DML Dragon 1/144 - Ground Support Equipment -

Built what i reckon is over a year and a half ago but into a bits box and totally forgotten about. 2 Sundays back when i had the the airbrush going i rediscovered these little gems and decided to get the painted and finished around the other models i was working on. Bought with this set what feels like a long time ago!

The Ground Support Equipment includes a EPU Tractor with added steering wheel, utility cart and oxygen / nitrogen cart, all very simple to part after a coat of yellow and high lights done with a thinned brown wash. These are tiny little objects carts must only be 1cm long with the tractor being 1.5cm long.

Should be nice little diorama objects next time i take some pics of any US Navy models i got going, Not much info i can find on the EPU Tractor but reckon it must have been replaced by more modern tractors as all the photos ive seen of this are from 80's early 90's


Ian

FeResin 1/144 - TA-7C Corsair II - Wip 2 - Paint work.

Painted up all the US Navy jets at the same time, along with this TA-7C, i also painted up the f-toys A-7E but for some reason took no pic. A-7E has the same grey on top, white on the belly with a green tail for VFA-25 Fist of the Fleet.

Very happy with the way the paint turned out on this one, was a bit fearful about this being my first resin kit.
Ian

Revell 1/144 - F14A Tomcat and F-14D Super Tomcat - Wip 2

Big cat all sprayed up. Airbrushed last weekend, details painted yesterday and a gloss coat today, ready to be decaled but not sure when.

Think the under shading is just visible, mostly on the ghost grey sundowner cat but reckon the flash must have annihilated what could be seen.

Looking forward to getting the the susndowner decals on the jet, those tail marking have always been a favorite.
Ian

Sweet 1/144 - Macchi Mc.200 - Wip 2 - More work on the undercarriage.

After sanding down the plasticard on the wing i started to build the new undercarriage yesterday. This is really small stuff, from one end of the new wheel bay to the other is about an inch. Cut out the shape i wanted and glued that on and when that all glued i will attempt to sand it into the correct shape hopefully being flush with the wing.

Going to be doing 2 types from the research ive done, one which is the grey is so you can see into the fuselage and the other is closed.

After i cut out the wing section and before i started to make the new wheel bays, i replaced the section part with some plasticard and once the glue dried i cut away the excess as close as i could get to the wing. then spent quite some time sanding. Looks flush but guess i won't really know until i get some paint on.


Got some of the birds ive been working on airbrushed last week, will hope to add the detail on them tomorrow.
Ian

Variable Fighter Master File - VF-19 EXCALIBUR -

Awesome new mook to add to the Variable Fighter Master File collection this being the the second in the series VF-19 Excalibur. Usually call this VF-19 or YF-19 but Excalibur is a cool name for the fighter which i never really remember. Just like the last in the series the VF-1 Valkyrie this has lots of cool almost photo realistic pics and what must be vast amounts of great information in Japanese with some very nice illustration explain how the VF-19 works.
Was quite pricey for me to get but think it really wanted to get this and all other that will be released, next is the VF-1 again but with Super Part which was a surprise was expecting the VF-25.

Double page spread for the content, not sure if it the YF-19 but damn it looks great!



First few pages are "photos" of the Excalibur. Cool Gerwalk and low viz on the right,



 Guess this is the generic design page using the Macross Plus YF-19 patterns.
 


Top left corner is the "VF-19A SVF-569 Lightnings" which Hasegawa released as very nice looking 1/48 kit.



Awesome space shot, wicked looking Uraga carrier.



VF-11 and YF-19 together ala Macross Plus style.



Monitor Turret which i call the head, got Basara's Fire Valkyrie at the bottom Mohawk style.



Battriod and Gerwalk mode of the VF-19 from Plus and 7.



Pilot suits for Plus and the video game Macross Digital Mission VF-X2 "Get Free!"



Only one pic of the cool looking Excalibur with the triangular radar on top some sort of Airborne Early Warning valk.



Uraga Class Escort Battle Carrier, 2 great shot, one with a VF-19 just taken off and the other in Earth orbit surrounded by Northampton Class Stealth Frigates.



Just like the VF-1 Book which had F-14 before and VF-4 after, the VF-19 file has the VF-11 before and the VF-17 after. Be great to get entire books on the VF-4, 11 and 17.



Five double pages of these designs, lots of modeling opportunities. At the bottom left there is the "Roy Focker Special"


Only page with VF-19s from Macross 7 was expecting an entire section on Emerald Force and Sound Force, wanted a double spread pic of Basara's VF-19 Karaoke Ninja or Fire Valkyrie.



Credit page for the CG artists has some nice pics including a very nice white VF-17.



Great mook, would like to model some of these but there is so much choice!
Next up VF-1 Space Wing
Ian

Trumpeter Rivet Maker

 Something i wanted to try on the TA-7C Corsair II to replicate the marking on F-toys A-7E but the metal wheels which you use to make the rivet with are far too big for 1/144 single fighters might be better on a airliner. Is kinda disappointing as i bought this and it looks like i will probable never use it again, better using a sewing needle or something similar

Mr Surfacer on the resin kit worked great, mainly the under surface of the wing which was pot marked with lots of bubbles in the resin and in appears to have worked. Lets hope they don't suddenly appear when i give the jet a panel wash.

TA-7C, A-7E, F-14A, F-14D and the Hawkers Hunter all ready for paint, which if i'm lucky i can set up the airbrush on Sunday.

Ian

Revell 1/144 - F-104 Starfighter - Italian Ferrari - Complete

Here's a Ferrari that not many people if any are able to own, a red hot Italian F-104 Ferrari Starfighter. This beauty ain't your low-viz tactical jet figther.

Second Revell of Germany 1/144 F-104 G Starfighter built and not the last.

If anyone knows of a 1/144 or N-gauge Ferrari supercar, it would be great to be able to get so i can make a little dio, an Enzo would be awesome to have.

Very nice decals from Airfix, which surprised as so much negative press ive read. Cavallino Rampante is what the black stallion is it means "prancing horse"



This is the best photo that show the correct colour of the Ferrari Starfigther, blood red.



Note, is missing the black line marking that goes around the fuselage in front of the tail, once i find a spare decal that can be used i will add.


All the reference ive seen seam to show 3 different designs for the black marking behind the cockpit.



Big jet with tiny wings, "Man in a Rocket"



Hoping that the undercarriage is a metal finish, not much detail on that.



Really love the sleekness of the jet, no wonder Ferrari gave it a custom paint job.



These 2 F-104s are the first completed builds of 2011, feels like it going to be a good year.
Ian

Revell 1/144 - F-104 Starfighter - Spanish Air Force - Complete

The Revell 1/144  F-104 Starfighter in the Spanish Air Force or in the native tongue Ejército del Aire. Using decals from the Airfix kit which were really nice. 


Have had ago at detailing the cockpit but with my camera i really can't get a close enough to show what it looks like inside. 


Great kit from Revell of Germany, have got a few more which i look forward to building.




Spanish fin flash is that cool black cross on the white background on the tail flap.


Added a bit more detail to the inside of the jet exhaust.



Cut up the canopy with a scalpel, getting a razor saw which should make this easier.


Meant to be horizontal but liked the look.



Like the way the rear landing gear panel open up, open then partially closes.



 Next build will have to add some misssle, reckon would look more deadly then fuel tanks.



Next up the Ferrari Starfighter, taking photos of red is a pain.
Ian

Windaria: Legend of Fabulous Battle

Windaria, not so much a fabulous battle more a Shakespearean Greek Tragedy. Contiuing on from how much i enjoyed Fantastic Adventure Of Yohko: Leda

I did some research and found this from the same Director Kunihiko Yuyama, same beautiful character designer Mutsumi Inomata and same short lived but prolific animation studio Kaname Productions.

Really is a Greek Tragedy, i mean no one has a happy ending and i can't go into much detail otherwise i would spoil this movie but i think its the first anime ive watched were no one really wins. No idea why in the title it was Fabulous Battle when war is hell, quite unusual.

Has a fantastic concept in this where a Ghost Ship flys round this planet collecting the souls of the deceased, which looks good and it used to great effect, something i thought was quite unique.

After a few fantasy genre anime i need to get back to my favorite genre Sci-fi, bring on some Mecha!
Ian

Sweet 1/144 - Macchi Mc.200 - Wip 1 - Starting the undercarriage.

Another work in progress, this time the Sweet's first kit the Macchi Mc.200.  Built this it before as one of my first builds, over 18 months ago! Where does the time go?

I liked the kit but knew it could be improved as it was lacking open undercarriage and a cockpit, otherwise the kit is perfect against reference ive checked.

Ive started the cockpit which is quite easy going but the undercarriage i reckon is going to take some time. Spent quite some time cutting out the existing one with a scalpel (what a task! going to get me a razor saw)  and what i plan on doing is making a new one with plasticard and sanding it down to fit the wing?

The yellow engine cowling is from a previous unfinished build which is going to be reused, really like the look of the engine, almost steampunk.
Ian