Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 (edited) Here is the start of my new project. This has been on my list for a while now, so finally getting around to it! My inspiration (taken from http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/Strike-Fighter-Squadron-113.htm) Hasegawa kit and Fightertowndecals: AM and various bits and pieces collected from old kits. The JDAM is 3D printed so we will see how that turns out: Edited October 25, 2020 by Janissary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Fixing scriber mistakes with putty: Tried various methods for the canopy tint, finally settled on the following: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Exploring Tamiya Tomcat and Hasegawa A-4 parts as a passing replacement for this kit: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Fiddling with the front fuselage. IFR probe well in place. AoA probe made from a tapered pin: Quite a bit of filling, sanding, and scribing is necessary on this one. Just trying to push through these tedious steps: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Trying to avoid the step on the fuselage side (based on my previous attempts with this kit): Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 25, 2020 Author Share Posted October 25, 2020 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 The canopy tint trick is very cool! I am definitely going to have to try that. Nice job refining all the parts too 👍🏻 Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 18 hours ago, Falconxlvi said: The canopy tint trick is very cool! I am definitely going to have to try that. Nice job refining all the parts too 👍🏻 Thank you. I kinda stumbled upon the sharpie as I was trying other approaches with Tamiya clears, nail polish, and chromatic pigments. Sharpie in alcohol, followed by a light misting of the chromatic pigments gave me the best results for sure. I have never used them but these CSI colors are also looking promising. I would be interested in knowing if anyone has used them for tinting (worried about large flakes): https://www.ebay.com/p/1771216814 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Night Owl Models Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Where do you get that glazing spotting putty? Great start look forward to seeing your progress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RichB63 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 I love it! The transparent tints worked a treat. I also admire the very precise riveting work on the pylons...that takes a steady hand. Keep 'em coming, Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Thank you. I got the putty from Pep Boys. I'd imagine it's available in most automotive stores. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thadeus Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Very nice project. Love the added detail - the clear parts will look amaizing. The nose trick is also quite helpfull. Scribing must have been a pain, but well worth it - looks so clean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ichitoe Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Looking forward to another one of your builds. Did you dip the tinted canopy in Future (or whatever it's called these days) to protect the tinting? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 On 10/26/2020 at 12:36 PM, Janissary said: Thank you. I kinda stumbled upon the sharpie as I was trying other approaches with Tamiya clears, nail polish, and chromatic pigments. Sharpie in alcohol, followed by a light misting of the chromatic pigments gave me the best results for sure. I have never used them but these CSI colors are also looking promising. I would be interested in knowing if anyone has used them for tinting (worried about large flakes): https://www.ebay.com/p/1771216814 Sprayed with an airbrush, or can you paint brush it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted October 28, 2020 Author Share Posted October 28, 2020 (edited) Here is a little bit more about the canopy. I tried nail polish as well as an acrylic art paint. Both had a chromatic tint to them, but they did not work. Nail polish had large flakes, acrylic paint dulled up the canopy. I came across these pigments on youtube: These are chromatic powders. My thinking was that the powder is so fine (which it is) that I could gently rub it in on the canopy, similar to smearing shaved lead pencil dust on paper. That rubbing did not work. The canopy is too shiny for the pigments to bite into. So, I tried spraying it. I mixed the powder with MLT. The powder stays suspended, but does not dissolve (tried other solvents too, nothing really worked). So I airbrushed the mixture, and it looked like this: Yes I went overboard there, but the flakes are too visible nonetheless. More importantly, when all is dry, I noticed that the powder actually has not bonded to the surface. A pass of a finger and it comes right off. I dipped the whole thing in future to see if it could be cover-protected. Future simply washed off everything. The powder is so weakly attached to the surface. So I started again. Gave the alcohol / Sharpie a shot. Airbrushed the mix from the bottom side. Once it is dry, it is solid. That gave me the purplish base tint. It is not chromatic, but works ok I guess. I did not dip that in Future. Then, I applied a very thin layer of the MLT / powder mix from the bottom to give that hint of chromatic look. No future dip. That was the final result, and here is one more shot of where things currently are: I don't think any of these steps would work well with brush painting. Edited October 28, 2020 by Janissary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skaras Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Thanks for the explanation!, appreciate the effort on the experimentation! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 (edited) Sure. Now working on light detailing to add visual interest. No where near what I see elsewhere but is good practice as I am just getting my feet wet with it. Now nearing the first coat of primer in the cockpit! Edited November 1, 2020 by Janissary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 Nice update! The switch work should really pop after some paint - I like what you did there. Also, the struts and gear assemblies are very much improved with your added details 👍🏻 Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted November 2, 2020 Author Share Posted November 2, 2020 Thank you. I plan to add a few more details as I noticed more fun than I thought I would. I am loosely following the ref pics I have. Another part of me is itching to get started with the airbrush though, so there will be a tradeoff at some point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 A few updates mostly around the cockpit and getting things ready for painting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocketdrvr Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Great looking build! Is that the kit figure?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 3 hours ago, Rocketdrvr said: Great looking build! Is that the kit figure?? Thank you. It is from the Tamiya F-16 kit (primarily for the JHMCS helmet). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Janissary Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 (edited) Finally got to the priming stage. I started with a thin coat of Mr. Surfacer, then a coat of Tamiya XF-80. I had a few questions about the ordnance. The build will be roughly around the 2014 timeframe. I want all to be training loads. - With the two GBU-12s, I want one to be all blue (like this one: https://www.asdnews.com/NewsImages/b/39580/39879_O.jpg or this one: https://c1.neweggimages.com/ProductImage/A1S7_1_201711101581030552.jpg). These would never come with thermal protective coating, can you confirm? Also, for the forward control section, would be possible to see both the gray and the green version loaded up? - Are there training GPU-12s that are olive drab in color but might have a blue band? I can't find any examples of this. - Around that timeframe, would the Navy have all-blue Aim-9L/M or would they only come in LGG with the blue band? Edited December 24, 2020 by Janissary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f5guy Posted December 25, 2020 Share Posted December 25, 2020 You know it just never ceases to amaze me how clever and resourceful the human mind can be when it comes to solving a problem. And Janissary's trick with the marker pens and alcohol to get that sheen on the Hornets canopy is a prefect example of what I'm talking about! Bravo Janissary, I tip my hat to you.... well done! Fred K. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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