F7F-3N

[thug626]

Bob…..Laughing myself silly. Perhaps I could use a medication regime as well.

Oh! I already know not to tick her off. Let me talk to SWMBO.

Dave

[M1Carbine]

Get to talking with SWMBO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

[thug626]

As soon as she's done with her stretch in the Unit.
Dave

[wbill76]

Better that you caught it now and not after you had already started spraying!

[deafpanzer]

Wait a minute... it is starting to look like a plane!?!? Looking good... can't wait to see it painted next!

[thug626]

Hello Bill,
Currenly I'm working on a couple of prototypes for the HVAR mounts. It turns out the ones that I can build are one mount per HVAR, as opposed to the double mount that was also common. For simplicity sake, I'm going with the single. Much less to get out of alignment.

Hello Andy,
Yeah, it really is. After two years it ought to. Again the paint is on hold until I sort out the HVAR mounts. I almost caved and utilized the kit ones. Thick blobs as wide as the HVARs themselves. Ummm…NO!

Dave

[wbill76]

No sense in making things harder on yourself if you don't have to, I'd choose the single too! Leaves you more time for the important things like getting this baby painted.

[deafpanzer]

I agree with Bill... I don't think you can handle two hot babes so one should be enough for you, OK buddy?

[MOOSE.]

Nice, nice, nice!! She's looking good. Perfect work on the canopy. Looks nice and clean. Keep it up

[thug626]

Good afternoon Bill, I had a bunch of biennial re-certifications all come due at work of late. Someone thought it would be a good idea to "batch them". Apparently, they forgot to include me in the conversation. Suffice it to say, I was not amused. Any who…..the HVAR mounts are done. The rockets themselves can be done up at a later time. I want to get some paint laid down.

Good afternoon Andy, OK. OK. OK. You're right, I should not be greedy.

Good afternoon Moose, Thank you for the compliment and, taking the time to have a gander.

Well gentlemen, the HVAR mounts are finally done. Here they are after I sanded them to hang perpendicular to the ground. It worked out to be about a 5º dihedral to the wings. So out came the angle sander and they ALL got a 5º bevel. Just dry fitted here to get an idea for the spacing needed between the mounts.


With that done, it was onto making a template for the locations to drill. This was much easier and, the spacing is equal bilaterally.


I utilized 0.025" styrene rod to give a positive attachment point and, to make alignment easier when set in for the permanent attachment.


The "hangers" are 0.010"x0.018" brass strip. With the brass parts set in the holes I used a piece of 0.010" brass wire to provide a consistent gap on all the same parts. With the brass wire in place, I placed a wee dab of gap filling CA. When both pieces were glued, I then placed a drop of accelerator to ensure that they would not "migrate"


One side done.


I partially built up one HVAR. These are Eduards Brassin offerings. Really pretty slick stuff. The rocket bodies are two parts. The tube and, the fin section. The detail on the fin section is exquisite. The only PE part I placed was the nozzle piece. I just wanted to see if it was really worth the effort…..I tend to think so. The mounting brackets will wait for now.


The PE goodies to go with the HVARS


Dave

[deafpanzer]

This is so sick! Stunning work on the mounts and missiles...

[bbd468]

Fantastic job on the Hard points for weapons Dave! Nice to see and update brotha.

[bullardino]

Wow, looks like the HVARs are a kit in itself. The details look gorgeous

[wbill76]

Can't believe your colleagues were so thoughtless Dave, don't they know how important it is for us to receive consistent and regular updates on this project? Nice work on the HVAR mounts, up to your usual standard for sure.

[Leon]

WOW awesome work on the HVAR mounts Dave .These are going to look sweet with the rockets mounted.

[M1Carbine]

Dave - keep it coming bro, looking schweeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Bob

[fightnjoe]

dave as always i am impressed by the clean work you do. it is what i am striving for. not achieving just striving for.




joe

[thug626]

Hello Andy, Thank you for the compliment. And, yes, you did finish your DUKW before this beast.

Greetings Gary, Thank you so very much brotha. I did the final dry fit on the HVAR mounts and all looks good. With that in the can, I proceeded with…….PAINT!

Hello Luigi, When I started to look more closely at the HVARs I realized that these are going to look great with pin washes and highlights.

Hello Bill, Yeah…..regular updates….about that….uhmmmm…..errrrr. Well, heres and update. PAINT! We have PAINT!

Hello Leon, I am looking forward to getting those implements of destruction slung underneath this beast.

Hello Bob, Thank you brother. Here it is. There is color. The undercoat at least. This is going to cure for at least 24 hours. Possibly longer.

Hello Joe, Thank you for the compliment. It's a work in progress….as are my skill sets.

Well gentlemen, I must thank all of you for your patience with this build (glacial paced build that is….) I spent a bit of time this am masking off everything. At least everything I could anticipate. This was my first time shooting and entire aircraft in NMF. I used Model Master Non-buffing Aluminum. This was shot throughout my trusty Iwata CM-C+. There were only a couple of seam lines that popped out at me…the biggest being about 2mm long. The only other area that reared it's ugly head was the join between the fuselage and the resin nose. The fill was a bit more porous that I had originally thought. I will have to go back over that area with some primer/sealer then re-shoot with the MM. It's not too horrible but, I do not like it.


More proof that I did indeed finally paint this beast.


Yes, even the cowls got theirs….


All of this is going to get a nice lone cure time. Since it's a lacquer based paint, I laid it down in light coats, so as not to craze the plastic. The thinking being that the paint should get some pretty decent adhesion. This will then get coated with AK paint effects and, then the top coat and then…….weathering…..

Dave

[deafpanzer]

Oh yeah! So smooth!!! Love the color...

Yes you need to finish it since my DUKW is done or I will hunt for you. LOL

[thug626]

Mar 16, 2014 15:51:22 GMT -5 @dickyf said:

Superbly smooth Dave - like a velvet codpiece methinks....this has been a fantatsic build and it looks like the paintjob ain't gonna be no different!

Velvet Cod…..piece?!?! Egads! I'm not sure if that sounds good or if I should be horrified. Or just simply horrifyingly good. Ah what the heck……thank you. I must come clean about the top coat and weathering. I am a bit nervous about it since this bench queen has occupied the bench for two years now. The weathering skill set is going to take some dusting off.

Hello Andy, Thank you so very much. I've got a few of MM's buffing metalizer paints. They're great but this one filled the bill for the undercoat. I experimented with an acrylic and enamel paints as well. This one being a lacquer based just worked for this application that much better. Hey, If you do come out this way I've come across a couple more local brews that I need to introduce you to, then we can talk about hunting me.

Dave

[bullardino]

Dave, great metallic coat. NMF is the less forgiving of all the paintjobs and you did it extremely well.

[Deleted]

More steady and superb progress Dave   Those brassin missiles look very nice indeed.
Great finish on the base colour too  

[thug626]

Good evening Luigi,
Thank you as always for your support and comments. It is true what I've heard about NMFs. With this one under the belt (well almost under the belt), there is a P-47 in the stash that has been crying out to be done up in NMF.

Good evening Steve,
Thank you very much. Bit by bit, this beastie is getting there. I believe these Brassin HVARs were the first of their offerings that I have ever purchased. Since then, I've purchased a few more of their goods. Mostly for a couple of Mig-21 kits that are vying for attention.

Dave

[bbd468]

WOOHOOOO!!!! Paint looks ferkin awesome Dave!

[M1Carbine]

WOOHOO! we have PAINT

Bob

[TRM]

Fancy work here Dave! Love all the added details!

[JimD]

Lovely finish. I've not tried the MM metallics before. I may have to give them a whirl because it looks like they go down really well. Looking forward to the following steps.

[MOOSE.]

Nice work Dave! The finish looks amazing. Would the paint attack the plastic much? I used the alclad with no problems but I started to do some clean up with Tamiya lacquer thinner during weathering stage and it was destroying the finish =(. Luckily just a small spot I could repair.
Keep up the good work buddy ;D

Mike

[thug626]

Hello Gary, WOOOOHOOOO is right. I had to resist the urge to work on it before work. When the top coat goes down, that'll be a dedicated session.

Hello Bob, Why yes we DO!!!.

Hello TRM, Thank you very much.

Hello Jimmydel, Give 'em a whirl. No thinning required. Just use them straight out to the bottle. They're lacquer based so, have your appropriate thinner on hand for cleaning. This stuff dries FAST!

Hello Mike, THank you for the compliment. I not sure just how "hot" the MM metalizers are. They are lacquer based so they can be a bit on the "toasty" side. That being said, I have also never worked with this styrene before. It has done a couple of weird things so, I did not want to put it to the acid test on this kit. Which is why I opted to got with many light coats. ALCLAD is one I have yet to work with.

Dave

[wbill76]

Very nice Dave, we have paint!