Aaron

I'm selling this lot of 3 1/48 scale kits - Revell F-15 Strike Eagle, Monogram F/A-18E Super Hornet, and an Academy SU-27 Flanker B. Here's the link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/256002032095?hash=item3b9ae901df:g:ppwAAOSw091kBqhY

I have a VF 102 50th anniversary kit for sale. Please check it out if interested: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251897834431?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

I have started back up on this one and I'm in a race against my soon-to-arrive second daughter to finish it. I have deepened all the panel lines and quickly washed with charcoal to check. I am not going for high accuracy with this model (I gather that would take much work with this kit), I just want a dirty and mean looking Soviet jet for my shelf.

Great job ZAgocs, Can you tell me what kind of paints you are using and the wash that you used. Your Super Bug looks awesome!

I hope this will be my first in progress thread that I see through to the end. After 6 years and the acquisition of a closet full of kits, it's time to actually build another one (I have only completed 2 1/144 kits - moves, baby, etc.). As my skills are not so hot, I am starting with a one of my cheaper kits. I have read that this kit is not so accurate, but I just want something migish on the shelf. The cockpit is barebones, so I added some nonsense to busy it up a bit as best as a could: I am also adding nonsense detail to the wheel wells: And I didn't like the shallowness of

Yup, that is what the kit is aiming for I guess. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good book that covers all the Mig 27 types?? Thanks flanker27

Can anyone tell me how accurate the Academy Mig-27 Flogger-D kit is? The kit has fairly large projections coming out of the base of each wing, but I when I searched for reference pics of this plane I found pics of only one example with the projections (It is parked in some outdoor museum, and the wing projections are not so prominent), all shots of flying flogger-Ds lack these projections. Is this a kit of a prototype? Any information would be greatly appreciated, -Aaron

A little off topic and nerdy, but I was at a Star Trek convention last week and Michael Dorn, the actor who played Worf on the Next Generation, is a jet pilot. He said he just recently sold his F-86 and some other aircraft because he is saving up to purchase an F-8. He also told some funny stories about traffic controllers asking him to speak as Worf as he approached various airports. I thought this was all pretty cool.

Sprue Bros is listing a 1/72 KC-135 and I was wondering if anyone had any info on the kit - is the fit good, are panel lines raised or recessed, etc. Thanks for any info, -Aaron

I have finally settled down in my new house and managed to get a hobby area set up (although baby on the way, so my modeling days are numbered). I thought I would build my A-7D OOB and practice my weathering techniques. Well, I keep seeing awesome scratchbuilds here on ARC, so I have started to mess with this kit. Some of the modifications so far: cut out the intake plug - I'm not really sure how I am going to handle this, I don't think I want to try to build an intake insert yet. I might just paint the inside black and hope for the best. busying up the wheel wells - not accurate, but l

Thank you everyone for all of your suggestions. I'm not sure which approach to take, but at least now I am informed. I think I will wait on the Il-86 and start with my Postal Service 727 by minicraft - no passenger windows to worry about. I would love to see more pics of completed (or in progress) airliners using the various techniques described above. Thanks again, -Aaron

Can anyone explain to me the best strategy for building an airliner model? I just received the Zvezda Il-86 kit and I am not sure how most people handle all of the little passenger windows. If I use the transparent inserts, how can I paint the fuselage (do you really mask off all of the windows?). Do people usually omit the inserts and just leave the holes as windows? Or do most people fill them all in with putty and find window decals to use? Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated. -Aaron

That is definitely the coolest video I have seen in a long time. I think it is time to watch Strategic Air Command again.

I made my way back east yesterday for the Pease Wings of Hope Airshow. I had not been to Pease since it was Pease AFB when I was a kid in the Reagan 80s. I used to love driving up to Maine on 95 because you could almost be guaranteed to see some F-111 activity over the highway. The show was not bad, a little light on the static displays and no "headliner acts" - however the F/A-18C demo team and pilot flew the hell out of their jet . Since I can not make it to next weekends show on the Cape this may be my last for the season. The major drawback with this show was that someone drastically u

Hello Ken, Saturday's show was great, First Superhornet and First Raptor sightings for me. I'm curious, how did you managed to establish your relationships with the various fighter wings etc.? I have no interest in horning in or anything (I can't seem to take any good pics anyway), I just think it is amazing that you get to go for rides and participate in airshow demos. Maybe we can meet up at one of these airshows - perhaps ARC needs a tent or something. -Aaron (formely from Amherst, MA, West Hartford, CT, and Providence, RI - now residing in the Hudson Valley)

Elton's work with the Italeri superhornet is masterful. I am trying to tackle the same subject myself, but I'm afraid my work will not approach the level of this build. Excellent work Elton - I am thouroghly impressed (and slightly discouraged when I compare my project to yours - but I'll get over it) -Aaron

So is it a Chinese product exported to Pakistan?

Does anyone out there know where I can find a diagram of the cockpit layout for the F-18F? Even a good cockpit photo walk-around would be good. Thanks for any help, -Aaron

Does anyone have any good tips/tricks for scratchbuilding dials and switches on cockpit side consoles. I am trying to spruce up my Italeri 1/48 F-18F cockpit, but I am unsatisfied with these results: I see many 1/144 cockpits with better detail. I tried cutting out little bits of styrene and gluing them down for switches, but it seems as though the smallest sized pieces that I can manipulate with my forceps are still far to large and no where near the correct shape. Any suggestions?

Here are some pics of my Italeri Super Hornet. I started this model 2 years ago, before I had become an ARC regular. I was going to simply build it out of the box as quickly as possible. Job relocations and other events caused me to postpone this build, and during that time I have become an ARC junkie. I have learned many things over the past 2 years and I want to apply these techniqes to my Revell F-18E and my Hasegawa F-18F waiting in my stash. Since the Italeri kit is an innacurate PITA, and I already screwed up the intakes when I started it, I thought that it would make a good test

Does anyone know of a website or publication that details all of the variations for each lot/block of superhornets? Also, what are these vents called? THanks again, -Aaron

Does any one know how variable these vents are: I am noticing at least 2 types in photos - the wide open type and the manifold type. Are there others? Does anyone know if one vent type is installed on ealier models and the other on newer models, or if it is dependent on the individual aircraft? Thanks for any help, -Aaron

Berkut, Thanks for the info - I went ahead and ordered the kit.

I have been contemplating the purchase of the Revell Mig-31 kit. It is labeled as a "new" kit in the December Squadron flyer - does anyone know if this is true? If anyone could speak to the accuracy/quality of this kit, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks -Aaron

Dave, Are you using scale drawings/plans to modify your kit? If so, where did you find them? I will be eagerly anticipating your build updates. -Aaron