David Hingtgen

Tamiya Cons: First place never goes to *best* model, it goes to *most visually impressive model*--specifically, the one that'll looks best in Tamiya ads. Thus, a good high-vis Jolly Rogers F-14 will always beat a wonderful low-vis Red Rippers F-14, etc. Sure, it has to be quite good to win, but it also has to be "inherently cool". And thus, battleships and carriers almost always win for ships, no matter how amazingly you might superdetail a tugboat. Anyways---small scale F-14? I just posted a lot about the Fuji and Hase at http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=7598 Heh heh--another "fit" fan (like me--nothing ruins a detailed model for me like poor fit--and it simply is more obvious in 1/72). Probably go for the Fuji in that case. Check ebay, they show up for 10-15 bucks MISB, vs $30 retail. BTW---the largest 1/72 F-14 decal maker by far is CAM: http://www.camdecals.com/main.asp?camaction=decals They also make a lot of good 1/32 and 1/48.

The underside does get wear, but very subtle, and not "streaked". Not really visible unless it's a VERY worn wing. (As in, the upper surface has flat-out BLACK STRIPES for wear--then the bottom would be worn enough to be readily apparent) The sealing surfaces are completely different for upper vs lower surfaces on that style of wing-sweep seal. The upper surface is many small metal plates, the lower is a single large inflatable bladder---they cause very different effects. The lower seal is the large dark grey area just aft of the wings. It's basically a very heavy-duty inflatable balloon. (Just going by F-14's, but the VF-0 has the most "F-14-esque" wing-sweep area of any VF by far--which is why I suggested it be done in the first place)

http://www.naritafamily.com/Scalemodel/air...photo_frame.htm Another amazingly mottled/weathered low-vis 1/32 model. Wing-sweep-wear, too. And a carrier launch diorama! Yes, it's an F-14 and not a VF-1, but 99% of the techniques would be the same. Now we just have to wait until he gets his "how-to" guides uploaded. And then we'll all wait to see how wm_cheng's F-14 turns out.

Ditto. I got sick of SEED by the first ep (and I love all the alt-universe Gundam shows), but MEGAS is very entertaining. Though I'm always like "Wendee Lee is not the world's only voice actress". Yes I like her voice, but she does EVERY SHOW EVER nowadays with the EXACT SAME VOICE.

And then we can start listing all the 4 gun/2 cannon planes the Luftwaffe had... 6 guns were pretty standard for late WWII. P-38's had 5, rather unusual.

Hmmn. Depending on what's there: F-18 speedbrake/well, any type. (Almost impossible to find pics of, they're rarely deployed, and they're not painted like other Navy planes') Good odds for Langley F-15's, I'd love pics of the 94FS. Any and all wing or squadron commander/CAG planes, etc. And just in case any F-22's show up... Sigh--I never ever need a pic of something until AFTER I've seen a plane. I'll know exactly what I need pics of 2 months from now. PS--I've heard VF-101 got new colors recently, so definitely get pics of that if you see one. (F-14 squadron, they do the demos, but often show up for non-demos too)

Super Hornet schedule's up: 24 SEP - Barksdale AFB 15 MAY - Andrews AFB (possible) 26 JUN - Quad Cities* 16 JUL - Tri-cities 28 JUL - NAS Whidbey 13 AUG - Abbotsford 4 SEP - Toronto 11 SEP - McChord 26 SEP - Oceana 1 OCT - PT Mugu 12 NOV - NAS Pensacola 16 NOC - Lackland AFB *--really close to me. This is the West Coast demo team, BTW, VFA-122 F/A-18F. I believe there is another team, East Coast, VFA-115 F/A-18E.

How about a different low-vis scheme? F-15 style would look ok on a valk, though it'd need to be modified. And there's Harrier style, F-16 style, Hornet style, etc. And you could always go with the obvious F-14 style. (The current VF-1 low-vis doesn't really match ANYTHING, kind of like a digital Ferris scheme done in early F-15 colors)

I usually like down, since gear is a distinctive part of a plane, as much as its nose or tail. Also, I don't like putting holes in my planes for stands. I'd build a lot more gear-up though, if the gear doors actually fit! It's usually less work to simply build the gear, than to try to make new, fitting, gear doors. (It's a rare model that the "gear down" doors actually fit when closed, and even rarer the model that includes "gear up" doors--then it's easy)

Blue is the best color if you're flying over California. Early F-15's were bright blue for that very reason--then they had their first deployment to Europe, and realized "bright summer sky blue" doesn't exist much of the time in the UK, you need "foggy sky grey". Purple--well, depends on the shade. Dark Ghost grey (2nd most common color for modern air camo) is purple-grey. Most "sky" greys are blue-grey, but Dark Ghost is distinctly purple. Most naval colors are also purple-blue greys. Anyways-- VF's often fight at ULTRA-close range, so there's no better situation for disruptive camo. Ferris schemes, false canopies, etc. Valks don't ever really seem to use camo for hiding at all---their radar has great range, so they fire off a massive long-range missile salvo, then get in super close and use either gunpod or battroid hand-to-hand. Short-range camo is disruptive.

There's always the frying pan/baking sheet method for getting flat tires. I swear it's considered a legitimate method, though I don't have the guts to try. Would actually probably be the easiest, just use LOW heat. I do think they recommend non-stick ones.

Well, IMHO 99% of modelers severely overdo tire flattening/bulging, more so over-weathering. Better to have none, than make it look like it's 50psi underinflated. Of course, all you need is a nice flat surface and a big sheet of sandpaper, and you can flatten rather easily as the very final step. BTW--is that an F-14D®? Glove-vane area looks too nice for any A/B, but too distinct for a new-build D. ::edit:: Why can't I make a capital "R" in parentheses? It keeps substituting a "registered trademark R in a circle" instead. I want F-14D with "an R in parentheses after it", for that's how it's written. Stupid "auto-spelling" etc. I want what I type! Edit 2. Anyone know how to actually type a capital R in parentheses and not have it show up as ® ????

Yargh, I didn't consider that VF's have "ultra-oversweep" either. Well, maybe you can just explain it away that a VF-0 will probably sweep the wings in fighter mode a lot more often than going from fighter to battroid, thus only the "normal" sweep area would show noticeable wear. Currently working on my Blue Angels Hornet. Nothing like a gloss finish to make you get all the seams and stuff SMOOTH. And no belly tanks and weapons to help hide anything!!! (Ironically, I seem to have gotten the gear doors quite glossy, better than I can get on a model car! )

While you're at it, details on how you glue in gear-doors nicely would be appreciated. (and how you ensure straight strut and wheel attachment).

Engines have the largest radar signature of anything. Why do you think F-18E's have baffles in the intake? It cuts thrust, probably makes them run hotter, and reduces their acceleration. But it's considered worth it, since it hides the engines a bit from radar. Nothing returns a radar wave like a spinning blade. 777's have probably the largest radar signature of any aircraft due to their engine blades (especially the new RR engines). A massive amount of the F-117's engineering went into making the engines "invisible". A stopped engine will still give off a large radar reflection, but smaller than a running engine.

Wow, love the rivet details on the v.stab, and the rub-strip ahead of the rudder itself. BTW, with all these close-ups, I realized that's not the Jolly Rogers skull (nor bones). It's *a* "skull 'n bones" but not Jolly Rogers style. Just a trivia note. PS--love stencil data? Build a JASDF F-4EJ or F-15J. I have a 6x8 inch decal that is JUST the stencils for an F-4EJ. About 120 decals I think.

Sir Lister of Smeg. Six!

Started gluing and painting. 1. Fuselage sides. Glue to fuselage lower half first, ensuring the "center" area of the sides are firmly and flushly attached to the lower fuselage in the wheel well area (especially the 'triangle' part--it won't want to stay at all if you do the front or rear sections first) . You can glue the front and rear later. You'll need to fill the front and rear seams anyways, but the gear well is impossible to fix if you mess it up. (And if it's off, you'll have lopsided gear and an obvious gap in the well) 2. LEX "fillers". No idea why they're there, the whole LEX should be one smooth piece. There's no panel line there that I've ever seen, even when I'm at an airshow taking pics of the LEX undersides. Anyways--pieces are too wide, and SLIGHTLY too long. Sand until they fit, glue, then just coat the whole area with Mr Surfacer. Might as well fill the boarding ladder's door while you're at it, it's scribed deeper and wider than the flaps. (It's not INVISIBLE when retracted, but it's more flush and tight than most panels are since it's in an aerodynamically critical area) 3. "aft of the canopy" piece. Too high, doesn't match the rest of the spine. The "correct" approach (to get a 1:1 scale profile) would be to build up and fill the entire spine aft of that piece, from antenna to airbrake. The much easier solution is to sand down the area just ahead of the dorsal antenna. Will still "curve" a little, but looks far better than the step the piece prevents. (It's also slightly too wide, but you can sand it down so perfect you don't even need to fill the seams, they're nice and thin, and there's obvious panel lines there in real life) 4. That's all I have so far, except for the "area aft of the seat" piece is a LITTLE too narrow, and paint will just love to wick its way in the tiny gap while you're painting around there. Do the grey cockpit interior first, then the black sills.

Haven't seen an E, but F's have decidedly less obvious panel lines than ABCD's. Possibly related to all the stealth features they put in. All you really see are the rivets. Might want to totally eliminate the seam if it's easier--I mean they're nigh-invisible at arm's length at 1:1 scale. The only ones at all visible are the ones right on top of the spine, and the undersides of the wings.

I'm going to be starting my Blue Angels F-18 very soon, will let you know if anything comes up during construction. PS--is it the VMFA-224 (Bengals) F-18D? About the only D there is. I bought that kit because I saw several of their planes this summer, and had no D-models yet.

Umm, I wouldn't call the AWG-9 and AWG-20 different versions of the same radar. AWG is an ultra-generic term. Same as "F". The F-4 and F-22 are VERY different planes. Same for AWG-9 and AWG-20 radars. AWG=Airborne Weapons Guidance. And like all things, it has been superceded by a new term, APG. APG=Airborne Pulsed(radar) Guidance. See, "R" was already taken by "Radio" so they went with "P" for "Pulsed" since that's what type they are. (Surely you've heard the term "pulse-doppler" radar for the local weather reports) PS--the upgraded AWG-9 is the APG-71, which is installed in the F-14D. Not suprised Shin doesn't have it, for he doesn't appear to have ANY of the F-14D's avionics enhancements.

For 1/32, I plan to snag the Academy Hornet soon. (Good fit, and folding wings to save space). Just have to decide scheme--VFA-25, or VFA-131... Anyways---wow, a 1/32 Flanker. Wonder if they'll make 50 other versions available. Presumably the first will be a Flanker-B, but early or late version? Or maybe include both rear fuselage/spines.

If there's one thing 1/72 Hase's skimp on (except new-mold F-14/15), it's the cockpit. But for 1/72 seats, I've seen worse. The Hornet certainly isn't the best, but not TOO bad. Want bad? Esci/Italeri F-104 seat. Ewwwww. Good seats? Fuji or Hase F-14, Hase F-4. (Of course, nothing but resin is good enough for most of you 1/48 guys!) I come from airliner modelling--with a 1/200 gloss-white DC-10, you don't worry about the cockpit, nor do you weather much, if at all. PS--they say 2-seat Hase Hornets have a kink in the spine. I haven't dry-fit my D yet, but it is supposed to be the major flaw--gotta putty up the area. (Thankfully there's no detail in that area besides maybe 1 panel line) Annoyingly--nobody makes a 2-seater pre-cut canopy mask! Yarrgh, all they'd have to do is add like 4 more little pieces to the A/C set...

My main beef with the million Duel Monsters/YuGiOh/BeyBladez franchises are the whole "any and all problems can be settled with a nice game of cards etc" thing. Yeesh. Doesn't matter if it's a prelude to nuclear war, a Blizzard Dragon card can just solve anything, so long as the evil dictator who plans to kill anyone who gets in his way doesn't have an anti-ice card when you face off against him... Duke would have just sent a squadron of F-14's to kick his ass. Which is what happens in the real world, too. Crazy evil dictator? Send the Navy.

Speaking of which... Is that Miang from Xenogears? Yes it is. I switch avatars occasionally, but it's always her.