Satya's blog - models/f18/
I'm turning what used to be a web page into the
F18 blog category.
The first 3 entries were probably written about January 2005.
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:21
The kit can be built in various ways: single seat or two seat trainer (I opt
for the trainer, for kicks), and the USN or Canadian version. I'm not sure, but
I think I'll stick with the USN to match the F14. Or maybe I'll do my own thing
-- which includes painting it a uniform light ghost gray just like the Tomcat.
Skills? I got none.
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:21
Testors
cement over the lot. After asssembling
the nose halves, I added more spacers (I've gone through several brake pads in
the first year of owning this bike) in the space in front of the forward
control panel.
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:23
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:25
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:31
Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:26
I'm just not very good at painting.
The F14 was a fluke, and not a very good one.
All my paint has separated into oil and pigment layers,
and eitehr I get thin thinner that just wets and gives a mild version of
the base color,
or gives me a gob of pigment that either dries in a thick skin
with bubbles, or clumps.
I can't get the white paint to spread right,
it runs.
The light ghost gray areas
(most of the model)
are barely satisfactory, and the black's too matte.
Hmm, actually, the ghost gray will probably be okay after drying. I applied it with lots of strokes, so it streaked but at least it was thin but not too thin. But the streaks go away when it dries -- if it was the right consistency to begin with. Now glue, that I've got down. I'm a long way from the days of slathering Stikfast on every surface. Just a dab of testors cement is enough. I thought the tube stuff sucked, but for anything bigger than the teeniest parts, it's better than the liquid cement -- you can't get enough of that for spreading around a bit. Besides, the liquid stuff dries too fast to spread on a large area. (Actually, it softens the plastic and then hardens it again when it dries.) The tube goo is nice for spreading around without loss of drying time. It gets tacky soon enough, but not too soon.
Last week I finished the undercarriage, a.k.a. landing gear a.k.a. wheels:
The wheel well doors are white inside, so I bought a paint pen and then I bought a black one as well for various other parts. The doors are edged in black, though it's a lot thicker and sloppier than I intended. The whole thing stinks. Compare with Swanny's Models. Here's a picture of the completed aircraft. It still needs decalling, spraying, and under-wing stores: I put it outside for spraying with Testor's Glosscote. Then I found out that some areas were unpainted. But that only showed up in the photographs, and it looks ugly. The point is to spray it with Glosscote to get a smooth and glossy finish, to which the decals will adhere well. Also the decal film becomes invisible. After decalling the whole thing should be sprayed with... I'm not sure, Glosscote or Dullcote. Then I'll give it a wash like it says on Swanny's page. Update: Just fixing typing errors. Update: fixing URLs because my album stuff has changed. Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:31
Updated: Image links; thanks to amblin.
I spent the last week adding decals to the model. Some were very tiny ("no push" on the wings), and some were large enough to break off, like the stripes on the tail. I cut the starboard fin's stripes into thirds to make it easier. The decal sheet contains decals for both versions: the US Navy and the Canadian one. Too late, I found that the cockpit interior also has decals to represent the control panels. The model is almost complete. I need to spray on a layer of Glosscote and then try weathering it. I've been waiting for a clear day since I do the spraying outside, and yesterday saw a lot of rain. Today I can spray, and it's outside right now. Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:32
On June 25, the decalling was finished:
Then I tried to weather it but the paint got smeared. I shouldn't have used enamel, but acrylic (which I tried later) didn't work much better. So anyway, I left it alone, added the under-wing stores, and called it done. Still needs a coat of Dullcote, though. But I'd say it's done. Update: Fixed broken HTML. Update: URL changes. Last updated: Jan 22 2006 09:37 |
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