Thanks for the encouraging words, guys! I need it!!! I have decided to order the wing radiators from Quickboost as well... Looks like it is going to be one serious mishmash of kits and aftermarket goodies on this one!

Nice progress, Jaypee! Looking forward to more pictures!

Cheers! // Polarbear

Been doing some cleaning up of the wings etc. I opted against the Fujimi kit, because I didn't want to rescribe the panel lines... Well, here is some of the cleaning up of filled lines!

Before;


After;

I actually have one more Spitfire PR XIX-kit from the same company and the problem is the same. It looks like their molds are ooooooold (and/or badly cleaned up)...

Cheers!! / PolarBear

Here is my F-6D. It is finished as “Pride of the Bluegrass” which, according to the Aeromaster sheet was flown by Lt. John R. “Red” Reed or “Ace” Ellis of the 12th Tactical Recon Squadron. I used the Eduard photo etch set and the Quickboost F-6D conversion set. The camera is shown through the opening, but it is hard to see due to the thickness of the clear part.

I did not realize that the Eduard set also has simulated openings for the cameras. When I saw that, I decided to also make the F-6C on the Aeromaster sheet. It is from the 15th TRS, Capt. John H. Hoefker. Again, according to Aeromaster he was the first USAAF recce pilot in the ETO to become an ace. I did not attempt to show the camera on this one.

Tom

@ Björn: looks like you got your work cut out for you! good luck with all that.

@ tom: those are some sweet 'stangs there. congrats on finishing ahead of the deadline!

I'll be posting an update on my RF-84F sometime soonish.

Always good to have something to look forward to, Bjoern

Great looking Mustang, Tom. Very nice silver finish.

Here is my scant progress.
Drilled out the front u/c, makes a hell of a difference to see daylight between the wheel and the leg.

First coat of yellow on the prop. Argh! hate yellow. It's not glued or anything just trying to see if the yellow takes.

White coat and preshading


This is my first shot with the airbrush. Must say I'm liking it. If struggling slightly, but getting to grips with it.

It's official! I must be completely crazy!

Just days after I finish my Mirage IIICJ, I start on another one... (The aftermarket parts to my Spitfire have not yet arrived, so instead, I started working on the Tzniut Mirage.). The resin parts look excellent, but I know what troubles that lies ahead...


This time, I decided to use brute force (and not only my cunning intellect) to try and subdue the plastic...


Aaaaarghhhh, I just know I've been here before... (this particular gap, I'm going to try and fill with Gators glue, just to see if it works - I'll apply plenty of glue, then clean up with a q-tip soaked in water - I'll probably have to go over it a couple of times...)


First coat of filler (many more to come)... Filling and sanding... The problem is not the gaps, but the difference in level. And still, I've sanded down the parts as much as I could before assembly...

And I haven't even started on the intakes (which I remember to be the hardest part).

At least there is one gooooood thing about this kit. There is plenty of space in the nose section to put the led! This is not going to be a tail sitter!

More pics soon!

Nice preshading, JayPee! First shots with the airbrush!? Looking forward to seeing the finished paint job!

Since I'm not going to be able to finish my Spitfire PR Mk XIX S 31 for this campaign, I take the liberty to show an excellent "Spitsfire" version, that was recently posted at IPMS Stockholm. More pictures here


Ps. With little more than a month to go, I'll try to sum up the status of this campaign this weekend!


It's going to be looong and beautiful!

Cheers!! / PolarBear

That's going to be a crazy looking bird, Björn!

HeyLoad - I didn't comment on your Mustang yet! That is one great looking bird and a perfect entry to the campaign! I can definitely (?) see the camera! Well done!

For me, the plight continues. My work with the intakes proved easier than last time (perhaps since I know where the troublespots are). Here's an update:


Cheers! // Polarbear

I'm having some trouble with the filling and sanding of the Su-12.
Will post some pics and ask for some help and kind advice soon

I've put some blobs to repesent hydraulics in there. In roughly the right place. Could have done so much better if i'd obeyed

Rule #1 of scratch building wheel wells. Scratch build the wheel well BEFORE you glue it in.

Makes life so much simpler. Ah well. A coat of interior green is drying and shots will be posted tomorrow.

Couple of retaining walls, a supporting beam, a dome (which in reality is concave to hold the wheel but I'll paint it darker to give an illusion of convex) I may just sand it off if it looks crap. A few hydraulic boxes and lines. Here is the reference. http://www.aircraftwalkarounds.be/Images/BellP39Q6Part3/index.html



Next will pick out the hoses and one of the boxes in yellow. It's not great but much better than no walls and no details that you get with the kit. Will make a much better job next time I come across a problem like this. It's all a learning experience.

Thanks for sharing your endeavors, JayPee. I'm afraid that you link does not open, however...

Cheers! / PolarBear

Hi fellow Recce fans

It is pretty obvious, but I want to admit it freely: I will not enter a model in this campaign ... it would have been the perfect excuse to build my Tornado in the colours of "my" recce Wing AG 51 "Immelmann" ... but I had this little accident inside me .. a few weeks is just too short for my working speed (I would at least need 2 months and I still have some other projects to finish).

So thanks for the cool campaign and god speed to all winged "Paparazzi"

all the best

Steffen

Is there anyone besides Steffen (and myself) that would need an extension!? Please contact me!

Cheers! // PolarBear

Hi!

A few weeks (or moths if you want) more can never hurt!

I´m pretty tied up in Campaigns right now, so a little more time is a very good idea in my opinion!

My RA-5C is built and are waiting for it´s turn in the paint-shop right now!



Cheers!

Stefan E

A one moth extension would be fantastic. I am not even going to get close to done before Christmas.

Hi all,

I want to give as many participants as possible the opprtunity to finish their entries, and I will accept an extention. Given the upcomming holidays, I thought I'd give you more than the usual "month". How about Febraury 15th?!? Please reply if that is ok.

But then I want to see some action here!!!

Here's the latest on my Mirage! - It's a long one (no extention needed!) ! A few more details, and it's off to the paintshop!


Ps. I've lost the Martin Baker 4 seat to the ol' carpet monster, and I'm trying to find a new one (I know that Pavla has one in 1/72 - but it's sold out at all my regular internet dealers). I'm aiming for an open canopy on this one. Is there anyone out there with a spare?!?

Have you seen this seat?

Cheers! // PolarBear

Hi Björn

it is a genrous offer and I hope we will see a lot of finished recce birds until then but I will most probably not make it.

I loose at least a week to finish my Avia, then I want to progress on the Revell Mossi, I loose another 2 weeks during X-mas where I cannot build (I have to write an article for our next IPMS mag and maintain my own website) .. there are the Revell news for next year to be published on 1.1. ..

and then there is this week in February ... Nuremberg Toy fair where I will have a big workload with site updates (reworking pictures, updating news lists and the like) ... besides I must get a job and watch my health

you see there is little chance to finish something .. not to mention my Tornado with NeOmega Cockpit, Xtraparts Wings (have that set for over 10 years now ) , Paragon fin correction, afterburners, wheels ... I am just too slow!

still I wish all good luck with their builds and - as promised in the PM - I will start the Tornado in the new year

all the best

Steffen

February 15 I might actually be able to manage!!!

Yeah I'm looking pretty late at this stage too. Although I did go to the LHS to get some Olive drab for the P39.
No tamiya, no humbrol enamel. But they did have some humbrol acrylic. Never tried it before so got some
cos I wanted to get some progress done.
My god!
What great paint. Was a little dark for OD I thought so it was lightened slightly.
Thins with water mixes with Citadel colours too. Brushes on beautiful and nice even coverage.
I'll put up some pics tonight. Next I'll mask some panels and wash them light and dark to break
up the uniform OD.

Tardy but here is the pics of OD applied to the P39


Hope get more painting time in the christmas run in.

Here's the latest on my Mirage! I'm going on vacation and will not be back until mid-January next year! Lot of preshading going on. It is a shame that I will have to wait with my continued painting.





There is an extention until Feb 15th!!! I hope that this will allow for my new Martin Baker 4 seat to arrive...Those of you who long for your ribbons will have to wait a little. I hope that is ok! For those of you that have not finished yet - better get going!

Cheers! And Happy Holidays! // PolarBear!

Friends!

Thanks for the extension, without me even having to ask for it !

I am working full-time on the Arado right now. Hopefully a finish date not too far into the future!

I am not sure that my cockpit work should be seen in this magnification...


Engine exhausts painted using Games Workshop metal colours.


Magnus

I have started a build blog for my Arado, it can be found here!


Finally starting to look complete!


"Camera must show" is one of the requirements of the campaign. Lets see if I can make them show after installation as well, I am not sure!

I need a gun pack for this aircraft, it carried four 20 mm cannon in an underbelly pack. It isn't included in the kit and I can't find anything suitable in the scrap box. I suppose it was some kind of standard equipment, have any of you seen something that could work? Could there be one in a He-219 or Ju-88 kit? Suggestions are more than welcome!

See you soon!



Magnus