spejic

There's just something about the Valkyrie that lets it wear alternate paint schemes really well and you did a great job implementing this one. I really like the attention to detail, especially on the secondary and hidden parts.

Yes, they even have it in mainstream stores in America like Michaels.

I really like it. The details are so chunky and soft, but your shading and panel line work gives it a cartoony quality like the original animation while still being sharply built.

I want to modify my posted opinion of Mission paints. In my original testing, I found that I could not mask over them and they scratched off easily. That was after a day or two drying. But I was playing with the broken model I use to test paints recently, and was trying to scratch off the Mission paint section so I could do a different test and found it would not come off, even with hard scratching. So I guess you just need to let it dry longer - somewhere between two days to 14 months. Somewhere. I can't get more accurate than that at the moment.

I usually close everything up as well, and going by what I see at model shows ~90% of models are done this way too. Model companies that mold the access doors open on aircraft are probably barking up the wrong tree. My exceptions are scratchbuilding helicopter hangers for ships and opening doors on helicopters with cabins. But I think those are a little different than what you are asking.

There's two different pylon systems for carrying Western weapons. This is a good look at the pylon designed for bombs - it has been used for JDAM and the French AASM: https://www.twz.com/ukrainian-mig-29s-mysterious-jdam-er-pylon-our-best-look-yet The one for carrying the HARM is a two part affair that doesn't have that antenna probe sticking out. This article has a good picture of this kind close to the end: https://www.twz.com/ukrainian-mig-29-fighter-appears-with-mystery-weapon-pylons

It might wick up in panel lines, and even if one is careful mistakes can be made. I usually use the thick Testors glue. Unlike epoxies it has some holding power right away. I use the non-toxic type which doesn't make strings, but does have a long drying time (which I don't mind in my building style).

That Palace Athene is super impressive. I've done enough scratchbuilding to appreciate the quality and difficulty of your work, although I do ships which are basically boxes on boxes. I can't imagine doing compound curves - and then making it's mirror part exactly the same size and shape for the other side! Absolutely top level. Thanks for showing it.

I did find one example on a A-4L. While I have a couple thousand images of the A-4, you could never tell one way or the other on most of them because of the quality of the film/scan/lighting. But there are also very late A-4E and F's (like those in aggressor squadrons) without them, so it really depends on the particular airframe. I don't see them on Skyhawks with enlarged intakes (probably because they wouldn't even fit), and I have also yet to see one on a TA-4J (again, that is not proof they were no TA-4J's with them) and the Hasegawa kit of the TA-4J does not include it.

You are really brave to go back to a model you've already finished, but the new model feels fuller and the display is more dynamic. Love how the wire gives the impression of the V-1's spoiled flight line.

These are excellent representatives of the genre. Extremely sharp and clean work.

Try to find pictures of the aircraft you are modelling. That support is seen on some E's and F's and not in others. In my photo collection I can't find it on other variants of the Skyhawk, which is no guarantee because this is a thin piece of metal and hard to see on clean aircraft in 1970's and 80's film. There is no panel line on the support itself.

The paint scheme is really sharply done. I've noticed you fixed the kit's backwards Sidewinder rails - is there any other modification you make to the kit?

I would like to put an asymmetric load of weapons on a MQ-9 model, but from publicity photos it looks like it is extremely uncommon. Is that the case?

If you mean the right hand side from the perspective of the pilot, the picture I have of this area has nothing. The left hand side (the throttle side) has a pocket made of cloth with the same light metallic green color as the quilting, but I have no idea if this was common or not. The Cutting Edge third-party 1/48 cockpit replacement seems to model something there, but the Ares one doesn't and now we are going into second and third hand information. Unless you have reason to think this container was in your particular aircraft, I wouldn't model it. Once the seat is installed and th

I'm sorry. It worked for me the few times I needed it, but that was for small spots where I guess it's a lot easier to temper how much you rub. It might depend on the brand of the underlying paint as well.

It does look nice. Being bespoke it has a couple advantages over the Hasegawa, mainly having positionable spoilers. The Hasegawa wing doesn't have a spoiler at all, and requires some new panel lines to be added. The cockpit looks more detailed and the airbrakes actually look like they will fit closed, which was a major bummer on the Hasegawa. But the wing slat well is still modeled with a step. Fixing it on the Hasegawa was a pain, and the more detailed the kit the more difficult it will be to replicate all the lines and rivets you need. Can't see if the front wheel is a separate p

I would try slowly rubbing it with a q-tip dipped in isopropy alcohol. It should eventually work, but it might take a while. Be patient. It might look a little cloudy at the end, but if it isn't a clear part it should go away next time it is sprayed with a clear coat (gloss or flat).

I've made some decals for Navy and Marine aircraft of the period, and the lettering was very, very inconsistent. You could have half a dozen different letter aspect ratios / spacings on the same aircraft. If you are trying to replicate the markings of a particular aircraft, it's best to get good pictures and just trace over what was lettered on the real thing.

I think it is compatible with the method I use as it also shrinks a lot as it dries, but it's just goopier than Mr. Surfacer and isn't as easy to spread evenly or thinly over panel lines.

You can thin the fillers (Perfect Plastic Putty is good for this because you can thin it with water) or use one that is already liquid (like Mr Surfacer 500). Fill the lines, wipe away the excess with something that won't go into the panel lines (a coffee filter is good) and they will both shrink when drying. I got good results out of both of those recently.

I dipped a canopy in Tamiya Clear and it looks fantastic except that a large bit of dust landed on it. Is there a good way to fix that? I've removed clear from clear parts before using alcohol, but it makes the clear parts foggy.

Yeah, the one posted is pretty good for you application, and there are other similar ones from major brands. Broadly speaking the more gel ones give you a few more seconds of working time and the more liquid ones give you less and it isn't always clear from the package which one you are getting. The more you move something during the setting phase the weaker the join is, so you still want to minimize movement.

There are different kinds, but the platinum one makes molds that are both more flexible and tougher. Usually the ones you find in art stores (like the Smooth-On brand, which works well for me) are kind of thick. It will still work - just paint the part with the mold material with a disposable paintbrush or q-tip before you pour in the mold material into the container. For a beginner, here is the basic set up for a single-piece mold: You want a container big enough to surround and submerge the part but no bigger so you don't waste casting material. If it has a bowl

That is extremely impressive. I love all the little details you added, particularly inside the landing bays. It looks like you didn't do any light blocking internally - was the exterior paint sufficient for all that? Did you do a particularly heavy black primer?