Imai 1/72 VF-1 #5

Mixed a dark grey color with Tamiya enamel black and white, applied on the side exhaust ports on the main engines. Time for decals - it is really challenging this time, the decals sheet not just turning yellowish after 30+ years (close to 40 indeed), it takes few minutes to soak in water before the decals can be detached, and yet they are extremely brittle. I have damaged most of them, and only two were successfully mounted on position, which I was able to moved its pieces into a logo shape.

Success rate is very low, at least I tried.

 

Imai 1/72 VF-1 #4

Completed most of the seams filling and base painting. Cockpit details has been applied, PE also just arrived. The landing gears are not too bad, however there is NO landing gear bay. To me it is a show stopper, and I decided to build the kit without landing gear. 

On the other hand, I am also NOT into hand brushing the 1/72 pilot. Therefore, the final product would be weird - the VF-1 is in flying mode (aka all landing gears are folded / invisible), canopy closed but pilot is missing. 

How about this, it is a space fighter (who can say it is not ?), it can "land" inside mothership or base in floating mode (zero gravity), so it is perfectly fine to build in such way. :)

Zero fever, 1/32

1/32 Tamiya Zero - it is comparable to the quality of a Bandai PG gundam / very good MG

1/32 Hasegawa Zero - while having the same size as its competitor, it is at most comparable to RE/100

I am not saying MG is better than RE/100, as there is a gap between both price points. It is good that there are variety in the market and there is always a choice on what you want. 

For me, why not we have BOTH :)

Trumpeter 1/144 F-16A/C #3

This project has been on hold for a while to give way to 3 other aircraft projects. Now they are all completed and it is time to re-visit. Start from where it stopped.

First thing is to add a bit of color in the cockpit, dry brush enamel silver, and add a few of different color on the instrument panel and side panels. Also apply a layer of Gaia green color on the seat. Also fit a small piece of transparent green cut off from plastic file folder to make the HUD.

Next, I cut a few very thin (less than 1mm) masking tape and make the harness, and brushed blue and silver. It is then time to close the canopy.

The fit isn't great, I have to glue the front to the fuselage first, let it dry and secured and then force the rear part of the canopy to fit on to the fuselage aft the cockpit area.

Airfix 1/72 P-40B #17 (Completed)

Identified an PE part sprue from spare part box, sand the frame to make it smooth, and applied metal primer -> black primer -> cockpit green (Zaku green). And use transparent glue to fix it inside the windshield. Given it is tiny, I omitted the "glass" and just use the frame. 

After installed windshield onto the fuselage, applied some brown real touch marker on the rivets to tune down its brightness. I did not find a good way to fix the canopy in open position which would not deform its shape, hence I just leave it as removable. Completed the my first ever WWII propeller model kit. 

Airfix 1/72 P-40B #16

Applied a layer of clear matte (GX-114) on the fuselage, and focus is now back to the canopy. 

It was painted when it was still one-piece, and then I changed my mine to have an open pose (bad planning, it is me), cut it open to separate the windshield. 

Masked and painted again since I am the one who asked for it. 

And I managed find a small rectangle shape from the PE tree in my spare which seems to fit the size of the inner-window behind the windshield. Next would be a bit of clean up of the PE part, and how to apply it onto the inner surface of the windshield.

Airfix 1/72 P-40B #15

Weathering pass 2, with 0.2mm airbrush, applied smoky dark around engine exhausts.

After drying for a day, started weathering pass 3 with :

1. white oil paint to highlight rivets on olive drub color

2. back oil paint to highlight rivets on light grey color

3. white fade oil paint to create more highlight on the surface

4. enamel black and silver for chipping effect

5. brown wash on wheels

6. brown real touch maker for final touch up

And the result :