Sebastijan Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (edited) Hi everyone! Started a new project a few days ago. Finemolds 1:72 Tomcat that will be wearing markings of VF-41 Black Aces of 1997 cruise, when they visited port Koper, Slovenia and I got to see Tomcats for the first time. It will be a heavy maintenance diorama - deck chained aircraft with a number of open panels and crew inspecting them. For a so much praised kit, I was surprised to find a huge number of pin marks in visible parts. While I'm not sure, these will actually be seen, buried deep in engine intakes. Cockpit sidewalls are bare in the kit. It's true, only the most curious eyes will look that deep in the cockpit, but I just had to add some canvas wiring covers and the prominent circuit breaker boards in the RIO's pit. Using just some careful painting, the cockpit is looking more and more alive. No aftermarket parts are available for this kit, so I have to work with what I've got. Edited May 6, 2019 by Sebastijan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 3, 2018 Author Share Posted November 3, 2018 Cockpit is more or less finished. Of course the ejection seats are missing but as I am waiting for the figures, I’ll install them later. I might add some piping on the back walls, but I once again have to wait for the seats, to see how much would visible in the first place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 Great start looking good in the cockpit. I really like heavy maintenance planes with all panels opened, a challenging and interesting project will surely follow your progress on this little cat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 Great start Sebastijan. Lemme grab my popcorn. -co Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 (edited) So here we go! It wasn't that huge a step from sauna talk to actually start building it. 😀 Will be following closely since this is definitely one of those kits I'll be getting sooner or later. The Koper connection was a new thing for me. So, the pit we see is all plastics? Looks very sharp. Seems the raised details are quite crisp. What are you going to use as the crew? Edited November 5, 2018 by janman Supplementary question Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 5, 2018 Author Share Posted November 5, 2018 Thank you guys! 2 hours ago, janman said: So here we go! It wasn't that huge a step from sauna talk to actually start building it. 😀 Will be following closely since this is definitely one of those kits I'll be getting sooner or later. The Koper connection was a new thing for me. So, the pit we see is all plastics? Looks very sharp. Seems the raised details are quite crisp. What are you going to use as the crew? Yeah, I came up with the decision only a few days ago when going through my decal stash and it seemed appropriate. Pit is all in-box plastic with the exception of small (canopy?) ejection handles to which Eduard PE RBF tags are attached. Crew will be Reedoaks 3D printed figures - expensive but they look great and they should enhance the whole scene considerably. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 Intakes painted up; one showing the one piece affair and the other one with rear part insert. Front view of the intake insert. Stator at the front with a cone was painted Aluminum while the rear one with darker Magnesium, giving a nice sense of depth. Notice the reflections in the intake. Cockpit was finally fitted in the fuselage halves and instrument panel shrouds installed. Turtle back behind the rear seat was bare of details so I added a horizontal beam and rivets per reference photos. NeOmega seats arrived yesterday and they proved to be of identical dimensions as FineMolds ones but of course much better detailed. RIO's IP shroud received circular cooling vents at the sides and the wire that runs from the top handle to the side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Nice cockpit. Those seats looks good! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 I am super impressed with your cockpit- amazing detail for 72nd scale! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 (edited) Thank you guys! Instructions mistake! Do this only if you're planning on closing the canopy! Painting the exhausts... First white then progressively darker thin layers of brownish colours and some dark brown, black and grey pigments at the end. Jet intakes finished - the lower rear ramp at the top of the intake is clearly visible including the actuator that opens it. Interesting design of the rear fuselage - you have to attach the rear fuselage sides to the jet exhaust piping. The whole assembly is then attached to the upper fuselage half. The join runs by the panel line and is virtually invisible. The only area needing some filler will be right of the airbrake - nothing a swipe of PPP couldn't solve in few seconds. Attaching the lower fuselage was a breeze - fit is just perfect and we finally have something resembling a Tomcat fuselage. View of the lower fuselage - again no filler needed! Oh and for those who didn't know - take a look at Tomcat's fuselage, bring those intakes closer together and voila! A-wing fighter from Star Wars E:VI Return of the Jedi! Edited November 15, 2018 by Sebastijan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 7 hours ago, Sebastijan said: Oh and for those who didn't know - take a look at Tomcat's fuselage, bring those intakes closer together and voila! A-wing fighter from Star Wars E:VI Return of the Jedi! Wow! I never realised that! Good catch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 Nice progress! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 17, 2018 Author Share Posted November 17, 2018 Thanks, guys! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted November 23, 2018 Author Share Posted November 23, 2018 Time for weekly update: Last week I received Reedoak 3D printed figures to be used on diorama. Oh boy, I can’t believe how far 3D printing technology has advanced! Layer edges that were in the past really prominent on this kind of prints are almost non existant on these figures. I had to use a magnifying lens to spot it, but even then, it look like a texture to the textile more than layering. Really amazing. These figures aren’t cheap, but they look better than anything I have seen so far. I am no figure painter and it was a first time for me to work with Mr.Paint acrylic paints specially made for figure painting. I have to say I am satisfied with the result – keep in mind that the figure on the screen is several times the real size so everything looks better balanced on 1:1 scale. Finished painting the “spine” interiors. Had to rivet all the inner edge details. and she’s slowly coming together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 Not much time for model building last week as daughter had high fever and ear infection but nevertheless I managed to finish something during the weekend. Dryfitted the wings and tailerons and attached the fins - Tomcat, baby! Was playing with different shades of metallic colours, picking out single petals, and attacking those with washes. I’ll further putt a matt coat on them as they’re too shiny now and probably add a little more staining. And dryfit of the nozzles - They look really nice attached to the fuselage. Had to bypass instructions a bit so I can remove and install them later in the build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Looking good! Shame about the ear infection. It really sucks. Don't ask me how I know, but I hope she's already better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Sorry for your daughter Sir, best wishes for a speedy recovery. The progress on your little cat is fantastic. Keep it up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Great work so far, impressive detail for that scale. Just a FYI, the last pic you posted, showing the Cat from the back. On the starboard side tail, below the position light, there is a small disc antenna. That should be removed, only the D models had them. Steve "TOMCATS FOREVER, BABY...!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted December 4, 2018 Author Share Posted December 4, 2018 Thanks guys! Yeah, she's ok now already. Luckily she only had fever without much or any pain, but on the other hand, we didn't know what's causing it until visiting the doc; antibiotics made a short work out of it. Steve, thanks for pointing that out - haven't checked all the little details before the painting yet, but I might have missed that little detail if you haven't pointed it out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 After a coat of AMMO One Shot primer I've put a marbled coat of Lt. Ghost Grey on. Marbling was first done coarser and will be made finer later. Before final painting I added brown marbling on the areas of higher wear and tear. And the final subtle effect. But the painting is not done yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Sweet paint job so far! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 Thanks, mate! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 Paint looks great- I can’t wait to see this one completed! Well done 👍🏻 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted December 29, 2018 Author Share Posted December 29, 2018 Thank you! Last wip of 2018! Did further weathering of the overpainted panels and added grime and dirt on the most often used panels. Added antiglare panel, over-intake walkways and painted the canvas bags and airbrake interior. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 Sebastijan, going to see a great Tomcat at the finish! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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