f5guy Posted September 9, 2022 Author Share Posted September 9, 2022 On 9/6/2022 at 11:09 AM, Dutch said: Fred, I was really hoping it was on again. Any plans for the RC-135U? K/r, Dutch Hi Dutch! Good to hear from you. The RC-135U is still on the list for sure. Anymore getting the time to build is my biggest issue. Just way too many competing past times, particularly in summer, coupled with work, family, blah blah blah..... you know the drill 😆 Take care, Fred. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted September 10, 2022 Share Posted September 10, 2022 Fred, No worries! I just love to watch you work! 🤣🤪 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) It's ALIVE!!! Yes, after an almost 18 month lapse, this build is back on! Shortly after my last installment, and another failed attempt to get that white gloss paint to my liking, I tried some Rustoleum white out of a rattle can (decanted). That left me with an even worse, eggshell finish than I had before. In frustration I set the kit aside, meaning to get back to it at some point. Well some point kept dragging out, but now I'm finally ready to finish it off! So the other day I went back and fixed a couple of spots that needed touching up with filler. Yesterday I sanded them out, and proceeded to sand the entire model with fine grade sanding sticks and pads in an attempt to salvage that eggshell finish. I also decided that with all of the coats of paint that I had put on this that the build up around the window masks might be considerable, so I decided to pull the window masks off, and sand them down as well. This proved to be a good idea! So now I'm just going to paint over them and use decals for the windows, which is what I should have done in the first place. So this is where I'm at now..... More to come! Fred. Edited January 4, 2023 by f5guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Good to see you started again 🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Good luck. Glad to see this one restarted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 Thanks for the encouragement gentlemen! I'm on a mission to get this one done now that my mojo is flowing again. I found some decals for this jet from Out of Box Models. They've got an entire line of decals (airliner, military tankers), and some 3D stuff as well, plus custom 3D work available. Here's the link to their main website: https://www.ootbmodels.com/ and to the Rat 55 decals specifically: https://ootbmodels.myshopify.com/products/boeing-nt-43a-73-1155-united-states-air-force . The decals are laser printed on one sheet, so each decal will have to be cut out. They're very nicely done and very reasonably priced. Check them out 👍 All for now, Fred. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 9 hours ago, Pieter said: Good to see you started again 🙂 5 hours ago, Da SWO said: Good luck. Glad to see this one restarted. I agree with these guys, look forward to more progress Fred Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Fred, Alright! Let's get this one over the goal line! I like those decals and thanks for the link. I will check them out. K/r, Dutch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 No more excuses now Fred, let's get her finished. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 1 hour ago, A-10 LOADER said: No more excuses now Fred, let's get her finished. Steve Me?? Make excuses?? Never ! 🤣 Fred. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) Alright! After finishing up a couple of other projects, the majority of the painting of Rat 55 is finally done! I swear that I used an entire roll of Tamiya tape, and half a roll of blue painters tape on this one. There's a couple of minor spots to be touched up, and I still need to do the chrome around the cockpit glass, but its mostly done. I'm hoping to be doing the decals in a day or two. I'm almost there 👍 Fred. Edited February 4, 2023 by f5guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 She looks really good Fred, the finish line is in sight. Don't rush it at this stage, take your time and finish up strong. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Looks great Fred! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 (edited) Hi folks! Well the decals are on! They are a combination of the Out of Box decals set, and Draw Decals 737-200 basic markings sheet. I thought that the escape pathways for the wings on the OOB sheet were a bit small, so I went with the Draw Decals pathway. I made masks slightly smaller than the pathways out of yellow tape, and masked off the existing white on the wings. My concern was that the Draw Decals pathways might be a bit translucent, and the gray would show through. This turned out to be a good plan as the pathways were indeed translucent. For the most part the decals went down well, but the AFMC tail stripe on the OOB sheet was just a tiny bit too short on both ends, and require a little touch up with black paint. Also, the Draw Decals had a tendency to silver, and required some pin pricks and more Solva-Set to get them to settle down. Also, the forward cabin door on the Draw Decals sheet was way too tall, but I didn't realize it until after the decal was dry. To fix it, I used cut sections from another cabin door decal, and re-decaled the door. After everything had dried, I masked the top of the door off, and simply sprayed more white over the decal. It's not perfect, but it will work. More to follow.... Fred. Edited February 6, 2023 by f5guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 (edited) I also had to fix one of the main gear legs that broke off while I was masking the engines. A combination of a pin inserted into holes drilled in each half of the leg and glued, along with more glue was enough to secure the leg in place solidly. I also had to reattach the nose gear leg for the fifth time. It had been broken so many times that I had to take a small piece of plastic tube and insert each part of the broken leg into opposites ends of the tube and superglue them. It made the gear leg a bit thicker than it should be, but I was out of options, so it will have to do. I really like the BPK 737, but I wish that they would have engineered the kit so that the landing gear didn't have to be put on early in the build process. They're just too easy to break off. The last thing to do was to make the "antlers" above the crew cabin that holds the relocated pitot tubes. I made the mounts, but am struggling to find suitable pitot tubes. I'll likely leave them off until I can find some pitot's. So I'm calling this one done! I will take some photo's outside later today, and post them this evening. All for now. Fred. Edited February 6, 2023 by f5guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 That is looking the part now Fred, it is a gratifying moment once the decals are on and the model has character. 🏆 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 (edited) All right! Here she is 😃! Rat 55 is done! Despite all of the ups and downs with this project it has been a very gratifying build, and definitely a not often seen subject. A big thank you to everyone that has checked in or has been following this build. Your comments, photo's and suggestions are very much appreciated 👍 Also, thanks to OOB Models for the decals, and lastly to BPK for having the apples to produce a kit that isn't a WWII single engine fighter or yet another Teen series jet redone for the millionth time. I learned a lot about what to do, and what not to do with this build, and about how to paint that much gloss white and have it come out nice. My hat is off to those airliner, and car modelers who can lay down those beautiful gloss paint jobs! And for those of you concerned about the size of a 737-200 model..... it's about the size of a 1/72nd Tu-22/26, or a little bigger than a 1/48th scale Tomcat. It's not nearly as big as you might think. Thanks again everyone! Fred K. Edited February 12, 2023 by f5guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 5 hours ago, Trojan Thunder said: That is looking the part now Fred, it is a gratifying moment once the decals are on and the model has character. 🏆 You've got that right my friend 😉! Fred. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Well done Fred, now you have a very unique aircraft to add to that display case. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 40 minutes ago, A-10 LOADER said: Well done Fred, now you have a very unique aircraft to add to that display case. Steve Thanks Steve! It certainly is eye catching! Fred. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Great job Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichB63 Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Well done. That’s quite an impressive conversion! Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crutch Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Way to stick with it! Great looking finish, well done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 VERY nice result Fred, one to be proud of! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 I was curious with your title, "Rat" and read thru your build and I LOVE it! Your scratch building skills are evident and the end result ... TERRIFIC! Thanx for sharing your techniques! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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