PapaSmurf630

Looking forward to more on this John. Your lightning build was one of my favourites. Keep up the good work and your photography is top notch.

Thank you for the kind replies chaps, really helps! Thanks again Geedub, always a pleasure to see your comments and glad you're enjoying it. Your builds have given me a lot of pleasure and a huge amount of knowledge, much of which I'm now using! I was in two minds about the irridescent film. I remembered you putting it to good use a couple of years ago on your SU27 and I actually read the thread again. I decided against it in the end as I think any attempt to replicate it would just look out of scale as it's such a subtle effect. In smaller scales I like it along with techniques like drybr

...and finally some detail painting and wiring... And just for fun, a side-by-side comparison... It's by no means perfect but I think the cramped, confined, busy-looking nature of the FA.2 cockpit is starting to come through a little. There is still a bit of cabling to do and a couple of small instruments and ducting to be made, but it's getting there. I hope this update has been worth the wait and I hope to be getting some more done soon, although you all must know by now that they may come once every leap year! Thanks! P.S Check out my modelmaking website at www.jakecan

The final unpainted shroud: Port. Starboard. Underneath. The 2 pieces of styrene sheet are a fabric(?) covering that hides the rear part of the instrument panel. It is held down by Velcro and I assume makes access a little easier... ...it has a strange purple/brown colour and I will be mixing some colour swatches soon. Here is another reference photo showing the other side... The assembly was then treated to a lick of black...

The IP shroud itself was next on the list. Here's a shot of the front of the cockpit, including control column, IP, HUD and IP shroud so you can all see what I am trying to build... ...still a long way to go. Lots of smaller instruments hanging off and sitting on top of the shroud. The warning lights running around the bottom of the shroud are made from very small squares of plastic strip... ...stuck to a larger strip of styrene and then detailed with lead wire and small plastic circles (representing bolts and washers) A larger instrument, to the right of the IP and just out of shot

Each part was then primed to show up any flaws... ...before being painted and detailed. A quick note. I have decided to just use plain old clear plastic for my HUD projector lens. The real thing has a iridescent sheen to it but I think replicating this through paint or tinted plastic would look out of scale and not necessary.

Hello chaps, Since the last update for this build was nearly 2.5 years ago, I'd better pull this one back from the dead considering I started this build when I was 17 (I am now 23) and I'd like to have the cockpit finished before I die. I can leave the boring fuselage assembly for my lucky offspring. Some of the pictures are a couple of years old as I do not like to update this build until I feel like I have completed a 'chapter' in its construction so might be a little rough around the edges... Next on the list of jobs was the HUD. After staring at some great reference pictures from Dave

Great progress and really enjoying this thread. A good tip when vacforming is to dust your master in a thin layer of talculm powder (or baby powder..I don't know what you call it in the states) This should help get rid of any imperfections and creates a nice smooth finish. Yours looks brill though and the framing is the dogs danglies.

Brilliant progress Pig. Seeing the lines and curves of the fuselage start to appear must be a very satisfying thing! Are there any plans to perhaps light some of the instruments given the scale or is this a powered down bird?

Hello Guy, Just chiming in to say great build. You're at the stage now where I'd get tempted to get lax on the detailing (pylons are horrible to build aren't they?) but I feel it's these less glamorous areas that really separates your builds from others. Keep it up d00d.

Are there any finished pictures of this build? Would love to see them.

Cracking build Norbert. Very crisp scratchbuilding. What is the black liquid you use for your rivets?

Incredible skills as usual Mike. Looking forward to seeing that cockpit come together.

Pete your finishing skills are second to none. Care to elaborate on the paints and thinners you use? You seem to be able to get such a smooth demarcation line between colours. Any retardants involved at all?

Stop being lazy! Paint those pipes!

Looking great Geedub. Is there any reason for not assembling and painting the cockpit first before the rest of the build or is this just your way of putting it together?

Bling bling bling all the way I think. I'd personally really like to see that corrugated foil in all its (shiny) glory

Incredible. Really like the look of the corrugated foil.

Once again amazing work Skyking. I really enjoy your builds as they are such a wealth of information on materials and techniques. I cannot wait to see how those wicker seats look. Keeping an eye on this one for sure..

Very impressive updates! The radiator came out very nicely...would there be any chance of a comparison picture between the OOB part and your new-and-improved radiator?

Brilliant update. Phenomenal work on that bomb, I've seen the glue/weld technique used over on car modelling forums and never found or seen an opportunity to use it on aircraft apart from this. It came out beautifully! The only thing I'd like to see is a quick shot of the raised/foiled panels you've done on the wings with a quick coat of primer over them to see how much they 'pop' from the surface of the wing.

Bloody marvellous. One off, if not my favourite build thread on here.

Hi Guy, That wiring looks mega impressive! It's a shame how one picture hides the hours of intricate work that went into that one area alone! I'm impressed how clean and crisp you have managed to keep the details despite the complexity! I reckon this build will surpass your beautiful Su-27. Good luck with the other side!

That instrument panel looks a hell of a lot better. Really enjoying this build.

Thanks Jman, glad you're enjoying it. The kit IP is going to take more work than I had imagined. And I don't know how to get my head around the HUD projector...