Mr D
Nice project 👍👍 look forward to seeing future updates.

Robert Podkoński
Wow! I will follow this for sure.

Andrzej Rygiel
Oh boy, I want to see that behemoth built! I really like the products of the HPH Models guys, right now I watch one of their 32nd scale Me-323 being built on one of our local modelling forums and it's literally a solid piece of furniture 🙂

Gerrit Rost
Captain Ahab, wish you best luck with that amazing kit !

John Author
Thank you all.for the good luck, I'm going to need it! Andrezj, I saw that kit when I looked on the HpH website for their epoxy. It makes this kit look small...

Thanks also Gerrit. I hope I don't lose a leg over the course of the build!

It may be a while between updates, need to finish the F-16, then holidays approaching.

Alexander Grivonev
48??? Wow

Fast Wings
It's impressive!!!

CaptGPF
Definitely following!

Mark
👀

Antoine Meylan
Ca à l'air GIGANTESQUE !!! Je suis!

Darin Schneider
I probably didn't need to know that this kit exists! 🙂. J/k, can't wait to see your progress! This is has been one of my favorite airplanes since I was a kid!

John Author
Thanks for the likes and comments, gents! Yes, this is going to be a lot of work and I hope to do it justice. I'm currently trying to figure out how to make the wingtips droop to 25 degrees for a more interesting look and checking out a build over on Britmodeler where a fellow did just that. It looks...painful.

Never a Pro
holy mother of god

John Author
Never a Pro, that about sums it up! 😄

Neil
Definitely following with interest 🙂 I've got the italeri version 👍

bughunter
That must be huge 😮

Ben M
👁️👁️

Looks to be a delightfully terrible kit

John Author
I welcome everyone to the peanut gallery, feel free to throw rotten vegetables and laugh when I fall on my face 😄

Frank I think it's the opposite of your Goblin, it would probably just about fit into the cockpit!

Ben, I certainly foresee a lot, lot of sanding and filling on this one at a minimum!

Mr D
Nice start of the project.... looking good, hope you have a good spray gun 🤣.
Good luck on next steps 👍👍

bughunter
The bomber crew was surprised to hear a humming noise. The flight engineer found the cause: someone had left the toilet window open and a goblin was circling around the lamp. 😉

Never a Pro
dude, you probably be better using a roller and a Costco bucket of wall paint, than an airbrush and a dozen of 10ml paint bottles.

CaptGPF
Good start on the office!

Mark de Boer
@ Never a Pro, that is why there are spraycans. Easy and quick. Gonna be a handfull. Cant wait to see the endresult.

J35J
Wow, this needs to be followed! Great start!👍🏻

John Author
Yes, the thought of trim paint rollers has crossed my mind and I've been casting an eye on the cheap automotive spray guns at the local china-tool place! In reality, the primer coat will probably be automotive spray primer, something that sticks to fiberglass. I don't think Mr. Surfacer is gonna cut it for this one. I don't think much of a doodle coat will be needed since it will represent AV-1 at or near rollout. The challenge will be to give some depth to the paint while still keeping it clean overall. I suppose I could take the full plunge and represent it after the paint started to flake off during flights 1-4 and do a full hairspray chipping, but I like to hold on to what's left of my sanity!

Alberto
This is definitely interesting... following and good luck John!

John Author
Thanks Alberto, I'm going to need it!

gorby
Very interesting! Joining the audience for this. 🙂

Mark Sherwood
And there I was expecting a well endowed mezzo soprano on a winged hoss. Mind you, talking of big beasts that's a beaut' got a seat in the stalls for this . 👍🥸🤘

John Author
You're welcome to the peanut gallery anytime Mark. Updates are slow in coming because I am currently trying to tweak the fit of the canopy over the hole that must be sawed in the fuselage. If you thought Eduargh was ill-fitting, this takes the cake! Razor saw 0.2mm or so here, block sand a touch there, add a bit of plastic card and sand that to fit...on it goes. More to follow soon!

Mark Sherwood
Goodness John, I thought hph were up there with the best of them. Tamiyaesque, Zouki type quality. Good luck in the endeavour. 👍🥸👍

John Author
I think their reputation is simply being able to provide subjects in scales no one else will touch. Certainly I have not heard them praised for ease of build! That being said, it's all here and they never promised a rose garden.

Mark Sherwood
That's some excellent work and modding' you've done there John on a difficult kit to say the least. If I was from Texas I'd of took a six gun to it by now, but being a Brit' I heave a heavy sigh of despair, take a gulp of tea and watch a mediocre rugby match (Rhino's V Salford) although my shares in epoxy putty seem to be rising. Good luck with the rest of the build

Hans-Jürgen Haag
An Maxi Projekt 👍

Timmie
Wow what a huge project. You got yourself into 🙂. Following with interest. Cockpit and window realy turned out good.

bughunter
I know you are working carefully - but you should enter the next level of care while working on this now even more rare kit! There are rumours the last days that the owner decided to close HpH models 🙁 The brand is also marked on Scalemates as stopped. So I guess there will be no spare parts.
It looks like there were a lot of new kits by traditional manufactures and a lot of new kits in small series made by 3D printing so there was not much money left in the community to buy such high priced special kit from HpH.

John Author
Frank, that is sad news. I have complained about the kit as being difficult but it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build a quarter scale XB-70.

I wasn't planning on getting spare parts but this news means I for sure better not break anything. At least the cockpit/canopy is in place, anything else can be made by scrap, super glue and epoxy if I have to.

MuadDale
Great work so far, I don't have the patience for all the extra effort this one is taking!

Mark Sherwood
Just been through your build log John. Fibreglass?!?! Slippy primers, chopping, sawing and sanding. Bloody Hell! I'd of been sucking that cotton bud at the end or having meself a strong cuppa' No. . . . . Alcohol methinks. Good luck with the rest of the build. You're doing a bang up job so far. 👍🥸🤘

bughunter
I'm still watching and hope to see it finished one day ...
Perhaps I overlooked it - is it for you or a commissioned build?

John Author
Mark and Frank. Yes, I have considered partaking of the alcohol swabs more than once, though it's isopropanol, so not much of a good feeling. I will get it done. Once I have the lower fuselage connected to the upper, that's the biggest step, other than finding a spare paint booth to paint the thing in. Maybe the local autobody shop will let me borrow theirs...

Oh, and commission. As cool as it is, I don't think I would have ever thought to take it on as a project.

Mark Sherwood
Ha, Har, Nerg the Nail and Big Ol' Ass Clamps and some elbow grease and sweat seems to have done the trick. Looks like you're on course 👍

Timmie
Like Mark said, seems you nailed this step. 😁

CaptGPF
Wow! A lot of progress despite the challenges!

Mr D
Doing good buddy 👍 Real good..... Big build but be worth it in the end .

Rando
following this beast!

J35J
This is really a brutal build from a number of aspects.
Keep on pushing, you're doing great!!!👍🏻

Mr D
This is the great battle of man Vs Model on a grand scale 👍 may the best man win 😀👍

John Author
As I delve into the wing hinges, it's getting crazier. I'm having strange, possibly mad, ideas how to pull it off. The deeper I get into my cups, the more sense it makes...