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

[Thomas_M]

I'm really enjoying this build since this kit is on my wish list.
I like the various shades in that rubber set...I am going to have to have a look at that next time I'm shopping. The tire black is spot on.

Don´t miss to use their own Lifecolor thinner on those colours!

[Thomas_M]

Getting more of this lost WIP back online here again:

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!

[Thomas_M]

Made quite some progress assembling the individual wing parts.I didn´t paint anything except the landing gear bays. Primed in white colour, with Gunze gloss white added later. Tried Flory dirt wash the first time on the here, in reality it doesn´t look as strong as it does here on the pictures.



Think about to go over it again to give this wash a little bit more definition. No problem to do this later: these are clay based so I still could rework them in a few months, I guess.

Had some fun playing with the wing parts. I added the outer folding wing parts to the main centre piece here.



Man, this bird will get large! No glue here between the folding wings and the main piece. Stunning!
Hope to add the folding parts to this wing the next days. Can´t wait to see if it works as I expect it to do.

[Thomas_M]

Some views inside the wing centre piece, completely hidden later on the assembled kit with exception of the main gear bays.







a) is a vinyl part to accept a metal rod later. I guess this construction will take care of a smooth wing fold later.

Had some trouble to get the grey plastic retainer part in place due to two angled retainer pieces moulded onto the inside of the main wing part here. This was maybe my fault not reading the instructions carefully, I guess I should have positioned the vinyl part and its plastic retainer the same time as I glued the main wing spars in.

So I got the two angled retainers out (green arrows show their remains) and glued the retainer / vinyl part combination in. To add this some strength I added a piece of scrap plastic as a support (pink arrow).

[Thomas_M]

This is a part of the engines exhaust system to be glued to the rear of the engine later. I have to was this due to sanding dust on it, then I will prime and paint it. The red stuff is Humbrol Maskol masking fluid.

This is a rear view of the engine as I have it assembled so far.



Here the front side of this monster engine.



I gave the cylinders a wash with Mig Dark Wash, that flowed easily into the cavities.

Getting this here together was another moment of pure fun. Exactly what our hobby should be: fun!

Thanks for watching!

[Thomas_M]

Time for new pics! In the meantime the new sight from AIMS resin has arrived. So I broke off ZM´s parts and added the new, more detailed and larger resin sight:







A small piece of clear acetate is given to the sight, but AIMS leaves it to the modeller to try to cut an elliptical lens from the sheet that will later fit onto the sight. I wished they would do the complete sight in clear resin or even get the modeller this small clear part ready to be affixed.

The IP will now have to be masked and the sight airbrushed.

[Thomas_M]

The two cockpit consoles got more tiny Eduard PE parts. Don´t try to add these parts with the rest of your family in the house...

As usual I glued them with Gator Glue, but I also used some thick clear lacquer to get PE fuse boards on. Some days later I retouched the tiny levers with Vallejo paints, carefully applied with a fine brush and using my magnifier lamp.







These boards will get a thin coat of semi matte clear to unify the colours.

[Thomas_M]

The engine has been finished so far. This is the most beautiful and clever designed model engine I have build so far in my life! Zoukei-mura did an amazing job on this replication of the real engine!

To be honest I had some "respect" when having to add all those exhaust pipes. But with some care and looking close to the instructions and the build in ZM´s Concept Note book all went fine in the end. The exhaust pipes have been airbrushed with LifeColor´s Burnt Black while still on the sprue with some Tamiya pastels added later after having the pipes attached to the engine. This engine is a kit in itself, I stand in awe looking at this jewel!













All exhaust pipes have been drilled out. I also added a small P&W logo decal to the gear box. I won´t be seen later, but... You get the picture.

Hope you like it!