GW8345 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 CJ, Bombs look great! If I may suggest, paint the nose of the MER's the squadron color and add a wire going from the forward lug (forward hole you filled) on the bomb to the nose fuze (with the wire extending a millimeters from the fuze) to simulate the nose fuze arming wire. For yellowing decals, on trick I've done is tape the decals to a window that faces the sun (decals facing out the window). The sun will "bleach" the decals clear in a few days. hth GW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Thanks GW, will give it a try. I'm trying to decide which rod to use. 0.5mm looks right when viewed by eye but on camera looks too thick. And 0.24 looks too thin? I may need something in between. Couldn't find any brass wire of the right diameter though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zaxos345 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Joe, i think you need 0.35 or 0.4 mm!! I also think that 0.5 is a bit thick! Very nice work so far by the way!!! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) The small black wire you are using is perfect, on the real MER's and TER's the sway braces were not that thick, about a 1/2 inch in diameter. A 7/16 inch wrench/socket was used to tighten them down and the threaded area was just a little bigger than the 7/16 inch head. The jam nuts were 5/8 inch. Paint both the sway brace and jam nuts silver. Funny how I can remember crap like that but can't remember what I had for dinner two nights ago. Edited March 22, 2018 by GW8345 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) Hi John, thanks! I finally found some 0.4mm brass tube from the dark recesses of the parts bin. A bit more difficult to cut especially to uniform lengths but the thickness does look good. I might give it a try. Hi GW, thanks for the info! I testfitted the ones with the black rods just to see how they look. What a nightmare trying to align these things with 4 glue points to run after. I had to glue the discs/"feet" of the swaybraces onto the bombs first to conform to the curvature. I then had trouble locating them to line up with the swaybraces. Couldn't see the fit very well without gluing, and once the gel glue binds it's pretty much permanent. I had to do a teardown a couple times but not without resulting nicks and scratches on the finished surfaces and having to replace damaged discs. I'll charge it to experience for this first bomb. 1 down 47 to go : ( Maybe for the next ones I'm gonna try putting on some white paint on the ends of the swaybraces and touch the bombs to mark the locations. Still, I think a jig would be a big help. Will need to fix a cable that broke off. Will need to add the "real" mounting hooks later, as well as the ejector foot. Just remembered I needed to fix the rear ends of the bombs, too. Edited March 22, 2018 by crackerjazz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TTomcaTT Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 If you had the screws it would be cool... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) CrackerJazz, I'm really impressed not only with your detailing but how you manage to find household items that really work well for detailing. As for the yellowing decals, it's just the clear film that yellows. It's a lot of work, but cutting out all the clear film will solve your problem. Back in the 70s we always removed all the clear film and that was with 1/72 scale aircraft decals, simply because some if not all of the film would end up showing, and that's how we solved the problem. Joel Edited March 22, 2018 by Joel_W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 25, 2018 Author Share Posted March 25, 2018 Hi TTomcaTT, beautiful screws -- do you use them for 1/48 MERs? Hi Joel, thanks -- just making do on a budget : ) Thanks for the decals tip -- I'll try that, too. I cut up more jam nuts and 0.4mm swaybraces. And that's how she looked before she toppled over and came crashing to the floor and was back to step 1 in an instant. But I'm glad I took photos to show you guys. High time I made that jig I kept putting off : ( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TTomcaTT Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 (edited) Screw looks good for pilon in 48 scale, but your pilon is superb too... Edited March 25, 2018 by TTomcaTT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 (edited) Outstanding MERs and bombs! Edited March 25, 2018 by Aigore Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Both of you have taken those MERS to a whole new level. I shutter to think of all the corrections and details I'll have to add on my next jet build just to keep up with the new status quo. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted March 27, 2018 Share Posted March 27, 2018 Incredible work all the way. As a cockpit freak I have to give special credit for your pit since with the figure it looks just awesome! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 27, 2018 Author Share Posted March 27, 2018 Hi Janman, Aigore, Joel, thanks for the kind words! That looks cool, TTomcaTT! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) If I may, what year are you trying to represent? I ask because shortly after the Enterprise accident, a thermal coating was developed to allow more time for “cook off” so firefighting efforts could get to ordinance in time. This would be depicted with two yellow stripes at the nose of GP shapes. i.e., one stripe means HIgh Explosive (H.E.), two yellow stripes means H.E. with termal protective coating. Before getting my wings, I was in the Weapons Assembly Division on the Nimitz. As a modeler, I took note that the shapes were more Olive Drab, while conical and Snake-eye fins had more of a Dark Green shade to them. Tracy Edited March 28, 2018 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Hi Tracy, thanks. I'm not sure about the year but I wanted something from the Vietnam era. I'm after something like this: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Looks like you are going for the 72/73 time frame, Linebacker I and II era. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 On 3/25/2018 at 8:01 AM, crackerjazz said: And that's how she looked before she toppled over and came crashing to the floor and was back to step 1 in an instant. But I'm glad I took photos to show you guys. High time I made that jig I kept putting off : ( That looks fantastic! I hope the fall didn't do too much damage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
82Whitey51 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Wow, this is some really nice work (I had to go all the way back to the beginning and check out the pics : ) Ultimately, what markings will you be putting on it/them? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) 82Whitey51, thanks! I decided on using Stingers VA-113 decals. I just got the Icarus set with a staggering number of stencils. Looks like the planes will be riddled with them : ) Thanks, GW, CapO! I lost the swaybraces, save a few. I still don't understand how they could just vanish -- the carpet monster is very real. Lost a couple cables but frankly I was expecting to see no cables at all : ) I guess the gel glue did a good job of keeping them intact. Where'd I read that -- there was a post somewhere recently that said a hobby is supposed to relax you and not create stress. I do find this hobby stressful at times. Funny how I keep coming back to it : ) Edited March 30, 2018 by crackerjazz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 8 hours ago, crackerjazz said: Thanks, GW, CapO! I lost the swaybraces, save a few. I still don't understand how they could just vanish -- the carpet monster is very real. Lost a couple cables but frankly I was expecting to see no cables at all : ) I guess the gel glue did a good job of keeping them intact. Where'd I read that -- there was a post somewhere recently that said a hobby is supposed to relax you and not create stress. I do find this hobby stressful at times. Funny how I keep coming back to it : ) Gosh, I hate it when I lose parts. For my tomcat build, I lost one of the pilot's hand, 2 antennae and a pitot probe. Urgh. I keep telling myself that this hobby should be relaxing too. Truth is, victory is sweeter when the struggle is tough! At least that is what I keep telling myself... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 You guys make me laugh. Like both of you, I keep on telling myself I model for the enjoyment and fun of it, and just try my best. No stress, no sweat. So how come at times I lay in bed trying to figure things out that just didn't go as planned, and have to come up with answers to my wife who wants to know why I keep on torturing myself building models, as she does hear the occasional cus or two or three, coming out of my model/computer room. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Yeah, we're like torturing ourselves for fun : ) Looking for lost fiddly bits is one challenge of this hobby I haven't learned accept, though : ( Anyway, I guess the only hobby that doesn't have any challenge is watching tv : ) Hey, I found some 0.4mm styrene rods at the LHS. Evergreen doesn't carry them (their smallest is 0.5mm) but Plastruct does. I wasn't successful at cutting the 0.4mm brass pipes to uniform lengths using the xacto. They either don't roll right as you cut or the blade wanders or the cuts don't end up square. The styrene rods cut nicely with the chopper. I breathed a big sigh of relief getting over the hurdle of cutting the bolts equally. Still have to go through the pain of gluing them on one by one, though (That doesn't really carry through when you view the pics : ) I wasn't after a dreamy look with the faded edges. The camera just wouldn't focus : ( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 (edited) (edit) double-post Edited April 4, 2018 by crackerjazz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 You are clearly bonkers....but it looks awesome! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joel_W Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 6 hours ago, Aigore said: You are clearly bonkers....but it looks awesome! Crackerjazz, I'll 2nd what Janne said, but that's a really awesome bonkers. Joel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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