ewahl Posted June 19, 2010 Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 Hi, Gil, Bill Koster is a vendor at the R5 Convention. If I see him tomorrow, I'll tell him you are conquering the A-20G. Looking better than anything I have done in vac aircraft. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2010 Bill is a real gentleman as well as an icon of our hobby! From my viewpoint, we can never repay him for his Monogram kit designs, and he's been a L-O-N-G time supporter of IPMS. I can recall when he showed up to the USAF Museum regular fall contest as a competitor; and he usually won! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewahl Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Gil, Bill was very pleased to hear of your work on his A-20G kit. His comment was something like: "I sell a lot of vacuform and multimedia kits, but rarely do I see them built in contests. I like the way the A-20G turned out as a kit offering." I invited Bill to log in here to see your WIP. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMoore Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 It looks like it's coming along really nicely Gil. I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed pictures. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 (edited) No pics today, but got a lot of "fiddly" work done. I built up the nose cannons from 3 different sizes of steel tubing, built up the rocket tube supports from spare parts and strip plastic, and finished up the final sanding, scribing, and primering of the model. Glad you got to see Bill at the show. He does sell a lot of vac stuff, especially to me! I made the mistake of buying his B-24 Ford nose conversion in Columbus last summer. I say "mistake" because I did it while my wife was standing there with me! ("How much is this? Is that all that's in the box?") I think Bill got some perverse pleasure in watching the whole scene unfold! The lesson for y'all: when the wife is there with you, tell the vendor you'll "think about it" and then sneak back later to get it! GIL Edited July 11, 2010 by ghodges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) Finally made some progress with pics worth noting: This pic shows the rest of the "fiddly bits". Those are the kit vac doors, complete with liners and pe hinges. I did substitute spare pe hinges for the nose gear doors as the kit pe stuff was too complicated and delicate. However, note the kit includes the scissors retraction mechanism! The kit windshield armor with it's black edging is in the center. The black edging was done using a Sharpie pen and was a snap to do! The other clear piece is the tail cone, under which a couple of "jewel" position lights will be placed. Not that the overhead canopy part is masked inside and out so the interior can be airbrushed since it will be fully open. The turret and its guts are assembled, but not cemented or painted yet. This is the test fit of the tires to the gear. Thankfully, she sits level! Kit resin props and engine along with the nose tire. The main tires are True Detail items, with the side bulges sanded down a bit. The rocket launcher supports are spare P-38 rocket racks cobbled together with some plastic strip. The cannons sitting loose in the nose are concentric steel tubing. The painting has officially begun as I put the Neutral Gray on the bottom today! Questions, comments, and critiques welcome as always! Cheers! GIL Edited July 5, 2010 by ghodges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spruemeister Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 That's some impressive work, Gil! Rick L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 (edited) Camo colors done! Model Master enamels used throughout. Started with OD34087, lightened it with some gray to make a "faded" OD for the interior panels, and then highlighted panel lines with the darker OD34086. Blended it all together and toned down all of the post shading by lightly airbrushing another coat of the original OD. Same process used on the bottom using Neutral Gray. I still need to paint the white fin tip group marking as well as the sharks mouth for the nose. Cheers! GIL Edited July 11, 2010 by ghodges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Knights Posted July 11, 2010 Report Share Posted July 11, 2010 Looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2010 Shark's mouth is done except for a few touch-ups! The eyes will be added in the decalling stage. I'm pretty happy considering I had to draw and mask it by hand, and then used inks and paint to finish it up. Comments and questions welcome! Cheers! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMoore Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Damn, now that looks great. You taking it to Phoenix? I'd love to see it up close! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted July 25, 2010 Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 Great job! You would never know it was a vac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) Here's a few more pics. My computer is giving me fits by cutting off while trying to post pics from Photobucket. I won't be taking this to Phoenix, the pics look better then the model! That said, I got what I wanted from the build....I'm happy with the paint job and the way the shark mouth came out. There are too many small dings, ghostly seams, and other things that'll keep it from winning at a show, but not from being displayed this fall in Orlando. Questions and critiques welcome. Thanks for the kind words folks! GIL Edited July 25, 2010 by ghodges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Pruitt Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Looks GREAT, Gil!! Nice work!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Knights Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66Foxtrot Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 WOW!!!! The Master strikes again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedeater Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 (edited) Gil, fabulous completion. I especially love the bazooka tube contraptions. I assume they are authentic from photos that I have never seen. Whether they are or not, who cares. They look cool and worthy of copying onto one of my models someday. (Yes, copying is the best form of flattery). Great job and we're all looking forward to your next masterpiece. Model on, Brother of the Sprue.....and Resin....and.......eeeuuuuuu....VACUFORM. Edited July 26, 2010 by Weedeater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTennant Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Gil, Very nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 What Keith said. Very nice work, Gil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 Ken: I merely copied the illustration on the cover of the In Action book, which is based on one b/w pic in the book. Seems the tubes were used, but not for very long due to their drag! It's "authentic" but not "typical". Cheers! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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