Matt,
I managed to get the Platz F-8 and A-4 from Hobby Link Japan. And while your at it, they also stock MYK decals, which make some absolutely beautiful decals for modern stuff also. MYK have some great sheets for the F-18 E/F, plus the legacy F-18C.

I have no doubt we shall be seeing quite a few sheets eventually for the A-4E/F. There are several available for the F-8. That kit is tremendous, it is an F-8C/K, but with some work it can be modified into an E.It is a kit well worth getting, in my opinion.

Hope this helps..............Semper Fi......Bruce

I had forgot all about this thread. I'm still building the small stuff when I can. Recently finished an airliner and have almost finished another for a group project. Minicraft's DC-6B in United markings, and my current project, a DC-7C in Pan-Am markings. Also have an old Airfix Hercales bi-plane airliner underway at the moment. Just got through cleaning up the parts and pieces. No real assembly has been done as yet. Pics to follow of that once I get a little further along. Thanks, "Q"

Whatta!!!! What is that Abomination??? What did you use for the metals???? My retinas are still hurting... Whooooowwww...

Alclad Chrome. I have since toned it down a wee bit with a clear coat. Thanks, "Q"

Q that has to be one of the best metallic finishes I have ever seen! Shows how far along we've come since trying to pick which metallic enamel looks closest to the real thing back in the day. I love how much the industry has progressed in the paint department over the years.

Matthew,
Outstanding job on the DC ! The Alclad really came out looking good. I have always had a problem with natural metal schemes. Obviously, I will have to get serious about learning how to use the Alclad products. My big question always is: what about masking, and what about decaling over it ? Anyone had any luck there ? Thanks in advance for any info.............Bruce

Thanks for the kudos guys. Much appreciated. :
I have found that the trick to using Alclad is like all other natural metal finishes...it's in the prep work. In the case of the DC-7 I sanded and sanded and then sanded some more followed by more sanding to smooth out everything as best I could. I didn't poilsh anything, but had I done so, the finish would have been that much more smooth. I shot the gloss white first and let that dry before masking. The wings and lower fuselage were sprayed with gloss black from a rattle can and allowed to dry thoroughly. The Alclad was misted over this in what amounts to probably a dozen coats until I achieved the chrome look I was after. The trick with the Alclad is the gloss black undercoat. No matter what Alclad color you shoot, it will look better when sprayed over this gloss black. Haven't had any issues decaling over it or using light tack tape for masking. If shooting a clear coat over it though, you will alter the sheen to a degree. I had to do so on my DC-7 as I was losing some chrome on the wing tip leading edges areas from handling the model. It is best to try and shoot these colors as close to the model being completed as possible to avoid rubbing the finish off or avoid handling it if at all possible. Glad you guys like it. Hoping to have it complete before too long. School work is taking priority at the moment...arrgh. "Q"

I said the hell with homework and decided to finish this thing Definitely not my best work, but I am happy with how it came out. I used Krystal Kleer for the cockpit windows and they are still drying, hence the white appearance. Thanks for looking. "Q"

Dear all
I have recently come upon a puzzling fact and wonder if anyone can explain it!
Why is there such a lack of decent, and I would stress the decent, models of the C-130 Hercules?
Well, would it be to much to ask for Revell say bring out a really decent, accurate and detailed C-130 Hercules with some good interior detail????????? I suppose not, but one can but live in hope. The same holds true for the DC-3/4, Ju-52 3m, An12...
I suppose it provides an interesting problem for our favourit 1/144 scale.

Cheers,

José César

Hi Jose, For a Ju-52 I think the only player in town is the now out of production Eduard kit which was released in several versions. The C-130 Minicraft have just re-done but I don't have any of them so can't comment on detail (some one else add remake here), the only C-130 I have is an Amodel Fat Albert with Blue Angels F-4.
Apart from the Minicraft DC3 the only other one I know of is the resin one from CMK I think or vacform from Welsh Model.

Hope that helps you some way.
Luciano

I bhavn't built 1/144 for a lot of years but I have already proposed to build a 1/144 Super Constellation (Revell) for the Aluminium campaign. Not started yet but plan to in the next few days and I am looking forward to it. I'd do a 1/144 campaign but I don't know what

Jose,
If I might add my .02 to Litterio's statements. Part of the problem, I believe, is that Transports just aren't "Sexy" ! Except for those of us who were Transport Aircrew, most just see these aircraft as "Boring".

From my viewpoint, the Herc is a fantastic Aircraft, and she always got me home ! What other aircraft has been in active production since 1954 ? But they just don't make movies about Hercs. Fighters always get most of the publicity.

I have several of Minicraft's C-130's. It isn't a bad kit. It does have several nagging problems that Minicraft will not address. Plus the price on Minicraft's C-130 is rather high in my opinion. But can they be worked into an outstanding model ? You Bet...I've seen several. So it just becomes what the modeller wants to do.

Just another opinion for you to consider...................... Enjoy, Bruce

Hi guys.

Normally I build 1/72 scale aircraft but recently I was bitten by the 1/144 bug. I've bought more then I've built but the intention is there . I just wanted to say hi for now but I just finished up Dragons Jolly Rogers Memorial flight and will post the pictures soon. Last night I started two el-cheap-O F-15's. The goal will be more for honing my painting skills (I'm going to attempt the digital Camo) rather that an accurate depiction of an F-15.

If anyone has any other links to some good 1/144 threads or sites like this one please post it. Also any companies that have goodies, decals and models.

Regards

Dirk

Matthew, great work on your Douglas Commerical 7! I've said it before and I'll say it again, the civilian end of model aircraft doesn't get nearly enough attention. Of course there doesn't seem to be as much stuff out there.

I for one would like to see more commuter aircraft released since commuter carriers carry almost one half of all air traffic on a given day in the United States. What do you think? Take care, Russell

P.S. Watch out if you buy the Minicraft MD-80 kit. I went through living hell with the decals, finally cobbling together from three sheets enough to make passable one model. Yikes! It's funny, but those pesky decals often are a problem aren't they? The kit was the USAir natural metal MD-80 by the way.

Dirk,
Here are the BEST spots to find 1/144 info:
http://www.kampfgruppe144.com/phpBB3/index.php

http://www.kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com/

regards

Thanks, I'll check them out.

I haven't taken any photos of the Jolly Rogres memorial flight yet but here are a few other 1/144's i'm working on.

I picked up these two F-15's off EvilBay for cheap and I got what I paid for. These are nothing compared to the Dragon kits I've been working on lately. Needless to say they were only meant to be some quick builds and try some different painting techniques.

This one is from Minicraft


This one is Revell








Within minutes both were assembled minus the one piece landing gears and doors.


Waiting for Primer


I found this Academy minicraft B-24j Liberator at a modeling show this weekend for a whopping $2.50. Its one of many 1/144 scale models I've recently added to my stash and now the first to be built.

I decided to make it a little different then the others I've seen by making it into the Assembly ship Tubarao (The third Assembly ship) of the 491st Bomb Group. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to use the decals from the kit or paint them on. From what i can tell the Tubarao had a few more stripes on the fuselage section then this kit has. Of course the only actual pictures I've found are of the nose. I can find nothing of the rest of the aircraft other then drawings and concepts. If I do decide to go that way I can see this project stalling midway as other project start dates approach. The other issue will of course be making the mouth and name for the nose. Any input as to the best method for me to approach this is welcome.

[u]The Model[/u]










[u]The Real Tubarao[/u]



[u]Computer generated concept [/u]



I started by slapping on some interior color. Right off the bat I went rogue. The directions called for black and I went with Interior Green. What a rebel I am. :mrgreen:



After the paint dried I assembled the fuselage and wings.





before i put together the fuselage I stuffed the nose full of plumbers putty. It seems to be enough but you never know. I have bad luck when it comes to adding nose weight.



Wings in place



More craziness. I decided to cut the engine cowl flaps





Applying the aluminum paint.







After I let it sufficiently dry (Silver seems to take longer to fully cure) and after reading about the decals I decided to toss them out and paint them on.

Masked off the areas I don't want to have painted


Yellow applied


Masks in place






Applied Testors Beret Green


Next I turned to the 4 Pratt & Whitney R-1830 turbo supercharger radial engines


Unmasking


Engines in place

Hi Dirk
Realy nice work on the B-24J, your work on the cooling flaps has paid off. Keep us all posted with your builds. I have been wondering about getting back into 1/144, so that I can do some of the larger aircraft without sacrificing space.
All the best
tim

Here I apinted on the De-icing boots on the leading edges of the B-24



I added White to the tail of the B-24. This should have been done before I put on the green stripes but i forgot.

If anyone has a "trashed" Minicraft/Crown B-52H, I need the wings, please. I acquired a Minicraft B-52H and it only had one "B" sprue in the already opened box.

TIA.

Matt,
Drop me a line at my regular e-mail, I'll check tomorrow for you, I probably have one. For some reason I have a problem getting to the site from my home 'puter ! Obviously, I'm one of the "Computer Challenged" Take it easy...........Bruce

This is the first of what I hope to be more of these great little F-14 and F-18's.

here are some more pictures.











Thanks for looking

something i finished over the weekend... Sweet's own A6m2b. According to kit instructions, this belonged to the 381st Kokutai which was based in Mindanao Island, the Philippines back in 1944.

Sweet build. I just bought two of the Sweet Mustang kits and can't wait to start them. How was your build?

Some nice builds going down there guy's

Dirk I'm impressed with your B-24, I had mine 99% done using the kit decals until I found the markings were wrong. Now I have a B-24 sitting on the shelf thats a tad away from finished with the wrong markings and I don't know what to do with it.

Raphael really nice Zero, which Sweet set is that one from?

Any way heres whats hit my bench this last two weeks






Thats a Dragon F-16A, Sweet Zero, Sweet Hurricane's, Sweet captured P-51's, Sweet Wildcat VI, MiniWings AVRO Arrow and Platz F6F-3 Hellcats.
Some waiting for decals and finish others still require a bit more work.