southwestforests Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 In a classic instance of 'found while looking for something else', found a couple Tamiya Skyray kits I thought were long gone! 😁 I am a very happy camper. One each in 1/48 and 1/72. Who knows how long ago it was the 1/48 pilot got painted. Health decline in the interim likely won't allow that kind of precision now. Looks like 1/72 kit was not provided with a pilot and an aftermarket fellow was selected. Seat bottom was heavily reshaped so he could sit on it. My memory wants to say he came from a Fujimi set of pilot and carrier deck figures. Anyway, at this point in history who knows how long until the two might get finished, if ever. I sure would like to eventually finish them. Have a series of round motor aircraft vintage kits in progress at the moment. Plus a turboprop Lindberg XFY-1 Pogo & a Monogram/Revell inline engined P-40. Ya know, in a way, jet engines are 'round' motors ... (but the round motors which swing propellors are so much easier on the ears) https://thesaurus.plus/related/propellor/propeller https://www.saam.org.au/propellers.html "Propellors Page" I would swear on a stack of unopened Hawk kits that I grew up in the 60s and 70s reading it as propell-OR in books and in the various air magazines Dad got. And that last vowel being o makes far more logical sense anyway, do not spinning propellors make an o-like disc? If your propeller makes an e shape the odds are your day is not going well at that point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Always loved the Skyray ... Was there a more appropriately named aircraft ...? Nice additions, congrats ... -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 (edited) Thanks Gregg! Dad was USN and he long ago told of doing a live-fire landing exercise with the Marines and while they were barely out of the landing craft and hunkering down on the beach a pair of Skyrays came in low overhead firing rockets from underwing pods. On the one hand Dad thought it quite impressive, on the other hand they felt low enough to part your hair and that was a bit unsettling. Now, while I had forgotten still having the model kits, though not their boxes, they were in a 2 gallon zipper lock freezer bag, I've known the whole time where the following book is. Also have a Ginter Books volume on a development of F4D known as the F5D Skylancer. Edited April 2, 2023 by southwestforests Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 Noice. I like Killer Rays. Furball has a nice decal sheet just for Rays. I like the 314 markings during the crisis in Taiwan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, Tank said: Furball has a nice decal sheet just for Rays Ahh, will look that up. Thanks. EDIT: That was quick, top center on their homepage, "1/48 Fast Fords' https://www.furballaero-design.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=48-002 Edited April 2, 2023 by southwestforests Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spruemeister Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 Killer Rays and the Furball sheet have combined to deplete the second hand Tamiya kits. I had no idea of the current asking prices. Rick L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 19 minutes ago, Spruemeister said: Killer Rays and the Furball sheet have combined to deplete the second hand Tamiya kits. After being told about the decal sheet and looking it up I see why! Glad my kits were paid for years and years ago! 😊 They got barely begun then put away while I did miniatures games and model trains. And then I lost track of where they had been put. And then I moved. And then I moved once more -- about 14 years ago! They have been buried in a box of other stuff for at least a decade and a half. The 1/72 scale one has gear doors glued for gear up. The 1/48 scale one hasn't got that far. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 I have both Tamiya kits in my stash, as well as the 1/72 Airfix and Testors (Hawk) kits. Killer Rays is a great book, and Ginter has a large volume on the Ford too. Wish there was a decent kit of the F5D too ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 During my recent stash reduction sorting, I came across a bagged 1/72 Tamiya Skyray. No decals, but I'm sure I'll be able to sort some. Hopefully you'll get yours completed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Starfighter Decals has a nice 1/72 4 option sheet that shouldn’t break the bank. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/starfighter-decals-72-157-forgotten-fords--1149065 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfgun33 Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 I'm currently building the 1/48 kit. Got it all the way to the decaling stage. The intake decals shattered and would not come off. Had to sand it off and repaint. During that time, I didn't like how light the Light Gull Gray is. May have to strip it all that way down and repaint the entire thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 8, 2023 Author Share Posted April 8, 2023 6 minutes ago, Wolfgun33 said: Had to sand it off and repaint. Oh dear! 😲 Through the last 4 decades have done frequent stripping of HO scale locomotive and freight car bodies for custom painting. And occasionally after serious paint or decal problems. They are easy, put the body for 15 minutes in a tall olive jar with Scalecoat Wash Away, rinse, dry, repaint. Even stripped some game miniatures. So far have never tried an assembled model airplane. Between 1974 and late 1990s the Tamiya models I built were all tanks and figures, except for precisely one Lancia Stratos, and no aircraft. Decals went fine and I have since used some old decals on sci-fi builds. Have seen conversations about recent troubles with Tamiya decals. Wonder how well these who knows how old Skyray decals will do when, if, I finally get to that point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfgun33 Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 1 minute ago, southwestforests said: Oh dear! 😲 Through the last 4 decades have done frequent stripping of HO scale locomotive and freight car bodies for custom painting. And occasionally after serious paint or decal problems. They are easy, put the body for 15 minutes in a tall olive jar with Scalecoat Wash Away, rinse, dry, repaint. Even stripped some game miniatures. So far have never tried an assembled model airplane. Between 1974 and late 1990s the Tamiya models I built were all tanks and figures, except for precisely one Lancia Stratos, and no aircraft. Decals went fine and I have since used some old decals on sci-fi builds. Have seen conversations about recent troubles with Tamiya decals. Wonder how well these who knows how old Skyray decals will do when, if, I finally get to that point. Personally I would get the Furball Decals. I'm going to get them myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted April 8, 2023 Author Share Posted April 8, 2023 3 minutes ago, Wolfgun33 said: Personally I would get the Furball Decals. I'm going to get them myself. Have to smile at that name with an orange tabby fellow presently squeezed in between me and this keyboard. 😸 Hmm ... wonder what an F-14 would look like painted orange tabby with a little pink nose ... ??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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