John Wolstenholme

After weeks of masking, spraying, masking, spraying …… , this brings to an end my 117 build and a 12 year run with WIPs. ‘Blacks’, not just a dust pain when painting, but taking photos. Good modelling. John.

Thanks for your continued support John. shan, not aware of any weapons bay art work post GW1, as I assume was the case with Caracal. Mind you, don’t really need any more ‘art work’ in the WB! Thanks Steve, you put me on the right road for the GBU-27 fusing wires. CO, thanks, going for a good WIP finale. Matthew, I would fail to see any humour in such so called practical jokes. I believe a similar thing was done with ejection seats. Yeah real funny. Next up is hours of masking NG and MG bays, weapons bay and cockpit, so that may not be

As Brian said, fragile and vulnerable. That's why I have card protectors on all 'mesh' areas until final painting. Clear plastic backing, depends on whether you want the right look or safety.

Hi Brian. As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Build progress continues, albeit slowly: - All P.E. grilles etc fitted. - FLIR and DLIR turrets and screens fitted. - Nose leg and bay painted and installed. - Weapons bay fitted. - Elevons modified for drooped positions. - Cockpit painted and installed. - Canopy frame modified for the ‘beefier’ appearance with added detailing. New canopy screw jacks. Kit parts poor, Aires parts too fragile.

Steve, what can I say. You got back what you put in. Spectacular, splendiferous, superb, ……………………………………. Think this is my favourite photo: Now, if only those Perspex rods could be made to look like burners! Regards John.

Steve, what can I say. You got back what you put in. Spectacular, splendiferous, superb, …………………………………. Think this is my favourite photo: Now, if only those Perspex rods could be made to look like burners! Regards John.

Steve, looks like Photobucket have finally caught up with us. I see all your photos have disappeared, as have all my previous builds using PB. Wrong again, they've all reappeared.

Looking at the main and leg doors, there are some things to be addressed. The Eduard PE for the main doors looks correct as opposed to the prototype/early (?) oval shaped wheel recess. Therefore just a case of matching the doors to the PE! Still some work to be done. The hinges for the leg doors are wrong, they are straight and not attached to the faceted part of the doors.

I don’t know what B.M. thinks, but 10 days later that’s a BIG transformation. It sure looks good to me. John.

Thanks Steve, hope you are making progress with the ‘weathering’. With both MG bays up to the same stage, longer struts were next due to the increased depth of the bays. ‘Hoops’ now removed from the gear legs, which is a job in itself.

Following major plastic surgery, with the anaesthetic for myself, the gear leg/wheel now fits completely within the bay. Proof of concept, now to apply to t’other side. Started work to modify the MGLs to look as if they could rotate, rather than just plugged in.

Steve, not replying as someone in that category. Perhaps Brian of FT Decals or there was another Brian (M?). I previously asked what paint system you’re using. I always use enamels and Future as a barrier. Then using enamels on the gloss Future for weathering, stains etc. I can then completely remove if unhappy, tone down or randomise with paint thinners. But not on a matt surface. Looking at the two photos you posted it looks too uniform. But as I said I am no expert. Regards John Something I just found copied and pasted into a Word doc. The link is no lon

More than good I think, it’s all coming together very nicely indeed. The eyes are immediately drawn to the unusual ‘staggered’ yellow band on the port wing, but I see you’ve picked up on this detail from the B&W photos. Is this peculiar to this squadron or pilot do you know? John.

Just don’t hit the retract switch.

John, it surprises me how well things turn out sometimes. The plastic MGLs offering is poorly designed with a potential weakness at the oleo for a heavy model. Whilst the cast metal leg is substantial, it is more difficult to work with/detail than plastic. Therefore, I decided to combine the two.

Hey Joel, as has been said the truth is out there. Every cloud has a silver lining with less MGB ’detail’ to remove, but followed by rain being x2. Don’t want to think how long I spent on this, but at least they are now ‘split’ for detailing and the lower fuselage thickness reduced a la NGB. More opportunity for a mishap with longer lengths to be thinned. Little info available on MGBs, so some creative thinking will be required. Could close the main doors, but prefer them open.

G'day Steve. Don't recollect, or remember seeing, what paint type you use. Enamels, acrylics or other? In other words do you have the option of paint (say enamel), acrylic barrier ( say Future), then corrosion control (say enamels) ? We'll wait as long as it takes. John.

It's strange someone would spend the time to achieve a great looking model, but overlook such detail. A dry run with the completed (for painting that is) NGB etc. and it all fits, just.

On ‎9‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 4:50 AM, Mstor said: Hi Mstor. I’m fortunate to be in a secure unit where there is a great deal of latitude. A trial fit of the NG bay with the lower fuz shows an area for improvement. Whilst the thickness is disguised lengthwise by the bay sides, the front and rear ends highlight it. Whilst scale thickness is impossible, it looks much better with some careful work and a lip for the door to close on.

Hi Joe, how goes it with the 7s and 14s? Some finicky detail just for you John. The digression on other areas proved to be a good idea. Prior to this I had zero ideas for the NGB door uplocks. Upon returning to this task an idea finally formulated in the brain, with the usual sawdust fallout. Requiring (lucky)13 bits finally got something looking like the uplocks. Once I uncross my eyes, onto something a little more relaxing, like finishing the NGB. Hey my favourite, more conduit.

Thanks as always to those of you taking the time to comment. Having spent hours getting the grilles finished, I decided to protect them against inadvertent fingers during handling still to come. Thinned the exhaust nozzles to look more realistic, but it is not as dramatic as the photo indicates. I didn’t notice I placed the top piece upside down for the photo, which is also now thinned so could not redo. Need to get back to the NGB, just got distracted with ideas elsewhere.

Funny diversion. And the winner is……………………….. I decided to redo the compressor front faces. Why? Maybe a little OCD coming thro’. With everything dry fitted in the top fuz with 1” wide rolled white paper at the end of the trunking, it is easily seen when appropriately viewed. So it’s matt black all the way. Now to some airbrushing.

That's the real reason they were black, so the dirt didn't show. All that RAM business was a con.

What's happening Peter, is decaling not the best part? Please tell me you don't have 'a problem Houston'. Regards John