We'll - I've been at this for awhile, but might as well bring it into the conversation. I'll also preview here what I've got lined up next, as a "new start" for the Corona group build.
Here are a few pics of the work done on the IDF Kurnass 2000 and the Japanese EJ Kai. I've got to do just a smidge more clean up work, put the aerials on, and they're ready for paint stage.
Here's what the Kai will look like - this is a set of dry-transfer stencils. I bought the 2 ocean blue paint set from GS.
Here's where they sit this morning:
You'll notice putty lines - man, these Hasegawa kits that are designed to be built into a variety of versions from the same set of molds are not the best kits for good fit and no seams! Too many unusual part options, and horrible configuration part breakdown. I'll be glad to get back to an old Italeri F-4 kit, or perhaps the newer Academy or Airfix...
And here's my "preview of the next build in this series - I'll make it a separate post once I break open the box... I just love this ugly duckling!
That's not ugly. It kinda looks like a Ju87a with 2 wings.
FFL
Personally I think the Japanese and Israeli Phantoms are the best-looking ones! I was considering joining Kurt in building a 1/48 EJ, but similar to your experience with the 1/72 I was turned off by the multi-part molding. Looking forward to seeing these. I also really like the use of the egg cartons, clever little modeling life hack. CFL
I've been using egg cartons for decades! Doesn't everyone...??!!
Casey - BUILD THE EJ!!! Don't fear the kit - the Phantom will love you for it!
I have never built an F4, so, no I have not used egg cartons.
A few items to be finished before ready to lay down base coat: I masked the interior of the intakes in prep for inserting some sponge to block them up. I need to paint the area around the cockpit, give the models a wash to rinse off all the putty/sanding dust, then shoot some blue/green on the windscreen and mask off the canopies and apply, add the blade aerials on the spine (and the IFR probe on the Kurnass), then ready for base coat.
I'm getting the metal on the stabs and back end, while masking the canopies. I used a new technique to add some straps to the pilots and seats - tool some .7 tape, ran over it with a grey pitt pen, and created the strap around the back of the headrest and the shoulder straps. Laid in the face curtains (kit supplied - not PE this time). Just need to add the HUD and I can put the canopies on.
You'll notice I didn't mess with the back of the RIO's console - once the canopy is on, it's really hard to see anyway... (and with 36+ Phantoms waiting to be build, I am looking for stuff NOT to add!)
Come on, come on git with the painting already I wanna see those bluebirds of yours.
finished the metal paint work, and have the metal masked, the canopies masked, the white metal IFR probe on the Kurnass. Just need to put on the nose probes and stick the sponges in the intakes, and ready for primer/paint!
Slightly different probe than what the US NAVY uses, interesting
While the primer dries and as I dive into the painting, I'm working on ordinance. These are Popeyes for the Kurnass 2000, from Skunkmodels Workshop IDF weapons set. I cut off the nose, glued some clear sprue and sanded to get the clear nose.
This is making me rethink my build cue. Im going to have to get a couple of gas passers.
hey - I always welcome the company!!
Greg- I will definitely be following this. Very cool!
ok - paint on the Kai, gloss coated, and now working on the dry transfers I bought for this baby. I spent probably 6 hours or so and have barely made a dent!! The first pic shows the section of the underside that I put on (the meatballs, intake warnings, fuse stripe on the rear and a few of the small red markings on the underside were waterslide). There is a learning curve to using these dry transfers properly (which is why I started on the underside...).
You can also see some of the results of my rivet work better now that it has paint on it...
So - to give you an idea of the amount of panel numbers and stencils on this baby, here is the main sheet (there is another with the larger elements like the serial numbers, etc.). Below that are some of the pages of the instructions. On one side are the instructions of the panel numbers, and on the other side the stencils and markings. So to cover an area, you have to work off both sides of the sheet together, to figure out the best plan for laying them down without pulling off previous transfers or decals.
the Stencils - on the top half of this page - have transfer numbers so you can find what you are looking for. The panel numbers - I guess because the number is actually in the decal - DON'T have numbers! I have to use my phone in photo mode zoomed in, underneath my magnifying light, to even FIND the right panel number decals! Seriously - after a couple of hours, the eyes are drained!
upper stencils
upper panel numbers
lower stencils
lower panel numbers
side stencils
side panel numbers
pylon panel numbers (yes, there are also stencils - those not numbered are on the other sheet from this one, but I won't show that here.
Are you cross eyed yet?😁
Just to let you know, after the first depot heavy check, 90% of the stencils are not put back on.......just kidding. That is a lot of work, dry transfers really help, especially no "silvering".
Keep up the great work!
Another 2.5 hours - just for these two pylons...
I haven't posted for awhile on this one, due to the fact that I've been putting on individual stencils and panel number FOR HOURS until my hands cramp! I am learning some nuances of using dry transfers, and have a pic here to show you one of the gambles I lost. The way dry transfers are made, the transfer is fixed to the plastic transfer sheet with adhesive, then the entire transfer sheet and other side of the transfers are coated with another layer of adhesive. It actually seems to be friction/heat, not pressure (though pressure is a component of friction), that releases the hold between the transfer and the sheet and allows the adhesive on the bottom side of the transfer to overcome the adhesion between the transfer and sheet.
This would be much more effective if the adhesive on the bottom of the transfers was ONLY on the transfers - but it's not - it coats the entire transfer sheet. So you take a great risk when you have to lay a transfer either on top of a water slide decal or where the edge of the cut transfer sheet overlaps the decal. I had already pulled up one of the meatballs on the underside wing and had to replace, but realized I had already applied the water slide intake warnings that needed to be overlaid with transfers. I was successful until I got to this black stripe, and the small section where the stripe is broken to allow for the warning triangle took just enough adhesion to pull that part of the decal up!
I'm going to try to go back to the kit decal (the waterslides used came with the dry transfer set), and cut a piece of the warning triangle to overlay. If it's anything like the meatball, the red is likely to be brighter on the kit decals than on the set I used, so I'm not sure what the outcome will yet be, but I don't want to have to try to paint it.
That is a lot of stenciling. Your patience shows on the model. Nice going. Can't wait to see the finished item.
Dang that's pretty.
Finished with the underside - you'll notice a "casualty" - sometimes you have to rub pretty hard, and I broke the glue seal where I had glued in one of the gear doors. I'll have to clean it up and re-insert but I'll wait until I'm done with stencils. I've probably put in 30 or more hours so far on stencils and decals alone...