Rob de Bie

If you just need a set of two 12" serial number with a 5" 'U.S. AIR FORCE' above it, and nothing more (buzz codes for example), say 7.50 euros including shipping. Consider it a tiny custom decal order. Rob

If they are in the regular USAF font, and you don't mind paying as if it was another regular aftermarket decal sheet, I could add them to my next outsourced-printed custom decal sheet. Rob

I looked up the instructions on Scalemates, and the download includes a scan of the decal sheet: https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/5/4/3/137543-27-instructions.pdf This kitreview shows the decal sheet too: https://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/preview/lindberg/91001.htm Now I fully understand your problem, what a puzzle! I would measure the white stripes, cut similarly-sized paper strips, and start taping them to the model, trying to match the box photos. Or, as an alternative, do like 'Bondo' Phil Brandt: paint it in operati

A more subtle method is to make a 'jig' in which the wing is carefully forced in the correct shape, or maybe a little past that point. The jig could be just some books and some kind of weight at the wing tip, you'll have to improvise. Then heat it for a long time (an hour?) with a hairdryer, aimed at the area that you want to change shape. That will make the part 'creep' to a new shape. It might take a few tries to get where you want it, but better slow than fast I think.. Rob

Sounds like Albion micro tubing, fantastic stuff: https://www.albionhobbies.com/ Buy the slide fit packs, that will get you started. Rob

No, it was the lack of a catalogue that made me build that webpage! I just couldn't grasp the MRP color range without one, so I made it myself. Rob

Here's MRP's FS x6375 against the FS595B fandeck. Not bad to my eye. The comparison is not completely accurate, since MRP is at least satin, and should therefore be a bit darker than the matt 36375 of the fandeck. Also, I've got an MRP list, with sub-lists, on my website: https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/mrp-list-all.htm Rob

Ah yes, I forgot to mention that MRP is airbrush-only. It's far too thin to paint, and the high solvent content will attack the plastic if you try brush-painting. Rob

Nope, no thinning, pour it in and spray. Sooooo convenient. Here are a few models / parts painted with MRP. Rob

Try one bottle of MRP (Mr Paint) and report back.. 🙂 Rob

This photo was made today, after 45 days of exposure. The part on the left is the original kit part. I don't see any discoloration. Looks promising! Rob

Here's a follow-up on the Air-Graphics 1/72 SUU-11 gun pods. The parts were twice coated with Tamiya Surface Primer and carefully sanded and rescribed, then finished in MRP paint. I didn't have much faith in cleaning up the 3D printed parts, but I'll admit that they look excellent now. But all this work could have been avoided if the manufacturer had done his job. Rob

Here's a part of my started-but-not-finished models. In my defense: I found the painting and finishing of my model mostly unsatisfactory, so often I stopped at the primer stage. But now that I use MRP paint, it's actually great fun, with great results. Take the Phantom eggplane, that I recently painted in four colors, plus decals, in one evening. Rob

Here's a clear epoxy casting I made recently. At the front is the kit part. And here's the same resin after 1 month in the Dutch summer sun. Nothing has happened so far. I just did a quick check, at 1 3/4 month, again nothing has changed. But it's difficult to extrapolate this to years. More here: https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/g1.htm If so go the vacform route, I've always understood that PET-G (Vivak) is the safest solution, i.e. non-yellowing. Rob

I did just that tonight. Earlier I bought the Air-Graphics 1/72 SUU-11 gun pods (catalog number AC-104). They turned out to be 3D printed; the design looks great but the printing is quite coarse, with thick printing layers showing. See photo below. I sprayed on a fairly thick layer of Tamiya Surface Primer, and then sanded it with 800 sandpaper, followed by 3M sanding foam, then a round of rescribing with a needle and a JLC razor saw. That took care of most of the layering. Then I sprayed on another fairly thick layer of Tamiya Surface Primer, and I will do a little bit of sanding

Andrew, thanks for the response! I had no idea that club newsletters published this kind of research. We definitely did not have anything similar here in the Netherland at any time, only the (nation-wide) IPMS-NL magazine. If there's an online archive, I would love to take a look. I can see from the annotations of the XF-85 drawings that the modeler who drew those knew his subject well. As for me paying the hosting costs of the club site: since 1998 I'm running my own website, that includes the most extensive resources on the Me 163B Komet (1400 pages) and the AQM-34 Firebee RPV (7

I just found this Ebay auction of XF-85 reference material: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125497399315 It includes a set of drawing by MAPlan, a company I'd never heard of. The XF-85 drawings are listed as MAPlan-31, suggesting there were at least 30 other drawing sets. I can't find anything though Google, so I decided to ask here whether anyone knows more. The drawings list 'Drawn by Thomas F. Bauer - Copyright 1975 west Michigan IPMS News - Reprinted by Permission'. This suggest a local publication by the West Michigan IPMS chapter. I found their Facebook (grr)

VIPER0177 and vonjhn68, thanks for the replies. But I'm not looking for best color guesses, I would like to know whether there's a standard color for equipment like this. I looked at the Lennox site (A/C manufacturer) whether they list it in the specs, but they don't. Maybe you know of other equipment in this color? Rob

I'm trying to find the color used on most of the Gnat UAVs from the early nineties - here's one example. It keeps reminding me of a standard color of utility equipment, or maybe civil infrastructure, as used in the US. I'm in the Netherlands, to be clear. I just saw a video on A/C equipment that showed just what I meant, so I took two screenshots. Does anyone know? Does it have a FS595 number? Or maybe some other paint code? Thanks in advance! Rob

Maybe the files were saved by the Wayback Machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20150206234738/https://vnafmamn.com/ You might have to browse through the different backups to find the files you're looking for. Rob

Thanks, very nice! I too was thinking of a roll-out scheme, but I focused more on logos, and could not decide on a color / camouflage scheme. One idea was to make a 'digital' camouflage, then new I think, now pretty well known. Rob

Nerdishly, I weighed it: 153 grams 🙂 I had plenty of troubles with the model: warped main parts, tons of air bubbles, huge steps, bad panel lines. But I think I'm over the hump, and it's starting to look nice. How would you finish it? I'm bouncing between some ideas. Rob

Those are deeper questions than I ever considered asking! 🙂 My problem is that I know absolutely nothing more than that he flew the F-84F. It sounds a bit bold to go so deep in a first meeting. I think it would be better to save it for a second one. A-12? Oh! Here's mine, Anigrand 1/72, resting in a box between buidling spurts. Rob

Geoff and Habu, thanks for your suggestions! I updated my question list. All set for next Tuesday! Rob

I'll be interviewing two rather senior gentlemen, who flew the F-84F in the RNLAF. It's part of my research into the weapons and stores of the Dutch F-84F (see here). Apart from questions on that subject, of course I also want to ask them about their flying careers. I've come up with a question list, but I'm not too impressed with my questions, they are a bit bland. Does anyone have a suggestion for a surprising question? Thanks in advance! Rob