jgrease Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 (edited) Here is the start of my build - I'm using Hobby Boss' 1/72 A-7B kit for an A-7E bird from VA-146 Blue Diamonds. Here is my obligatory box shot: I've begun work today on cutting the wings to display them folded - for whatever reason HB depicted the plane on the box with folded wings, but has them molded open. However, the molding is such that one can easily cut and clean up the tips for folding. It may not be perfect, but I think I can make it look decent. I've also assembled the intake scoop, and I will post pics at the beginning of next week to show progress. Edited April 13, 2010 by jgrease Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMan Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 This I have no doubt will turn out looking sweet! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Can someone give me advice here? I'm sure it won't be 100% accurate, but can anyone tell me the main external differences between the -B kit and the -D? Also, which ejection seat should I use since there are two different ones. Which main gear is correct? Part numbers would go a long way to helping me. Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted November 30, 2009 Author Share Posted November 30, 2009 Ok, finally something to report. I assembled the gear wells, exhaust and cockpit. Here are some shots: Here's an overview of the progress to date. The above assemblies have been completed and installed in the fuselage, and the fuselage joined. I was happy with the fit of the sub-assemblies into the fuselage halves, but not really happy with the fit of the fuselage halves. Here's a closeup of the cockpit. Not much detail, but enough for this scale and this project (and my fat fingers. Pardon the dust - I also spotted a touch-up I need to make behind the seat. A shot of the lower fuselage and gear wells. I was happy with the look of the wells after paint and a quick wash: Again, not happy with the fuselage join. Last shot - the exhaust. I plan on a little more touch-up in the green. This is my first use of Mr Color, and I don't think I will use it again. It doesn't airbrush for me at all, and it is horrible on a brush. My next work will be to install the wings prior to priming the fuselage and the other sub-assemblies. I will probably be adding the bomb racks for a loadout. Please leave comments and observations. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMan Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 Great job, this is really starting too look good, keep it up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 So I got the subassemblies primed, everything ready to go and realized I don't have any Gull Grey. So I will have to halt production until I get my hands on some, probably next weekend. By the way, the Hobby Boss kits aren't bad at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewS Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Good progress, John. Hope you can locate some gull grey soon and continue the march to completion. The wash in the wheel wells looks very effective and highlights what I think is one of the best features of the Hobbyboss kit. It's good to hear that it's going well for you. Cheers, Andrew. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 Well, this one is swiftly headed for the wall. ;) I had primed and painted white overall, and had begun masking. As I masked I had MASSIVE paint peeling right from the plastic. I am guessing that I am a victim of poor plastic prep - that is the only reason I can come up with. So I have a fuselage with huge paint separation. Do I sand down as much as I can and re-prime? I am thinking that it will continue to separate since I tried sanding and re-priming the bare patches. Anyone got any ideas? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kilroy Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Sand down and re-prime. DON"T throw it against the wall. You'll have been beaten by a hunk of plastic, and that's just sad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewS Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Yes, please don't give up on it. As kilroy suggests, try sanding (or stripping), start again with primer and go from there. Look forward to hearing how you get on. Regds, Andrew. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 My sympathies on the paint problems. Masking and peeling have always been nightmares to me. Don't guy up, bud - it will turn out OK based on the quality of what I've seen here so far. Good luck ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'm gonna stay away from this one for a couple of weeks and then sand and reprime. Thanks for the good words folks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 Well, I sanded and reprimed, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN !!!! ;) When I went to mask, the paint and primer separated cleanly from the plastic. I have had it with this project. I am thinking my option now is to strip the entire plane and reprime with a new primer. This is very frustrating for a small OOB project. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 What paints are you using and what did you use for the primer? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted March 21, 2010 Author Share Posted March 21, 2010 Everything was primed with Testors Acryl White Primer. I am reverting back to white automotive primer after this horror show, so after I cool off I will sand down the primer and start again. I doubt if I will strip off the primer coat that is on there because I don't have any stripper in the garage right now. I will post after I regain my composure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Oh this looks like a good project that you have going..Corsairs are pretty awesome jets. I like the box art too... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewS Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Everything was primed with Testors Acryl White Primer. I am reverting back to white automotive primer after this horror show, so after I cool off I will sand down the primer and start again. I doubt if I will strip off the primer coat that is on there because I don't have any stripper in the garage right now. I will post after I regain my composure. I applaud you for sticking with this after the earlier setbacks; keep going and here's hoping that everything goes smoothly from here. It certainly seems as though you need to apply a new and different kind of primer, or perhaps even no primer at all - perhaps instead just give the kit an overall very light sand with the smoothest sandpaper you have and then apply an undercoat of the white of the final scheme overall, followed by the Light Gull Grey? I'd think though that the automotive primer should work very well. I look forward to your next update, which will hopefully have tales of great success. Cheers, Andrew. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mako_leader Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I've just started assembling my HB TA-7C and also found the fuselage fit to be a problem. The intake fits fine, but the cockpit insert needed a slight sand, though most drasticaly I had to cut the main gear well in half to thin the overall assembly down to fit. After that it went together perfectly. Dryfit, dryfit, dryfit, then glue, and lastly, dryfit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Ok, so the build is changing a little. Rather than continuing to slap myself with the HB 1/72 kit, I have acquired the Trumpeter 1/32 kit, along with decals for Royal Maces VA-27 (1973). I've no pictures to show yet, but painting and assembly have started on the cockpit, electronics bays and gear wells. I'm building OOB because there is no hobby budget for the forseeable future. I've also assembled the scoop/front gear well, and after an epic fail on painting the intake, I am currently resanding the intake for a new coat of paint. Pics and info to follow - no way is this done for the GB deadline. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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