seawinder

I built this Tamiya F4U-1 five years ago with extended wings. I remember taking some time and care to get good glue joints at the folds. I don't think I used bracing, but it was a while ago. In any case, I've had no trouble with the wings, including travel to a show last year. Cheers, Pip

Flesh? Seriously, can you be a bit more specific with your question?

I don't think anybody is. As for the MiG-29, GWH has released three versions since late 2012: 9-12 late, 9-13 and 9-12 early. There's been a huge amount of forum traffic on these kits, much of it here at ARC.

You might give the decals a coat of Micro Liquid Decal Film, which will thicken (slightly) and strengthen them. If you haven't ever used it, it's great stuff. Just brush it on; it'll lie down and disappear. I've had the silvering problem with Eduard decals. It might be worth the time/trouble to get a real gloss surface on the model before you apply any more decals. Also, when applying the MicroSol, you want to prick the silvered areas lightly with a needle. I usually apply the Sol first and then begin pricking. (Forgive me if you already know that technique -- no intent to be patronizing.) If

... as it should be. Klaus gives 30118 as an approximation for DE in the IPMS color guide. The M.S.A.P chip is similar, but a bit redder, as is the ANA 617 chip in the Monogram USN color guide. The MSAP and Monogram chips are extremely similar, and both are similar to in darkness, but redder and less yellow than, the Model Master color.

+1 what Hal says. The Tamiya Jugs are some of the finest and most enjoyable 1/48 kits you'll ever have in your hands. Just a shame they never did an N.

I stand corrected on the PR XIX, and thanks for the info on the Mk. Vs. When I feel the need to do some research, I will. I was just commenting on the fact that the thread was getting a bit far from what the OP asked about in the first place. The ICM Spit kits include parts for an HF VIII. Shouldn't be that hard to convert it to a VII?

According to the review at IPMS/USA, Revell 85-5320 is simply a re-boxing of the old (1960s) Monogram kit. As for "recessed panel lines," that's seems a bit deceptive since the Mossie basically didn't have any.

Perhaps lost in the discussion -- the OP mentioned wanting to dress up the model in D-Day stripes, so he presumably is looking for a Mk. IX. I don't know if there were any Mk. Vs in the invasion, but there certainly weren't any PR XIXs or 22/24s. Can we all agree that, in 1/48, Eduard is going to fill his needs the best?

Hmm. A number of paint lines have RLM 02. Model Master and Mr. Color are both workable.

That helps, thanks!

I'm soliciting recommendations for aftermarket GRU-7A ejection seats in 1/48 scale. I'm especially interested in knowing which one(s) will actually fit in the Hasegawa F-14A cockpit. Thanks! Pip

36270 is a modern color, often labeled (for some reason) "Neutral Gray" (e.g. Model Master). The FS approximation for WW2 Neutral Gray is most often given as 36173, although Nick Milman, in a post at Britmodeller, states that it's closer to 36152. I used Model Master 36173 for a recent P-38 build and thought it was a bit lighter than a color photo of the actual plane, but a decent match. You can also easily mix a workable shade with black and white 4-to-6.

Thanks, C.S. I appreciate the comment. The tan is Model Master enamel 30219 right out of the bottle except the areas on the stabilators and around the starboard exhaust that were darkened with some black. I've never particularly liked MM's SEA greens -- I think they're both too green, especially the 34079. As I mentioned above, I think MM's British Dark Green is a much better match for 34079, and the one lonely bottle of Floquil Military Colors 34102 I've been hoarding really looks the part IMHO. Sadly, I don't think there's enough left after this project for another plane, so I'll have to loo

Hi tobiK. Thanks for the comments. I was trying to replicate the pictures Scott Wilson posted of boarding ladders with heavily worn black paint, so I drybrushed with aluminum. As for the rungs not being level with the ground (if that's what you're referring to), I couldn't get the Hasegawa pieces to go together any other way. Cheers, Pip p.s. I just went back and looked at the photos -- now I see what you mean -- the rungs should be at right angles to the vertical poles. So I nudged the whole thing a bit, and it's a lot better. Thanks again!

The model represents an F-4E from the 512th TFS (Dragons), 86th TFW, sitting Zulu Alert at Ramstein AB, Germany in 1985. Although this mission was generally handled by the 526th TFS (Black Knights), planes from both squadrons were combined under the 526th in 1985. True Details (ex-Black Box) cockpit set, Aires exhaust nozzles, Aero Bonus AIM-9 seeker head covers and RBF tags, Eduard ejection seat handles, everything else OOB. Model Master enamels for the tan and dark green (I used British Dark Green, which I think is a better rendition of 34079), Floquil Military Colors for the medium green.

Per the Hasegawa instructions, I put housings on both sides of the pylons. Everything's painted at this point, so I'm going to leave them as is, but I will paint them light gray, thanks!

Scott, were the ALE-40s any particular color? I've done each pylon in the appropriate camouflage color for its place in the wraparound. Were the dispensers painted the same way, or was it some sort of gray or metallic? Pip

I think I've got enough to go on to come up with something reasonably close, thanks! BTW, when you say rope, you mean rope, not wire, yes?. The resin set of covers I bought came with a length of thin wire to use, so I guess it'll need to be painted like rope of some sort. Good luck with the move and your new home. I'll hopefully have the model finished by early May and will post some pics at least to HyperScale, with a clear expression of thanks for your help with photos and explanations. I can't imagine having done a Ramstein bird without them. Cheers, Pip

Hi Scott. I'm trying to picture what you're describing. Where are the fuse covers on the missiles? Are they the red band around the aluminum band at the forward end of the rocket engine? In another photo you posted to LSP of a 526 TFS bird (68-440) armed with AIM-9s, each has an RBF tag hanging from the dome cover, and there are two lines running back to separate points on each missile (I can't tell exactly where). Would that have been an earlier arrangement? Pip

Hi Scout. Thanks for that comprehensive reply. Could you translate a few terms? I'm mainly a prop guy, so much of this is new to me. QRA? EOR? RS15? Cheers, Pip

Opinions requested: I'm in the final stages of a Ramstein F-4E, which I'm doing with Sidewinders and Sparrows as it was seen during a Zulu Alert mission in 1985. My question is about whether or not to use the warhead caps and RBF tags for the Sidewinders. I know that these caps were generally on while the plane was parked. However, it would seem that there were RBF tags in other places as well (nose landing gear, for example). I don't particularly want to do the plane with red tags all over it (plus I don't have enough of them anyway). Am I better off doing just the caps/tags for the Sidewinde

I've just had an interesting email exchange with Robert Herring, who was a WSO at Ramstein during the 80s. He told me that planes with the same number as the squadron (like 86-0512, the one I'm building) were often piloted by the squadron commander. So, does anybody happen to know the name of the 512th Sqn commander as of 1985? Would he have had a steady WSO? Cheers, Pip

Thanks, Jake. I'll keep that in mind -- either your product(s) or paint -- for the next one. I duplicated the Afterburner lines, but gave them a stroke of 1.25 points (as opposed to about 2) and a color of 35% gray. On the laser printer they actually came out as a dot matrix, but on the plane they look like a faded black. I'm reasonably pleased with the results. Cheers, Pip

Hi Scout. Your lines look really good. I realized after sending my last post that another solution would be to make my own decals -- I've already had to do most of the markings for the plane I'm building anyway. So I'm going to try them in a dark gray and see how that looks. Cheers, Pip