TGarthConnelly

Well … Kyle has restarted his work on my USS ESSEX, CV-9 in her 1944 configuration. He has painted the hull … this is what he has said … “I ordered some liquid masking on Sunday, to start to tackle the Essex color scheme, will keep you updated I’d like to get back on it soon. A little touch up to do where lines of tape overlapped each other but nothing too bad. Next up will be getting the armament and other little parts in and masking and painting the island.” Here some photos of the build … IMG_6558 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6557 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6556 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6637 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6636 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6560 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6559 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6650 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr IMG_6649 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD34 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD33 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD32 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD29 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr

Thanks Kevin. Yeah, a couple of weeks ago, I "buy it now-ed" a sheet off Ebay.

Howdy-Doo Guys, Hey, I just ordered a 1:72 HOBBYBOSS F-86 off Amazon. It comes with German markings. Can anyone direct me to a sheet for USAF Sabres? Ciao Bella

OK … Thank you, very much, Tim.

OK, thanks Tim. Could I have Kyle modify seats meant for a F-4E to look like those?

OK ………. Not MB5s or ACES IIs?

What model ejection seat was fitted to the F-5Es?

Thank you, Gil.

Hi … Some of you have been asking me what Kyle Lord has been doing on my USS ESSEX model that I bought from Art Rohloff via STEELNAVY last year. Kyle bought a house late last year and he finished four plane kits for me, a T-33, F-106A, a F4-U1D and a repair job on a Sea Hurricane MK. IIc. Last week, he got back to work on my USS ESSEX again. He started by gluing the missing pieces onto the bow and stern. A few more pieces to go then the deck can go on pretty soon. I also plan to progress on the island. He also attached the gun emplacements onto the deck. I also got 3 out of 4 prop shafts on, for some reason the fourth one isn’t long enough so he’ll find a piece of styrene rod and extend it. The deck has not been glued in yet, it’s just there for mock up purposes. He plans to paint the deck before attaching it to the hull. Up next will be painting the hull red and priming the deck and spraying the deck Blue. He said, Bottom paint is on, it’s Tamiya Hull Red with a couple drops of white, as the hull red is really a dark brown. The island is primed and ready for deck blue on the horizontal surfaces. Up next I will be masking the red, then priming the remainder of the hull and the deck in preparation to do a run of deck Blue. Here are some photos: ESSEXBUILD24 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD25 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD26 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD27 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD28 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD29 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD30 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD31 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD32 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD33 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr ESSEXBUILD34 by Tim Connelly, on Flickr Tim

Hi … Does anyone know if there is a decal sheet in 1:72 for a P-51B named "Peg'o'My Heart"?

Wild Bill, I am THINKING about having Kyle do that ...............................

Guys, here are shots of the sprues: https://i.imgur.com/iigcNOP.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/2oaQIvT.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/OfXsnsA.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/KU6BNHw.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/kAesO2i.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/6LOgAaL.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/5jQlp6L.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/M0UnpaM.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/E0GIeXY.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/1y8soT4.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/LhYVLUn.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/7F9xkOm.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/Ezflr4R.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/jyOPsy9.jpg[/img] https://i.imgur.com/2oaQIvT.jpg[/img] Tim

Ed Sexton of Revell sent me the parts for the new 1:72 PT-109 kit, and these are my impressions of it. A disclaimer, these are just my impressions of it, take them in the spirit in which they're offered. This isn’t your father’s or your grandfather’s PT-109 from the 1960s. This is an all new tooled kit. The hull now comes in three pieces, the two sides of the hull and the bottom of the hull, rather than the one-piece hull from the original 1960s-vintage kit. The deck does not have the rather over-done engraved planking which the original kit featured. In fact, the new deck piece is totally smooth. A bit too smooth if one were to ask me. Unlike the original kit, this incarnation does not have the cockpit/charthouse/forward turret section already molded on the deck. I have seen comments on the Internet that the shape of the hull of the model depicted on Revell of Germany’s website looks wrong and looks like the hull which is associated with the old Lindberg PT-109 kit. As soon as the hull halves were removed from the bag, one of the halves was placed on to the side of the hull of my built-up model of PT-174, built by the late Alex Johnson. It was an exact match! Alex always said that the shape of the hull of the old Revell PT-109 kit was accurate, he used that kit to my PT-174. So, modelers should not have an issue with the shape of the hull of the re-tooled kit. That is because this section of the kit has been reimagined and redone. This time, Revell includes an option for two interiors, one in the charthouse, and the other in the Dayroom cabin, aft of the cockpit. It has been stated on the Internet that the interiors seen in photos on Revell of Germany’s website appear to be chunky/clunky and out of scale. From what I have seen on the sprues of the kit, both interiors are not out of scale, although, I will admit that the charthouse interior does look a bit chunky and clunky, and lacking some detail. But, I am sure that, any modeler worth his salt could enhance that area. The interior of the Dayroom cabin looks to be well-done. And, additionally, on some of the bulkheads, modelers will notice framing which has been engraved on those pieces. I think it is well done. Regarding the new kit’s torpedo tubes; I do like the new torpedo tubes and their separate bracing and training gear. Although it does appear to be a little simplistic. The webbing on the back-end of the tubes is a nice addition but does appear to be a "bit" thick. The twin .50s are better than the ones from 1960s kit - but still are a little bland in detail. The 20mm Oerlikon gun is a lot better than the one from the 1960s kit. Two Type C, 300-pound depth charges with their corresponding roll-off racks are included as well. We do know that the 109 was fitted with two depth charges, located on each side of her foredeck, near the charthouse. However, Kennedy had a minor collision with an American Destroyer as the 109 was attempting to retrieve a pump for another PT. One depth charge was knocked through the deck and landed on a crewman’s bunk, it is unclear if that depth charge and its rack was replaced at the time of the 109’s loss. The Carley Float/life raft is marginally better than the one from the 1960s kit and lacks detail. I feel the webbing/floor is too thick. Revell is including the needed parts for the 109’s 37mm M3 anti-tank field piece which Kennedy had mounted on some 4X8s and lashed down on the foredeck, if modelers wish to depict the 109 on the day of her loss. A nice touch. I like how they now have included the canvas "dodger" for the aft turret. I also the new turret ring mountings. They are way better than the originals. And, I liked how a clear plastic windshield is provided although, once reaching the war zone - they were replaced with armor plates. The mufflers are molded separately this time around, and they look a lot better than the originals, but the corresponding linkages appear to be a bit clunky and simplistic. Nice job overall though.

Hi Guys, Hey, listen, ... Back in the 90s, I bought the Revell 1:100 F-14 TOMCAT. My father was putting it together for me before his arthritis got REALLY bad and before he got cancer and then, he stopped and it was put down in our basement and on our version of the shelf of doom. The model is basically put entirely together - all it needs are the afterburner "pans"/exhausts and the canopy. But, through the years - the parts for the model have been lost. I have asked my builder, Kyle, if he'd finish it for me if I got the needed parts and the decals. He has agreed to. Now, would anyone here have the canopy and the afterburner "pans" that they're not going to use? I already wrote to Revell and they don't stock parts that old ... can you please help? I figure I can get that 1:100 missile set off Shapeways ... And, would any of you know if anyone makes after-market decals for F-14s in 1:100? I'd like to have it finished as MISS MOLLY. Tim

Thank you, Guys ... a guy in Oregon is sending the decals.