S K Loh

Tks spejic for the info. I shall look into that. Best regards

Hi Gregg, Sorry that you weren't able to view the pics. I attached a link here. Hopefully you will be able to see them. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1l8NdntoVPhp_uiBOHm1giZPHg6fwQA7m I noticed that i was unable to view the pics if I used my handphone to connect to the ARC website but they are OK from my PC. Anyway I am still new to posting pics online. Best regards, S K Loh

Found this 1/144 JWings F-14A Tomcat from the stash in the storeroom. I had bought this snap-fit kit for my son many years ago. I was contemplating what to do with it when I heard the theme song "Highway to the Danger Zone" from the movie "Top Gun" being played over the radio one day. That go me into doing a makeover of this kit into a Top Gun F-14A flown by Maverick/Goose pair. So i began my search for the info I needed for the build. The very first thing though I had to improve the look. Noticed that the nose is somewhat too level with the fuselage. So i added shims using plastic strips to make the nose droop a little. Added scratch-built external probes and antennas as well as 2 x AIM 7 and 2 x AIM 9 as seen on the actual bird in the movie. Had the crew added with matching color helmets to go for Maverick and Goose. Lastly added a display base for the in flight mode. Enjoy. S K Loh

Sorry guys. Realised that the pics were too small. Tried to upload them with Google Drive. Hope you can view them. I will probably post more pics and details in the Article through Steve. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xkfi7w_a7j559W5sR_MMEao7qtfUj8gZ

A Happy New Year to one and all ARCers. I have finally completed my build of the P-40B Warhawk flown by Boyington when he was with the AVG Flying Tigers in 1941 and one of the F4U-1A when he commanded VMF 214 Black Sheep Squadron in the Solomons in late 1943. My special thanks to fellow ARCer, Milo for the valuable info to enable me to incorporate the correct antenna/cable run configuration. I was not able to implement a short post to the end of the pitot tube but glue the aerial cable directly to the pitot tube instead. During my search on Pappy Boyington, I came to know that he flew with the AVG Flying Tigers in 1941. I decided to built a P-40B Warhawk with the markings of his bird "21" of the 1st Pursuit Squadron "Adam &Eves". Glad that my LHS happens to have an old AFV P-40B kit. Unlike the Corsair much modifications/enhancements had to be done on it to make look reasonably correct. Today (03 Jan here in tropical Singapore) marks the 75th anniversary of Boyington's last engagement of flying with VMF 214. He was shot down over in Rabual that morning flying BuNo 17915 (came to know after I have done the preparatory work to build BuNo 17883). He remained a POW in Japan till the end of war. I remember the TV mini series "Baa Baa Black Sheep" in the late 70s . This is my tribute to him.

Hi Milo. Thank you very much for the detailed info. It is certainly informative and useful. I had actually started to build 17883 based on the pic from wikipedia. Looks like I will have to do some re-work to get it corrected i.e. removal of the front antenna mast. Will also have to apply a new roundel on the underside. Noticed that 883 has its roundel place further away from the wingtip, closer to the cartridge ejection port while most Corsairs had underside roundel placed nearer to the wingtip and with the horizontal white bar over the red/amber/green identification/recognition light indicators. S K Loh

Nice. I like the one in Kiwi markings. Well done!!.

Hi Herb, Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for your compliment and glad that you liked the presentation. That's how I keep my builds from dust with these nifty display case which allowed me to have some simply short write-ups to help me reminisce them with a litte bit of history/background to it. Thank you and best regards, S K Loh

Hi. I am building a AFV 1/144 F4U-1A Corsair and I intend to build it as one flown by Maj Pappy Boyington when he commanded the VMF-214 Balck Sheep Squadron. It was Bu 17883. In my research I came across several types of antenna configuration and aerial cable run for this bird. For example, the graphic picture depicted in Wikipedia shown it had both forward and rear antenna mast with no aerial cable run to the forward mast. It also depicted a tiny whip antenna on the belly just aft of the main wing. I have also come across "883" shown without the forward mast and a different aerial cable run and no whip antenna on the belly. Appreciate it if any of you ARCers can help to clarify the correct antenna mast and aerial cable run configuration for "883". I intend to have it built with the updated blue outline for the roundel markings. Thanks. S K Loh

Hi freshnewstarter, You should be able to find numerous info of Redtails P-51D from net. Like you, I was inspired after watching the movie and that gets me searching for info on the Redtails. As I only built 1/144 scale it took quite a while to find one. Fortunately the LHS brought in a Hobby Model kit and so began my work on building it into a Redtail. This one depicts the P-51D flown by Capt Roscoe Brown, CO 100 Fighter Squadron, 332 Fighter Group in Ramitelli, Italy in 1943. There are several other famous pilots who were honoured too e.g. No10 "Lollipop II" 1Lt Spurgeon Neal Ellington of the same Squadron. The names of pilots and aircraft codes depicted in the movie are fictitious as I understand it. Any corrections are most welcome. P-51D has been one of my WWII favourites and I am glad to be able to build one. Hope you will be able to find the one of your choice. Regards S K Loh

Thank you, Herb. I am flattered. Best regards, S K Loh

Hi Don, I used to have the same problem as you until I added the same water trap as the one Andrew (Kaibutsu) posted above. I kept the main regulator/water trap as it is i.e. at the outlet of the compressor (am using a Badger compressor). I no longer has the problem of water coming off the airbrush, disrupting the paintwork especially if you use enamel. i find this type of water trap an advantage in that you can just screw it to your airbrush without having to splice the hose. But more importantly, you can actually see the amount of water trapped and make a deliberate flushing before it gets into the airbrush on days when the air gets more humid especially where I am from, Singapore during days of heavy thunderstorm. This type of water trap comes with a standard 1/8 inch end fitting. I understand that Paasche airbursh has a unique hose end fitting that is smaller than the standard 1/8 inch type. Your might need an adaptor to go. Best regards, S K Loh

Hi Jackman, That's correct. That's the on that I bought from Giant and subsequently from NTUC too. I managed to buy the UK equivalent for Future they called "Klear" some years ago but am running low. That's when I chanced upon this product and gave it a try. As I have mentioned the Floor Care is much thinner and hence does not offer the same effect as well as shine as Future would. I have tried it on canopies but they pale in terms of shine and protection. Unless if you let it evaporate to reduce its volume significantly which I actually tired. But it's just not worth the effort. It's just a shame that SC Johnson (S'pore) is not bringing Future in.

Hi Chuck540z3, The picture you showed of the Pledge Floor Care is not the same as the Pledge Future. Something similar to the one you have is available here in our local stores ( sorry that I could not attached a picture at this point in time). It is also called Pledge Floor Care with no mention of Future and has a citrus fragrance. I bought a bottle to try last year as Future is no longer available in Singapore. It is of a lower consistency in that it is very diluted as compared to Future. Hence, it does not offer the same protection as Future and is susceptible to decal softening solution like Microsol, Mr. Mark Softer or Humbrol DecalFix as I have tried all 3. I am building 1/144 scale and the undesirable effect shows pretty well and I can well imagine the horror of it in larger scale like 1/48 as you would be using copious amount of the softening solution. It is compatible with Future and I have mixed them to airbrushed my builds. I have tried using it as a base solution for acrylic paints and the results looked pretty okay with airbrush. You will need to thicken it by allowing it to evaporate to at least half its original volume to have any effect but it's just not worth the effort. Regards, S K Loh