Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[Gabe Q]

@Urashiman Nice variety of kits you got on the workbench there! Looks to be the X-29 you're working on there. Also, great recovery on the F-5B. I would have just put it away out of frustration. I admire your perseverance! 

[Urashiman]

4 hours ago, slide said:

Looking good.

 

X-29?

Correct!

@Gabe Q

thanks a lot, and correct as well!

the fun part about the X-29 is, that the front was taken straight from the F-5.

either the x-29 is way too big for 1/72 or the F-5B is too small.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Urashiman

[MechTech]

@Urashiman I loved that kit of the X-29 when I was a kid! Knowing Matchbox, their kit was a little on the smallish side. Hasegawa was usually right on with their scales.

 

I got some work done this weekend on the armored car. What is a modern armored vehicle without missiles! So I re-used a pod I made for an earlier ship model and machined a piece to hold it (the light blue piece) with a vinyl ring inside it for friction. Then I added in a hose for detail to make it look more realistic (hopefully).

Then I got to do a little bit of washing on it too.

That's it for this week. Thanks for checking in guys! - MT

 

[pengbuzz]

  

3 hours ago, MechTech said:

What is a modern armored vehicle without missiles!

  In the military, I think they call it a "target".

3 hours ago, MechTech said:

So I re-used a pod I made for an earlier ship model and machined a piece to hold it (the light blue piece) with a vinyl ring inside it for friction. Then I added in a hose for detail to make it look more realistic (hopefully).

Then I got to do a little bit of washing on it too.

That's it for this week. Thanks for checking in guys! - MT

 

Really like how this is coming out MT! I think the hose definitely adds authenticity to it, as some Type of electrical/ datafeed link between the launched and the turret.

The one thing I would recommend is maybe some kind of rangefinder sensor thingy on the missile launcher, but maybe you already have one on the turret. Overall, I'm very curious to see how this diorama comes together!

[Thom]

Great looking additions @MechTech

[derex3592]

Titanic update! Was out of town for a nice 75 hour work week last week, then Thanksgiving hosted by us here at our house and then getting all fall and Halloween decorations put away and getting Christmas stuff out.. PHEW... soooo model bench time hasn't been much of late... But anyway! Few things to share.. Main deck coloring wooden planks by hand...DONE. Magnets for holding ship to craptastic base from the 70s, DONE. Benches, all cut from sprue and painted along with all the winches for the decks... DONE... First few rigging lines that attach to main deck.. DONE.....Stay tuned! 

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by derex3592

[pengbuzz]

On 11/27/2021 at 2:37 AM, arbit said:

@Urashiman   A YF-19 is always a good idea. Why build anything other than Macross anyway, right 

@505thAirborne That bike looks so cool, I'm drooling. Wave does have good quality, I have enjoyed building a couple things by them. I also really like their plastic, it is totally different than other model brands. Kind of hefty.

And @Thom is building a Thomcat, go figure.

 

On 11/27/2021 at 7:23 AM, Thom said:

HaHa!! That never once occured to me! 🤣 Thanks.

Well, believe it or not, the F-14 is named after a Thomas...

Little backstory for folks who may not know:

In the 1960's, project TFX developed the F-111  as a joint-fighter between the Navy and the Air Force. However, it displayed poor performance specs in its' flight tests and was not recommended for naval use by the test pilots. Grumman, who had been working with General Dynamics on the naval version,  began doing improvement studies into what a naval fighter would require when the TFX program as a whole was becoming a problem. As a result, they then proposed possible alternatives. As a result in 1966, the Navy awarded Grumman a contract to do studies into an advanced fighter design, as Project VFX.

That design would later go on to become the F-14 Tomcat; with that said, what does this have to do with "Thomas", you may ask?

Well, on one of the test flights, Vice Admiral Thomas Connoly, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare at the time, investigated the test pilots' complaints and actually flew in the plane with another pilot. When he testified before the Senate hearing held to determine why they shouldn't sponsor the project any further, he famously said: “Mr. Chairman, there isn’t enough thrust in all Christendom to make a Navy fighter out of that airplane.”

After the start of  VFX, that project had gained nickname "Thom's Cat"  during development to reflect Connolly's involvement in the project; to that end, and in recognition of Adm. Connoly's sacrifice (his career was ground to a halt over his testimony concerning the F-111), Grumman adapted into the official name (not to mention most of Grumman's previous craft had feline names)...

...and the rest became history.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2021 by pengbuzz
correction on info

[Thom]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

 

Well, believe it or not, the F-14 is named after a Thomas...

Little backstory for folks who may not know:

In the 1960's, project TFX developed the F-111  as a joint-fighter between the Navy and the Air Force. However, it displayed poor performance specs in its' flight tests and was not recommended for naval use by the test pilots. Grumman, who had been working with General Dynamics on the naval version,  began doing improvement studies into what a naval fighter would require when the TFX program as a whole was becoming a problem. As a result, they then proposed possible alternatives. As a result in 1966, the Navy awarded Grumman a contract to do studies into an advanced fighter design, as Project VFX.

That design would later go on to become the F-14 Tomcat; with that said, what does this have to do with "Thomas", you may ask?

Well, on one of the test flights, Vice Admiral Thomas Connoly, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare at the time, investigated the test pilots' complaints and actually flew in the plane with another pilot. When he testified before the Senate hearing held to determine why they shouldn't sponsor the project any further, he famously said: “Mr. Chairman, there isn’t enough thrust in all Christendom to make a Navy fighter out of that airplane.”

After the start of  VFX, that project had gained nickname "Thom's Cat"  during development to reflect Connolly's involvement in the project; to that end, and in recognition of Adm. Connoly's sacrifice (his career was ground to a halt over his testimony concerning the F-111), Grumman adapted into the official name (not to mention most of Grumman's previous craft had feline names)...

...and the rest became history.

 

 

[MechTech]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it!

@derex3592 She's looking good! Especially the hand-made benches!

@pengbuzz That's a cool backstory. Some of the guys at our museum worked on that program up to modifying what would become the first "D" model.

@Thom Whahahahaha! 🤣 - MT

[Thom]

@derex3592 I love the painted deck. Very nice work.

[Urashiman]

It‘s putty time, children!

it is fun how much easier to build the VF-22 is, compared to the VF-19.

I think I can start priming on the VF-22 tomorrow

[Gabe Q]

@MechTech Your armored car looks good so far! It's almost like an SD version of what I imagine most of those would look like. I guess it's the giant turret in proportion to the small car body. The way you machined the missile attachment piece is very impressive. Looks great! 

@derex3592 The Titanic is looking good! I don't know how you guys manage all those repetitive little details on big ship builds. That would drive me crazy! 

@pengbuzz Thanks for the snippet of history regarding my all time favorite jet, the Tomcat. 

@Urashiman Like you, I'm always doing multiple builds at once. It's more time efficient but sometimes it can be a little bit of trouble keeping track of all the parts. 

As far as my workbench, just working on an old 1/72 variable Bandai Valk and a Hasegawa black aces Valk in the same scale. Masking canopies is not my fave but, hey, it has to be done! 

[Urashiman]

7 hours ago, Gabe Q said:

@MechTech Your armored car looks good so far! It's almost like an SD version of what I imagine most of those would look like. I guess it's the giant turret in proportion to the small car body. The way you machined the missile attachment piece is very impressive. Looks great! 

@derex3592 The Titanic is looking good! I don't know how you guys manage all those repetitive little details on big ship builds. That would drive me crazy! 

@pengbuzz Thanks for the snippet of history regarding my all time favorite jet, the Tomcat. 

@Urashiman Like you, I'm always doing multiple builds at once. It's more time efficient but sometimes it can be a little bit of trouble keeping track of all the parts. 

As far as my workbench, just working on an old 1/72 variable Bandai Valk and a Hasegawa black aces Valk in the same scale. Masking canopies is not my fave but, hey, it has to be done! 

Yeah ... my first try to go at multiple kits at once. Especially with the same colored mold it is fun hahaha.

I'll just make sure to put the right parts back into the right box.

[arbit]

13 hours ago, Urashiman said:

It‘s putty time, children!

My builds usually have eelctronics inside, which makes putty that much harder. I always swear I'm not gonna putty this time, and then I do...

[pengbuzz]

1/16 scale (to fit my 4 inch Michael Keaton Batman figure):

Stay tuned... starting bodywork next...

(same Pengbuzz time, same Pengbuzz channel)

Edited December 4, 2021 by pengbuzz

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz Cool project! The Express Mail box will make it go faster😄 - MT

[Thom]

@pengbuzz Same Pengbuzz, Best Pengbuzz!

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Got the wheel wells and side walls of the body installed. The front fender under-supports are what you're seeing here: the final, correct layer has yet to be installed. I also began the basics on the cockpit, and need to add in proper seats (driver's and passenger's), as well as the dashboard. Additionally, I have to source wheels for this project wherever I can find them (money this month is extremely tight due to utilities, even with assistance!).

Wish I had one of the Kenner Batmobiles; that would have made this a lot easier!

Stay tuned...

[derex3592]

Back in the mid 80s I was a HUGE fan of Airwolf. My parents bought me the Ertl model kit and I tried my best of course, but at 10 years old and nothing called the internet for help, it was about what you would expect. I had a few cheap toys of the helicopter along the way as well, but a few years ago I learned a company called Aoshima were making a metal pre-made 1/48 model with motors inside. I instantly pre-ordered the weathered version and it was quite impressive and cool even if the weathering was a bit heavy handed. The motors stopped working after only a few months and that bummed me out but it was still cool to look at. 

Fast forward to a few months back and I noticed HLJ had a reissue of the Aoshima 1:48 model kit up for pre-order. I instantly clicked buy! Now I did some research and apparently the first release back in about 2008 came with a small PE sheet. Unfortunately for whatever reason, this time I didn't get that, but I did get a clear body included with the normal one for whatever reason. I assume if you wanted to build it clear to see the rear cockpit even though it's completely inclosed I guess you could do that. Whatever, I'm going to try REAL hard to make this one look better than my original eventually! 😁 

[pengbuzz]

44 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

Back in the mid 80s I was a HUGE fan of Airwolf. My parents bought me the Ertl model kit and I tried my best of course, but at 10 years old and nothing called the internet for help, it was about what you would expect. I had a few cheap toys of the helicopter along the way as well, but a few years ago I learned a company called Aoshima were making a metal pre-made 1/48 model with motors inside. I instantly pre-ordered the weathered version and it was quite impressive and cool even if the weathering was a bit heavy handed. The motors stopped working after only a few months and that bummed me out but it was still cool to look at. 

Fast forward to a few months back and I noticed HLJ had a reissue of the Aoshima 1:48 model kit up for pre-order. I instantly clicked buy! Now I did some research and apparently the first release back in about 2008 came with a small PE sheet. Unfortunately for whatever reason, this time I didn't get that, but I did get a clear body included with the normal one for whatever reason. I assume if you wanted to build it clear to see the rear cockpit even though it's completely inclosed I guess you could do that. Whatever, I'm going to try REAL hard to make this one look better than my original eventually! 😁 

I read somewhere that the Aoshima kit was a simple reboxing of the AMT kit. In any event, I dug up some info that may help you out (the internet archive wayback machine is a wonderful thing! 😞

https://web.archive.org/web/20130227040649/http://projects.airwolf.tv/resources/index.html

Photo gallery of actual craft pics:

https://web.archive.org/web/20130122225950/http://projects.airwolf.tv/resources/maairwolf.html

Blueprints:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140310135937/http://projects.airwolf.tv/techdraw/preview.html

Tech Drawings of armament:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140803111231/http://projects.airwolf.tv/techdraw/resource.html

Hopefully, all of this should help you out in your endeavor to re-create the Airwolf you remember!

Someday, I need to take the interior I did on my old Airwolf and transfer it to a new kit... the old one is falling apart (the plastic is disintegrating).

Edited December 5, 2021 by pengbuzz

[derex3592]

No, that's not the case @pengbuzz.  This was/is a newer mold made back probably around 2010 with MUCH better detail and a VERY detailed interior including the rear cabin computer stations. IMHO the best rendition of the helicopter to date. I just opened up the bags and looked at everything. Very sharp crisp mold and details. No flash. Nice kit all around. Only problem!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 1/32 SCALE!!! 

 

Thanks for the links!  I'll have to check all those out when I get a chance. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by derex3592

[pengbuzz]

45 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

No, that's not the case @pengbuzz.  This was/is a newer mold made back probably around 2010 with MUCH better detail and a VERY detailed interior including the rear cabin computer stations. IMHO the best rendition of the helicopter to date. I just opened up the bags and looked at everything. Very sharp crisp mold and details. No flash. Nice kit all around. Only problem!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 1/32 SCALE!!! 

 

Thanks for the links!  I'll have to check all those out when I get a chance. 

Ah, sweet! Someday I'll have to see if I can invest in one then! Save myself the trouble of a transplant!

And you're welcome; I figure those might help.

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz Looking good! You have a good frame to build on.

@derex3592 I remembered you talking about it months back, and then saw it go up for sale, but I forgot to say something. That old kit sucked! Yes, I had it. It went together like oil and water! I'm glad you got the new kit. I have to do a Knight Rider for my wife one of these days😅 - MT

[pengbuzz]

22 minutes ago, MechTech said:

@pengbuzz Looking good! You have a good frame to build on.

@derex3592 I remembered you talking about it months back, and then saw it go up for sale, but I forgot to say something. That old kit sucked! Yes, I had it. It went together like oil and water! I'm glad you got the new kit. I have to do a Knight Rider for my wife one of these days😅 - MT

Thanks! BTW: we need one of each:

Airwolf

KITT

Street Hawk

Blue Thunder

Automan (car and helicopter)

Viper

The Highwayman (both rigs)

[derex3592]

Aoshima did a Blue Thunder in 1:48 years ago that was gorgeous! Wish they would reissue it! 

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Still working out the body shapes; meantime, prepping to build the cockpit internals and the air scoop above the cockpit. Still need wheels, finish building the rest of the rear fender/ air intakes and the fins. Then we'll see about the canopy and slide system. Also have to do some front fender work (finish the headlight area) and the join between the front fenders and the main turbine housing.

Stay tuned...

 

[Thom]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

UPDATE:

Still working out the body shapes; meantime, prepping to build the cockpit internals and the air scoop above the cockpit. Still need wheels, finish building the rest of the rear fender/ air intakes and the fins. Then we'll see about the canopy and slide system. Also have to do some front fender work (finish the headlight area) and the join between the front fenders and the main turbine housing.

Stay tuned...

Looking great there!

 

[derex3592]

For all you 1:48 Blackbird fans out there!....

 

[pengbuzz]

44 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

For all you 1:48 Blackbird fans out there!....

 

Nice model! But one thing doesn't add up: I took the length and put it into a scale model calculator, and it said it should be about "14 inches" at 1/48 (the model reviewed is nearly 27 inches)! I redid my math a few times using the calculator, so either I'm going blind or the calculator is wonky:

http://www.scalemodelersworld.com/online-scale-converter-tool.html#aScaleConvert

So, can someone help me see what I did wrong, or am I just really bad at math? O.o

[Sanity is Optional]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

Nice model! But one thing doesn't add up: I took the length and put it into a scale model calculator, and it said it should be about "14 inches" at 1/48 (the model reviewed is nearly 27 inches)! I redid my math a few times using the calculator, so either I'm going blind or the calculator is wonky:

http://www.scalemodelersworld.com/online-scale-converter-tool.html#aScaleConvert

So, can someone help me see what I did wrong, or am I just really bad at math? O.o

I just put in 107' (length of SR-71) in 1:1 to inches in 1/48 and it came out 26.75"

[pengbuzz]

16 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

I just put in 107' (length of SR-71) in 1:1 to inches in 1/48 and it came out 26.75"

Ah, found my mistake; I must have put in the wing diameter (56 feet).

Thanks for posting the length, I was beginning to wonder about my mental faculties!

 

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Finished the front ends of the rear wheel wells/ cooling air intakes. Added hard sides to the car overall, and more fully developed the main rear cowling (sloping down to turbine exhaust nozzle). I have wheels for the car, but I need to develop tires for them; the rear axle is complete and ready for installation as soon as I get the tires made.

(no clue how I'm going to go about doing that just yet.)

Also going to be starting the cockpit soon, and the tail fins.

Yeah, the car looks a little big for Batman, but I keep referring back to the scale pans and they're correct. We'll see how stuff goes, better than a little too small, right?

Stay tuned...

[Thom]

I think it looks sized pretty right.

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz Your Bat-mobile is looking good! The cockpit looks just right. You need room for Vicki Vale too! He kinda looks like he's sayin', "C'mon babe. How's about a ride"?

@derex3592 Thanks; that looks like a cool kit! They made it a light color though!? Unusual for a Blackbird kit. Everything about the Blackbird was cool. They had to secretly buy titanium from the only people who massed produced it - Russia - who it was built to spy on. Then they had to learn new welding techniques because some welds held, others didn't and environmentally controlled welding was invented. The engines were special. The intakes were special (and won awards). It was a crazy, cool design! - MT

[pengbuzz]

5 hours ago, Thom said:

I think it looks sized pretty right.

Er...piccy no like me...

3 hours ago, MechTech said:

@pengbuzz Your Bat-mobile is looking good! The cockpit looks just right. You need room for Vicki Vale too! He kinda looks like he's sayin', "C'mon babe. How's about a ride"?

ROFL! I should make a Vicki Vale figure!

Thanks guys...this is my first ever scratch build for a car!