[Academy 1/48 A-10C]

35 minutes ago, A-10 LOADER said:

I was at the 111th from May of 1994 until September of 2011. I actually loaded those bombs and rocket pods on her before she went to the museum in 2010. Poor girl's looking rough these days.

Steve

 

Very cool!

 

yeah, she is looking rough

 

I lived on Warminster from 1996 to 2017 off of County Line road a few miles away from the base. I miss watching the A-10s do their practice every few weeks (once a month?)

 

I remember one of A-10s crashing when coming in for a landing over on the Keith Valley Rd side of things. IIRC it clipped the top of a tree

 

Also miss the airshows, although that F-14 crash was the nail in the coffin for them as far as community support went. People were already complaining

 

at the one Air Show (I think 2005) they had a whole demo with a simulated attack run for the A-10s complete with the pyrotechnics for the "explosions" ( although IIRC they did live ammo training runs up in Wellsboro)  

[Academy 1/48 A-10C]

Just picked up the Academy kit and I am looking forward to starting it. haav1/72 one and that was a dog. The engine shapes just did not seem right and lots of bad gaps

 

Don't know if these will help. but recently got some pics at the Willow Grove NAS air museum

 

This particular one began its service with the 111th Fighter Wing, PA Air National Guard, in 1992 and designated as a weapons load trainer

 

if looking for something more specific I can get some different angles

 

[USS Iowa the Big One]

I recently just used the same Scale Colors paints. The 5-N Navy blue I think is the correct color based on drawings for the camo scheme and the Tamiya instructions

The Scale Colors 5-N actually does look more black than blue in most light and can be a tricky color

 

 

compared to actual Dull Black used on the USS North Carolina

 

[F-16 Balloon kill markings?]

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/hobby-clubs-missing-balloon-feared-shot-down-usaf

[F-15E loadout advice]

I had built the Hasegawa kit a while back and was looking for loadouts.

 

I came across this https://www.dstorm.eu/pages/loadout/f-15e.html

 

And I forget where I came across these, but here are a few graphical ones I found

 

[What weapon loadout can be used on this pylon for the F/18C?]

and I wanted to add, yes it is the Hasegawa 1/72 F-18C kit

 

I am using the Red Devils markings

 

This is apparently the plane it is based on.

Although there is nothing on that pylon so I could not get any info there, and the other pylon has missiles instead of the drop tank

I did not come across this until after I finished the build  otherwise, knowing what I know now,  I would have gone for a different configuration with the drop tank and used different launchers

 

 

 

[What weapon loadout can be used on this pylon for the F/18C?]

Thanks for all the responses, MK-82 it is

 

Also good to know what pylon type was on there as well as the angles for the bombs

 

I have some of those in one of my Hasegawa sets

[What weapon loadout can be used on this pylon for the F/18C?]

This was one of the first military jets I had built and I built this right out of the box following the kit instructions without much thought or concern for what might go on there

 

Turns out the kit did not provide a full loadout, so the question is, what would be appropriate for this style pylon?

 

The pylon is glued on pretty securely and taking it off would be a pain

 

Forgive me if I am using the wrong terminology as I do not know much about the actual hardware

 

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

On 1/11/2023 at 10:18 AM, ziggyfoos said:

 

I can't give an unbiased opinion as they're my sheets, but to be honest the darkest grey (the 533 markings) did end up printing lighter than I intended on that 1/72 sheet - and similarly the VA-65  markings on another 1/72 sheet (but wasn't issue on the 1/48 and 1/32 versions).

 

I don't have that Italeri kit/sheet to directly compare the darkness/lightness of the greys on the sheet to the AOA one, and I'm not sure of the opaqueness of the kit decals? The AOA sheet is printed by Microscale and shouldn't have any issues for opaqueness or application (Microsol/Microset should do).

 

Sucess

 

Just got them today an tried out a few. They are prefect and exactly what I would expect the contrast to be!

 

Thanks so much!

 

For reference, this is what the Italeri Marines decal looks like

 

Pics came out really dark and are not white balances since I did not bother setting up the photo booth and it is getting too dark for outside pics, but this will do for demo purposes...

 

 

And these are the new replacement AOA decals. 

Exactly what I would have expected

 

 

And replacement on the nose. You can see (just barely) the Italeri intake warning color difference

 

 

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

AOA decals ordered

[USS Iowa the Big One]

I'm building a 1/700 Tamiya currently and have been looking into the paint scheme

 

From the research I did. it seems that the edges were blended/feathered initially, but then straightened up in a later touch-up?

 

Unclear though if the feathering was intentional, or just a sign of worn down paint as that long dark spot in the middle of the hull seems mostly worn away compared to after the repaint

 

January 1944

 

Later that year, December 1944 (Also the pattern changed in places

 

So technically both are correct?

 

It was also unclear whether the dark color was dull black or Navy Blue (5-N) and if the light color was 5-L or 5-H They are fairly close, with 5-L being slightly lighter/whiter, but according to this the color was 5-H

 

https://www.usndazzle.com/design.php?category=2&class=1&design_num=1B&designed_for_type=BB&designed_for_num=61

 

Normally Measure 32 was 

 

Light Gray 5-L.
Ocean Gray 5-O.
Black 

 

From what I could tell, the Iowa's modified scheme is just Haze Gray (5-L)  and Navy Blue (5-N)

according to this picture's caption

I personally am going to use 5-L

 

 

As far as paints, I found some great paints made by Scale Colors

 

 

In the Tamiya paint guide, they suggest AS-16 for the 5-H or L color and AS-8 for the 5-N Navy Blue color (I believe those are both spray can colors)

 

AS-16 though feels to warm while the 5-H and 5-L color is a bit bluer

 

as far as the deck and other horizontal surfaces, those are Deck Blue from what I gathered

 

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

12 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

That would be great. I don't need the national insignia at all. I just the squadron markings. Let me take a look in my spare decals and see if I have any 1/72 A-10 or E-2 decals. I'll let you know.

Just PM me your address and I will send them off

 

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

16 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

I could use those VA-176 decals if you aren't going to use them. I'm building a kit for a gentleman who served in the squadron but can't find decals.

 

We can work something out. Not looking to make money on these and shipping is pretty cheap if I send them in a letter style envelope all I would need is your address

 

Of course I would gladly take a trade in decals if you had any to offer (need some 1/72 A-10 ones and some 1/72 E-2C Hawkeye high vis ones), but if not, no big deal

 

I actually have two different sets I did not use, your welcome to either or both

 

This is from the A-6e TRAM kit

 

(although I had earmarked the national insignias and danger markings for an old A-4 Skyhawk I had that has no decals) you are welcome to the rest of the decals specific

 

 

I also have these from the Italeri KA-6D Intruder I recently built since I used the Black Panthers markings

 

Although apparently this one is USS Forrestal on the actual decal sheet despite the instruction listing USS America??

Also now that I look again, I notice the A-6E TRAM above says USMC, but the decals say NAVY ??

I'm no expert but shouldn't it say "MARINES" if that is the case?

Or are the instructions heading wrong in listing USMC and it is actually NAVY?

 

Make me question Italeri decals and paint charts even more now

 

 

 

[F-35B 1:72 from Airfix]

Wait, why would they give you those rainbow paint colors?

 

Are they expecting you to mix all the greys you need from that 😀

 

I guess maybe the yellow for the canopy tint and maybe the red/green for some lights, but not sure about the blues/purples

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

2 hours ago, ziggyfoos said:

  

 

Meant to mention - the mission marking bombs are printed the same color as the numbers/letters.

 

That's good enough for me. I will be picking up a set then next payday!

 

Edited: just dawned on me that the manufacturer link is in your signature, which I assume means it is your product. Good to know and makes me feel better about taking a chance

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

2 hours ago, ziggyfoos said:

Another alternative for ED-403 (and 410):

 

 

Thanks, even better!

 

At the very least, the bombs appear to be the right shade

 

I am a little worried about the numbers and letters though as they seem to be a similar lighter shade like Italeri's, but it is also hard to judge without seeing them in person next to a Dark Ghost Grey sample

 

Worth a try though. How are they quality wise? any issues with their other decals?

 

Below is the Italeri sheet

 

 

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

Thanks for the responses

 

It is a shame. They are really good quality decals, I guess the color is just off

 

Anyone come across decals for the VMA-533 Hawks that are a better shade?

 

I came across these, but am not sure if they are going to be the same shade as the Italeri ones ore not or what kind of quality they might be

 

Print Scale 72-337 Grumman A-6 Intruder

[Italeri 1/72 A-6E questions]

 

I am in the process of painting this kit. 

 

As far as I can tell the color color scheme is Dark Ghost Grey with Light Ghost Grey on the bottom

I used Vallejo Model Air Dark Ghost Grey and Light Ghost grey paints

 

The problem is the kit decals all but disappeared with the Dark Ghost Grey straight from the bottle.

 

I am not sure if the kit decals are just way off color wise or the Vallejo paints are way too dark. I had seen some post showing a color sample of the FS color next to the Vallejo paint and they seemed close enough, and actually the Vallejo paint was even a bit lighter

 

I tried going back over the Dark Ghost Grey with a 50/50 mix of Light Ghost Grey and it significantly lightened the color, but the decals still blend in way to much in my opinion

 

Below is a picture of the Hasegawa 1/72 FA-18C comparing the decal contrast

 

I was expecting the Italeri kit to appear much darker

 

Maybe that expectation is not correct?

 

Or maybe Dark Ghost Grey is not the right color?

 

 

Here is a picture of the actual aircraft markings the kit seems to be based on

 

 

This is what the Italeri kit markings look like (note, the canopy is not glued on yet so there are some gaps)

 

 

Has anyone built this kit using the included decals?

 

If so, is this how it turned out?

 

And if the decals are indeed off color wise, is there an after market decals set for these markings?

 

Or if Vallejo Dark Ghost Grey is too dark, is there a better color?

[Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)]

Amazing attention to detail!

[Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)]

That is some serious precision work

[Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)]

Very impressive!

[1/72 Shuttle and Hubble Space Telescope]

A little late to the party, but any updates on this? I stumbled across this thread since I recently got a 1/72 Revell Space Shuttle kit and was looking to see what people had done with it and what kind of after market parts there were

 

What a fantastic build!

[Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)]

This is one of my favorite build threads ever!

 

So much cool information combined with a great build and attention to details!

[Space Assault Ship Toranaga]

That really came together!

 

Excellent work!

[Questions About The Bandai Star Wars Kits]

The B-Wing is undersized for 1/72 based on the size of the included pilot figure (i.e. the pilot is closer to 1/87 scale)

 

Likewise, the A-Wing, based only on the size of pilot, is over-sized for 1/72 (i.e. the pilot is closer to 1/57 or so)

 

The problem is that what is considered the "official" size for ships is not consistent with some of the full size cockpit sets. So it seem Bandai basically used a compromise, and scaled the ship to 1/72 based on those numbers, however, they fudged the size of the pilots to look proportional to the full size cockpit sets

 

Fantasy Flight games has the same problem with their A-Wing and B-wing sizes compared to other ships in the X-Wing miniature game

 

Detail wise, shape wise and accuracy wise, Bandai has produced the best Star Wars kits to date and these "snap kits" are far superior to most traditional glue kits when it comes to fit.

 

The only downside I  can mention, is that their panel lines can sometimes be noticeably out of scale, particularly in places where they have engineered for different colored plastic parts. But those can be easily fixed

 

here are some comparison pics

1/48 Snowspeeder - Fine Molds on left, Bandai on the right

 

 

1/48 X-Wing Fine Molds on left, Bandai on the right

 

 

Bandi on top, Fine Molds on bottom

 

 

1/72 Y-Wing Bandai on the left, Fine Molds on the right

 

 

1/72 X-Wing Bandai on the left, Fine Molds on the right