Dreamsof51

I agree with the others really nice build. Always one of my favorite century series fighters. thanks fo sharing it. Chris

Darn I missed it! A sick dog took up the day. Hes going to live but thats less treasure from the vendor room. Congrats on the award. Chris

I do get to that neck of the woods from time to time. Christmas is coming after all. Chris - Glad I could help. I just noticed your location and before you purchase any of these, I would suggest a trip to Coast Air Brush. They are the link I gave for my gun. They are not far from you, just east of Disneyland. They have a great shop with super people to help you. You can try several differant brushes and guns to see what you feel most comfortable with and they have some of the best prices I have found. They will negotiate a little on packages of guns and compressors.

More great advice. I've often thought the best way to get that wet look is with a bonafide spray gun. The jury is out on big scale cars like this or airplanes for that matter which seem to be getting bigger all the time. The problem is finding room for them during and after the build. I find I'm more comfortable in the 1/48 1/24 1/20 scale range. Big enough to detail (and see!) but small enough to display. I also find the bigger scales start to feel toy like in some respects, unless you shell out big money for the base kit. I did look at the the link for spray guns and I'm very interested in one. Looks like a new compressor is in my future. I'm using an old badger without a regulator. I'm running an Iwata double action with it but like you said, its not made to deliver a lot of paint for large areas. This information is very helpful and I thank you for taking time to share it with me. Chris

I will look for that. I also took a look at your album and realized I've admired your work for a while now. The last car review I did was the Fujumi Ferrari 458. Thats about the best paint I've managed on a car thus far. Tamiya rattle can Italian red. Thanks for all the advice

Thank you for the detailed information. Luckly, we dont have restrictions here in California (yet). I got lucky and found two cans of Tamiya rattle can cobalt blue so the Shelby is blue but the clear remains to be done. I've got a model in the stash I'm going to use as a test bed. I dont want to refinish a review model as I'm running out of time. My compresser is so old it doesnt have a regulator on it, the other reason I dont want to risk testing on a review model. You mentioned rattle can krastal clear, is that product buffable when dry? Thanks Again

Wow! The weathering on that woodly is amazing. I love that you did it at every step. Really nice job. Thanks for posting. Chris

Tell me more about the nail polish thing. My wife has a collection with colors I've often thought would look great on models but I havn't mustered up the courage to try it. What do you cut it with and in what ratio of polish to thinner? What type of urethane do you use and where do you get it? Can it be rubbed out if theres any gliches? I've got about a dozen cars under my belt and mastering high gloss finishes is still a challenge. I have used car touch up cans in the past but never got the gloss I have from Tamiya spray cans without a clear coat. For this project, I did find a color in the Tamiya spray can line for the color coat but its going to need a clear coat. Also, the Tamiya line is getting harder to find because of labeling issues they cant seem to solve that prevents shipping to the U.S. Bottom line, I need to find some alternates.

More great advise. I've come close on a couple projects but not quite there yet. I'll give that a try.

Thanks for the advise. You'll see the end result in the review. This thing is so big I'm tempted to take it down the the local body shop to shoot it in a booth.

Hello fellow car builders, I,m in the process of building the new Revell Shelby GT 500 kit in 1/12 scale for the review team. The body color I want to use is the Ford color cobalt blue metalic. Questions, where can I get that color and since the model is so big I want it as smooth and glossy as possible, how can I get that level of finish quality? Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Chris

I would really like to know how on earth the person who built the brown metallic finished car with the graphics got it to look like a mirror. My airplanes are up there but after seeing that I realized my car finishes have a ways to go. have to catch each other at next years for sure. I see theres a show in Lancaster coming up. Do you every go to that one? LOL! I've seen the 1/35th scale Dora built. I won't even think of trying that one. Several reasons why: A) WAY too expensive for me! B) WAY beyond my skill level. C) Doesn't fit in my 1/72 scale-consistent collection D) Doesn't fit ANYWHERE in my house! I already don't have room for all 46 inches of my 1/72 scale Dora; I certainly have no place to put a five-foot- long Dora! Thanks for the great laugh James! Chris, thanks! They were all hand made by members of the club. Thanks Gil! Ken, thanks! Yeah, I'm partyin' alright! This is second only to a Nationals award due to how difficult it is for me to place in my own club's major contest! Chris, I'm glad you made it. I think we may have spoken to each other, although we didn't introduce ourselves. I was walking arounf wearing my black IPMS Orange County shirt that said "Why yes! I have done some modeling!" on the front. I do remember talking with a couple of gentlemen who'd brought their sons, one of them may have been you. I wish I'd known. I've missed two people who I know on a couple of forums who were there. I'm glad you were there and I hope the hobby rubs off on your son too. Congrats on the scores from the Vendor Room; I picked up a few as well. I also scored five prizes in the raffle; one of which I sold. Chris, never fear entering a contest. If anything, you'll learn quickly and concisely where you can improve; and if you judge, you get to see first-hand what judges look for. I go into Orangecon expecting to get skunked due to all the fantastic talent there; so when I do place, it is all cream! My enjoyment comes from meeting everyone; showing off my latest work; getting critiques and suggestions from all the other outstanding talent; and stalking deals in the Vendor room. I even stayed to judge for the first time ever! I was having a blast long before the awards were announced! Thanks again everyone for the awesome comments!

That is really cool. I'm building Revells 55 Chevy for my Dad as a Christmas present. What paint brand did you use?

I built this kit when it first came out and after having read a book on the history of FACs over Vietnam. I had some difficulty getting the cockpit floor to level out with the door sill opening. Also be warned, the landing gear legs will splay out over time under the weight of the model. There are brakes lines that run down them on the real thing. Some stiff wire might help the situation. The finished kit is really nice, especially the mini M-16 provided. Not something you see everyday. It took some guts to do this kind of work. Low and slow over hostile territory. One saving grace was the enemy came to realize if these guys turned on your position and maked it with rockets, you were going to have visitors soon so they tended to keep quiet. Enjoy the build,its a nice kit overall.

I was there with my son. I very impressed with your model. Its the one event I try to make every year since its close enough for me. To bad we didn't get to meet. I've never entered anything in a contest so kudos for not only entering but winning! I left a bit humbled (some of the cars were amazing,) and with a few treasures from the goody room so all in all a good day.

I saw the same helo at the Pt. Mugu airshow a while back. Had a conversation with the crew who are all ex Army folks associated with this aircraft type. They said the amount of weight they can carry is limited because the high octane fuel originally used is no longer available. Lower octane translates to lower power output. They operate solely on donations so if you happen to ran across them, drop a few bucks in the bucket. Nice way to remember what you saw. Chris

Beautiful example of building what you can't buy. Looks really good so far. A real inspiration for OTB folks like me. Thanks for sharing, Chris

Gentleman, I really enjoyed reading and viewing this material. Web sites like this are preserving an important part of American military history. The outcome of the war in Vietnam had little to do with the detication and courage of men (like you) who were sent there to perform their duty. They (and you) did so in a manner worthy of the respect of all of us. I served in the Air Force with the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing from 1981 to 1985 and finished up with a stint in the California Air National Guard. I was an electricain in the civil engineering squadron and never got the "the call," to put it on the line. Thank You both for your service and your willingness to share. Chris

The more I see these built up, the more I want one for myself. I too really like the weathering/wear. Looks like you could hook up the trailer and take off for a spin at the local track. Thanks for posting really nice work. Chris

I attend the Camirillo airshow in California every year and theres guy who built a replica of this aircraft that he takes up and races around the circuit in. Its quite impressive and very fast! Nice job especially considering what you started with.

A great kit, fine modeler and a bit of history, whats not to like? Nice work. Thats why I love this hobby. Chris

I've looked at those a few times at my local hobby shop and passed as soon as I saw the snaptight description on the box. Based on the results you gotten out of it, it might be time for another visit! Really nice work. Did the figures and equipment come with too?

Thats a good idea. I usually toss the old ones in the can when I run out of shelf space. I do keep extra wings etc.. as test beds for decals I have not used before. My airbrush test pad is the shroud that covers my exhaust fan. If that bench gets any cleaner you'll have to wear scrubs to model Chris

I too have read Mr. Scotts book so this is of particular interest to me. Fantastic job fininshing this kit. I built it a few years back and remember the vague instructions with regard to the landing gear. It took a trip out to March AFB and a look at the real thing to figure it out. Thanks for posting some very nice work.

I'm always fascinated by the atmosphere one can create with a diorama. You've certainly done that here. Makes me want to give the guy a few bucks! Very nice work. Chris