Jinxter13 Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) Joel Ok I'm convinced, after seeing the masterful job you're doing with the GWH "C", I'm going to rethink my purchase of a Hasegawa "C"; crunch the numbers, and decide which is the better value. However it all boils down to the modeler the easiest and most detailed shake and bake kit on the market is gonna look like a hodge podge of parts if the person doing it, flubs finish and the build. Edited December 26, 2014 by #1 Greywolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) Ok I'm convinced, after seeing the masterful job you're doing with the GWH "C", I'm going to rethink my purchase of a Hasegawa "C"; crunch the numbers, and decide which is the better value. #1 Greywolf, If by the numbers you're referring to all the AM stuff you'll need to bring the Hasegawa kit up the level of the GWH kit, the GWH kit is the clear winner. Of course, I've never really seen the Aires cockpit and ejection seat, and I'm confident that it's more detailed then the GWH offering. The kit cockpit is more then fine for my needs as a display model in a display case. I followed Aigore's Hasegawa F-15C build, and it required a great deal of work to get the wings/fuselage joints cleaned up and shaped correctly. I know that I keep on raving that this is one of, if not the best kit I've built to date. Before this, it was the Academy 1/48 scale F-4B. Another master piece of model engineering. Joel Edited December 26, 2014 by Joel_W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantomdriver Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 If you plump for the GWH, then make sure it has the corrected sprues............ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 (edited) Well, I've made a little more progress at my usual snails pace, so I thought I'd bring you up speed. All that was left after joining the wing sub assembly to the main fuselage sub assembly was the main air brake on the top behind the cockpit. Since I had already decided that I wanted a clean overall shape, and thus had closed both electrical panels by the nose, and the nose cone itself, closing the brake was a no brainer. The fit was absolutely perfect. Just a little Tamiya Extra thin, and it was done. Next up was the twin tails. GWH has the rudders as separate pieces, but its a butt joint that just doesn't look right. So I drilled out two mounting holes in each rudder, and a corresponding set of holes in each tail. Just to be on the safe side, I drilled the holes one size larger then the steel wire, using a nice drop of CA to secure the pins to the bottom of the holes. Then I just pushed the pins into position and aligned the rudders. Now the Eagle was starting to finally look like an Eagle. Next up was the twin engines. While I wasn't planning on having either one displayed out of the F-15C, they need to be built so that the intake blades are up against the back of the air intakes. each engine is a small mini kit, and builds up without any issues. I have no idea if any of the detailing is right or wrong, but for my purposes it doesn't really matter. Once assembled, I primed the intakes fans and the exhaust cans with Tamiya Gray Primer. Then I airbrushed on Alcad 11 Steel, followed by a light coat of Model Master Buffing Exhaust. A quick test fit of the engines looked pretty good. finally, I started on the front landing gear strut. I drilled out the lightning holes, then added two electrical wires with tape mounting brackets for the twin landing lights. Took a look at the pictures, and I noticed that the rudders aren't angled the same, so I fixed that. Also, the inside of the cans are only painted steel for now. They'll each receive various shades of gray chalk to simulate carbon build up. Just haven't exactly figured that out as yet. And now you're up to date. Joel Edited December 31, 2014 by Joel_W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Love it. Those cans look really nice, too. A properly done exhaust can really make a difference. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Great work, Joel :D Nice detailing one the nose strut. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 Love it. Those cans look really nice, too. A properly done exhaust can really make a difference. Nicohas, Thanks for the stopping by and having a look. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 Great work, Joel :D/> Nice detailing one the nose strut. Janne, Thanks so much. Must be close to midnight by you. Happy New Year. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 fantastic work Joel, it is really looking awesome. And like nicholassagan said, the nozzles are very nicely done Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Janne, Thanks so much. Must be close to midnight by you. Happy New Year. Joel Indeed, Happy New Year :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hornet14 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Looks good Joel is it going to be a Oregon ANG bird? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rom Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Well done! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Looks good Joel is it going to be a Oregon ANG bird? :cheers:/> Hornet14, I still honestly don't know. I've been so involved with the build, that I totally forgot about the decal issue. I have looked at the kit decals, and while they're kind of Plain Jane, they all nicely printed, not to thick nor to thin, and I'm going to use their stencils and etc. So an after Market sheet isn't a necessity at this point, just another option. But I'm really going to have to make a decision real soon. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Well done! Rom, Thank you for stopping by and liking what I've accomplished so far. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Finished up the cockpit, I installed the IP anti glare hood, as well as the PE parts to form the sides of the HUD. I then painted them Tamiya XF69 Nato Black, then glued in the two pieces of clear acetate supplied with the kit with Aleene's tacky glue. I previously masked the front windscreen with strips and pieces of Tamiya tape detacked, after test fitting it which yielded a perfect fit. I glued it in place using Tamiya Extra Thin. I built up the main landing gear and drilled out the lightning holes. Brake lines are nicely molded on the struts, so there was no need to replicate them with wire. Finally, it's time to prime. I'm most comfortable air brushing Tamiya Gray Surface Primer thinned with their Yellow cap Lacquer Thinner @ a flow rate of 20 psi. The primer coat looks about as perfect as I can get it, and there just weren't any areas that I found that needed any additional work. So earlier today I air brushed on the base color: Model Master enamel Medium Gray FS36251. I haven't used enamel paints since the mid 1970s, as I've been strictly a Tamiya Acrylic devotee since my return to the hobby several years ago. But curiosity just got the better of me, and I had to try it. I also purchased their red can of thinner. Not having a clue at a starting point for thinning it, I decided to go on the thinner side then my usual mixture, so I could lay down a nice even wet coat. I went used 2 parts paint to 3 parts thinner @ a flow rate of 16 psi. Damn, for once I got it right the 1st time!! The paint session took nearly an hour, and not once did the tip clog!! The color is very close to the shade of the primer, but it's there. Here's picture of the exhaust area where I masked it off for the Alcad base. So it's now a waiting game of a few days to let the enamel paint really cure, and then the next color will be applied. I'm going to be doing some post shading, but not too much as I want my Eagle in pristine condition. Thanks for stopping by and having a look. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
falcon20driver Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Joel your making great progress on this. It looks fantastic! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Mmmmmm....paint :wub: Oh the enamels...I have all my humbrols stuffed away, I went all in with Lifecolor when we got kids....invested my tax returns in a Sil-Air as well...so I could keep modelling while the bebe´s slept :P Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aurora Mark Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Joel, best of luck with the painting, but I doubt you'll need it. If your paint work is anything like the rest of your work, she'll come out looking like a brilliant bit of work! Can't wait to see the progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Joel your making great progress on this. It looks fantastic! Falcon20driver, Thanks for stopping by and liking what you see. Looking forward to your next update on your F-14. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Mmmmmm....paint :wub:/> Oh the enamels...I have all my humbrols stuffed away, I went all in with Lifecolor when we got kids....invested my tax returns in a Sil-Air as well...so I could keep modelling while the bebe´s slept :P/> Janne, Like I said, I just had to try enamels again. Been more then 30 years. They still paint great, but the smell even with my paint booth is more then I want to deal with. So after my F-15 experiment, I'm going back to Tamiya Acrylics. I also have been known to use Vallejo and Italeri acrylics as my backup plan. But I won't give up on Testors Dullcoat. It's just the best matt finish I've ever tried. I'm also starting to take a look at a silent compressor or even a CO2 tank. My wife isn't too fond of the nosey household compressor I use. Then again, neither am I. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Joel, best of luck with the painting, but I doubt you'll need it. If your paint work is anything like the rest of your work, she'll come out looking like a brilliant bit of work! Can't wait to see the progress. Mark, Thanks for stopping by and having a look at my latest project. Glad you approve at what I've been up to. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wardog Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Great work as usual Joel. A silent compressor is a very nice way to go. I have a Sprint-jet I bought from eBay years ago but it's not silent. I used it for a short bit but then lost trust in it after it shot water out during a painting session.....and yes......I did have a moisture trap. I then went back to my trusty CO2 tank but eventually got tired of replacing tanks at 30 bucks a pop so I'm back to the compressor. Tanks are great if you can get a good deal on one that includes a regulator and a gage as opposed to dropping a few hundred on a silent compressor. In the long run though. .....a compressor will be cheaper. Tanks can also require some form of heating to the regulator as it will get extremely cold during long painting sessions. I used a flood lamp connected to the neck of the tank prior to painting to mitigate the effects of the cold. Good luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I previously masked the front windscreen with strips and pieces of Tamiya tape detacked, after test fitting it which yielded a perfect fit. I glued it in place using Tamiya Extra Thin. The primer coat looks about as perfect as I can get it, and there just weren't any areas that I found that needed any additional work. So earlier today I air brushed on the base color: Model Master enamel Medium Gray FS36251. I haven't used enamel paints since the mid 1970s, as I've been strictly a Tamiya Acrylic devotee since my return to the hobby several years ago. But curiosity just got the better of me, and I had to try it. I also purchased their red can of thinner. Not having a clue at a starting point for thinning it, I decided to go on the thinner side then my usual mixture, so I could lay down a nice even wet coat. I went used 2 parts paint to 3 parts thinner @ a flow rate of 16 psi. Damn, for once I got it right the 1st time!! The paint session took nearly an hour, and not once did the tip clog!! Joel Two things Joel: Good idea gluing on the windscreen early, so that you can fix any seam flaws now and the gap to the fuselage is minimized. Too often I see great models but the windscreen looks like it was glued on last and there's a big gap at the base, because it was! Second, welcome to MM enamels, which I use exclusively. Your spray mixture sounds about perfect and you'll find that the flatter colors dry fairly quickly. Remember to sand each coat with 1500-2000 grit sandpaper between coats and at the very end, just prior to a clear coat. Your modeling and painting is absolutely excellent! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airea Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Very nice paint job Joel, clean and flawless. Something I am not able to master:) How about the drying times of the paint? Is MM thinner providing fast drying times? I only use enamels as a gloss base for Alclad chrome but it takes ages for the MM enamel to cure. I thin it with tamiya yellow cap thinner but still the drying time is too much. Maybe related to high humidity where I live but I dont know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Very nice paint job Joel, clean and flawless. Something I am not able to master:) How about the drying times of the paint? Is MM thinner providing fast drying times? I only use enamels as a gloss base for Alclad chrome but it takes ages for the MM enamel to cure. I thin it with tamiya yellow cap thinner but still the drying time is too much. Maybe related to high humidity where I live but I dont know. Airea, Thanks for those most kind words. There should be no reason why you can't achieve an excellent paint job with todays various paints. What issues are you having? If you follow my procedures, it should be a good enough starting point for you for MM enamels. Tamiya Acrylics I thin with their Yellow Cap lacquer thinner usually at 1:1, and air brush at a 16 psi flow rate. Flow rates depend a lot on the air gun, gun type, needle/cone size, and humidity. My home has central air conditioning so warmer humid air isn't an issue. But the low humidity of the winter is an issue, so I'm getting a small humidifier for my model/computer room. The MM enamels dry rather quickly, just like all the other model paints do. It's the curing time that varies. For acrylics and lacquers I can often mask with detacked Tamiya tape in a few hours. That is unless I had to apply several wet coats so the paint layer is thicker then normal. Then I would wait a full 24 hours. I'm letting the MM enamels cure for 3 days before applying the next color. The reason for that is I'm thinking about using Silly Putty as a masking guide. If I decided to free hand it, then I could have shot the next color the following day. I don't believe that the thinning agent has anything to do with the drying/curing time. It's just a agent used to thin out the paint, and at least with Tamiya Acrylics, their Yellow Cap LC does break down the paint particles to a finer consistency, then their X20-A thinner does. I would never use LC to thin enamel based paints, which are in reality Mineral Spirit based. One thing that most of us never realized is that one of the reasons that the Tamiya Acrylics thin so well with their LC is because they're Lacquer based not a true Acrylic base paint. The proof is printed on the jar, there is a Flammable warning label. Acrylic and water based paints don't have one, because they're not flammable. This really doesn't concern me as far as a safety issue, just helps to understand the nature of the paint and it's properties. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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