Revell 1/144 E-2C Hawkeye and AV-8B Harrier II+ Completed.

  Yes, you did read the title right.  After a year I have finally finished the Hawkeye.  It wasn't the "dream build" I've read about.  But I think thats more to do with my stupidity than anything else.  I also "finished" the Harrier.  I balls'd it up tho so I have left it where it is.  Still quite impressed with it.  I'll post pictures of the Harrier first.

   I can't believe how well the cockpit has come out.  Love the fuel tanks too, shame they messed up too.

   The transfers/decals where not that bad actually.  I was expecting far worse.

  Close up of the cockpit, can't believe how much detail you can see in it.  I need to make better cockpits, but I am happy with this.  The HUD looks cool.  Learning how to make seatbelts will be my next thing.

  Top view, if you are wondering why the fuel tanks are on the middle station instead of the inboard ones. Thats because I wanted to use the GBU-12 and TILAD pod on the inner ones.  I've got pictures of AV-8B's like this, so I know its a viable fit.  Might break off the tanks and use them again.

  And finally the tail, the decals weren't that bad really.  However they are not a simple fit, I cut mine into two parts, wish I had done 3 or even 4.  Now that I think about it, I am going to make this model again.  Maybe with aftermarket parts and dropped flaps.  Now onto the Hawkeye.

   I am really loving this model, now the bugger is finally finished.  Think the de-icing boots could of been done better or masked off.  But live and learn eh?

 Top back half.  Really am pleased with how this came out.   I will be buying this again at a later date.

   I just love that Green and Yellow band around the forward fuselage. It actually fits and it wasn't that hard to put on either.  As for the "Danger" one for the props... that was a complete bastard and didn't go on straight :(

   Think if I was to do this kit again I will have to do it as an Hawkeye 2000, and have folded wings on it.  I'm gonna have to paint the "button" on the radar as it's a different colour.  Also the cockpit will be painted better as you CAN see it through the windows.  Still I am well happy with what I have done.

   Decals for the rudders look really cool to me.  Not too sure if they are on correctly or if they have silvered a little?

   Love the little decal for the "USS Kitty Hawk".  Oh yeah the walkway decals.  I forgot to put them on before I had rebuilt the rotordome housing.  However you can put them on after the housing is on the plane.  However I do still believe that it would be easier to place them before the housing is on and maybe to cut the main on for the wing up into two parts as it has to match a panel line on the wingspar and there is also an emergency escape hatch on the rear fuselage that they wont match up with.  Still this is one good kit.  The decals are really good.  Need to recover the windscreen to varnish it and try out a little wash.  I will see about doing that tomorrow.

  Any comments or suggestions please let me know.

  Peace!

  Dazz

Bombcat, Typhoon, Hornet, Harrier, Hawkeye WiP and New Purchases

  Well it's been a while since I posted anything.  But here is a few posts of what I have done the last two weeks.  It's a struggle atm because I am fighting for control of the table with my family.  Well I'll post some pictures up of what I have done thus far... well thats not correct.  I am further along with some models than I am with others.

  The AV-8II+ with it's 3 coats of grey.  I think the grey thats on the side of the body was a little too dark.  Oh well...

  Top side of the Typhoon.  Not too bad.

  Bottom side of the Typhoon, with the harrier in the background.

 Top half of the Harrier, you can see the 3 different greys but I still think the middle tone is too dark.

  Top half of the Bombcat.  Buggered this up totally.  I think the top half is a little too dark.

  Bottom of the Bombcat, the paint has leaked where I didn't mask it up correctly.  Still learning with the airbrush... should that be "Canbrush"??....

  Top half of the Hornet.  I'm gonna strip this model and start again.

  Read above.

  Now the Hawkeye I am actually happy with. :)

  Think the grey on this one is really good.  However I later found a picture of the very model I am doing and it's supposed to be darker than this... bugger.

  see where the radome housing is buggered?

  Those rudders look very cool to me :)

  The fuel tank for the F-18 and the two Storm Shadows for the Typhoon.

  The fuel tank and the Storm Shadows.

  And again?  God knows why I have 3 pictures of the same thing.

  Last but not least the GBU-10's and GBU-12's that I am gonna be using on the various kits. :)

  Now on to the purchases.

  Got this one when I ordered a few paints.  It was only £2 and I love the MiG-29 for some reason.

  Now this purchase was a complete mistake.  I clicked on it by accident and forgot to take it off at the checkout.  Oh well it is a model I wanted, just not now.

  Smaller than I thought it would be.

 
  Well thats it for now.  More to come when I can be arsed.

  Peace! 

  Dazz

Hawkeye, Super Hornet, Bombcat, Typhoon, Harrier WiP Update

  The last few weeks have been manic for me, with the wedding stuff we had to sort out to all my hayfever playing havoc with me to my anti-hayfever medication actually knocking me out (long story).  Onto what I have done then.

  First up is the Hawkeye, now the rotordome housing is totally buggered I will not lie there.  However I have managed to scratch build new legs for the housing and get it glued onto the body.  Pictures as follows.

  If you look at the housing you can see that its melted to crap, so I am hoping that the rotordome will hide most of the damage.  The yellow bits are from the sprues for the Ex-S Gundam.  It seems to be working well.  Next up the Hornet.

  I've brush painted on some Vallejo Light Grey to see what it looked like, but shes all masked up for spraying now.  Harrier next.

  Once again all masked up ready for painting, I'm gonna have to sort out those intakes now I look at it.  Bombcat next.

  Yeah I've primed it white, doing a little experiment with it.  But shes ready for spraying soon.

  All primed and ready to be sprayed too.  :)  If you've noticed that the pictures are better than normal, thats because I've purchased a Canon 1100d DSLR.  I love that camera :)

  More to come tomorrow.

  Peace!

  Dazz

Revell 1/144 Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye Part 3

  Just a little update.  I finally got around to looking at the Hawkeye again, I was actually re-reading one of my Scale Aviation Modelers International magazine the other week, when I noticed an article on the new RAF Voyager, actually an Airbus A330 MRTT but meh... anyhow a bloke in it (I will find his name and give him full credit at an later date) had an A330 and he was going to convert it to the Voyager.  However he had already painted it using the display colours of the A330 at various airshows.  So he had the problem of removing the paint (as well as putting more nose weight in), anyhow he said that he got a tip of using Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner and putting it in a bag to "cook" for a day and then washed it off.  Well it's only £3.00 ish at work and even cheaper with the store discount (yeah I work in a supermarket, fucking hate it with a passion).  I tried it the other day and I can say it worked a treat!  Admitted I buggered up by getting water into the canopy but I can sort that out later.  Below is a picture of her drying from being washed.  I am back on track in getting this "simple" project done.

  Now I just need to decide on the colour of the aircraft and I will get the bugger done ASAP.  Well depends on when my Firestorm Armada cruisers get delivered.

  PEACE!

  Dazz