The sliding hood of the canopy has a mould separation line along its outside. This has to go! We have seen these lines on so many bubble canopies on model kits due to the need to accurately represent the shape of the real canopy by injection moulding for a model kit.
I followed Zoukei-mura´s advice as given in the Concept Note book and used a fresh new scalpel blade to carefully scrape the raised mould line from the canopy part. After this the clear part has been sanded by consecutive finer sanding sticks. Last step was a good polish with Tamiya´s rubbing compound.
To restore the clarity of the clear part again I washed it with soapy water and when dry gave it a dip in Klear. I dried it to the touch with a hair dryer and then did put it away to finally dry.
So far I think it´s not too bad.
1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
- Thomas_M
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Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
Some of the wing pylons have been primed and airbrushed in U.S. Navy Glossy Sea Blue. The instructions ask to have these in black, but I follow another modeller here.
Each of the twelve pylons got two decals on each side. That´s forty-eight (48) decals for those pylons alone! Again the stencilling is legible!
Super close-up:
One such pylon is 25 millimetres wide...
Each of the twelve pylons got two decals on each side. That´s forty-eight (48) decals for those pylons alone! Again the stencilling is legible!
Super close-up:
One such pylon is 25 millimetres wide...
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Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
About an hour ago I finally closed and glued the fuselage! To me this is a major step in building this great kit. But, of course, I did some pictures of the cockpit before closing the fuselage.
Here we see the new hand grip done in resin by AIMS Resin. This is noticeable larger than the kit supplied grip.
Here we see the new hand grip done in resin by AIMS Resin. This is noticeable larger than the kit supplied grip.
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Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
I added a small decal to the visor to add some visual interest. Note the tiny levers on the cockpit side boards!
The clear lens of the visor has to be made by the modeller. AIMS Resin just gives you a piece of clear acetate but leaves it on you to estimate and cut the shape.
This all is now close up into the fuselage. More to follow!
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Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
Time to get this here updated! Hard to keep up with all that keeps me busy these days...
So, here it is now. The wings have been firmly glued to the fuselage. Zoukei-mura found a very positive and strong fit between these large subassemblies.
You also see my "creative" way to mask the open cockpit...
The left and right dive brakes have been added to the fuselage, too. It was fun to discover their way to work during building and painting them. They also are working so far, but I think I will leave them alone and will not try to play around with them. The very small hinges are prone to breakage, so I will leave them closed after having taken the following pictures.
The dive brakes fit very good into their recesses in the fuselage with the sound of a click. No need to glue them in so far. Nice fit, Zoukei-mura!
So, here it is now. The wings have been firmly glued to the fuselage. Zoukei-mura found a very positive and strong fit between these large subassemblies.
You also see my "creative" way to mask the open cockpit...
The left and right dive brakes have been added to the fuselage, too. It was fun to discover their way to work during building and painting them. They also are working so far, but I think I will leave them alone and will not try to play around with them. The very small hinges are prone to breakage, so I will leave them closed after having taken the following pictures.
The dive brakes fit very good into their recesses in the fuselage with the sound of a click. No need to glue them in so far. Nice fit, Zoukei-mura!
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Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
Some preparations have been done to mask the wheel bays. Lots of wet tissue and some Humbrol Maskol masking fluid.
There are some visible gaps between the upper wings and the fuselage. Despite trying to adjust the fit several times I did not get it better than you see here. Having a closer look at the builds in the Concept Note book I could see such gaps in the builds there, too.
Thinking over how to deal with those gaps I decided to make use of my wax spatula device again. This is a tool a friend of mine has developed and is selling, among other modelling stuff.
IMHO it is a very useful device to fill any gaps and even model small details that might be missing. The temperature is stepless variable, but I usually set the temperature close to point 4.
This device is heating the metal spatula seen above. Using this spatula you pick up a small amount of dental wax and apply this molten wax into the gap to be filled. By capillary action the wax flows into the gap.
Within a second after taking the heated spatula away the molten wax gets solid again. No need to wait for hours for a putty to dry. This is what I call time saving!
In the next picture you see the lump of wax I got with my device. I own this tool for so many years now and still have plenty of wax left.
Below there are some tools I use to work and clean the wax puttied area with. Excessive wax that has been scribed away can be re-used again by simply picking it up with the heated spatula again. Not bad, eh?
The postman just rang (once...), so I am now having a break browsing some nice modelling literature he brought me.
Hope you enjoy!
There are some visible gaps between the upper wings and the fuselage. Despite trying to adjust the fit several times I did not get it better than you see here. Having a closer look at the builds in the Concept Note book I could see such gaps in the builds there, too.
Thinking over how to deal with those gaps I decided to make use of my wax spatula device again. This is a tool a friend of mine has developed and is selling, among other modelling stuff.
IMHO it is a very useful device to fill any gaps and even model small details that might be missing. The temperature is stepless variable, but I usually set the temperature close to point 4.
This device is heating the metal spatula seen above. Using this spatula you pick up a small amount of dental wax and apply this molten wax into the gap to be filled. By capillary action the wax flows into the gap.
Within a second after taking the heated spatula away the molten wax gets solid again. No need to wait for hours for a putty to dry. This is what I call time saving!
In the next picture you see the lump of wax I got with my device. I own this tool for so many years now and still have plenty of wax left.
Below there are some tools I use to work and clean the wax puttied area with. Excessive wax that has been scribed away can be re-used again by simply picking it up with the heated spatula again. Not bad, eh?
The postman just rang (once...), so I am now having a break browsing some nice modelling literature he brought me.
Hope you enjoy!
Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
Thomas, Thank you for such informative photos and text mate.
My Skyraider is due to be retrieved from the storage area and with the images you have posted, I am now inspired to 'carry on'.
As always, your work is just fantastic.
PS. It has taken me a while to go through the posts by all the members here, and I am sorry I never got to your work sooner, but "Better late than never".
Kezza. :-)
My Skyraider is due to be retrieved from the storage area and with the images you have posted, I am now inspired to 'carry on'.
As always, your work is just fantastic.
PS. It has taken me a while to go through the posts by all the members here, and I am sorry I never got to your work sooner, but "Better late than never".
Kezza. :-)
Re: 1/32 A-1H Skyraider U.S. Navy from Zoukei-mura
Whaaaat, no PE belts here, but the panels are full of them? What happened?
"Did you really pay a big amount of money for only half a figure?!"
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