Next up....Vintage Revell F-4E circa 1975

[Tommergun]

I'd say you nailed it freehand. Nice job.

 

[Littlemarten]

Not bad for a first try? In my experience, freehand camo is a matter of practice, practice, practice. As I have not had enough practice, I use masks. For a soft edge, elevate the mask slightly.

 

[BarleyBop]

For a soft edge, elevate the mask slightly.

So the principles are the same as for airbrush illustration?
Your comment reminded me of some trials I did in the 80s. French curves, friskets and masks...

Good on @lacrosse dad for jumping in! Not easy, but pretty good results.

 

[Littlemarten]

So the principles are the same as for airbrush illustration?
Your comment reminded me of some trials I did in the 80s. French curves, friskets and masks...

Good on @lacrosse dad for jumping in! Not easy, but pretty good results.

AFAIK, yes, though airbrush illustration requires real mastery of your airbrush system. I'm nowhere near.

 

[Edbert]

Do I proceed with the kit as is or do I try to fabricate things?

YES!

 

[Marauder1981]

You are an inspiration. I have the exact same kit, built it as a teenager, was dissatisfied with it in college and started to retro it... but never finished the project. Fast forward, I'm nearing retirement. Rather than spend hundreds on new kits, I've started out by rehabbing old builds, long since boxed up and recovered from my folks' place after they passed away. The last year of do-overs has provided a lot of practice, bringing skills back up to somewhat average after 40 years away from the hobby - and introducing some new ones (e.g. air brushing, PE, resin parts, etc.). Your project has given me a lot of motivation for which I'm grateful. Thank you for sharing!

 

[lacrosse dad]

You are an inspiration. I have the exact same kit, built it as a teenager, was dissatisfied with it in college and started to retro it... but never finished the project. Fast forward, I'm nearing retirement. Rather than spend hundreds on new kits, I've started out by rehabbing old builds, long since boxed up and recovered from my folks' place after they passed away. The last year of do-overs has provided a lot of practice, bringing skills back up to somewhat average after 40 years away from the hobby - and introducing some new ones (e.g. air brushing, PE, resin parts, etc.). Your project has given me a lot of motivation for which I'm grateful. Thank you for sharing!
View attachment 146592

Yep, I see two you have are exactly the model I'm working on now.....gotta say it was engineered to work right from the box and resistant to taking any aftermarket parts honestly. Hopefully, at the end I will have something to be proud of.....should be a couple of days out finishing the project. Keep at those vintage models, it has really been fun and stress relieving ( when things work out ) for me. THANKS for following the build

 

[BarleyBop]

airbrush illustration

@lacrosse dad , maybe something you'll want to look into for freehand work.

Found one of those friskets from the 1980s... nope, I rarely throw anything away if it might be useful again one day!


This is just masking film folded onto itself (for rigidity), with some shaped cuts for the drawing I was working on.

 

[Littlemarten]

Cool idea!

 

[lacrosse dad]

These older kits can really humble someone, especially someone like me returning to the hobby after 42 years or so.

Canopy not as clean as I would like. Adding too many parts without letting each one dry and set....the list goes on.

Still a couple of good days out....and old old decals

 

[BarleyBop]

...most of that goes with the territory... reading about others' adventures, I don't know that there is any point where we can be completely happy with our work, unless of course, you want to be.

And yes, I'm sitting on the sidelines, and haven't touched an airplane model in 50 years, but I quite like the stuff you've been posting for us.
Cheers!

 

[Littlemarten]

"Adding too many parts without letting each one dry and set."

What solvent cement are you using? Most of the ones I've tried are pretty "fast."

 

[lacrosse dad]

Kinda a figure of speech but I do use a fair amount of old time testors plastic model cement. The exact parts today was main landing gear, then moving on to putting in the exhaust nozzles and pushing to hard and displacing the starboard landing strut.....stuff like that, not taking my time.

 

[Littlemarten]

Kinda a figure of speech but I do use a fair amount of old time testors plastic model cement. The exact parts today was main landing gear, then moving on to putting in the exhaust nozzles and pushing to hard and displacing the starboard landing strut.....stuff like that, not taking my time.

Tube cement? They still make that? I recommend learning to use solvent cements and cyanoacrylate glues. The former come in different degrees of solubility "hotness," and the latter in different viscosities and setting times. These more modern materials make assembly much easier once mastered.

 

[TimM63]

Tube cement? They still make that? I recommend learning to use solvent cements and cyanoacrylate glues. The former come in different degrees of solubility "hotness," and the latter in different viscosities and setting times. These more modern materials make assembly much easier once mastered.

https://www.amazon.com/Testors-TES3...cphy=9032294&hvtargid=pla-2281435178338&psc=1

 

[lacrosse dad]

Tube cement? They still make that? I recommend learning to use solvent cements and cyanoacrylate glues. The former come in different degrees of solubility "hotness," and the latter in different viscosities and setting times. These more modern materials make assembly much easier once mastered.

I have Revell contacta, I use Mr. Cement and I have Tamiya extra thin on my work table.

 

[Edbert]

Even with modern CA, which is all I'd use on landing gear, I leave the bird on her back overnight to fully cure. I learned that the hard way once, woke up to crooked gear that had shifted while I slept.

I do hear that some folks use epoxy for LGs, have not tried that.

 

[lacrosse dad]

Even with modern CA, which is all I'd use on landing gear, I leave the bird on her back overnight to fully cure. I learned that the hard way once, woke up to crooked gear that had shifted while I slept.

I do hear that some folks use epoxy for LGs, have not tried that.

My interactions with CA has not been well recieved. This exact model I had some Eduard after-market cockpit pieces, I used the belts but after trying to glue the canopy latching mechanisms I had my fingers glued together, my pick-ups glued to my work bench...not a good look for me.

 

[Littlemarten]

My interactions with CA has not been well recieved. This exact model I had some Eduard after-market cockpit pieces, I used the belts but after trying to glue the canopy latching mechanisms I had my fingers glued together, my pick-ups glued to my work bench...not a good look for me.

What you need are these: https://www.scalemodeladdict.com/posts/247118/. For larger amounts, several manufacturers and hobby tools outlets sell a conical tube that fits over the bottle top and has a small opening. Also, you can put a drop of CA on a glass plate to pick up with the applicators shown in the link.

 

[lacrosse dad]

Getting close to dirty-ing my girl soon Work on exhaust wells and some detail to the radar. Extra wiring added, purists look away. This kit fit was poor, very poor so she is headed for the canopy glued in the up positions.