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Wolfman63

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Everything posted by Wolfman63

  1. This week’s update on the E-2D conversion covers more differences between the E-2C 2000 to the E-2D. After I assembled the fuselage and added weights to keep the nose down, I detailed the nose gear bay with the photo etch details. Moving forward I had to modify the top scoop. It has a second smaller scoop for the RPCS on top of it. I used some styrene sheets to rough it in and then some putty to blend it to the scoop. I used some spare photo etch pieces to fill in the brass coolers. I then attached the upper center section of the main wings. As you can see the fit is not very good. There are huge gaps at both ends. This required a lot of putty to fill them in. Once filled and sanded I attached the upper scoop. The next major difference is the cable trough on the fuselage. The “D” does not have one. So the trough was cut out and a piece of sheet styrene was formed and glued in. The entire section was covered with a thin coating of putty. I then sanded it to shape and scribed in the panel lines. On the rear of the fuselage is another fairing for the PTS and the fairing and head for the EMIRS. I added the photo etch details to the tailhook bay and now I am starting to scratchbuild the fairings. You can see all the details and photos from the start on my blog at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-northrop-grumman-e-2d-conversion/
  2. This build is going to be taking the 1/48 Kinetic E-2C 2000 and converting it to the Northrop Grumman E-2D prototype designated “Delta One”. The conversion will require modifying the upper fuselage scoop and scratch building the side cooling scoop. There are a couple of other small modifications which will be addressed later during the build. I will be using the Eduard External Details photo etch set to enhance the details of the fuselage. Starting with the cockpit I detail painted the cockpit panels at dash. For the overhead console I made decals from actual photos of the cockpit. I made the back pads on the seat using the same cloth tape I use for seatbelts. (See my Tips and Tricks section for more details) https://davidsscalemodels.com/tips-and-tricks/making-cloth-seat-belts-for-aircraft/ Once the cockpit was assembled I then used many reference drawings and scratch built the side cooling scoop. There is one main scoop with a smaller scoop on the front and a small exhaust scoop on the rear. I used some extras from my photo etch bin to reproduce the cooling radiators behind the scoops. They were then painted brass. The inside of the scoop was painted white and the overall color of the aircraft will be Light Ghost Gray. Next I will be modifying the top coop and assembling the main part of the fuselage. You can follow the build in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-northrop-grumman-e-2d-conversion/ Northrop Grumman E-2D Delta One and Delta Two
  3. The 1/48 Hasegawa F-8E Crusader is now complete. This was a decent kit to put together. The fit was pretty good except the canopy. It seems it’s just a hair to thin for width. Trying to fit it to the fuselage was difficult and still ended up with a slight edge. The cutting edge decals were a little thick. The rest of the kit was fine and the instructions were very good. So now it sits on the display shelf with the other VF-111 aircraft. Check out the entire build from start to finish at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-f-8e-crusader-from-vf-111/
  4. This week’s work on the Hasegawa 1/48 F-8E Crusader starts at the wings. I detailed the bay under the main wings by adding some styrene rods and 32 AWG wire. I used some reference photos to duplicate the placement of them. The wings were then installed in the raised position and the aircraft wa base painted with Gull Gray and white. The kit only comes with rockets for weapons and I wanted to use missiles so I looked through my extras bin and found two AIM-9 sidewinders. I used decals from a spare decal sheet then I added the IR head using the tutorial in my tips and tricks section: https://davidsscalemodels.com/tips-and-tricks/how-to-make-laser-and-ir-sensor-heads/ The jet exhaust was weathered with blue, brown, gray, and black pastel chalk. The decals are being placed now. The Cutting Edge decals were a little on the thick side so getting them to lay down took lots of effort as well as lots of MicroSol. Most of them are on just need to do the small stencils the finish up the cockpit and canopy. Check out all the details from start to finish on my blog at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-f-8e-crusader-from-vf-111/
  5. This week’s update on the F-8E covers the installing of the cockpit and getting the landing gear detailed and mounted. The resin cockpit required removing many of the mounting tabs inside the fuselage and trimming the edges. Once trimmed the cockpit fit very well. Next the main landing gear bays and landing gear were assembled, detail painted and installed. I then started to assemble the wings. One thing I did not like was the outside leading edge slats. These are one piece which is good, but had three deep injection marks with some flashing around the edge. I sanded down the edges of the marks and filled them with putty. Next I will be working on detailing the bay under the main wings and starting the painting of the fuselage. You can see all the photos and details from the start in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-f-8e-crusader-from-vf-111/
  6. This next build is Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale F-8E Crusader. I chose this so that I can add it to the F-4B, F-14A and the F-5E that I built previously where they all represent the VF-111 Sundowners squadron. I will be using the VF-111 “Mig Killers” decal set from Cutting Edge and the Ares resin cockpit set to complete the details. Starting with the cockpit tub I started with the few photo etch parts then moved on to the detail painting of the fine details. Then the side walls were detail painted. The ejection seat was detailed with photo etch accessories and painted. The dashboard was built from the photo etch and attached to the resin hood. The cockpit was then all assembled. I compared the resin cockpit to the fuselage and started trimming the fuselage to accommodate the new resin cockpit. More photos in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-f-8e-crusader-from-vf-111/
  7. The P-47D Thunderbolt “Bubbletop” is now complete. The decals went on extremely well. The checkers on the nose fit perfectly. I would recommend the Thunder Cal decals. They are very easy to work with and the instructions are very detailed showing exact placement. I used set 48006 but I also suggest using 48005 which covers the type 4 insignia’s and all the data placards for the aircraft including the engine. They also have 4 other sets for P-47’s, Check out their website at https://thundercals.com/thundercal-decals/ The Eduard detail set adds some very nice details to the cockpit and fuselage. The kit itself is very nice. No fit issues at all and goes together very well. I really enjoyed building this and will need to get the P-47M to complete the line of Tamiya P-47’s. Now on to the final photos. You can see the entire build with details and photos from start to finish in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  8. Make your own decals. I have done canopy names many times for many aircraft for many folks. If you want send me a PM and I can make a set.
  9. For this week on the Thunderbolt I have most of the base coat painting done. I have the invasion stripes painted on. The main landing gear doors were then painted. For the insignias on the side of the fuselage I scanned the decals into the computer then printed them onto a sheet of paper. The insignias were then cut out and I taped them to a wide piece of blue painters tape on a piece of glass. A hobby knife was then used to trim around the paper leaving me with a mask for them. The mask was then removed from the glass and aligned into position. I did this so that the area under the insignias would not have the black and white stripes show thru the decals. The white area was painted then the black stripes. The side insignias on the aircraft have a natural metal finish (NMF) outline just under the insignia. The decal set provides this. Once the insignia decal was placed I carefully slid the NMF stripes into place. There is also a couple of NMF decals for the intercooler doors. While it may look a little tricky to place the decals on the various surfaces it went very well. The decals conform well and fit into the areas perfectly. Since I have the ammunition doors open, I once again used the paper insignia to mark where the decal goes and where I needed to make cuts for the ammo panel and the wing. I then scored the surface of the decal where the cuts were needed and slid the decal into place. While the decals are nice and thin, They are not difficult to maneuver into place. The landing gear was attached and the center drop tank was detailed and installed. I still have some of the side decals to install and then the checkers for the nose. Then I can move on to the finer details and weathering. Check out the build log for all the details from the start at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  10. UPDATE: On August 8th 2019, We CAREFULLY load my 1/350 USS Carl Vinson Model in the back of our SUV and drove over 600 miles to the beautiful city of Chattanooga Tennessee to attend the IPMS Nation convention. The model was entered into the contest under class 401 “1/350 Aircraft Carrier” On Saturday August 10th we attended the award ceremony and the USS Carl Vinson won first place in it class! The model survived the trip there and back with no issues. I also would like to mention that the Chattanooga IPMS chapter hosted an awesome show. This was my first time at a national convention and it was great! Check out the photos of the model in my Gallery on my Blog https://davidsscalemodels.com/gallery/uss-carl-vinson-project/
  11. I made a video (with the assistance of my talented son) of a tutorial on how to cut open panels on model aircraft. You can do this if you plan on opening panels on a model to detail the interior of an aircraft panel. I made this while opening the wing panels on my P-47D build to show the ammunition bays in the wing. Check out the video in the Tips and Tricks section. https://davidsscalemodels.com/tips-and-tricks/cutting-open-panels-on-aircraft-models/
  12. This week’s update covers the landing gear bays and the landing gear. The bays were detailed with the photo etch side panels and cables/lines. The tail wheel was then painted and installed. I used the photo etch doors for the tail wheel. The main gear was then detailed and painted along with a couple of kit decals for the landing gear placards. Some photo etch details were added to the fuselage and I started the base coat of paint on the bottom and the ID stripes on the tail and stabilizers. Working on painting the base coat of the invasion stripes on the lower fuselage and wings then I will be starting the decals. All details and photos can be seen in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  13. This update covers the building and detailing of the engine and the detailing of the ammunition bays for the wing guns. The engine cylinders were painted aluminum, weathered with black and dark gray pastel chalk, then the photo etch wiring was added. The hub was painted neutral gray and detailed with silver and black. The wiring was panted canvas brown. I obtained some decals for the ID plates. I opted to use the open cowls so I added the cowl braces included with the photo etch set. The engine was mounted into the cowl and the assembly was mounted to the fuselage. Next I cut open the panels in the wing (a tutorial on cutting open panels will be posted later this week) and assembled the photo etch ammunition bays. The ammo belts were then fed into them and mounted to the wing. A little detail painting and the bays are done. I am working on the landing gear bays now. You can see all the details and photos from the start in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  14. This week’s update on the Thunderbolt is for the detailing of the fuselage. The oil cooler vents just behind the cowl, like the intercoolers, has nothing behind them and the detail kit does not provide anything as well. I searched thru my miscellaneous photo etch extras and found some oil cooler grates and used these along with some styrene stock and added details behind the vents. Then I started on the engine. For the firewall I drilled out the lower intakes and added photo etch details. I then added some photo etch details to the engine cylinders and painted them aluminum. The fuselage was then assembled and now I am working on the engine mountings and the wiring. Also I am checking out a new paint source. The interior of the fuselage was painted with yellow zinc chromate. In order to replicate this color I ended up purchasing paint from Mission Models. The color is very accurate and the paint goes on very well. For this being the first time using this brand I am very happy with the results. Will need to try other colors later. Now onto the photos. You can see more photos and details in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  15. This build is the Tamiya 1/48 scale P-47D Thunderbolt “Bubbletop”. It will be detailed with Eduard’s Big Edition photo etch set. For this scheme I will be using the brand new set of decals from Thunder Cals. This is their latest set featuring P-47D’s from the European Theater. I will be doing the “Ozark Queen” of the 84th FS/78th FG from the 8th Air Force. It was flown by Captain Alfred F. Eaton in the summer of 1944. You can check out the details of their new set on their website at https://thundercals.com/48006-78th-fg-365th-fg-bubbletop-and-razorback-tbolts-new-decal-announcement/ As typical with aircraft builds, it all starts with the cockpit. While the Tamiya cockpit is highly detailed out of the box, Eduard does add some placards and fine details that further enhance the cockpit. Once the cockpit was built up I started preparing the fuselage to install the cockpit. Eduard does provide an interesting add on. Typically the intercooler on 1/48 scale P-47’s has an opening that just goes into the fuselage and is typically open. Eduard actually includes all the duct work to the intercooler. It is difficult to photograph but I was able to just get a good angle to show it. If you want to see more photos and follow along check out my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-p-47d-thunderbolt-bubbletop/
  16. The HUD was painted with chrome silver then clear green.
  17. This weekly update has the final assembly of the Draken as well the competed photos. I used the kit decals and they were great. They applied easily and worked well. Next using the photo etch parts I detailed the HUD and installed it. I added the dash gauges that sit on each side of the HUD then I painted the frames of the windscreen and canopy. I gave both pieces a nice polish and installed them. Finally the drop tanks and the landing lights were installed to complete the model. This was a nice build. The fit was very nice and assembly went well. The kit utilizes some nice decals. I really enjoyed this build of this unique aircraft. The entire build from start to finish can be seen at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-j-35-draken/
  18. The weekly update on the J-35 Draken has the build up and detail of the ejection seat. This is all resin and photo etch details. I found some reference photos of the seat and copied the detail as best as I could. After being painted I added some scratch built details then moved on to adding the photo etch details and seat belts. The seat was installed into the cockpit tub and I started painting the aluminum center and the gray bottom. Moving to the top I painted the base coat of the camouflage and the tail. Finally the aluminum leading edges were painted. I also realized the tail required a wire to be added as this detail is not included in the kit. The aircraft is now ready for decals and weathering. Check out all the build photos from start to finish in the build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-j-35-draken/
  19. I do not know of any waterslide decals for generic numbers and letters. I do have about10 sheets of the microscale sets. I have white, dark blue, black, and brown letters. I have scanned in the colored ones so I can make my own. As soon as I can get the white toner ink I plan on printing a few sets of the white letters. The sheets have many different sized letters for many scales.
  20. I have updated my Aircraft Carrier Hangar Bay decal sets and added a couple of Wasp class LHD Hangar sets. See my posts in the For Sale Section Aircraft Carriers: https://forum.ipmsusa3.org/topic/20918-for-sale-1350-us-navy-modern-carrier-hangar-bay-decal-sets/ Wasp Class LHD's: https://forum.ipmsusa3.org/topic/21138-1350-wasp-class-lhd-hangar-decal-sets/
  21. I have made a decal sets for 1/350 Wasp class amphibious assault ships (LHD’s) These sets include the signs, logo’s and safety stripes needed to detail the hangar bays. These are printed on clear film decal paper. Each decal must be trimmed before dipping in water. The stripes are cut to width due to the various stripes used throughout the hangar bays. The price is $25.00 per sheet. Free first class shipping worldwide. https://davidsscalemodels.com/decals/1-350-wasp-class-lhd-hangar-bay-decal-sets/
  22. Moving forward on the J-35 Draken Swedish Fighter I assembled the fuselage, wings, intakes and tail assemblies and then detailed them with some photo etch accessories. The landing gear has been assembled and detailed with photo etch accessories. All painted then installed into the fuselage with their doors. Finally for the week I added some photo etch details to the fuselage. See all the details and photos from the start on my blog in the build log section – https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-j-35-draken/
  23. The next build is the 1/48 scale of Eduard’s Limited Edition J-35 Draken Swedish Fighter. The J-35 entered service in 1960 and served as an interceptor for many years. It served in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Austria until its final flight in 2005. The scheme I will be doing is the J-35F from the F10 wing based in Angelholm-Barkakra during 1989 and flown by Cpt. Vincent Ahlin. The limited edition issued by Eduard includes many photo etch accessories and a few resin parts like the ejection seat, wheels, and various add-ons for the fuselage based on which version you build. The decals allow you to build a version used by each of the countries that flew them. Starting with the cockpit tub I added the photo etch accessories and detail painted some areas. There are a few photo etch accessories that go on the port fuselage cockpit wall then the tub was installed and the fuselage was assembled. Follow along on my blog in the build log section – https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-j-35-draken/
  24. The1/48 Hasegawa Ki-45 TOYRU (NICK) is now done. The fit is very good. The decals went on well but the Manchukuo Air Corps logos do not have a white backing so the camouflage shows thru a bit on the top. The only other issue is the pilots canopy is two pieces and it is a butt fit so getting the correct distance so it fits the fuselage required a fixture. I measured the width it needed to be than taped each side onto a piece of cardboard and then glued the center seam. Overall I would recommend this kit. You can see all the details and photos from start to finish in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-ki-45-toryu-nick/
  25. The paint is Tamiya Japanese Army Dark Green (XF-13). I thinned it 60/40. Thinning it does not leave brush marks and lightens it slightly and makes the edges not as sharp.
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