Monday 30 July 2012

Off to the Olympics on Wednesday!

Off to the Olympics on Wednesday! by AntSizedMan
Super excited to be going down the the Olympic park with watch some women's basketball, only tickets i was able to get would have loved to attended some other events but only so many seats and alot of people wanting to go.

Everything i'm seeing on BBC making me even more excited and so proud of my country!

Team GB!
Ian

Sunday 29 July 2012

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 8 - Assembled!

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 12 - Assembled!

After what feels like alot of work i finally got the Zaku I assembled for the first time today, at the moment its very clean and shiny but its looking exactly how i hoped it would.

The shoulder guard ive used here is from the HGUC kit which is probable the last time it will be seen as i  also remodelled the RG shoulder which i think looks alot better and will fit in with the future  RG MS-06's i plan.

Starting with this Zaku, no more multiple shades on colour on alternative panel, going to be keeping a more uniform colour scheme which i really fell is more military like. All the green is one shade but did make a exception with the blue, the soles of the feet are a darker shade of blue hopefully being a precursor of the all black the MS-06 will have. But stills looks great on Gundams!

Ian

Thursday 26 July 2012

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed -

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed 1

The Royal Air Force's first operational jet fighter, modelled as the first Meteor to wing tip a V-1 Flying bomb, EE216 flown by Flying Officer Dean of 616 Squadron.

Re-modelled F-Toys gasphon using spare decals from some Sweet Hurricanes and the lettering which came with the toy which turned out to be really nice, originally thought they looked cheap but i was proven wrong. To make the black rectangles between the fuselage and jet engines i had to cut up the black border line from a decal sheet, only small black lines i could find.

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed 2

Actual original tail tip...
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30084546 

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed 3

Used the blu-tac but using white-tac to airbrush the camo-patten.

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed 4

Used tamiya weathering master lightly along all the panel lines trying to get the 3D effect.

F-Toys 1/144 - Gloster Meteor F.1 - Completed 4

For a remodel of a "toy" im super happy with the result.
Ian

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Revell 1/144 - Dassault / Dornier Alpha Jet - WiP 1 - Retrowings cockpit painted

Revell 1/144 - Dassault / Dornier Alpha Jet - WiP 1 - Retrowings cockpit painted

The Retrowings office all painted and ready to be glued in. Tried to paint all the tiny dials and instruments to give a feel that there all there and the second control panel at the rear has the same amount of detail as the front one which will be glued it near the very end of the build. This has not been glued in yet but you can see it fit perfectly.

Next to to change the tail.
Ian

Monday 23 July 2012

[Kit Review] - RetroWings 1/144 - Cockpit Detail Set for Revell 1/144 Luftwaffe Alpha Jet -

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One of 3 cockpit details sets from RetroWings for the Revell 1/144 Alpha Jet, this being the Luftwaffe set and the other 2 French and Belgian Air forces, main difference is the ejection seats.

Great little set this  just like the one for the Hellcat and a real great update for the rather plain one supplied with the kit. Comes with 2 sets of ejection seats so that you can model both version in the Luftwaffe the early and later ones. Also got a sweet new front dashboard which really easily fits into place right on top on the existing model after removing a small bump, it simple but super effective at suddenly adding alot more detail.

Dry fitted the cockpit and tried to bring out the excellent detail with some brown wash, as im posting this ive already fitted it into the cockpit and it fits a charm.

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Next is to  give it a clean and then painting begins, for such small parts with alot of tiny details its amazing that or the enitre set there on only one bubble! Easily fixed.
Ian

[Kit Review] - RetroWings 1/144 - Tail correction kit for Revell 1/144 Alpha Jet

[Kit Review] - RetroWings 1/144 - Tail correction kit for Revell 1/144 Alpha Jet by AntSizedMan

Second RetroWings resin set for the Revell Alpha Jet, this one to correct the "banana effect" present on all Revell Alpha Jets.

Smart design for this, all that's need to to assemble the fuselage then cut along a horizontal panel line and fit this new tail. All panel line present and correct, brown wash really brought out the detail on this one.

Will probable keep the original tail canard and only replace the banana fuselage, the Alpha i will be modelling has a flat top to the tail while this has a curved top.

Ian

Sunday 22 July 2012

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Dassault Breguet / Dornier Alpha Jet -

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Dassault Breguet / Dornier Alpha Jet - Box Front

The original release of the Alpha Jet by Revell which includes the "banana effect" which really should have been fixed with the recently released "Patrouille de France" version.

This will be the one i model, prefer the green plastic and some of the detail is a little sharper.

Exact same sprues as the blue Alpha, either the mold was fresh or the darker plastic but im sure the detail is better on this model. Notice the "banana effect" on the tail end fuselage.

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Detail does look more pronounced, maybe just because of the darker plastic.

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This will be the scheme i will model, the RAF style Alpha Jet's bought from the Luftwaffe by British defence contractor Qinetiq original kept all German marking but replaced the German cross with RAF roundels.

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Next review Retrowings cockpit detail set.
Ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Alpha Jet "Patrouille de France" -

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A recent re-release of a Revell kit which was becoming hard to find, the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet.

Nice little kit you to the usual Revell standards except for a real lack of decent cockpit and a strange banana effect on the tail. Checking against line art this is almost perfect and it molded in a blue, a first for me. Notice the end of the fuselage, the tail points up, the strange "banana effect".

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Most the panel lines are present and correct, for an older kit from Revell i was surprised that the detail of the panel lines is still on par with there newer kit, but the newer kits have better interior detail and are design to be assembled easier.

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Only one scheme to paint "Patrouille de France" but you can model all the 10 of them. Revell needs to release a 1/144 Hawk like this "Red Arrow" style.

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Alpha Jet "Patrouille de France" - Paint scheme

Decals, white on light blue not the greatest for taking a photo of, like how all the white markings can be decals, makes it easier to paint.

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Noting going to model  the scheme myself but was i a model shop and never like to leave empty handed.
Ian

Friday 20 July 2012

Real Grade 1/144 - MS-05 Zaku I - WiP 7 - Painted

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Over the last week ive painted each colour of the Zaku I over several evening and  hopeing that the colours match the on screen version exactly.

Yesterday i gave all the parts a gloss coat so tomorrow i should be able to detail and assemble for the first time.
Ian

Thursday 19 July 2012

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Last batch of photos.

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - F-15 Strike Eagle

The last batch of phots from Farnborough, alot less than what i usually take but spent alot of the time staring up to the heavens or gawking at the size of the statics. Enjoy.
Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Lancaster

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Spitifre

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - NHIndustries NH90

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Antonov AN2

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Red devils

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Auster, Chipmunk and Jetstream 31

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Hercules

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Gloster Metoer

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Eurocopter LUH-72 Lakota

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Lynx

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Airbus A-400

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - F-18 Super Hornet

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - M-346 Master

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Merlin

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Red Arrows and Breitling Jet Team

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - WhiteKnightTwo with LauncherOne model

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Omega Tanker

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Space Exhibit

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Tornado demo with HK36 MPP

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - More

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Hawker Hunter T7

Few more pics of mostly static aircraft at Farnborough, enjoy....

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - "The Blades" flypast Battle of Britain mermorial flight

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - F-16 Viper
All LEGO Rolls Royce jet engine, AMAZING!
Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - All LEGO Rolls Royce jet engine

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Chinook

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Blackhawk

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Airbus A-380

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Cougar

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - T-50 "Black Knights"

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Folland Gnat "Red Arrows"

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Vulcan to the Sky!

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Jet  Provost

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Vulcan

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Catalina
Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Dakota

No a aircraft but being also a big Formula One fan was great to see, only Caterham there though.
Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Caterham F1

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Pilatus PC-12

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 -  C-17 Globemaster III

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Venom

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - Osprey

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - AgustaWestland AW139

Farnborough International Airshow 2012 - F-15E Strike Eagle

More tomorrow.
Ian