Cool Hand

Amazing build!

More so layering, but being able to mix paints for custom colors would be a nice option.

With MM paints nearing total extinction, I figure I will need to change paint brands in the near future. But seeing that I still have dozens of good MM paint jars, I'd like to choose a brand whose paints will work well with my MM paints instead of starting from scratch with an entire new paint line. What are my options?

As a wise man once told me, "Falling knives don't have handles."

Not sure how I missed this release initially, but I just placed an order for one of the final sheets. Seems like it's got my name written all over it.

Fantastic build. Were the pilot figures with the kit or did you source them somewhere?

FYI, the Academy F-8 Crusader kit in 1/72 has 4 excellent Aim-9 D/G/H missiles.

Here's a VF-142 Tomcat with AJ on the tail. Apparently it was taken in 1975. https://www.aviationphotocompany.com/p226855169/e69b3a64f

You could also buy the genuine grip and cast a copy of it in resin and use the copy as your mount.

I would not even go that far. I'd say it's more like the fuselage issue with the ZM phantom. There is a flaw in the shape, but it's not obvious until you know to look for a flaw in that area. The AMK Tomcat looked obviously wrong from the first glance.

Yep.

Ok, so your plane is from Skg. 210 and later ZG 1 in 1943. I don't recall ever seeing any photos of drop tanks used by that unit while in Russia. Herbert Kutscha's plane has been photographed with and without a splotched whitewash for winter camouflage. The standard camouflage colors are RLM 74,75,and 76 with the white over the top.

The drop tank fixtures are separate from the wing bomb racks. I've seen pictures of both fitted at once. Here is the other question, what unit/theater is your 110E from? You typically only see the tanks used by ZG 26 in Italy and Africa.

The F ones look strange to me. The outlet holes are much too large. in reality they should look just like the later exhaust pipes. Go with the G or K.

Those exhausts look very 109-ish.

I would avoid the Fujimi if want a Delta or even a Bravo. The kit is originally engineered as a standard A model with extra parts to convert it it to a B or D. You get a port fuselage half with NACA vents, ECM bumps(but not all of them), the GE engine nozzles(open and closed), and the D-style chin pod. What you need to provide or scratch build are D-model ejection seats, D-model instrument and RIO panels, ECM bumps for the area ahead of the glove vanes, and the engine shrouds for the GE engines.You will also need to source BOL rails, Lantrin pod/pylon, and bomb racks if you do not

I'm sure someone reading this thread would like to know that there are options in 1/72.

Hasegawa also does an early Tomcat in 1/72 which has the early boat tail, 7-hole gun vent, and the IRST pod for under the nose. I have kit #00863 which has VF-2 and VF-32 decals. The instruction sheet inside has the booklet for a VF-1 boxing, so that exists as well.

I only have the standard A model from Fujimi, but I have the early A VF-2 from Hasegawa, but that does not have VF-1 decals in it.

The sheets I'm looking at are both printed by Cartograf. Somehow I missed the big logo on the cover sheet at first.

Well the Fujimi is the less than ideal option given that it only has the standard gun vents and braced tails.

Well, I will be using the Hasegawa kit in 1/72, so hopefully it will lineup better. I even have a Fujimi kit, so if the NK does not fit the Hase well then maybe the Fujimi will be better.

Ah, that's a relief. The FV-1 sheet looks real good and as Solo said, Cartograf decals are always top quality.

Is the VF-1 sheet one of them? That's the main sheet I'm looking at.

I saw a sheet or two by them that I'm considering picking up, but I'd like to know how good they are to use.