SPA Modeler

Thank you Johnny and Mike! Mucho appreciated amigos.

So Mega cool that Kenny is back!

And with a 109 build, cannot be a better comeback! :-)

Looking also forward to your the F-16 build


- Kari

Kari! Thank you! It’s great seeing you too my man!

Alright, spent some time with the reboots this morning.

First up we have the F-16. All this stuff is mostly just dry-fit together but some parts have been welded, in order to facilitate easier painting and a final assembly later on which can be done in a modular way. It scares the crap out of me doing it that way, but that’s the only way I can figure to paint up the gear bays how I want to, get the paint even over top of the intake, and other such things. I just dislike going near paintwork with solvents, for reasons which I’m sure you’ll agree are obvious. Anyway, I really like how well this kit fits together, very well-engineered.







And then, “Black 1.” We all know I dislike dealing with windscreens and canopies. I’m never happy with the job I do affixing then, and painting them. And last go-round, I ended up with an E4 canopy on an E3 aircraft well that’s not happening again. None of it. I figure if I spend all week working on this, and even next week too, it’ll turn out good. So meticulous, slow, and steady. Here’s test-fittings after very carefully sanding off what was left from the nubs. Fits very, very well. I’ll do the gunsight today/tomorrow, add it, then attach the glass, and from there, begin masking.

That’s some very nice work!

Thanks Lyle!

Nice work! What F-16 kit is that?

Mike, that’s Tamiya’s F-16 CJ Block 50 kit, “With Full Equipment.” Feels like I’m trying to eat an elephant one bite at a time but it’s okay

KennyX wrote:Mike, that’s Tamiya’s F-16 CJ Block 50 kit, “With Full Equipment.” Feels like I’m trying to eat an elephant one bite at a time but it’s okay

Ahh ok. Tamiya's Vipers are by and far the best ones out there. I have a Blk 30 I'm building and I have another Air National Guard version as well.

Mike, I have no experience with other jets but I can say of Tamiya’s Block 50, it’s a lot like a great guitar- I can’t put it down. I’m always thinking up things to do with it to keep it in my hands- dry-fitting, subassemblies… it’s a joy to work with. I’ve really been having fun with it.

KennyX wrote:Mike, I have no experience with other jets but I can say of Tamiya’s Block 50, it’s a lot like a great guitar- I can’t put it down. I’m always thinking up things to do with it to keep it in my hands- dry-fitting, subassemblies… it’s a joy to work with. I’ve really been having fun with it.

It's a really nice kit - I tried to build one last year until I had a u/c leg failure... Well okay, until my daughter knocked it off my bench.

Here's how far I got with it.



I have another in the stash, so it's not all bad, and besides, all the left over bits ended up on my Matchbox Viper I built a few months back!