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1/32 EA-18G VAQ-132 Operation Odyssey Dawn


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Thx for all the encouragement, guys!

So when do these pods and such become available?

-Anthony

Anthony, that is really up to Harold, I think he is pretty busy but I am sure he'll get around to it at some stage... I am fine with him taking some time, else somebody might beat me to the finish line wiht a 1/32 Growler using These parts <_<

Marcel

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Thx for all the encouragement, guys!

Anthony, that is really up to Harold, I think he is pretty busy but I am sure he'll get around to it at some stage... I am fine with him taking some time, else somebody might beat me to the finish line wiht a 1/32 Growler using These parts <_</>/>

Marcel

Haha...one other modeler just received a set. He saw your build and NEEDED a set for his.

Edited by Harold
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Haha...one other modeler just received a set. He saw your build and NEEDED a set for his.

Harold, glad you could come to the rescue.

Thought I'd show this: The windscreen is slightly too narrow in order to sit correctly, a problem easily solved with a correctly cut match:

DSC_0841%205_zpstkyfk2ft.jpg

And here is how it looks now:

DSC_0843%203_zpsoxdjexdl.jpg

:cheers:

Marcel

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have had a bunch of family visits, so not too much time for modelling. But here goes:

I have started to add the Eduard mesh over the previously cut holes in the fuselarge. For the most part, things went well and the mesh will add sigbnificant realism.

Probably the most important mesh use is here at the back of the fuselarge, since it will be very visible once the model is complete. It's important to sand the mesh relatively smooth with the fuselarge once glued on, ideally without getting the mesh clogged up with sanding debris i.e. best done dry. Incidentally and fortunately, most of the these mesh panels seem to be applied ONTO the fuselarge on the real deal.

DSC_0845%204_zps6mxfme6s.jpg

Various underside mesh panels... unfortunately, one of them got clogged up with CA and there is nothing I can do about it. Also note that the Trumpeter kit has some odd protrusion between the wheel wells--that was cut off and filled with plastic scrap and superglue.

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I scratch-built those little intakes on the fuselarge bottoms:

DSC_0843%204_zpssvbnedhw.jpg

The Trumpeter arresting hook is complete garbage, to the point where it looks unfeasable to anyone with a mild technical inclination. Trumpeter introduced a fairly abrupt bend in the bar towards the front. So I have started rebuilding the hook, including the actual hook itself.

DSC_0844%205_zpszmc3zkxs.jpg

Now with linkages instead of bend:

DSC_0847%202_zpsk8zj90fl.jpg

:cheers:/>/>/>

Marcel

Edited by Marcel111
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"Various underside mesh panels... unfortunately, one of them got clogged up with CA and there is nothing I can do about it."

If you still can, remove the mesh and soak or wipe it with nail polish remover containing acetone, you should be able to clear some of the CA with an old soft toothbrush after a minute or two, then wipe it as clean as you can. I found the nail polish remover softens the CA after messing up some PE chaff/flare dispensers on my 1/72 F-16 build. Hope this might help!

Very nice build, BTW, will keep watching to see how it comes together!

Edited by plasticWerks_JL
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... unfortunately, one of them got clogged up with CA and there is nothing I can do about it.

Marcel

Great work as usual Marcel! As far as the CA glue is concerned, Great Planes CA Glue Debonder WILL remove the unwanted glue. Been there, done that, this stuff is superior to any other debonder I've worked with. Just soak a microbrush with it and work on the clogged mesh. While wet, use compressed air to blow the residue out of the mesh.

CAGlue.jpg

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... I joined the mile high club... which is to say I modelled while sitting in an airplane crossing the Atlantic. Been travelling quite a bit, so I thought I'd pack the pylons and a bunch of sandpaper and get that tedious work done while away from home.

I wonder how the TSA would handle it if you tried doing this with 1/32 scale JDAMs or HARMs.

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Thx for the encouragement and advice. Just ordered some of that Great Planes debonder, hope it get here fast.

I wonder how the TSA would handle it if you tried doing this with 1/32 scale JDAMs or HARMs.

Can't be worse than the weird looks I was getting on the plane :woot.gif:

Cheers,

Marcel

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Thx for the encouragement and advice. Just ordered some of that Great Planes debonder, hope it get here fast.

Can't be worse than the weird looks I was getting on the plane :woot.gif:/>

Cheers,

Marcel

I enjoy doing many things but I can honestly say that building models is by far what I'm most passionate about. From the time I was in my early teens till now at almost 50, some aspect of modeling still consumes a good portion of my daily thoughts. I guess you can say I love modeling as much as the next guy and wish I had more time to do it but building on a plane definitely takes this to another level. You've raised the bar high enough to not be dethroned for a long while....Congrats!

E.

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Thx guys!

You've raised the bar high enough to not be dethroned for a long while....Congrats!

E.

Ha, it's not really such a big deal, I just spend a lot of time on long flights, which is often times dead time, esp at take-off and landing. On the other hand, there are about 5 or 6 projects I just can't wait to see completed in my display cabinet, so may as well...

:cheers:

Marcel

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  • 1 month later...

Paint job is coming along, including some weathering. I do much of the weathering effect by dry-brushing different shades of gray over the base coat. Although I use acrylics for airbrushing (Gunze and Tamiya), the drybrushing only works with enamels, I usually use Humbrol.

DSC_0868_zpskc3cxwab.jpg

Here is a look at the actual aircraft, I tried to represent some of the patches on the real deal, such as those dark touch-up on the outer wing sections.

DSC_0869_zpsbvkuwbr0.jpg

Left wing close-up:

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It will all start flowing together nicely once the wash is on.

:cheers:

Marcel

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Paint job is coming along, including some weathering. I do much of the weathering effect by dry-brushing different shades of gray over the base coat. Although I use acrylics for airbrushing (Gunze and Tamiya), the drybrushing only works with enamels, I usually use Humbrol.

Marcel

Brilliant! I am so addicted to air brushing only, I have never thought of just dry brushing to add highlights on a regular paint job, other than to highlight wear and tear on black or to highlight an instrument panel with silver paint. The results are really, really cool. Thanks for the tip Buddy!

Chuck

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Thx guys! The drybrushing weathering is one of my favorite parts of the process now, best thing about it is it's almost impossible to screw things up.

Here is where I am with the "camo" tail--all in all I love the look, even though I got some paint creep here and there that I will need to somehow address. Something I forgot to mention earlier is that I filled and sanded out the "boot" on the radome--later model Superhornets and all Growlers feature the APG-79 AESA radar, the radome of which no longer has the urethane boot at the tip.

DSC_0863%202_zpsrtmt2f1r.jpg

I mixed the tail colors using a color palette I created by sampling photographs of the real thing. The browns are actually very reddish. Many models I see of this bird use browns that are too yellow.

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Trumpeter has both vertical tails feature navigation lights, while in reality the left tail has three ECM antennas. I distinctly remember having quite a few beers when I did this fix on the model, which would explain why I got this the wrong way around. Rest assured I have remedied this by now so that the left tail features the additional ECM antenna.

DSC_0865%202_zpsa0kqkfob.jpg

:cheers:

Marcel

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thx Rom!

Here is how the ALQ-99's look after a first coat of paint.

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The Eduard photoetch "ribbed" panels are a big help, these come in several varieties, all of which are covered by the Eduard Growler armament set. I chose panel configurations as seen on the real deal.

DSC_0863_zpsaqrjsquq.jpg

And here is a pic of the overall model. I have put in many hours since the last update but it's not all that visible, most of the recent effort has been about spraying ECM panels a lighter shade of gray and that sort of thing. Notice that I have done the walkways using the textured paint process--unfortunately, I didn't find my favorite textured paint over here so I had to make do with what I could find the in the local hardware store, not keen on packing aerosol paint cans in my suitcase to bring it over.

DSC_0867_zpsnhfgcczi.jpg

:cheers:

Marcel

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