Fly-n-hi

Remember also that many "pros" have been modeling for several years and have built up an extensive set of tools and building supplies. Many of them have hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of tools and things. And I don't mean that in a discouraging way...but having good tools makes a big difference.

I've found that pre shading is a waste of time now. I use so many post painting techniques that they cover up the pre shade. Plus, I think that pre shading tends to draw too much attention to the panel lines especially in combination with panel line washes. Just a wash by itself brings to right amount of weathering to the lines in my opinion. I personally like to put down a normal coat of paint and then fade, modulate and filter on top of it. The new fad is "black basing" which is just some weird way of saying black primer. You can use white primer and "mottle" on darker col

What are the clear sheets in the Aires cockpit sets? Is it Acetate? Dura-Lar? Mylar? Anyone know for sure?

I like Perfect plastic Putty for things like making the seam where the windshield attaches to the fuselage flush. Its perfect for stuff like that since you can use a moist cotton bud to wipe away the excess and not scratch up the clear parts. I also use Mr Surfacer to fill 90 degree seams like the one where the vertical stab attaches to the fuselage. You can use a cotton bud moistened with isopropyl alcohol to wipe away the excess. Its just a matter of using the right putty for the job.

I use Mr Color a lot! I typically thin them one part thinner to one part paint. That is usually a good starting point but sometimes the paint is a bit more concentrated. I've had two bottles of the same color where one was thinner than the other. P.s I personally stay away from CA glues. They can be a challenge to sand flush with the surrounding plastic and since they are harder than the plastic its possible to sand away too much plastic in the process. I have really good results using Tamyia putty. Its my go-to filler.

You only need to use a gloss black base if you are using high shine paints like chrome, stainless steel, polished aluminum, etc. It ends up being a difficult extra step. Regular metallics are too opaque and the base won't show through. Your choice, though. You do need a flawless surface and you will definitely want to at least polish whatever paint you use. I recommend using Alclad II primers. They come in grey, black, and white. They are micro fillers, lay down very fine and will give a uniform surface if you are priming over putties and other materials . You can polish th

Incredible work! The cammo looks fantastic!

Yes. I have a few brands that I have used but the Mona Lisa brand comes to mind right now. They have an Odorless Turpenoid that works very well.

Try this next time: Start the process by brushing a thin coat of turpeniod onto the surface and then apply the oil dots. This will help the oil paint speed out and dry without leaving edges or borders.

Fantastic work! How was it getting the gear doors on and flush?

I've had good results thinning it with lacquer thinner, too. I guess it helps the paint burn chemically bond to the styrene better. I just used the canned thinner from Home Depot.

I can vouch for the decals, too. They went down very well...

Or you could get the Brassin AIM-7s. The main fins are separate. Still have to mask the rear fins, though.

Hey Darren, I'd say the only real issue with the Hase F-22 is the out of scale panels. Otherwise I think this is a fantastic kit!

You didn't ask for it but in case you want to know... F/A-18: I'd say right now Hasegawa makes the best...Legacy or Superhornet. But I think Kinetic is about to release a new Legacy Hornet. F-16: Tamiya, hands down.

That intake ramp panel is a nice touch! I like it!

You may have to wait a bit but I bought a 1/48 Hasegawa F-15C on eBay for $30. Just keep your eyes peeled...

Does the nozzle set come with the PE "sidewall" parts for the exhaust? If yes, then the nozzle pieces do need to be a bit narrower. Although, yours look really narrow. I also bought the wheel well set and ended up using the nose wheel bay only. I think it was the only part I used out of the entire set. Total waste of money! I used the Aires cockpit and after some really minimal trimming it went in very well. If I remember correctly the only part that didn't fit was the part that inserts up into the canopy...so I just used the kit part. I also used the kit HUD because the PE HUD looke

Here you go...if you can settle for plastic ebay

This doesn't really answer your question but the Aires F-15C "early" cockpit for the 1/48 Hasegawa F-15C kit was about as close to a drop in cockpit I've ever used. Required almost no modifications. Can't say the same for the F/A-18E for sure, though.

Cool WIP! Thanks for sharing!

I have a build on the bench now that used Tamiya Acrylic over Alclad II Grey Micro Filler primer and had no problems.

I have an unbuilt GWH Mig-29 and I can can tell just by looking at the sprues that this kit is nice! I've never built the Academy kit but it seems like I never hear anything good about it. As for the price difference...after you buy the Academy kit and all of the AM stuff to fix it you could have just bought the GWH kit instead.

I'd recommend the poking holes/solvaset method. What I do is brush some solvaset over the silvering. In your case I'd work small areas instead of trying to fix the entire decal at once. While the solvaset is on the decal gently poke some holes with a fresh #11 blade. You should see the solvaset work its way under the decal. I also use a soft brush and gently brush over the decal after I poke the holes to help force any air out. Take your time and don't melt the decal.

I'm still holding my breath for a GWH Su-27.