Thurday evening turning into night WIP

Got quite a bit done tonight, all getting ready for some painting at the weekend i hope. If it rains then modelling with be a defiant.



Taken me quite some time to get the Phalanx ready, as i now know that this is a recast that means allot of flash and allot of sanding then putty then sand again.

Received various size of display bases yesterday to see how big these wearing for little diorama, going to have the Phalanx being guided by a little technician to the front for a Daedalus attack.



All the part for Skull squadron are ready to be painted, another lot of putty than Sand with these, took me almost a fortnight and most of the sanding was done outside in the sun so avoid lots of dust on the other models.



Trying to detail up the F-14 tomcat as much i can witg the Revell kit, should have taken a photo looking toward the intrucment panel so to see all the decal inside with a little paint i added, can just see them on the left side.



Almost completed Revell Eurofighter Typhoon and Academy Jaguar, use the micro set on these two and the stuff is really amazing, really makes the decals look like they are painted in, couple of clear coats and a bt more weathering and the should be done. Wonder if should make little dioramas for these?

Ian

Chara-works 1/144 Macross Valkyrie VF-1S Maximilian Jenius

My second fixed up Chara-works vallkyrie and this time one that was included in the 2 collections, Maximilian Jenius VF-1S.



Used the Hikaru Ichijiyo's VF-1A with the S head from a VF-1S Stike Valkyrie, that will become a VF-1A Super Valkyrie for my Ghost Squadron.



Really like how the paneling turned out, used a 0.5 mechanical pencil and drew all the panel lines, takes some time. Then you can tidy it up by going over it with a rubber.



Some photos with Hikaru's VF-1A, once i completed Hayao Kakizaki's VF-1A i will have a Ghost Squadron as they were one Earth when the Queadluun-Raus led by Milia Fallyna attacked in Do you remember love?







Until nest Deculture

Ian

Sweet 1/144 Machi Mc.200 Russian front.

Here's my first completed Sweet kit and one which was quite difficult to take pictures of.
Went with this one first because it was the only Machi Mc200 which i had all the paints for, which is really plain olive green compared to some of the other Italian paint schemes.



Something usual about this kit is the the exposed area after the landing gear has extended it actually a decal. All the other kit from Sweet have had proper open landing gear but because i reckon this is one of the first kit there is none of that and no cockpit either.



I lost a propeller while making this, very strange looked every where for is but just can't find the thing. Sure i put it on the window sill while i applied a clear cote outside then came back to get it and alas it gone, wonder it it was the cat?



I plan i having little dioramas for most of my kits but as the was the first i reckon i can do better on the next one and use this as a practice.
Been trying to find little wooden display bases but have had very little luck finding any that ain't huge compared to a 3 inch long plane.

Ian

[Kit Review] - Sweet 1/144 - Zero Fighter and Flight Deck "TORA TORA TORA" -

Very cool little kit this one for Sweet kit of the week. A Zero fighter with a excellent Flight Deck with elevator from the Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi during the Pearl Harbour attack.

Back of the box shows the constructions of the flight deck which i quite big compared to the little Zero.



Easy to follow instructions as expected, cool how you can can the end of the wings in different positions, going to go with the vertical storage option.



Painting and decal instructions are 1/1 with the size of the fighter when built, think i'll go with the design on the front of the box.



Excellent detail on the plastic and decals for the flight deck as well as the Zero, the flight deck decals should look better than if i tried to paint the white lines on.



Got to look up some paint for the Zero and how to paint would before i start this one. Seen some excellant little Japanese Navy crew which i coul make a little dio with for this.

ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - F-14A Tomcat -

This is the best revell kit ive so far purchased, the detail on this kit has really surprised me. Ive been collecting quite a few F-14 so i can build a really good model of my favorite American jet and of course what the VF-1 Valkyrie was based on.

The amount of paneling is quite incredible and the weapons, landing gear and cockpit are the best ive seen, so damn crisp.

Going to have to paint this one up in the classic Jolly Rogers marking which inspired the awesome Skull Leader marking.



Instructions are the most detailed ive seen as well, these instructions are almost a book with 3 different decal options for various Jolly Rogers. Tells me what the names of the armament is as well which i really don't have a clue what there called bu i always asume sidewinders are sidewinders when they might not be.

Going to have to buy another and custom up Shin's F-14 from Macross Zero.

Ian

Bandai 1/144 Macross 7 VF-17 Stealth Valkyrie WIP

VF-17 which ive been very slowly working on for some time from Macross 7, VF-17 is my favorite valk from the series.

Got 4 of the these kits which you can make either a VF-17S or the VF-17D. The the Battriod and Valk ive built so far are the VF-17D with white marking pilot by either Gamblin or Physica.

Kind of lacking as much detail as i would have liked but more than enough to be accurate to the one screen version i reckon. Fairly easy construction as it was meant to be a snap kit but one that ive found does not fit all the well but than it is around 15 year old kit.



Plan on making several version of these including VF-17D Blue marking Diamond Force version, VF-17S Yellow marking Gamblin version which is the colours i think he has when he was station in City 7, VF-17S all Red Milia Fallyna Jenius version and maybe if i can mae one a Radome or Macross Dynamite 7 Green version which appeared in that OVA.



Have to make my own decal fro these as there aren't any supplied with the kit, so far my attempt at making them have resulted in failure.

Ian

Bandai 1/144 Macross 7 Valkyrie Collection

Picked up quite a few of these little kits from Bandai on a trip into London, they were reduced to £3.00 which i thought was a bargain.

Bought several VF-17 and VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyries but not only one of the VF-11 Kai Mylene custom and the shop only has one VF-11 which is the one i wanted to get the most of.

The best of the bunch is the VF-17 from what i can tell but then that is the only one ive so far built.

Ian

Haruhi season 2 !

Just finished watching Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, the new episode for season 2 of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Had to go back and re-watch some of the first season, kinda forgotten what happened and the last time i watched it is was in the mixed up broadcast order. This time seeson 1 and 2 a combined into one chronological order starting with 7 episodes from the first season. Then Bambo Leaf Rhapsody and a another season 1 episode Mystérique Sign which even mentions what happened in the new episode!

Rewatching it again and watching this new episode certainly reminded me why i like this anime so much, itching go more.

Seems that no is really sure what episode is going to be next so im waiting to see whats broadcast then either watch a season 1 episode or have to wait for a fan sub.

Really like the pic i found.

Ian

New brushes and some decal softner.

After decaling about 5 1/144 aircraft i kinda got annoyed with my very amateur effort and had to go and search about applying decals correctly. Discovered that with every decal should be softened so that decal really adheres to the model and a decal should always be applied to a satin or shiny smooth surface, so have to put at least 2 clear varnishes onto the model and let them dry before even thinking about decaling.

Bought a Humbrol decal softener called DecalFix but it seamed to me like it did not do anything so did another search and found that most modellers use this Mirco Set and Mirco Sol. Micro Set is the one you us for flat areas which the decal will easily fit onto and Micro Sol is the one for all the tricky bits which has caused me trouble, this one really melt the decal so that it fit into any irregular are, like extreme curves on a fuselage.

Been waiting for this stuff to arrive, got a few models which i have not wanted to to decal because i knew they would not look all that great without some to help them fit.



Got a pack of these Tamiya High Finish brushes for some time ago and they a really good for someone like me whi does not yet have a airbrush. Don't know how this brushes work any better from the normal brushes i use to use. Using the flat wide brushes really makes the paint (especially Tamiya's own) applied to the model look really good. Kinda evens it out onto the model, leaving a nice even coat.

I accidentally put the middle sized brush into some super glue and as that was my favorite i immediately order some more

Ian

Banpresto Macross Frontier Valkyries 1/144 i hoping

Link to the orignal Japanese news: http://ga.sbcr.jp/mprize/012977/

New frontier Valks from Banpresto, really hoping these are 1/144. Doubt they will be as good as the chara-works valkyries but think this might be my only chance to own 1/144ish Messiah's

The Pic with the VF-25G in hand makes it looks promising. Means that i have the valkyrie from every series except Zero. I don't really want Macross II valkyires, don't really like the OVA.



Looks kinda toyish, wonder if it the strange soft plactic? Hope productions ones are better than these, please have good paint apps.



Skull looks good but the detail kinda lacking where the valkyrie head is.



Can have either a sniper rifle or normal gun pod on this one.



Best of the bunch, the RVF-25 looks quite cool, lets send the strange little boy out on recon.



Would love to paint one up in brown mass prodution colours, wonder of a super parts verson will be release or some Queadluun-Rea's.

1500 yen price range which i think is in the £10 price range so kinda expensive.

Ian