Thread started by Smogloyna
Mark Sherwoodadded a new photoalbum.
43 24 June, 19:07
Nick DragoneDefinitely will be following. That Vampire kit forced me to say many bad words and it was put it on The Shelf of Doom for two years. I took another crack at it and completed it. It's on my Wall, but it did give me fits and I had to have the top wing replaced by Airfix due to severe warpage. Good luck mate!
1 24 June, 20:50
Mark Sherwood AuthorCheer's Nick. So far so good on the dry fitting. Put down some primer on the internals last night, probably do some work on details tonight.
25 June, 06:27
Mark Sherwood AuthorCheers Nick. Leaving the Achilles build for a bit, I'll be masking the canopy and attaching the boom's/tailplane, hopefully. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
18 July, 22:31
JohnI just want to know where you found some Mr. Surfacer 1500! The stuff is unobtanium right now. Oh and nice start to the build 😉
18 July, 23:49
Mark Sherwood AuthorCheers John๐ I've had that bottle of black along with the grey from when I got miffed with AK 3G acrylic primers. I use several outlets (Ear' in Blighty) because one of them will have them in stock. PM Models, Premium Hobbies, Scale Model Shop and Jadlam Toys.
19 July, 08:24
gorbyI know others who have had problems with this kit, particularly the nose wheel well so it isn't just you.
Definitely no shortage of 1500 here in Britland John.
1 19 July, 08:42
Mark Sherwood AuthorGorby as this build goes on I'm finding imperfections and ill fitting parts. Not to mention the instructions, some parts should be fitted earlier than instructed. Some surgery (Butchery) may be involved. ๐ฎ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
1 19 July, 17:58
Major OakMark looking good mate and your right sometimes you are rocking along then you get a problem I normally put it on the shelve but persevere your work is top end ๐
1 19 July, 19:53
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you Major Oak. I'm usually a OOB kinda thing with a few embellishments and this kit is not an Edaurdaarrrggghh!!! Though there are problems, but they can be dealt with. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
1 19 July, 22:32
FelixIf only Airfix had done a better job with this kit! It's not bad but just really not inspiring and that is just a no go with this iconic plane.
1 3 August, 20:31
Mark Sherwood AuthorTrue Felix. It is, not bad. It's the engineering and planning of the kit that let's it down. For instance contact points to small and instructions that state a part fitted now, instead of early in the build or further along the build. It is an iconic post war jet and Airfix have not really done it justice.
2 4 August, 04:32
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you for the like Kyrylo and everyone else who liked. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
4 August, 04:36
JohnSeeing the Achilles and Vampire in the same pic, I thought to myself, "This crazy man is treating us to a bonkers kitbash!"
2 4 August, 15:48
DoubtingmangoI have to admit that I was disappointed too. Some of us have dreamed of a flying 17 pounder. I do admire your tenacity on the vampire. What a mess!
2 5 August, 23:45
Mark Sherwood AuthorThe recoil sends it into chasing fighters, two for the price of one. Re-did the seams before our little sojourn in Whitby. I will reapply primer when we get back see where I stand going forward. What is that dark shape at the window? ๐ฑ
7 August, 14:16
FelixActually that seam just below the cockpit is the biggest disappointment with this kit, imho. How could they mess up the two halves this badly?
7 August, 15:15
Mark Sherwood AuthorI agree Felix. This my third attempt at the seams. It's going to be garlic and a stake through the fuselage at this rate and buried at a crossroads for good measure.
1 7 August, 16:47
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you Gary for the like and everyone else who liked too. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
10 August, 11:58
JohnLP-11 with mr. Hobby rapid thinner makes quite a good high speed silver. The rapid thinner dries before the metallic particles can drift and look grainy. It's not at all a good nmf type finish but it looks the part for an applied silver aircraft coating.
1 10 August, 12:29
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you Felix, masking next for the black and yellow markings. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
22 August, 06:20
Mark Sherwood AuthorSorry John. I somehow missed your post, either I turned off my notifications, I'm deaf to the audio notification, I'm hung over or just plain old senile. As you can see I went another route, but I'll take your advice as I may do some RAF inter-war aircraft. Again apologies. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐
1 22 August, 06:26
JohnI think the LP-34 mixed in is a brilliant idea. 👍 The rapid thinner works well. Fairly heavy coat, just keep the airbrush moving. Dries really smooth and uniform not grainy at all.
1 22 August, 10:03
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you John. I've been using Mr Color (Colour, can't help myself) lacquer thinners and levelling thinners. As soon as my preferred stockists gets rapid thinner it's gone. But they give a good finish too and I usually wet 'n' dry between coats.
1 22 August, 10:49
JohnNothing wrong with the levelling or lacquer ones, love them myself. The rapid just has the extra benefit of not allowing the metallic particles to wander before setting up. I need to amend up there...not too heavy a coat or even the rapid won't dry fast enough, just not a mist coat either. Haven't tried sanding between coats but in theory you shouldn't need to with rapid but if you do, a final light coat might be just the ticket for ultimate smoothness. Like ez-listening jazz.
1 22 August, 11:33
Mark Sherwood AuthorGoing forward that would be a good idea using rapid, especially if I do a NMF on a Mustang I have in my mini stash. I prefer Hard Bop! ๐๐คฃ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
22 August, 15:01
CaptGPFLooks like you are past the api fil parts of the build - amazing job on the tail booms! You really tamed this kit!
1 25 August, 06:36
Mark Sherwood AuthorThanks Capt. Some curvy masking to do to get the black down and if you look closely at the front side panels there are still visible seams. I'm putting that down to stress, mine ๐คฃ or the fact that Vampires were constructed using wood and metal ๐ therefore it's stressed skin. ๐คฃ๐๐๐ค๐ฅธ
25 August, 06:58
Mark Sherwood AuthorJan_57 thank you for the like and everyone else who hit the like button too. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
27 August, 05:44
FelixThat is a really lovely scheme and she is starting to look like a real Vampire!
1 9 September, 09:27
Mark Sherwood AuthorFelix, Robert, Nick and Major Oak. Thank you for your compliments. Applied a coat of varnish after my shift yesterday, I'll give it another day before applying panel line washes. I preferred that scheme over the camo' summink' different. Major Oak it's all down to masking ๐ How familiar Nick, the pain in the arse butchering to get parts to fit๐คฃ Again thank you all. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
10 September, 04:37
Nick DragoneI had the same problem that you encountered. I could have put an anvil in the nose and it still would have been a tail dragger. The only solution was to mount it on a base like you did. Definitely NOT one of Airfix's best releases, but it's finished and looks lovely.
2 16 September, 17:59
SkyhikerNice solution since you didn't have room for the anvil. The other solution would have been to throw it across the room and see if it could fly. I think you made the right choice.
1 16 September, 18:04
Mark Sherwood AuthorI wish we could put emojis on those like buttons. I agree Nick not one of Airfix's best especially as it was an important post war jet. Believe me Skyhiker I was tempted. Thank you both for the compliments. If the daylight improves by the time my shift finishes I may post some snaps in a new album. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
17 September, 06:48
Francky CallewaertI filled the nose of mine up with lead and it worked. I had to file the lead to have lead dust that could fit perfectly in the nose. Then i had to put additional lead under the cockpit.
17 September, 08:40
FelixNot the best kit, but you still did a beautiful job, Mark. Love it. If they release additional schemes i might just buy another one.
1 17 September, 08:55
Mark Sherwood AuthorCheers Felix, agree not one of Airfix's best and if they do tool a Venom or a Sea Vampire/Venom I hope it is better than this iteration. Thank you for the compliment. Francky, I did pack lead in that was left over from our re-roofing and it nosed down on my balancer (Mefinger TM) unfortunately it seems to be light lead ๐ณ. They don't make it like they use too. ๐ ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐คฃ
17 September, 09:38
Francky CallewaertWhat I thought about (too late) was that I could push the nose into sand, and fill that hole up with molten lead. That would have fitted perfectly inside the nose and would have been a lot less work. A friend of mine also filled the front wheel landing bay.
1 17 September, 14:19
Guy RumpIt is always a pain when an aircraft model tail sits however, you've made a really good job of this Mark and I like your stand solution too. 👍
1 18 September, 17:08
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you Guy, just some edging to do too tidy it up. . . . . . . . . Eventually ๐คฃ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐คฃ
19 September, 06:14
Mark Sherwood AuthorIf you do Paul, be aware there are issues with the fit and parts i.e. clear parts for the navigation lights are oversized. Otherwise it's not that bad and thank you for the like. ๐๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐
1 19 September, 08:39
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you for the compliment Gorby. Yes, I preferred the Egyptian scheme over the Camo' scheme it looks more interesting. ๐๐ฅธ๐ค
1 20 September, 09:22
JohnLooks a treat Mark! I'll just enjoy yours as it doesn't sound like a super fun build, haha.
1 21 September, 16:20
Mark Sherwood AuthorThank you John and Volker for the compliments. It wasn't John, I know Airfix have upped their game recently, but this is a recent tooling! I would of thought it would be there or thereabouts. I have the Hunter in my mini stash ๐๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐ซฉ๐๐คฃ
1 21 September, 18:34
Francky CallewaertI am building one myself at this moment. I don't think this model is too bad... except for the tail sitting part
22 September, 10:12
Mark Sherwood AuthorWait till you mate the fuselage Francky, there is a bit of an overlap. ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค
22 September, 10:15
Mark Sherwood AuthorI might Skyhiker. It could be a bit of a Drag though. ๐ ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐
24 September, 09:05
J35JGreat stuff! ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ
Regarding Venom, you can always take a swing at the old Matchbox SeaVenom 1:32 if you feel strong๐
28 September, 16:59
Mark Sherwood AuthorAlberto, Major Oak Thank you for the compliments. J35J Thank you for the compliment, at my age I can just about deadlift and squat my body weight. The weight of opprobrium that would come down on my head from Matchbox collectors for the temerity to open the box even build it would compress me to fleshy dot on the floor. ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅธ๐ค๐ ๐
29 September, 10:46