly don’t have to be exact replicas, I’m not being picky, especially when a very generous forum member chose to gift me the kit to get me one step closer to that goal.[:D]
Contact the base Public Affairs folks. They should have access to older photos that may not have been put onto the internet digitally. Also look up the history of what units have been assigned to that base. Squadrons may change mission types over the decades. My fathers old wing over the course of their history from WWII to today has flown B-17s, B-26s, C-119s, KC-135s, C-141s, and C-17s among other types. If you tell the PAO folks you’re interested in the history of the base and units there, they may be quite helpful.
Despite my efforts on catching up on house work yesterday so I could devote the day to the Phantom, things didn’t go as planned, lol. Maybe tomorrow.
I know most of the squadrons that have been on base, I think I’ve reached my limits as to what I’m going to find on the internet. I did take a small tour of the base in October, but I was so in awe of the C-130 in front of me I forgot to ask questions, lol. I may just have to work up the courage and go over to the base.
I believe the subject of your project, 64-0660 is on permanent display on the base, mounted on a pedestal, though it now wears an overall grey colour scheme.
Wow, I had no idea it was possibly the same aircraft. I knew we had a Phantom on display, from looking on Google maps, but didn’t even think for a second it could be the same one from that picture I stumbled on. That’s pretty cool.
Wow, that’s cool! I can’t believe it’s the same aircraft, I had no idea! I just thought it was neat that we had a camo one stationed here. I really think I should take a trip to the base and see if they have any history they are willing to share with me. I love building models that have a history here.
I was finally able to get a little bit of time in today. I’m pretty sure I have everything ready to start painting. Hoping to get to that tomorrow. I bought a new airbrush today, so I’m going to try that out. Fingers crossed, lol.
The canopy is just held in place with a piece of tape.
I taped the landing gear doors in place.
Still no email back about the missing parts. I’ll wait until Monday and if I don’t hear from them by then I’ll try calling.
The Paasche VL kit from Hobby Lobby. I’ve been using the one from Harbor Frieght up until now. Figured it was time for a decent airbrush. Can’t afford the fancy stuff, so hopefully this does what I need it to.
I think you will find the Public Affairs folks very receptive when you explain that you are working on a collection of aircraft that were based there.
I had looked at the kit when I got it, but didn’t realize it was missing anything. Hopefully Hase will come through, though you might have to purchase the sprue or sprues. I got it from Straycat, but I have four 1/32 Phantoms on the shelf and didn’t think I would ever get to it, so passed it on to someone who would build it.
You really went to town on it, and is looking good, even though it is a “G” instead of a “C”, it will be representative of Phantoms based there. I love the old SEA (South East Asia) camo, that is the era I worked the birds back in the early/mid '70’s. All of mine will wear that paint.
I didn’t realize they were missing either until I went to glue them on, lol.
So I’m pretty annoyed with myself at the moment. I thought I had everything sorted out with the airbrush. Apparently I hadn’t. I got really aggrevated and landing up painting some of the green with a paint brush after giving up on the airbrush. I’m pissed at myself for losing my paitence with it, and resorting to the paint brush, cause now I don’t like how it looks. [:@] I think my problem is too much air pressure, and I need to find a regulator and get that hooked up.
A few pics at she currently sits. It doesn’t look too bad in the pics, but I don’t want it to be one of those 5 foot models where it looks great from 5 feet away.
Either a regulator or a MAC (Micro Air Control) valve by Iwata. It’s in line and hooks up to the AB directly. They make the Chinese MAC valves that are also quick release. I have both and I use the Chinese version the most. You can have the air pressure at 50psi and still control the air pressure with the MAC valve.
You can respray the camoflauge area when you get a regulator or in line valve. Good luck!
I must add, your Phantom looks great. Add the rest of the camoflauge and decals with weathering and you’ll be very happy with the final product. You never cease to amaze us all.
Not knowing what kind of compressor you have, if you have a Harbor Freight nearby, they have a regulator with a guage on it for under $10. They are set up on 1/4 NPT thread, but you can get brass adapters at most any autmotive parts house, and not that expensive. I would also say to get one of HF’s red plastic “squashed punkin’” water traps. Put both at the compressor and good to go.
Thanks Toshi.[:D] Hubby rigged something up for me with a regulator on it. I’m going to have to play around with it. I still need to get the hang of an airbrush.
I have the harbor frieght airbrush and compressor. I bought the set up a few years ago for taxidermy. Which really there is no need for it to be precise at all. Everything in nature is more blended out. I’m going to get back it and hopefully I can save the paint job. This usually happens with every build, I get dicouraged thinking its going to look horrible, but in the end I’m usually pretty happy with it. It must be my model building process or something, lol. I’ve only every trashed one model out of 20 builds.
I also use H/F airbrush and compressor…there’s a fitting on the bottom of the moister trap (clear piece)…you can adjust that to drop the pressure…you’ll hear the air escaping and see the needle drop. Full pressure is too much for most things, I keep mine in the 15psi range.
(Also…haven’t had a chance to check yet, but I’ll dig through the spares later and see if I can find any of those parts…I don’t think I have any, but ya never know!)
So here’s where I’m at now. I added the darker shade of green, then touched up some spots with the tan. I was still having trouble with the airbrush at points, but I think if I try to “fix” it anymore it’s just going to make things worse. I still don’t get why the airbrush will work fine one minute and not the next, then fine again. I guess I just need to get the hang of it. I should of known I would run into issues when it came to painting, building it went so well, and everything went together really nice! Lol.
