A-10 LOADER Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 She's coming together Tracy, getting there. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted August 23, 2024 Author Share Posted August 23, 2024 After giving my Excelsior project over at the sci-fi section all my attention lately, I finally broke this out of the closet. I replaced the badly detailed gun port with a 3D printed panel. First time using my new cutting tool. After grounding down the kits gun port down to an even surface so I could scribe in the shape for the new gun port panel, I used the sonic knife to cut in the shape. A quick test fit... I used sculpting dough around the edges of the hole then pressed in the new panel so excess would squeeze out the edges of the panel. This product is also considered an adhesive. I used a paint brush soaked in water to feather the epoxy dough in and cleaned up the excess. After it cures overnight, there should be little to no clean up, and this product has zero shrinkage. Looking forward getting back to this. The guys in my local club have been bugging me a while to finish it. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted August 27, 2024 Author Share Posted August 27, 2024 Fitting the Tamiya canopies to this turd of a kit... The rear canopy will not fully follow the contours of the rear deck, so I sculpted in a new shape with the Epoxy Sculpting dough I used now. The new gun port has been fully blended into the hull. Looks MUCH better than what was molded into the kit. After a lot of sanding and grinding away to get this kit's nose cone to fit the fuselage properly, the front ended needed some help as well. The Master Miniatures Alpha Probe has been blended into the nose cone. Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted August 27, 2024 Share Posted August 27, 2024 Jeez Tracy, you're slowly beating this kit into submission. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 (edited) Peeled it off the shelf after more than a year. Made some strides. Taping the cockpit up really put a block on me with this project for some reason. When I finally made myself do it, things moved along pretty well. Cockpit masking stigma finally overcome... Primer. I used Stynylrez. NEVER AGAIN! That sh!t sux! Paint comes off in sheets down to bare plastic with masking tape use. First layer of pre-shading with PINK. Then BLUE The white highlighted panel lines The Black streaking from panel doors, flight controls, gun port, and wheel wells. Nose cone and belly colored in. Then top colored in... Tail to go. It'll have a distinguished design. Edited February 10 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Not too shabby Vidar, keep it going. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 (edited) Stepping away from the jet for a bit to do the tedious stuff. Shifting to weapons work. Layering in the colors. Resin GBU 54's and 3D printed AIM-120C AMRAM's and AIM-9X's... Plus the metal landing gear... Primers Yellow stripe that peaks through the GPS head gear pre-shading and marbling Olive drab on and masked to spray the Lt Ghost Gray fin groups and GPS gear. Still a lot of work left... Missile fin (not shown have been sprayed a mix of stainless steel and Jet exhaust. Same color seen here on the 9X's seeker heads. Clear coats, decals, washes, dull coats, then finish up the GBU's with the bright aluminum straps. landing gear in progress here as well. Tracy Edited February 10 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Nice progress so far Tracy. All the missiles and bombs are little models themselves, who's 54's are those ? Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 GBU's are from VideoAviation dot com Tracy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Gotcha, thanks. It's been a long time since I've seen yellow resin, that's why I asked. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 Paint. decaling, and washes complete... All that's left is to add fins to the missiles, sway brackets, and paint the bright aluminum binding straps on the GBU's and they'll be done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ExchefAndy Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 This is going to look, and I'm quoting one of my kids... EPIC! Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ikon Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Wow, an amazing amount of work! Makes one wonder if the kit's designer is impressed with your fortitude! (or chagrined...) Seeing this has put new air into my Monogram/Hsaegawa/Tamiya F-16XL Frankenplane. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted March 13 Author Share Posted March 13 (edited) Hardpoints created by the manufacturer were terribly out of place. They clustered them so close; the bombs would not hang properly and would be bumping into each other. Here, the hardpoints have been filled in with Epoxy dough and feathered in with a wet finger. Bomb Hardpoints and AIM-7 Sparrow fin slots filled in since I'll be arming with AIM-120 AMRAAM's. Graphic showing actual hard point positions that distribute throughout the wing surface instead of clustered tightly at the outer 3rd of the wing. Template being made with parchment paper. Finished template and the now completed GBU's New positions drilled in... Touched up paint and clear coat... the radome will be shot again. Tamiya Clear out of the rattle can is pretty hot stuff on certain MRP colors (Dk Ghost Gray). Clear coat, top... The "What If" markings are being applied. Still have the bottom to do. Clear coat to unify everything, then weathering and washes to go before Dull coating. More to come! Tracy Edited March 13 by Vidar_710 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jgrease Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 That is some awesome work! I had completely forgotten about this one. Great job Tracy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Agree, she's looking good so far ! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ikon Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 That is one red hot tail! Nice corrections on the hangars and great looking paint job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vidar_710 Posted Wednesday at 07:15 AM Author Share Posted Wednesday at 07:15 AM Decals finished with a protective clear coat. One of very few images of a test bed aircraft's staining on the belly. Mine will be more assertive representing a "What If" production aircraft in service. First layer of Yellow Ochre oil representing aged oil and hydraulic staining in the skin. Additional oil layers of Brown and black with some white to tone things down. Dark washes added to the skin and panel lines. After the excess wash is removed, the dull coat with be applied to protect it. Additional weathering will be added with pastels. On a side note: If I had recognized just how bad and inconsistent the paneling was, I would have re-scribed every piece before gluing a single assembly together! What a Royal PITA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A-10 LOADER Posted Wednesday at 12:44 PM Share Posted Wednesday at 12:44 PM Kudos to you for sticking with such a bear of a project Tracy. Things are really coming together now, she's looking good and, this will be quite a unique piece when finished. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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