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Here's a good example, not mine. There are all kinds of flaps there in repair positions: Leading edge (down), outboard flaps (up), inboard flaps (up), and ailerons (down). So if I wanted to have a wheels up configuration at any point in flight, with as many of those displayed open accurately, what could I do? I;m ignoring other real-world flaps that are not in this model.

Cool. they never come down during an ascent? I guess in a valk, the feet thrusters substitute the tail wings. In many dioramas, they have the flaps up and down, which doesn't look right... maybe that's repair position?

I'm thinking gears up, but accurate open positions for the flaps.

Ah, it's the splinter camouflage that got you! Nice site. Question for you aeronautics guys, if I were to make a vf-1 with open wing flaps, what would be the correct position for ascending (and look cool at the same time)?

Awesome! Love seeing new stuff like this. Hope you will share results as you progress with the 1/20.

Check out this guy's mods to the 1/20.

Derex, Some other points to add to the good advice from WM Cheng and NZEOD. I haven't worked on this model, but I don't putty the exterior as you mentioned. For light blocking edges, you can often use black construction paper. I don't use aluminum foil because it conducts electricity. Painting the insides black will also help a great deal. I also paint the backs and sides of the LEDs, and I paint the fiber optic strands as well (except the tips), usually with polyurethane black primer. Basically black paint everything on the inside, and keep blocking until you get the result. A light box is different, in which case you black the outside, and keep the inside white to reflect around the space. This can spread 1x light source to multiple pinholes, such as the cockpit and gunner-room images below. If you intend 1x led to light multiple holes and hide the hot spots, then you definitely need to diffuse the light as you said. Try white paper, tracing paper, and stuff like that. You can also sand down clear parts to diffuse light. I add my own piece of clear stryrene sanded down between the light source if there is no clear part. A blob of Epoxy can also diffuse light for you. As you said, painting the leds will also have an effect, but you need to test different shades and see what you like. You can always wipe it off with alcohol if it is not right. But I always wait till everything is dry before testing the light. And if the lights are too powerful, you might want to bring them way down to a minimum to get desired result. I use 3-5v strips. Here are some examples of light boxes and light blocking form my Falcon.

I didnt have any idea about models, but when I saw Starblazers around 1980, I would draw the Yamato over and over again with huge space battles. It was just from memory, I had no other material. I remember my 4th grade teacher asking me, "What are you drawing," and I said, "It's the Armada." I wonder what she thought of the little warrior.

Are those stickers or water slide decals? You cant use softner on stickers. If they are very tough water slide decals, you add more softner and press down firmly with a q-tip till they form in place. And keep repeating till it works. But weak water slide decals will risk breaking up. So you test on blank part of the decal to see how much softner it can take. If it is a sticker, I have no idea, but you may google it.

The award for cutest modeler goes to....

That sucks! Buying a new kit on clearance is probably your best best. I have seen people recast canopies in crystal clear (search for a Fan Racer Yamato recast in the Workshop forum). I have also seen vacu formed canopies. They use Tamiya putty to re-mold the canopy interior. But those methods require a lot of experience, and even then you get a lot of failed attempts.

Nice matte finish Crossair.

Painting the markings is a great challenge to take on. Don't give up, it won't be perfect, but it will be something to be proud of. I look forward to seeing more progress. If you're gonna paint a valk, Hasegawa is the way to go. Painting the transforming Bandai is pretty much useless, as it will likely never transform again.

Nice weathering to beat up the old guy. The scratches and gunk are nicely in scale too. I don't have the patience for that level of detailing. And some of those photos are very well done with the angles and lighting. Do you plan a matt coat or semi-gloss at the end? Or is that how you want it? Nice work. Keep em coming.

wm cheng, yeah that Mr softner is powerful stuff. I usually wipe it right off, let it work, then add more and wipe right off again if it needs more, or it will disintegrate Hasegawa decals. And I would say 90% of my time is fixing and repairing

Gloss coat is looking clean. What is your method of applying the coat. Please give some details. I always struggle with this step and can't safely apply oils afterwards. Seems no matter how much I spray, the gloss is not thick enough.

Don't be a stranger, show us your 40k stuff. And thanks for the compliment, but you have no one to blame but yourself.

Look who's back. Love your modern camo schemes. The more destroids the better!

Oh dear, they even include those little jars of paint! Gives me flashbacks of trying to hand paint my models when I was a kid... It didn't go well.

Joscasle, your F-14 looks great. All the weathering has really paid off. And you have a nice semi-matt finish. A lot of these birds get ruined by the gloss at the end. Nice work! Focslain, Yeah, I can see your pain. These 31s have too much Formula One style decals for a simple solution, unless there are custom masks to help out I wouldn't dare do it. Mechtech, so you replaced your window with a plexiglass for the exhaust? Is it wind proof, dust proof, etc? My wife would definitely appreciate a change from my current set up. ("Can you take all that tape off the window so we can clean the dust, please?" Feeling guilty now I still haven't gotten around to it in a few months ) wm cheng, your diligent color matching drill makes me slightly depressed . I just throw in whatever comes out of my airbrush it seems.

wm cheng, nice to see you back on an aircraft. Don't worry you haven't lost the touch. Bolt, your scheme is insane! Ready for your finishing touches. joscasle, nice update with the yellows and weathering. Looks amazing and dirty as hell. As for me, still no modelling until I can grip my tools without pain. The stress ball exercises seem to be working. But I have been learning how to make Napolitan pizza, does rising dough count as my Workbench?

I've heard you shouldn't put the chrome/gold plated parts in the ultra sound together with other alloys. They make a reaction. Also don't put flammable chemicals in the ultra sound. Just warm water, or soapy water.

I recommend watching a bunch of videos on cleaning and caring for your airbrush first. You don't need a deep clean if you're just changing colors, but at the end of a session, you need to go all out. Then before painting any models, get a lot of practice on paper and on plastic spoons to get your thinning ratios, airflow, and distance right, and to get a feel for the differences between primers, base coats and clear. It's not that hard to get a good result on your first kit if you give yourself time to practice first. When those spoons start looking good, have at it.

Dang, this guy's Hachette is out of control.

Looks okay at this stage. Will you be panel lining the entire ship? I would wait till you finish that step before deciding what to do with the engines.