Whats Lying on your Workbench MKIII

[HWR MKII]

Just to keep things going for people. Alot of activity lately.

[TSP]

Thanks for opening a new thread. Besides Macross, spaceships and all the other half build robots, this one also shares some workspace. But this will be finished tomorrow.

[ce25254]

Well I feel a little guilty about posting this, but here goes.

I've been working on the Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah '91 'big wrap' kit. The original is a truly wicked sculpt by Yuji Sakai, often noted as a 'grail' kit for Godzilla fans, and something that I always wanted to build.

Unfortunately this version is a cheap recast; I did not understand anything about the terrible recast market at the time I bought this kit years ago. Have you heard about the horrible stinky brittle resin used by cheap recasters? Missing parts? Deformed parts? This recast has it all! It supplied duplicates for a couple of Godzilla's fins, and is missing some of the spines for King Ghidorah's wings and heads. The (huge) wings in particular are just in horrible shape, but I'll get to those later. Hopefully they will turn out OK. I would not buy this kit knowing what I know now, but since I have it, I am building it. This kit is something like 18" high when completed.

There are a lot of big gaps, and filling those in King Ghidorah requires a lot of finesse to reproduce the scales. I may need to rework a couple of the rear neck areas; I'm not very happy with how those have turned out. Filling in the gaps in Godzilla's arms, tail, etc. is pretty easy.

For putty, I'm using Aves Apoxie. For paint I'm using Tamiya acrylics and some water-based metallic shades I picked up on clearance at a local hobby shop. I'm starting with a base coat of sort of a purple and adding Gold over that. I have some other shades I'll be adding, and do drybrushing and washes after that. Godzilla is the usual bland

Anyway here are some in-progress pictures...

[CAIN MKII]

Thanks for opening a new thread. Besides Macross, spaceships and all the other half build robots, this one also shares some workspace. But this will be finished tomorrow.

Cool one, it looks like Twin bee.

[Kylwell]

Ah'm still plugging away @ my Grille

[Fly4victory]

With the VF-2SS with removable SAP done, now started/finishing the desert Magella-attack tank.

May start the YMT-05 Hildolfr, next.

Edit: No way to explain it.

Edited September 4, 2008 by Fly4victory

[TSP]

Cool one, it looks like Twin bee.

Thanks! It's Opa Opa from Fantasy Zone

@ce25254 It looks very good. You should feel guilty for not posting more pictures.

[ron5864]

Here's a quick and simple job during between long projects.

This is a 1/100th scale Destroid Phalanx from the Bandai 25th Anniversary Macross model kit. This was built with a little less refinement than my other model kits; less sanding, painting and detailing. It was a quickie assembly, but then again, it was a rather inexpensive kit (around $7).

I'll load up some better photos later on.

[ce25254]

It was a quickie assembly, but then again, it was a rather inexpensive kit (around $7).

But it still looks great! Honestly compared to the photos of these kits in the old Macross photo books it is a whole different level of construction.

[cowie165]

Very nice work Ron! 1/100 FTW

Those leg seams are a pain, aren't they. Hey did you use MV lenses again? I left my phalanx on the bench because I can't find MV lenses here in Australia

[ron5864]

Very nice work Ron! 1/100 FTW

Those leg seams are a pain, aren't they. Hey did you use MV lenses again? I left my phalanx on the bench because I can't find MV lenses here in Australia

Yea Cowie, the legs were the most difficult to work with, especially the area with the ridges. It seems that the plastic pieces don't fit too well sometimes. When it is a cheap model kit, Bandai just did not invest too much time and effort in a better mold.

But it was easy to build.

The only problem I ran into was with the decals. Somehow, the decal softener MicroSol wrinkles the decals around the legs.

I bought three of those lens for $2.85 at my local hobby store. It does make the figure more realistic.

So on to the next project....

[cowie165]

What's next for you? Another Macross or something else?

[ron5864]

What's next for you? Another Macross or something else?

Something unique!

A couple of dioramas for for the SDF-1. I have completed one and started working on the second one. When both are completed, I will post some photos up.

I hope you have something in the works too.

[cowie165]

I'm watching Macross again at the moment and tonight saw ep18 again (Pineapple Salad - when Roy is KIA). I love the scene where Hikaru is standing in the hospital at the window, and Milia's Q-Rau falls from the sky right in front of him. Such a cool shot. It reminded me of your diorama with M & M duking it out inside the Macross. Very cool!

As for me, I'm finishing up a 1/100 Academy F-14A. It's just for some practice doing USN lo-vis schemes but I'm going to decal it as a Macross Zero jet and display it on my 1/100 shelf.

Looking forward to your diorama pics Ron!

[Fly4victory]

Ran out of primer but these are the parts that I have done on the YMT-05.

[wm cheng]

Some more updates...

Argh... sanding... sanding... and more sanding... Did a primer coat to see the results, and I'm not a very good sander anymore. Man am I out of shape, a few years from modelling and I don't know how to sand again!! I still have some seams and blotches of Mr. Surfacer here and there, I keep sanding again, thinking I got it, then primering, and realizing its better but not all gone, then I get to the part where I start to loose the curvature of the surfaces and details, but the damn repair job is still there!! Argh!! at some point I've got to call it quits and walk away and call my losses and get on to another stage. The little sinkholes/devits on either side of the fuselage proved a bit problematic, I filled them with Mr. Surfacer, but the more I sand, the more the Mr. Surfacer stands out, its as though the surrounding plastic is softer than the Mr. Surfacer!! The horizontal seams by the cockpit has proved a challenge too, think I successfully puttied and sanded them smooth (at least to the light and my fingernails) I glued that little bump/hump to both sides of the fuselage, only to find out that the seam is still visible after primering. Now I have to sand that part around the nosecone antenna and humps, which is proving very difficult without erasing those small details! I love small 1/72 models, but now I wished it was slightly bigger like 1/48 or something. DID I MENTION I HATE SANDING NOW...

I've never had such problems with my older Hasegawa kits, I don't know if its because I'm coming back into modeling after a 3yr hiatus and I am rusty or that there's just more filling to be done with this Academy kit, but the sinkholes on the fuselage sides seem to be just bad QC and all the little various injector pin marks all over the place! I wasn't a fan of the 6 piece intake assembly! And making the wings a glue on piece, it should of just been part of the top fuselage. It seems like its just parts sake for extra pieces sake. IMHO Plus there's this fine texture all over all the parts, that shows up if you spray Alclad metalizer paints without primering first. Great detail on this Academy kit, but fussy parts breakdown and assembly - thats my take on the new kit so far!

Oh well, some more little bits and pieces here and their that I've been working on... Modifying the airbrakes seems to have paid off with the Eduard PE kit.

[Valkyrie addict]

AWESOME

[wm cheng]

ARGH!! Disaster stuck...

In my stupid attempts to accelerate the drying process, I placed the kit a little to close to my lights and it deformed the canopy (beyond re-shaping it back). I can't believe how stupid I was!! I've got too much invested in this bird at this point.

I called the store where I purchased the kit from, but they say that they have no way of contacting Academy to obtain a replacement part. I remember back in the day (20yrs ago) when I had a 1/32 Tamiya F-14 and I was able to purchase just the canopy tree again from the distributor (Borgfield Toys in Toronto, Canada). But it seems I may be out of luck this time around. So any one here with a suggestion on an avenue to pursue? I'd hate to purchase another kit just for the canopy (and I don't assume anyone here on these boards have a spare one - its not like its an option part?!) but you never know? I'm going to try the Academy web site. DAMN!!

[David Hingtgen]

Academy parts? Contact Lucky Model.

http://www.luckymodel.com/

They even keep individual sprues in stock for sale for some kits, and the owner posts on ARC---might want to contact him that way. http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showuser=1022

[wm cheng]

Thanks David! Contacted him... waiting for reply... fingers crossed!

I can't believe this kit!! It must be jinxed... everything is happening to it... so frustrating. Last night (after being so careful) I took it to a IPMS meeting (I just joined up, newbie!) and promptly broke the nose pitot tube! and then also broke/bent the photo-etched HUD assembly in the cockpit - ARGH!! Whats going on...

Oh well, I shot the whole thing with primer and a ton of mistakes showed up - mostly sanding seams and Mr. Surfacer marks that weren't feathered properly - MAN! this is modelling 101 and I still can't get the basics right... Well, these shots is after a few tries at sanding, re-primering and re-sanding - its finally starting to look right.

Well, the accident had a silver lining, one of the guys at the IPMS meeting suggested that I shouldn't use the kit's plastic pitot tube anyways and that I should fabricate one out of hyperdermic needles - its so much stronger and the next time someone knocks it, they'll more likely get hurt than my model ;-) I LIKE THAT! Here's my first attempt at using two needle diameters to sleeve them - I think it looks a lot more convicing than before, and ITS STRONG! Still have to sand down the crazy glue around the base though. I also included some shots of the airbrake modifications to the rear using the photoetched parts once the primer is on them to even out the finish.

The primer really picked out the wing riveting (trying to make this 1/72 scale look like the Tamiya 1/48) - for my first time, I think it turned out okay.

So here's a few more shots of my current progress...

[HWR MKII]

If your making a Block 50 F-16 out of it youll want to remove the reenforcement panels on the spine. If its any other block aircraft your fine. It was part of the falcon up program which added stiffeners, new ALE-47 chaff/flare system and other avionics changes.

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the kit. Sometimes even i have one of those kits that just doesnt want to get finished. I wind up throwing it in a box for a couple years and coming back at it with a fresh outlook.

Try a battroid. Something your familiar with but not an aircraft.

[David Hingtgen]

Wow, I've never seen an F-16 kit that had the stiffeners molded on. Reminds me of the Tamiya 1/32 F-14 and F-15 kits--they copied a real one so closely, they even included that specific plane's patches/repairs---which just means you have to sand them off.

[wm cheng]

I actually added the stiffeners onto the model - they're part of the photo-etched kit (not included with the original model)

I believe the Wolfpack are Block 40 - the only discrepancy are the four antenna bumps in front of the fuselage (I can't remember what they're called), but I read somewhere that some Block 40 aircraft were upgraded with them with the remainder waiting to receive the upgrades - or something like that (anyways, I tend to like the looks of them and added them in anyways).

You know, your right about the Battroid thing, Macross subjects are so much easier cause you can just add any kind of detail you like and not worry about accuracy, with the web there's always so many experts around to notice the wrong bump or ECM fin! ;-) I do appreciate all the helpful comments though.

Edited September 10, 2008 by wm cheng

[007-vf1]

I am working on these too..

almost there...

[vermillion01]

Is that an E-Wing from Starwars Dark Empire? cool...

[miriya]

Is that an E-Wing from Starwars Dark Empire? cool...

Vermillion01...

I havent seen your duck face around in a long time. Welcome back. And if you have been here all along, well, my bad.

[vermillion01]

Vermillion01...

I havent seen your duck face around in a long time. Welcome back. And if you have been here all along, well, my bad.

Thanks Miriya... just been lurking for a while.. i'm here even if u dont see me

[007-vf1]

Yes it is.. I believe is still available in Starship modelers. Is a 1/72 scale to go with the fine molds. needs clear coat, decals and battle damage...just like my b-wing,a-wing and x-wing...

Is that an E-Wing from Starwars Dark Empire? cool...

[MechTech]

Nice! My son wants the E wing and my daughter wants the Min Mei doll! - MT

[Fly4victory]

Not much progress. Have painted the parts light brown, tan, sand and nato gray 1. The center of the road wheels rubber. The road wheels are the slow part since I am doing by hand and not airbrush.

[cokefiend]

Yes it is.. I believe is still available in Starship modelers. Is a 1/72 scale to go with the fine molds. needs clear coat, decals and battle damage...just like my b-wing,a-wing and x-wing...

Actually, they're sold out.

If you really want one I still have a few in my possession.

Oh and nice work vf-1. I love seeing them built up.

[Kamorigis]

I actually added the stiffeners onto the model - they're part of the photo-etched kit (not included with the original model)

I believe the Wolfpack are Block 40 - the only discrepancy are the four antenna bumps in front of the fuselage (I can't remember what they're called), but I read somewhere that some Block 40 aircraft were upgraded with them with the remainder waiting to receive the upgrades - or something like that (anyways, I tend to like the looks of them and added them in anyways).

You know, your right about the Battroid thing, Macross subjects are so much easier cause you can just add any kind of detail you like and not worry about accuracy, with the web there's always so many experts around to notice the wrong bump or ECM fin! ;-) I do appreciate all the helpful comments though.

Those antenna bumps are known as 'bird slicers'.

[HWR MKII]

Also i havent seen those antennas on any active USAF aircraft only export versions. Then again there could be a few in wolfpack that have them. I have only gone stateside and USAFE. Hill is the main depot though and i have yet to see any US bird come through with them on it. Only foreign nations.

Personally im in a turd polishing mood so im rennovating the AMT ATST.

Edited September 12, 2008 by HWR MKII

[bullet101]

wm cheng, you can also try hobbylink japan they sell spares that they get direct from the manufacturer. As long as the kit is still in production they should have it http://www.hlj.com/faq/q41.html. I've used them in the past for this.

[HWR MKII]

Here it is temp assembled. As it is i wil probably finish sometime early tomorrow afternoon