1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura

[Thomas_M/]

Thanks, Lyle! Will obey and say "Hello" to SWMBO...

[Thomas_M/]

May 13, 2013 17:00:12 GMT -5 @chrisb said:

Thomas,I'll be sitting here watching this build with awe,my friend!!!!

Thank you!

I do have to ask though,why ZM have to make so much money for all the 'add ons'
The 1/32 Tammy Mustang for instance,comes outta the box pretty good,as is!(Ie all assorted weps,etc)

One could also ask why the Tamiya P-51 is much more expensive than a Dragon one. I think it´s fine to have a choice of kits, and we get what we pay for.

Hasegawa asks you to buy the weapons separately, too. They do because they can do. Sorry, but I have no better explanation to this...

[DeafStuG]

May 14, 2013 8:35:55 GMT -5 bullardino said:

Jeremy the toilet raider is a plane that I will build some day

 Luigi, would be nice scratch-built for toilet raider add on    

[sturmbird]

May 14, 2013 5:22:30 GMT -5 Thomas_M/ said:

May 12, 2013 12:47:08 GMT -5 sturmbird said:

I used to see Spads take off at Da Nang, and the first time I saw one in the arming pit I said it'd never get off the ground! They had so much stuff hanging under them that it almost looked bigger than the wings! Never saw any of them with WWII/Korean war style bombs, but have seen photos of them in use much earlier in Vietnam. Up north they used a lot of napalm and rockets. I'm kinda waiting to see what the airforce kit looks like, as I'd like to do a plane that flew Brightlight missions. Lets hope that ZM feels fit to do an AD-5! Or the ultimate! A 1/32 scale B26K

Did you happen to get the chance to see the 1/48th scale Shinden?
gary

Gary,
i am about to get some Shinden pics to be posted here on MSC hopefully soon. This is an awesome kit, even in this smaller scale!

I do mostly 1/48th in props unless it's four engined stuff. Then I prefer 1/72 scale. But alas I still have several 1/32 prop kits stashed here and there (mostly pre WWII). The Skyraider has always been one of my all time favorite planes, but believe it or no I never saw one make a bomb run in the flesh! I kinda hope that ZM releases this kit in 1/48th as well, but trust me an AD-5 would be a killer with all the different versions that were out there. One guy even won the CMH in one by claiming he landed the plane in the Ashau Valley to pick up another pilot. (not going to say what I think) Also be nice if somebody came out with a conversion kit to built the version that had an Allison TF40 turbo prop engine.

Your build is the first item and step by step build I've seen of this kit, and I like what I see. Which decale option are you going with?
gary

[Thomas_M/]

A SPAD with a turbo prop engine? Never have heard of such a plane... Any pictures or links here, Gary?

For decals I got Zoukei-mura´s Super Wing Options decal set #SWS03-D03. I like the scheme VA-52 "Knightriders", Bu.no. 134569. Here is a link to the English instructions on ZM´s website: Click me!

BTW: English instructions for most if not all aftermarket sets are provided for download on ZM´s website here.

So far waiting for pictures and permission to post them here from ZM.

[wing_nut]

Looks good. And should be nice and big when done. Just like the 1:1

[sturmbird]

May 15, 2013 12:19:24 GMT -5 Thomas_M/ said:

A SPAD with a turbo prop engine? Never have heard of such a plane... Any pictures or links here, Gary?

For decals I got Zoukei-mura´s Super Wing Options decal set #SWS03-D03. I like the scheme VA-52 "Knightriders", Bu.no. 134569. Here is a link to the English instructions on ZM´s website: Click me!

BTW: English instructions for most if not all aftermarket sets are provided for download on ZM´s website here.

So far waiting for pictures and permission to post them here from ZM.

I'll have to scan it out of a book I have from the old Allison Engine Company (the aircraft side of Allison Div of GMC prior to the sale to Rolls Royce). I gather that it was rated at 5500 shaft horsepower, and had counter rotating props like the "pogo". Think they actually built six or seven of them, before the Navy lost interest. First flew in 1953. You can order in the book at your local library under
ISBN # 0-9627074-0-6 under Allison Power of Excellence. Lots and lots of neat photos that go clear back to racing at Indy and all they up to 1990. I've read the book twice now, and it never ceases to amaze me. They actually built the first SPG in 1918! Now there's one for Wild Bill!!
gary

[Thomas_M/]

The large drop tanks having been sanded and primed with Alclad Grey Primer and Microfiller. Awesome stuff, albeit not to be used without wearing a respiratory mask. Remember: humans are delivered with only one set of lungs and replacement lungs are as rare as hen´s teeth...



Also the propeller and the engine mount have been primed:

[Thomas_M/]

The bombs also got a coat of Alclad Grey Primer.

Bombs and drop tanks have been glued using "Plastic Magic" from Deluxe Materials. This is very hot stuff! I did hold the two parts of a bomb together and applied this thin liquid glue into the gap between the parts using a fine tipped brush. Add some pressure and "move" the parts, this will squeeze a tiny amount of molten plastic out of the gap.
Let dry, than sand. I almost could not find any remaining gaps on the primed pieces later! Wow!


Some paint on other parts.

[Thomas_M/]

Engine parts also have been primed with Alclad. I tend to prime all parts before spraying them with Gunze acrylic paints. Get´s the paint some grip and prevents it from running.
These parts have been sprayed with Gunze Barely Grey as given in the assembly manual.




Got some paint on the cockpit parts, only to find out later that I accidentally used a too dark wrong shade of grey (no pun intended). Did repaint later...

[Thomas_M/]

Air brake interior and the main landing gear rims have been primed with Alclad White Primer and Microfiller. I like this stuff and already ordered some Gloss Black Primer for Alclad´s metallic paints!

The inner part of the air brakes have been taken off after priming, these will be airbrushed in red colour later. There will be a small border of the outside colour on the inside of the air brake, running around the red part later.

Don´t get the ones in the tin cans! These are just bulls..., with the paint drying in the screw thread you won´t be able to get those tins open again without using explosives...

Buy the current glass bottles, no more worries!

[Thomas_M/]

The main fuel tank has been primed in grey, too. Later I sprayed it in a colour called "Vulcanized Rubber" from Lifecolor. I have their "Black Rubber Shades & CO." paint set, very useful for me. So far I did not experience any problems spraying these colours on a primed surface.


Main landing gear tyres, being sprayed in "Tyre Black" from Lifecolor. I like this colour a lot, it looks really convincing to me and I also used it on a 1/32 Bf 109 so far. Cool stuff!

[Thomas_M/]

Still waiting for Alclad Gloss Black Primer to arrive I used Tamiya Gloss Black instead to airbrush the two cylinder blocks.

These parts now dried for about a week. Today I airbrushed them in Aclad Aluminium. Man, I like those colours!




The push rods for the airbrakes got the same treatment, only these have been metallized with Alclad Chrome here. The chrome parts will be masked and the rods sprayed gloss white later.

[Thomas_M/]

Just playing around for this part will not be seen on the finished build later. I thought about how to make a demarcation line between the grey part and the two black "whatevers". Took some black decal strip and applied these to the two "whatevers":


Later I brush painted the two you know what with Vallejo black:


I also gave the part a wash of Flory Models and let it dry. Wiped of with a damp tissue. Not bad, but will need some more work. But, well, it will disappear inside the fuselage anyway...

[Thomas_M/]

Inner wing pylons have been primed, some CA glue applied into the gaps and sanded:


The two large drop tanks will get a gloss white colour later. Made a handle to hold them while airbrushing:

[Thomas_M/]

I cut of the left part and sprayed it in Alclad Aluminium, to be glued back later. And no: it won´t be seen later. But it was fun doing it!

I airbrushed the turned metal barrels of the Super Wing Options set with Alclad Gunmetal. To hold the parts I drilled four 1.5mm holes into a piece of wood and secured the barrels with a drop of Mascol in the holes. Voilá!


Hope you like my small steps. Will have a walk in the sun now with my lady!

[wing_nut]

Looking forward to seeing all these little bits come together.

[Deleted]

Thomas,there is some nice neat work going into this beauty,mate!Just a word of caution,if I may...the 'underneath' white for the Spads,was I believe called Insignia white,which has a slight buff/tan tint to it.It is not a 'true' white,which tends to have a 'blue' tint to it!Does that make sense???What I'm trying to say is,the tint in the UC wells,airbrakes etc,may show a slightly different tint than the undersides.

(That is purely my interpretation of my research on the little Tammy one,and I am always open to correction and ridicule)Frequently!

[wbill76]

Very nice progress Thomas, lots of neat paint and detailing action going on...even if the parts disappear into the body, you know they are there!

[Thomas_M/]

May 19, 2013 17:05:22 GMT -5 @chrisb said:

Thomas,there is some nice neat work going into this beauty,mate!Just a word of caution,if I may...the 'underneath' white for the Spads,was I believe called Insignia white,which has a slight buff/tan tint to it.It is not a 'true' white,which tends to have a 'blue' tint to it!Does that make sense???What I'm trying to say is,the tint in the UC wells,airbrakes etc,may show a slightly different tint than the undersides.

(That is purely my interpretation of my research on the little Tammy one,and I am always open to correction and ridicule)Frequently!

Thanks a lot Chris! Very valuable input and most welcome!

Indeed I recognized that Alclad´s White Primer and Gunze´s White FS 17875 are of a different colour hue. Alclad´s White Primer is a pure cold blue white, with Gunze´s White FS 17875 having a certain faint tan/yellow tint.

Thanks to your comment here I really think about to re-spray the air brake interiors with Alclad´s White Primer again to have a visible different colour to the Gunze´s White FS 17875 of this birds underside.

[fightnjoe]

thomas some very neat work here. really like the smooth look you have for your alclad.

as far as some of the work not being seen, you know it is there and you will have photo documentation, we build for hours detail that, once the fuse is closed, will never be seen. speaking for myself, i would not change one moment of it.



excellent work, sharp paintwork. look forward to your next update.



joe

[deafpanzer]

Looking great! Even tho I am not into wingy thing but I am really enjoying your blogging! Keep it coming...

[sturmbird]

I figured it'd take months to build this kit, but your moving right along!
gary

[Thomas_M/]

Sturmbird, it will take months to complete this one, be assured! But we had a long weekend here in Germany due to another bank holiday and the weather is simply crap so I was in the mood to spend some hours on this one.

Thanks a lot to all of you great people for your comments on this few steps here! This really is a friendly bunch of modellers here, showing eve small progress is pure fun! All of you: feel hugged!

[tigrazor]

Ah, there you are, Thomas Great to see you back on the bench again. The Raiders coming out great so far. Keep it going!

How was the movie, btw?

[Thomas_M/]

Boo, I invested in a serious camera equipment about two or three years ago when I was writing reviews for a website I will no longer mention. I also worked in the pre-print business earlier in my life where good pictures simply had to be done.

Takes a lot of time to do pictures my way, but when I am in the mood I do them as good as I can. I simply cannot spend hours doing a kit's details and then do pictures with the camera in my mobile... Don't get me wrong: everybody to its own. But this just is my way doing things.

Guys, thanks a lot for your encouragement! Already made some more progress on this bird. Pics to follow!

[DeafStuG]

Looking Great.

[Thomas_M/]

Rainy weather and some relaxing days off work brought some further progress on this build. I decided, not to my own surprise, not to use ZM´s decals for the propeller tips but instead primed the tips in white colour. ZM´s decals are absolutely fine, it´s just me to choose another approach here. Front side of the propeller tips will get a single red stripe with the rear side will be in yellow colour later, IIRC.



The tail wheel and it´s bay has been primed by Alclad´s White Primer and Microfiller. Later I gave it a shot of Gunze Gloss White and a wash by MiG Neutral Wash.



As usual with macro shots one will see superimposed imperfections, to be cleaned up later...

[Thomas_M/]

The instrument panel with Eduard, errhh, ZM´s colour printed photo etch part glued on. As usual I use Gator Glue to attach such PE parts for it gives plenty of time to position them and any excess glue is easily cleaned up with water. In my opinion the best glue to attach PE parts that won´t have to bear any force later.



The kit´s sight will have to go later as soon as AIMS´s resin one will arrive here.

Right and left hand side instrument panel, also with the colour printed PE parts on. I will wait for a really (!) steady hand to apply the super-tiny PE levers still missing here...

[Thomas_M/]

Test fit of the cockpit, main fuel tank and radio shelf in the fuselage. So far the parts have an amazing fit with almost no gaps to each other!



Front view of the fuselage with engine mount. The small rivets on the firewall have been almost invisible or looked washy before getting some paint on. But now they are clearly visible. I think about getting them a pin wash later, just for fun!