ghodges

Snaking your cables through their respective fuselage holes and then taping them to the fuselage to keep them out off the way til later is the only idea that comes to mind for them. The engine looks fabulous as is IMO. As for the plated parts, if their seams aren't going to be directly visible (like that gas tank?) then I'd just glue it together carefully and avoid fingerprints and glue runs. On any assemblies where the plated seams are visible, I sand the seams like normal, polish them, prime the entire part in gloss black and then use Alclad Chrome or Polished Aluminum in place of the kit plating. Hope this helps! Gil

Thanks James! Sorry to persist, but since it's an oil wash, how long are you letting it dry? Also, I take it to mean you used a dry paper towel to wipe off the excess, or is it damp with the same mineral spirits? Gil

Very nice! Excellent camo which I'm guessing is Eastern Front? Also, is the oil wash you're using water soluble, and if not, what are you using to remove the excess! Thanks for sharing! Gil

NEW INFO: It appears a Chinese company called ZIMI MODELS got the Kittyhawk molds and is (apparently) offering them for sale (old stock? new shots?). Here's the link to their site: https://www.zimimodel.com/product-category/airplane/1-48/page/3/ By the way.... "airforce" in the search menu actually means "aircraft", so search there.... Gil

Very nice! I'd guess you're probably the only one with all 4 of those in 1/48. Gil

Best of luck, but it'll be tough now that they're out of business. I was able to finally find the FJ-2 but had to pay almost double its original price now that it's " out of production". I heard Trumpeter picked up the molds, but haven't confirmed it nor has their been any talk of any of them being rereleased. Gil

That came out quite nicely. Gotta believe that'll be a very happy customer! The gun being proportionately larger also seems to be even more fitting on that eggplane version. Thanks for posting! Gil

Cool project, and I also like that even the bombs are a bit tubby! I'd think vacuforming a new canopy and windscreen would have been less work and also resulted in better clarity, though I have to say you got good results considering the starting point. Looking forward to pics of the completed EggHog! Gil

Astounding progress, as usual Duke! And that must be a Matchbox Hellcat seeing as how it looks to have been molded in 3 colors! The painting on that chariot is most impressive. That's going to turn some heads when done! Gil

Ron's idea could possibly work. All you'd need is someone who still has an unbuilt Czech Model kit with the decals so they could be scanned in, reduced in scale, and then printed on decal paper.... providing you have those capabilities or know someone who does. There would be no "legal" problems as long as the decals were only for personal use and not sold to anyone. As to the color of the numbers on the wing..... Czech Model provides the numbers in Red and Black so you can do your own interpretation of which to use based on period black and white pics from the TV show (there are no color pics evidently). Regulation or not, that tells me there IS some discrepancy as to what the wing number colors actually were for filming the show. Based on the image shown, and comparing the wing numbers to the black wing walk, I chose RED, which more closely matches the cowl trim color too. I did, however, go with the regulation black numbers on the tail and underside. And if it's wrong? Turns out my lackadaisical model shelf police don't care! 😉 Gil

I really don't know if those markings are available in 1/72, but you'd think they would be as you can't be the only one who'd like them. I know Draw Decals does a lot of civilian schemes, but I've never perused their 1/72 selections, only their 1/48 and larger. However, I think they do offer many in any scale, the only caveat being you may need to wait to have them printed in your scale if they're not already in stock delaying shipment. Gil

Excellent setting and presentation! Gil

Is this 1/48 scale? Gil

I don't know how demanding you are of yourself as far as accuracy goes.... but I can tell you for the sake of contest purposes that the judges do not judge or grade on accuracy, so unless you're worried about having all of the panels correct for your own sake, don't get too bogged down in such details. The ONLY person to worry about satisfying is yourself! I heartily recommend your get the Detail and Scale book on the P-40 as it has very good line drawings on all of the major sub-types as well as plenty of detail pics of many of the access panels, and hopefully info on those you're concerned about. Gil

They appear to be later model ID lights that were added on the P-40L and P-40N, according to this drawing in Detail & Scale... so you'd want to fill and erase them for your P-40E.

As I'm so used to saying on these builds of yours... This ain't supposed to look that good! One thing you didn't mention but that I think added a lot is your highlighting the many vents around the nose (with a pen?) as it really adds to their depth and making them look like openings instead of just bumps. Nice on Ron! Gil

That came out very nicely! I particularly admire the red walkways (which always seem to silver on me) and the exhaust staining. Looking forward to the pics of your final presentation! Gil

If you're trying to rely on memory alone, they were almost assuredly "trainer yellow" and never orange. Trainer yellow was a common color for many trainers in the '50s. Below is a link to a T-6G color image page that shows pics, as well as some decal sheets that are available for that scheme. Hope this helps! https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=574864701&q=T-6G+Texan+trainer+color+images&tbm=isch&source=univ&fir=L3qC8SfKbEXnBM%2CuwkmeSKdEUKvrM%2C_%3BJEXXM8JT_VTNcM%2CC3TmUs7VEL8yTM%2C_%3BNv6VS3OYe7iqlM%2CuwkmeSKdEUKvrM%2C_%3BZoAJy8ysHDO-1M%2C5Xi0ERKYqSfr1M%2C_%3BoJdFp35kAIWa0M%2CuwkmeSKdEUKvrM%2C_%3B1R6ZFI6AXs6dRM%2C7jduaQ--PM-yLM%2C_%3BP-9ZhK-vo4xrSM%2CC3TmUs7VEL8yTM%2C_%3BiVl9NyKh0jIF_M%2Chd--Uhwfk761LM%2C_%3Br97Fv5LmKHHR9M%2CuVQflvP8A3VXSM%2C_%3Bk2ONJ6TGbsfVRM%2CI4SUpXOk2-AeZM%2C_&usg=AI4_-kTq82gP65jU0qAh9dG0SUPFxmrL8Q&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP9p-lvIKCAxVTVTABHcwCDWIQjJkEegQIDhAC&biw=1366&bih=649&dpr=1 Gil

Nice looking build! What are the "V" shape marks I see in the windshield, inside bracing showing through? Gil

Frankly, I don't understand the idea of "erasing one's account" anyway. IF someone is done here, then they simply go away and don't come back.Within a month or two their discussions are done and gone and buried as people move on to newer discussions. If someone's "erasure" is going to affect others here who are involved, then as a moderator I believe you should simply instruct them to quit and stay away and off of this site. Perhaps it might be possible to block that individual once they request to be removed, which would have the same result? Jim has every right to "resign" from here, but doesn't have the right to erase MY participation along with his own. IF that is what the "software" does, it either needs modification or avoidance. Gil

Thanks Eric! I can understand putting a block on Jim's "account" (at his own request), and even pulling any thread that HE started if that is also what he desired; but eliminating mine and others where he merely participated was a step too far. Thanks for restoring the Sums it Up thread. Gil

Very nice build of a unique and groundbreaking aircraft, made more so by your adding combat markings. Congrats and thanks for sharing your build with us! Gil

So Eric..... are you saying that by wiping Jim's account, it erased any TOPIC he started, or you erased EVERY TOPIC in which he had a REPLY within? Please clarify the ramifications of "wiping Jim Clark's account", because we need to know if you also wiped out every other person's topic he simply participated in. Gil

NOTICE: IT SEEMS THAT AN ENTIRE DISCUSSION HAS JUST BEEN ERASED BY THE MODERATORS CONCERNING THIS TOPIC, INCLUDING JAY'S LETTER AND MY INITIAL RESPONSE (WHICH I COPIED HERE FROM MY OWN ARCHIVES). What the H.E. double hockey sticks? If the admins want to MOVE a discussion to the members only area; fine! But to ERASE it because the Eboard is being legitimately questioned and criticized in a civil manner? How about some integrity from someone in charge? Or is IPMS completely given over to censorship? Gil #10803

Jay (and all): I applaud Jay for his inciteful and informative letter. It seems to confirm the moniker I've seen hung on the current Eboard: Ready! Shoot! Aim! They tend to react in a knee jerk way to internet chatter instead of taking the time needed to fully investigate a problem and take measured action from logical conclusions. What seems worse, as Jay outlines above, though the Eboard statement suspending him says it got his side of the story, that was not true. I have NO problem if the Eboard did give Jay his say and then chose to go with the testimony of others. I have a HUGE problem if they interviewed and listened ONLY to people who supported the outcome they were looking for (a changing of the guard on the NCC), ala the Warren Commission. Where I part from Jay and his letter is that it is incomplete in addressing Chris McLain's entire judging complaint. I can fully believe Jay's explanation of doing his job and not hovering and that there was no bias by him or anyone else in Cat608. HOWEVER, Jays letter does NOT address the more egregious issue of how the cat608 judging sheet results were changed after the judging was done; an undeniable fact that is supported by photographic evidence. Jay probably had nothing to do with that. However, his letter casts aspersions on Chris McLain and taints him as a disgruntled judge seeing bias where it didn't exist. Jay may not have exhibited bias, BUT SOMEONE DID AT A LATER TIME BY CHANGING THAT SHEET. Mr. McLain AND all of US deserve a full explanation of how that happened, even if Chris was not happy with Jay about being told to more careful around the model tables while judging. The bottom line here as it seems to be presented is yet another instance of the Eboard being either incompetent, misleading, or outright lying about its investigation being as thorough as they claimed. In light of all of their other recent actions, it's getting VERY difficult to continue to give them the benefit of any doubt. Gil