SPA Modeler

Here is my latest progress on some of the models I was working on during Hobby Day.

I'll start with my aircraft. I got the decals on the C-118. Everything went on well surprisingly. Too well as I ran into another major issues after re-coating the model with a clearcoat to seal the decals:





These are the pre-clearcoat shots. After spraying the second clearcoat to seal these, the silver on the wings crackled. I'm working on fixing that now....

I also added decals to the F/A-18 Hornet that has been sitting on the bench forever. This is another of my Modeling New Year's Resolution builds:



Some of the decals broke up, but I was able to fix them adequately. Later I shot this with the same clearcoat as the C-118 to no ill effect. Go figure. Later, I added the landing gear and gear doors to this:



After this dried sufficiently, I added the white paint to the interior of the gear bays as well as the gear. I then glued on the wheels and added the underwing pylons:



She's almost done (knock on wood!); all I need to do now is shoot a dullcoat; remove the masking and then add underwing stores:



Man this will feel good to finally get finished!

Speaking of almost finished; I also added the decals to the A-37A Dragonfly:



I later added the (already painted) stubby landing gear, gear doors and wheels to this model:



Now this one is also almost finished. She just needs a dullcoat, mask removal and underwing stores as well:



This will be the first ever Dragonfly I ever built when it's done. Now to go find some underwing stores for this....

My final aircraft for the day was the old skool Airfix Jetstream I had started some time ago. I pulled this out and painted the interior and the pilots:



I later added the rest of the interior and added the fuselage doors to this:



I need to finish painting this interior, but I couldn't resist dry-fitting everything together to see how it is going to look:



This will be interesting. I still have to paint it like the C-118...


Moving on to my armor, I didn't get much done here. I did pull out the Type 89 Late and tried to get it caught up to the Type 89 Early. That meant tackling those tiny roadwheels again; all 32 of them, plus the sprockets:



Later I added the upper sponsons and the fenders to this:



I then looked at the Type 89 Early and saw that it also needed the upper sponsons and fenders and the exhaust pipe; along with some other details, so on they went:





I went back to the Type 89 Late and brought it up to the same level with the exhaust pipe and added details. I also added the rear ditching tail. I tried to do the same to the Early, but I lost one of the skid pieces for the unditching tail on the Early. I hope to find it soon so I can complete the early too. Meanwhile, the Type 89 Late is ready for paint:



Just for fun, here's a shot of the two of them side by side; showing the differences between them. The Exacto blade shows the relative size of these two tanks too:



Beyond that, I didn't do too much except to start a couple of the new Aerosans I got. The first small one was fairly easy to assemble so far but there are some gaps to fill:



Later I got most of the assembly of the main body done and started on the engine:



While that was drying, I started the larger one, getting it this far before I had to stop for the day:




That's all I have so far. I hope to get more done soon. Meanwhile, stay tuned and thanks for any and all comments.

A comment on the C 118.

The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the Air Force until 1974, when Air Force tactical airlift units were merged into MAC to create a unified airlift organization.

In 1982, the heritage of the World War II Air Transport Command (ATC) (1942-1948) and the postwar Military Air Transport Service (MATS) (1948-1966) were consolidated with MAC, providing a continuous history of long range airlift. Inactivated on 1 June 1992, most of MAC's personnel and equipment were reassigned to the new Air Mobility Command, with a smaller portion divided between U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and the newly created Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

I rode to Europe on a C 118 in 1960 that was part of MATS. I would think your C 118 should either be an ATC or MATS aircraft. I'm not trying to nitpick but I can't believe the kit came with MAC decals.

Looks like MAC had at least a few C-118s. I wonder with the Red Cross tail markings if these were used to transport more serious casualties from Vietnam to Japan, PI, or Hawaii

Man, I love that airplane. Love it.

WJ, thanks for the info on the C-118. I just used the kit decals; I have several aircraft in progress, all of which seem to have the incorrect decals in the boxes for the type depicted. I don't have the finical resources to score the right decal sheets for every one of them so I'm just keeping it simple. As Carlos has shown, it seems that my decal option is not altogether incorrect. In fact, I believe one of those pics shows the same aircraft as the one I have made as evidenced by the tail code.

Carlos I also wondered about the red cross on the tail. It seemed a bit off for the rest of the scheme, but maybe it is because of your suggestion that it was a medical transport for those cases going to a more established hospital. Right now, I just want to finish the stinkin' thing!

Lyle, I do too, which is why I've been trying like the devil to make this look good. It has done nothing but fight me the whole time. I should have been done with this after only a few months at the most; it's been over a year and this is still not done!


Stay tuned for more guys. I do hope to get more done soon.

You're probably right. Looks like the Air Force kept some C 118s for med evac duty. They had probably been in med evac duty since Korea and it was more economical to use them for short hops than using a C 141 to hop to Japan-saved the 141 for trips back to CONUS.

Duke Maddog wrote:WJ, thanks for the info on the C-118. I just used the kit decals; I have several aircraft in progress, all of which seem to have the incorrect decals in the boxes for the type depicted. I don't have the finical resources to score the right decal sheets for every one of them so I'm just keeping it simple. As Carlos has shown, it seems that my decal option is not altogether incorrect. In fact, I believe one of those pics shows the same aircraft as the one I have made as evidenced by the tail code.

Carlos I also wondered about the red cross on the tail. It seemed a bit off for the rest of the scheme, but maybe it is because of your suggestion that it was a medical transport for those cases going to a more established hospital. Right now, I just want to finish the stinkin' thing!

Well, with aircraft, ya never know what a little Google-fu will turn up. Especially regarding markings. I remember reading somewhere about how the Army turned over its' C-7 Caribous to the USAF during or shortly after Vietnam. But when I was in 19th SFG in 1991, we had a few assigned to our Aviation detachment that we used for jumps out of Salt Lake. Flown by Army aviators. Hell, the base motor pool there at Camp Williams still had some equipment that was in the Vietnam era Dark OD paint. Not to mention stuff in MERDC camo and other stuff in the then new NATO Tri color camo. Change in the military can be glacially slow....

Duke Maddog wrote:

Lyle, I do too, which is why I've been trying like the devil to make this look good. It has done nothing but fight me the whole time. I should have been done with this after only a few months at the most; it's been over a year and this is still not done!

That sounds awful familiar.... Hang in there buddy!

I'm doing my best Carlos. Gonna try something next week when I can.

I love those little tanks!

Hard to say which build is the coolest Duke!