WIP : Bandai 1/72 X-wing starfighter Pt. 1 – Construction
In the middle of getting bogged down with the fitting issues of my F-5, I decided to get this already snapfitted kit done. As usual, it was a joy to snapfit and 99% of it doesn’t require cement. Out of the box, this builds into Luke Skywalker’s Red 5 from the Battle of Yavin, and …...
WIP : AFV Club 1/48 F-5E Tiger II Pt. 3 – Painting
To prep for painting, I began with masking off the cockpit, adding the HUD and attaching the windscreen. The instructions called for aluminum for the wheel bays but I only had Model Air Metal Steel on hand. I think it looks close enough. All the landing gear and doors were also painted steel separately. The …...
WIP : Bandai HGUC RGM-79G GM Ground
I just got this one snapfitted and it looks very good. Just a few quick thoughts: The proportions are good. It doesn’t suffer from the typical HGUC ailments of big hands, small heads and small waists. The waist is small but not too bad here. I’m liking the new design aesthetics of the newer releases. …...
WIP : AFV Club 1/48 F-5E Tiger II Pt. 2 – Construction
Work continues and I begin with masking the canopy. Unlike my previous builds, I decide not to dip the 2 canopy parts in Future since they look quite clear as is. Maybe I’ll brush on some in the end. I’m also planning to leave the canopy open so I decided to mask the inside of …...
WIP : AFV Club 1/48 F-5E Tiger II Pt. 1 – Construction
My next kit is a new build (as opposed to another Shelf Queen) of a USAF F-5E Tiger II flown as an Adversary for training purposes. The build begins with the cockpit as usual. Details are nice and are finely raised. I first sprayed a base coat of Model Air Black Grey then Mig Ammo …...
WIP : Bandai HGUC 1/144 GM Quel Pt.2
After the EF-111A Raven, I’ve been trying to get this completed before the end of April. I tried to get some paint variation like my previous build but it didn’t turn out that well. I also tried to see if I can get a stronger base coat to prevent the paint from being scratched off …...
WIP : Italeri 1/72 EF-111A Raven Pt. 4
Decaling begins with a gloss coat. I’ve had very good results with AK Interactive Intermediate Gauzy Agent. With a 1:1 thinning with water, it gives a very shiny and smooth gloss without as many problems as other gloss coats I’ve used. The markings comes from Cutting Edge Modelworks’ EF-111 Sparkvark sheet (CED72048)....
WIP : Italeri 1/72 EF-111A Raven Pt. 3
I’ve been a big fan of Gary Wickham of ScaleSpot and is constantly amazed at his detailed work. In his 1/32 Mosquito build, he showed a method of breaking up the monotony of a single color scheme so I thought I’d try it here but in a simpler form. The first step is to spray …...
WIP : Italeri 1/72 EF-111A Raven Pt. 2
Work continues as there’s more to fix than expected. First up is the joint between the 2 halves of the fuselage, which isn’t as smooth as I hoped. I should have added a spreader on the rear half so the transition between the halves is smoother. I tried various methods including Perfect Plastic Putty, correction …...
WIP : Italeri 1/72 EF-111A Raven Pt. 1
For my next build, I decided to tackle a modern aircraft. This time it’ll be the Italeri 1/72 EF-111A Raven or ‘Sparkvark’. The kit is a rebox of a release in the mid 1980s by Esci. Details are good for its age and features recessed panels. The cockpit features decals for the restraints and the …...
