 Hasegawa 1/48 A-7E (VA-25), Work in progess (Dec 15/08) |
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 Jul 12 2008, 12:41 AM
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#1
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 Full Blown Model Geek  Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080  |
Well boys and girls time for another build... this time the 1/48 Hasegawa A-7E. I'll be doing the VA-25 bird from the early 70's...
Here's the bird in question:  [image from www.carrierbuilders.net] And the kit and decals...  Started with the pilot:    Still wish I could find some decent tiny decals to put on the helmet itself... to spruce it up a bit... Did some work on the cockpit... it needed some TLC:     
This post has been edited by lgl007: Dec 16 2008, 12:58 AM |
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Jul 12 2008, 12:41 AM
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#2
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080 |
Started work on the air intake... first the imperfections had to be addressed:
 Next a quick dry fit to see what it all looks like... will require more work later on as the pieces don't align pefectly...  Put the two halves together and applied the Tamiya filler to get rid of those nasty seams on either side...   To make quick work of sanding it all down I took Q-Tips and glued on 400 grit sandpaper and used my Dremel... Also removed the back wall which will be added later after the seam has been dealt with...  Here they are sanded...   I'll airbrush inside the air intake black from the rear end and white from the front end... that way I get a nice transition from white to dark into the back... That's it so far... let me know what you think. As always advice and comments very appreciated. -Greg |
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Jul 12 2008, 01:59 AM
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#3
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 JET NOISE - the Sound of Freedom! Group: Members Posts: 11762 Joined: 9-June 06 From: between Hamburg and Fulda Gap, Germany Member No.: 7268 |
Very nice work so far, especially on that pilot!
 Will it be an in-flight display or will he just sit in the plane still on the ground? This post has been edited by ChernayaAkula: Jul 12 2008, 02:01 AM |
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Jul 12 2008, 03:36 AM
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#4
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 Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue Group: Members Posts: 7764 Joined: 24-June 03 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 31 |
You are clearly quite talented at doing figures in excellent detail, and at 1/48 scale, that is no easy accomplishment. Very nice progress on the pit and on the intakes so far. Neat idea with the dremel!
Looking forward to seeing more of this build. |
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Jul 12 2008, 07:49 AM
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#5
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 Life Member (Mon-Key Handler) Group: Members Posts: 3548 Joined: 11-May 08 From: Lugano-Switzerland Member No.: 12709 |
Hey Greg...if it comes out like the mirage we are enjoying a great buildin thread again LOL!
and so far it is absolutely!it is a great WIP...great work!!!!!! Cheers 
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Jul 12 2008, 08:28 AM
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#6
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 Life Member (Mon-Key Handler) Group: Members Posts: 4044 Joined: 7-March 08 From: Sweden Member No.: 12176 |
Great looking build so far!!
A neat trick with the Dremel too!! Gotta try that  About decals for the helmet, well have you tried to paint empty decal film and cuta out stripes from that? Cheers! |
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Jul 12 2008, 01:37 PM
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#7
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 I love the smell of Tenax in the morning! Group: Members Posts: 2742 Joined: 16-June 07 From: Santa Maria, CA Member No.: 10195 |
that smart work on that intake!! love the pilot as well.
Semper fi Dan |
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Jul 12 2008, 02:18 PM
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#8
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080 |
Thanks everyone...
Mortiz: no it'll be a grounded A-7E... haven't gotten the urge to do a nice base... I have a Hasegawa 1/48 A-4M in the stash that I'll be doing in air... it's a nice small jet in 1/48 so it should look pretty good ;-) Next project perhaps ... hehe Aigore: no I haven't tried that... I was just hoping that perhaps somebody would have some nice small red or yellow lightinging bolts perhaps from some ACM pod decals, or missile decals... or even from a 1/144 decal sheet... anything that I could use... still keeping an eye out... I'd really appreciate it if you guys checked your old decal stashes for such 'mini' decals ;-) Thanks again everyone. -Greg |
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Jul 13 2008, 12:08 AM
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#9
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 Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1614 Joined: 24-February 05 From: Scottsdale, Az Member No.: 4259 |
An idea; First don't airbrush the intake trunk. White Glue on a plastic card backing where the fan goes. Let it dry overnight then pour, yes pour some semi gloss household white latex into the trunk filling it alost to the brim. Roll the paint to the lips getting good coverage then pour the apint back into your orginal paint can. Pull the card off the back and allow for the wet paint to drip out that on the sdies of the trunk. Let it dry and in the end you should have a shinny smoth gloos white finish just like the real thing.
Jim PS I love the q-tip trick, I gotta remember that one.
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Jul 13 2008, 12:14 AM
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#10
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 If your stuck just ask.. Or you be stuck forever Group: Members Posts: 1689 Joined: 10-February 04 From: UK Member No.: 1972 |
Looking good greg, i will be watching this one. Good luck and nice to see the decals finally getting used.
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Jul 13 2008, 12:26 AM
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#11
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 They came to earth on DC-8's with thrusters Group: Members Posts: 1365 Joined: 18-December 05 From: boston Member No.: 6140 |
Looking good! I've always thought that might be a good way to work with intakes like this so I'll be watching closely to see how it turns out.
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Jul 13 2008, 12:49 AM
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#12
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080 |
Jim, yes that could do it as well... and I might end up doing just that in the end... if my method does not work out...
BTW I assume that a heavy coat of white latex paint would actually get rid of any inside imperfections as it is quite thick... correct? Simon, yes indeed... thanks so much for the decals :-) U DA MAN! -Greg This post has been edited by lgl007: Jul 13 2008, 12:50 AM |
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Jul 13 2008, 12:54 AM
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#13
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080 |
Ok did some more work on her...
Test fitting of the cockpit left a bit of a large gap between the top of the cockpit tub and the top of the fuselage so I added plastic card...  Here's the cockpit so far...   Painted the interior of the exhaust...  Did some work on the inside side walls...  And then this ...  ... both the clear canopy pieces are about 6mm too wide... they either got squished in transit or something terrible happened in the moulding process. At any rate... I posted on the HINTS and TIPS section and seems that one idea is to submerge the pieces in almost boiling water for a few seconds and then re-shape them... so I'll give that a go... /crosses fingers I wonder... is this an issue in ALL the A-7E boxings? Or am I just unlucky? Best, -Greg This post has been edited by lgl007: Jul 13 2008, 12:56 AM |
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Jul 13 2008, 12:59 AM
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#14
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 MY SIM'S ON FIRE BABY! Group: Members Posts: 1733 Joined: 30-June 03 From: Port Elizabeth, South Africa Member No.: 541 |
Wow, love the work on the pilot!! Are those sholder patches painted on or are they decals??
As a fan of the VA-25 schemes I can wait to see more of this bird! D |
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Jul 13 2008, 01:04 AM
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#15
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1569 Joined: 26-October 06 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 8080 |
Damian... The shoulder patches as painted on ;-) I wish I could find accurate shoulder patch decals... shoot every decal manufacturer should add some to their sheets ;-) I tried to replicate a couple I found on the net as best I could. The photos above are super exagerate in terms of size so you can really see the imperfections. In real life they actually look pretty good... I was quite surprise how they came out... It's quite easy when you use very quick drying acrylic paint... you can touch things up as soon as you make a mistake...
I really do hope to do the VA-25 justice... It's a brilliant scheme for sure =) -Greg |
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Jul 13 2008, 03:55 AM
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#16
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Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue Group: Members Posts: 7764 Joined: 24-June 03 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 31 |
That is looking absolutely fantastic!
 Hope you get your canopy fit issues worked out to your satisfaction. Hard to believe this would happen with a Hasegawa kit..... 
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Jul 13 2008, 08:22 AM
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#17
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Life Member (Mon-Key Handler) Group: Members Posts: 3548 Joined: 11-May 08 From: Lugano-Switzerland Member No.: 12709 |
Great job..keep it up man and I hope "my" lil tip wll help you out!
that's a great drybrushing you got there! Lovely work Cheers
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Jul 13 2008, 09:03 AM
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#18
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Tenax Sniffer (Open a window!) Group: Members Posts: 325 Joined: 1-January 06 From: Borehamwood,UK Member No.: 6233 |
Top job mate.
Mark |
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Jul 13 2008, 03:59 PM
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#19
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Full Blown Model Geek Group: Members Posts: 1614 Joined: 24-February 05 From: Scottsdale, Az Member No.: 4259 |
BTW I assume that a heavy coat of white latex paint would actually get rid of any inside imperfections as it is quite thick... correct?
BINGO You got it , thats the beauty of this method. Jim |
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Jul 16 2008, 10:05 PM
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#20
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 Mr Group: Members Posts: 712 Joined: 24-January 07 From: Greece-Glasgow Member No.: 9034 |
mate the pit looks amazing!
sorry cannot help with the canopy!!!!! Dont forget to add the oxgen hoses!!! Just check your references cause i think the back of the pit is black! |
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