David Hingtgen

Hey, the Excelsior's still around. (As in, "now" as TNG/DS9/VOY goes--what, 2378 last time or something?) It's still an awesome-looking ship, just not nearly as fast or powerful as current stuff. We could still have an Excelsior show--just how it is *now*. Wouldn't that be cool? Probably on its 3rd reactor, 6th bridge, 4th set of torp tubes, etc. A bit old and patchy by now, but still a proud, well-taken-care-of ship.

Bright blue overall usually indicates training bombs (little bombs ballistically identical to big ones---the infamous 4-pound bomb) but I've also seen it used for what is basically a weight---a Sidewinder filled with cement. (Planes do NOT like asymmetrical loads---so if you have just one weapon on one side, you need to weight it down on the other--usually a fuel tank, but small things need a smaller weight). Finally, I've seen bright blue Sidewinders with olive drab/grey bits, that I haven't quite figured out. Usually see them at airshows! Maybe they're "extra-dummy" to protect civilians who might mess with them. (Seriously, I think they're acquisition rounds or something)

ST: Excelsior would have so rocked. Takei was VERY willing to do it, as was Grace Lee Whitney (Lt Rand--comm officer). It was further along than most proposed projects. Now it's too late, but 10 years ago--would have been WAY better than Voy. (And they still could have stuck Jeri Ryan in later)

I asked the same question about a month ago, and didn't follow anyone's advice, but several people mentioned the Paasche H series for a decent, cheap beginner's brush.

http://www.dixieart.com/HSet.html Only $28 for everything you need, and is better than any Testors.

I've gotta stop taking photographs while the sun's setting--HARSH contrast and shadows. Anyways, here's a nice overall shot. This'll be the last pic for a while, the next thing will be the finished camoflaged hull. (I don't even have the red bottom done yet as you can see) (Then I have the remaining 150 guns or so to do). Yup, final armament will be 9 16in guns, 20 5in guns, 76 40mm guns, and 52 20mm guns. (Iowa class reigned supreme against ANYTHING for anti-aircraft) As you can imagine, I've spent many hours sanding gun barrels...

PS--bought more 5L 1943 light grey today.

It's about 3 VF-1J's long.

Standard aircraft load was 3 Vought OS2U's, but one VF-11 seems to fit.

Very interesting. (My uncle was the missile man on several SSBN's)

Anyways, pics for scale:

(I aligned the highest point on the ship with the VF-11---it's impossible to keep the whole thing in focus when you've got this perspective) Final model will be several inches taller with the antennas and radar masts installed up top.

Hey, just do M7 Milia. She's just as hot (if not hotter) but has much shorter hair.

Well I checked some of the other lines, and Testors makes 20400 in their MM II selection--that'll help a lot. Anyways---the newer "other" Testors lines have a LOT of yellows/browns. Even if they don't have the exact number, there's sure to be something close.

Here's the color charts for Testors:

http://www.testors.com/tes_cds/color_chart...M_(Acrylic).pdf Acrylics, all of them. Has 30277, which I can't imagine would be far off from 30279. (close numbers are generally close---the higher the number, the lighter the color--30100 would be a very dark brown, 30400 lighter, 30600 very light brown--so 30277 would be SLIGHTLY darker than 30279) I can explain the whole numbering system if you want, just ask.

http://www.testors.com/tes_cds/color_chart.../1700_MM_FS.pdf Military enamels, main line (30219 in here)

http://www.testors.com/tes_cds/color_chart...%20(Enamel).pdf Military enamels, secondary line. (20400 is in here as well as LOTS of sand colors--especially German ones for Africa, and modern US/UK Gulf colors)

There's almost as many colors in the acrylic line as the two enamels, but not quite.

You can look through these and see what's available.

PS--the 36270 for the F-16? That's because it's an F-16, not because of the scheme. Like 99% of F-16's have 36270 noses--it's inherent to the plane, they'd paint it to match the rest of the plane if they could. So don't worry about it on a valk or something.

PPS--don't trust the colors on the PDF charts at all. Way off. Just use them as a rough guide (mainly just to get the numbers). Most colors are really lighter than shown, and most greys are "blue-er" though some are browner.

The images on the site with the schemes looked to have much more accurate colors.

Nifty! Thanks---that's exactly what my problem was--capillary action drawing glue out of the tube. Have to buy one of those, and soon!

Ok, I'm building what will be my last 1/700 ship (when you think to yourself "these tweezers are way too big" you know it's time to work in a bigger scale) and am encountering problems gluing. Namely, the contact surface is as small, if not smaller, than the applicator tip of my glue. (Standard Testor's black-container model master stuff with the needle applicator).

Normally, for itty-bitty parts I use a shaved-down toothpick to transfer glue from the applicator to the part, but is there a better/easier way? I was wondering about using like a 10/0 or 25/0 brush to apply. Anyone tried that? And does brushing glue work with any thickness glue, or does it need to be stuff like Tenax 7R?

PS--any suggestions on tweezers for affixing small parts? (Too many have pointy tips, or tips with no grip at all--I currently use ones from a microscope kit, with rounded tips but ridges inside---they're like very thin needle-nose pliers, and have worked well for most things, even other 1/700 ships--but I'm going to need even smaller ones in a similar style for this, and my Iowa's 20mm gun shields)

Hey, I just got great results with my $18 one from Wal-Mart. If you just want to spray large areas, go for it. It won't do fine panel lines or 5-color-freehand-feathered-edge-camouflage, but it'll lay down paint smoothly.

(Main advantage is that this has no nozzle, it's merely a modified plastic bottle cap--hey, it works, and there's only one piece to clean with no disassembly)

Man, I've got to be the only guy who spent more on photoetched brass radars for my ship, than on the airbrush it'll be painted with!

Here's the main superstructure/#2 barbette/5in gun emplacements (big piece), 3 main turrets, and misc. bits (mainly forward fire control and air defense towers, plus the 40mm emplacements between the funnels). (There's 3 times as many parts painted as shown here--about 1 bottle per cardboard box) But this is the box with most of the big main parts.

Tomorrow I'll post pics of dry-fitting, etc so you can see how it'll look all together.

::edit:: Heh heh. I told you I was modelling a BIG ship. Wait until you see the ship all together, and not fore-shortened due to a head-on camera angle. Think I'll put a Yammie on the aft deck for scale...

Ack, first reply didn't work. (I don't think it likes attachments straight from the camera)

Anyways: The two-hull BB in Naval Ops is two Yamatos tied together. That'd cost at least 80 bucks.

5L 1943 is one of those paints that takes 2 full days for the color to really appear. (Many blue-greens do this, but this is the first blue-grey I've seen it happen to). It'll be a bit darker, and a good bit blue-er tomorrow night.

It actually floats, BTW. (Can't wash the plastic in the sink, too big--had to use the tub--might as well test it out while it's there)

VF-11's sometimes go out rowing when you're not watching them...

See the numbers at the bottom of the pic? Those are the colors. Any hobby shop will sell paints that match. (Unless they're some really off colors)

::checks:: Well, actually that IS a really weird scheme. It's not really a desert scheme---too dark. Only one of the colors (30219) is commonly available. If you want to paint one without mixing your own colors, you're going to need to pick another scheme. (NSAWC is Topgun--they have their own unique schemes for training separate from the rest of the military. Plain old USAF, Navy, or IAF schemes would be much more likely to have paints available)

That's a scheme pretty much custom developed for the area around Fallon NAS, Nevada. (Which is why its so dark). Not your standard middle-eastern colored pinky-yellow sand.

If a Millia (or Emilia etc) becomes available, I vote for BBi compatability.

Desert what? Testors has added a lot of various desert tan/sand/yellow colors to their lines recently, most anything you could need. (Except desert pink I think, which is actually about the best, most "normal" looking desert color their is)

PS--Australia's current version of the chocolate chip camo schem is awesome, way cooler than ours (US).

::Edit:: Camo sheets! All the info diagrams/colors you could ask for:

PPS--the coolest desert camo there is, is what Israel uses on their F-16's.

http://users.skynet.be/exotic.planes/pictu...or/f16c_iaf.jpg

http://users.skynet.be/exotic.planes/pictu...or/f16a_iaf.jpg

Here's the USAF's standard generic sand scheme:

http://users.skynet.be/exotic.planes/pictu...lor/f16sand.jpg

Lots more schemes:

http://users.skynet.be/exotic.planes/htm/o...her/schemes.htm

I saw this somewhere too but forgot to post it. (Mari doing the voice) Also, the most recent issue of PSM had a demo of the game on it (non-playable). I just wish Jet was one of the main characters. Who's idea was it to make the redhead a secondary character?!?!? (Yes, I own the Jet figure--can't resist a redhead in black)

Well, after 3 entire bottles of 5L 1943 grey (I have to go back to the hobby shop tomorrow and buy more, and tell the owner to order more--I've used his entire stock up) the majority of my Iowa is in its overall color. My super-el-cheapo $18.44-at-Walmart airbrush did fine.

To VF-19: Thanks for the tip about the propellant can--I unscrewed the adaptor about 1.5 turns, and I do think it lowered the pressure coming out. I got much better results than I have before, using the same paint/thinner ratio.

All in all, it went better than I hoped. Of course, nothing ever goes perfect, and I'll have to totally strip 2 parts, sand and repaint two more (might strip them anyway, could be easier), go over all the 5-in guns again (despite them getting more coats anyway), and try to remove dust/lint from one entire batch. (No matter how hard you try, some parts will get lint on them RIGHT before you spray).

But all in all, it went quite well. For only having 5 parts come out poorly out of probably 40 major and 70 minor parts, that's a great ratio for me. (Hey, for my starship, I had to redo the ENTIRE saucer and shuttle bay after dropping it about 20 secs after painting it) To redo a few parts like this is nothing.

Finally---since the lower hull isn't ready yet, I didn't paint my 30.25 inch long piece. That'll be a few days from now, when I do "round two". (Which will be the masts, radar, gun tubs, and anything that needs to be redone from the first round).

Then we're on to actually painting the dazzle camoflage pattern.

Maybe after I'm done with this and the Tirpitz and The Sullivans, I might do a Yukikaze plane. (I'd paint it black and titanium, it'd just look cool)

1/6 Millia would sell better.

But as I said--if there was any color even close to what I need in a spray, I'd use it. I got acceptable results last time, but that was the first time out of several attempts. I'm looking for advice so that I can consistently replicate what I got a week ago, rather than trial and error every time (wasting much paint and thinner).

Airbrush: super el-cheapo Testors. (Hey, I plan to airbrush like 3 kits in the next 3 years--I'm not spending much---90% of what I need I can get in a spray, this is ONLY for those colors I cannot buy in a spray) Yes, I plan to do it from a can of propellent. (Hey, I've got several by this point) I know I know, everybody on this forum would say get a real airbrush and a compressor. But I'm not going to spend that kind of money for the few models I do. If anybody made a spray-can color even close to what I need, I'd use it.

Paint: Model Master Acrylic Marine.

So assume I'll have little control over the PSI, as it's pretty much on/off with these. (And rather high AFAIK). But I am used to this, for it's all I've ever done with airbrushing. Paint flow/thinning is about the only variable.

Anyways, my main problem lately has been the paint clogging/clumping, as right at the nozzle. It sometimes doesn't even get to the air stream it seems. Will sometimes leave "clumps" of semi-dry paint deposited onto the surface. The only reference I can find (and it matches my symptoms exactly) in a Fine Scale Modeler indicates I should thin the paint even more. --but I'm already thinning it more than recommended. (3:1 paint/thinner)

Ok, *TURBOFAN* intakes are clean. Even 30-year old F-14's I've stuck my head up in are smooth and shiny.

Lightning 06---yeah, that's the one thing it can do well---a stealthy faster Harrier. (I think it'd be a much better Sea Harrier replacement than Harrier II replacement, but that's a whole 'nother thread)

Nied--pretty sure it's still 339.