SPA Modeler

That cockpit looks damn good! Is it possible the cockpit isn't flushed to the top of fuselage?

Thanks so much for your thoughts, Tom! I will definitely check out the top to bottom fit of the cockpit as well. I sincerely appreciate your comments!

speedgraflex wrote:X,

I’m not sure either. I’m going to try heating both halves with hot water then pressing them together over the bulkhead to form the plastic around the piece, rather than fill around the piece itself. I have also not ruled out adding a big blob of Milliput putty behind the bulkhead once the halves are glued together. This will resolve two issues by filling the area around the bulkhead and adding tail weight.

I haven’t had to do a fix like this, so I can’t speak authoritatively about it. That said, your Milliput Behind The Bulkhead soliton sounds fantastic and it kills two birds with one stone. It’s also simple. And I like solutions which are simple and also knock-out more than one problem. And maybe “simple” isn’t the right word. Elegant, yes. “Elegant” is a better word for this. It’s an elegant solution. And those in my opinion are best. I must admit- I’ve been noodling this issue this evening and that idea never occurred to me and I feel like a jackass. HA! But anyway- this is nothing you can’t handle. And this project is so great. I’m sure you’ll nail it no matter which avenue you go down. Your tires look awesome, as well. And I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with your figure as well. Don’t worry too much about Tamiya’s shipping during this pandemic fuster cluck- they got me my 1:72 Tony kit lickety-split when I ordered it a few weeks ago! You should be good!

Ken,

I did a test blend of the yellow color coat on the fuselage, and I know that will need to dry overnight, but what it did reveal was how dependent the primary yellow paint job is on surface prep, and I think that is always going to be the one area where any project succeeds or fails. I’m really grateful to you and everyone here right now. I’ve been split focus for awhile but it felt good coming back to do work on a model today; it gave meaning to what otherwise was going to be a day waiting for the telephone technician to show up and wire a new internet line. The wiring in my building is still at its 1959 spec, in all particulars. So yea, I definitely appreciate your thoughts because as you well know this whole hobby is in itself a microcosm of our individual lives; how can it not be, when we know when and where we were when we did this, and that and sanded this, scraped that, hit that with an airbrush, and all the while the events of our lives play out within these actions, and really what better way to create and heal ourselves then by making something? It’s in these actions we see the world itself, and our place within it. Plus that whole time travel slash miniaturizing-ray vibe as you put it some time ago, that vibe is potent.

So yea, let’s let the paint cure together and see what happens upon the morrow. And if I neglected to begin this post by thanking you, let me add my heartfelt thanks right now as I approach the end of line. Cheers, mate.

Primary color coat / Gunze Sangyo Mr Color Yellow Gloss. One coat. Three mist passes, three or four fill passes. What is interesting is the translucence: where I didn’t paint light gray on the inside (tail fin) it is very responsive to light. Who knew? I sure didn’t. I’m glad I tested first. Now I am going to fill in with gray completely on the interior. I also will use the same gray on the interior of the spats, too. After light polishing with toothpaste, then taping the halves together.







Color reminds me of

The yellow looks awesome!

Thanks, Mike! Gunze, man. I gotta say that again, “Gunze!” That gloss was tight. This is definitely a finish fetish project! I was stressed thinking about it, then doing it took, what? Less than a minute? I’ll follow up with a final coat once things are glued. Now I think it’s time to build an instrument panel.

Gonna have to remember this regarding Gunze. I know sooner or later Wet Look gloss is gonna disappear and I'm gonna be stuck like Chuck looking for a suitable replacement for it. Looking really good Bruce. This one's coming together very nicely.

My goodness that is sharp-o-Reno, Daddy-o.
No idea why I’m typing in beatnik.

Hot rod yellow.... I’ve always thought yellow were a hard color to get perfect.