crackerjazz Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) Hi Ant, Steve, Yank, Aigore, Jester! Thanks for watching guys! Really appreciate the your kind words! :) I seem to have hit a snag with the canopy frame and defogger. There seems to be good elbow room for the aircrew judging by these pics: But on the model there isn't much space around the crew with the canopy frame in place. Even on the Aires cockpit the frame can't reach the sill. The RIO's IP coaming gets in the way. So I cut up the frame; I'll see what I could do to make more elbow room. I'm also having a hard time bending the PE part with the rearview mirrors and getting it to fit the inside of the canopy. It's not shown here but I made a mess with the CA glue. This is after sanding/buffing/dunking in Future a second time. Future helps keep the canopy from fogging up using CA glue but I'll have to be extra careful next time. Edited April 9, 2017 by crackerjazz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnS Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 On 2016-12-06 at 7:28 PM, crackerjazz said: I had the same canopy problems on my VF-74 build. The canopy wouldn't fit over guides I added to the canopy rails, & my scratch built defoggers interfered with the IP coaming. To fix the clearance problem, I initially tried to remove some of the material from the inside of the canopy, but damaged the canopy beyond repair. I ended up using a spare canopy from a Revell kit & carefully, very carefully, doing major surgery (removing material from the inside of the canopy & scratch building the area where the canopy meets the fuselage) to give more clearance. The end result didn't turn out too bad. Also, I used a trick I found on another build to assemble the mirror PE mirror parts, that worked out really well. I bent the PE to as close to the canopy shape as I could. Then I cut thin strips of thin Tamiya masking tape the width of the PE, & CA glued the strips (adhesive side up) to the back of the PE parts. I painted the mirror side of the PE & used a black Sharpie to color in the edges of the tape. The PE parts were then assembled to the canopy using the masking tape to stick them in place. The tape is hidden by painting the outside frame on the canopy. I also had to trim the mirror PE ends back so they wouldn't interfere with the PE side frame parts. One of the benefits of using the tape is you can move the PE parts around to locate them just right. Hope this helps. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Hey, John, awesome tips! Will give it a try. That canopy/defogger looks fantastic by the way -- it even has those doughnut connectors. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 I got around to attaching the forward fuselage : ) i'll take care of the canopy later. It will take some work to putty and sand the seams. I guess I got really lucky on the previous Tomcat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
my favs are F`s Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Strikingly picturesque! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Going to look lovely! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnS Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Very nice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Love that perspective, brilliant idea !! This is going to look so cool when completed. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fighting Eighty-Four Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Wow, this is going to look so awesome when you're done. Can't wait to see what comes next! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 Hi guys, thanks for following! :) I've been sanding down the seams on the forward fuselage. It's going good so far. There are more surprises, though. I'm testfitting the nozzles before I work on the cans. I may have to file away some material from the beaver tail for the nozzles to fit right: I sanded down this area around the nozzle where the 2 parts meet as it "balloons" a bit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Fantastic progress so far, I like how those cans are turning out :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fefster Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I like the paint in this exhaust!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 24, 2017 Author Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) Hi Aigore, Fefster, thanks for your kind words! Some progress with the nozzles.. and a little setback. Had to file some material from the nozzles of Tomcat 1 at the mating area. And had to do the same thing for Tomcat 2. This was worse. Had to file away lots. which will require rescribing. The nozzles will need rescribing and repainting. I'm wondering what other surprises are lurking around the corner. I know the canopy will need some sanding along the side where it joins the fuselage -- I'm not looking forward to that. Next time I build a Tomcat it will really be a Tamiya :( Edited April 24, 2017 by crackerjazz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) Awesome! How did you paint the nozzles and the cans (paints and colors)? One of the best I've seen on any scale. Not too metallic, not too dark, not too monochromatic. Just perfect in my eyes. Edited April 24, 2017 by Janissary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stalal Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 That my question too @janissary. I was looking at the paint on the exhausts and it looks so realistic. How did you achieve this @crackerjazz ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fefster Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Do not worry Crackerjazz. The Hasegawa Tomcat is a hard kit. I'm in the same business. Do not lose motivation. Go ahead your job is great!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 Hi Fefster, thanks! Yes the kit requires loads of patience. Great progress on your cat! Are those alignment tabs in the back? Hi, Janissary, Stalal, thanks for the kind words! I primed the nozzles with Tamiya light gray primer, and marked areas of the middle ring and the petals here and there with a sharpie marker, then hand-painted the whole thing with Alclad polished brass. I couldn't get an even color because of the hand-painting and the primer lifts in spots so I have to re-dab it. The sharpie black kind of mixes with the lacquer paint so I have to brush on and re-dab. I try not to get too much on but the Alclad is forgiving in that it kind of levels down thinly as it dries. For the insides of the nozzles I used acrlylic white and tried weathering one with soot and gray Tamiya weathering master powder. Still experimenting between that and straight black though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fefster Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 26 minutes ago, crackerjazz said: Hi Fefster, thanks! Yes the kit requires loads of patience. Great progress on your cat! Are those alignment tabs in the back? Yes! It was a difficult area to glue and sand, I put a plasticard strip internally to give it more hardness, better support the rudders and easily stretch the GE F-110 engine fairings that Hasegawa makes too short. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 Exhausts look amazing. Surprised how much work they took to fit. I've never had that issue. The are 'handed' tho. The left won't fit on the right and vice versa. Hate to suggest, your fit issues look like that's what caused it... keep El up the great work. These will look amazing when they're done! brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr.Happy Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 WOW 😳 That burner can work is amazing 👍 What at brand of paint did you use for the burner cans and what colors ❓❓❓ Very nicely done 😎 Cheers, Mr. Happy {In name only } Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 Great work, but it reminds me once more why I don't ever want to touch another Hasegawa Tomcat if I can help it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kike Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 Coming along really nice!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fefster Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 Just now, Darren Roberts said: Great work, but it reminds me once more why I don't ever want to touch another Hasegawa Tomcat if I can help it. I agree, Darren. Now Tamiya is the boss waiting for the AMK kit. Can I ask how your progress on the Pre-production Cat is going Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 11 hours ago, Fefster said: I agree, Darren. Now Tamiya is the boss waiting for the AMK kit. Can I ask how your progress on the Pre-production Cat is going It's going pretty well. I'll post pictures in a few days. It kind of stalled out with the end of school coming up. Getting the kids ready for state testing and finishing up projects is a bit time consuming. I also have to build 11 models for VFA-211 before June, so that's taken up most of my bench time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 (edited) 23 hours ago, Mr.Happy said: WOW 😳 That burner can work is amazing 👍 What at brand of paint did you use for the burner cans and what colors ❓❓❓ Very nicely done 😎 Cheers, Mr. Happy {In name only } Scroll up 3 posts from your original post...he already described the whole process!! Edited April 27, 2017 by Bob Beary clarification Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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