JSI Tomcat - Super Detailing???

[rschaap]

i'm sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

[pickelhaube]

Thanks Normandy, my mom passed peacefully on Friday afternoon, January 16th. I know she is in a better place but, it's not easy to accept. I will miss her very much.

Needless to say, no updates this week.


Steve

Steve ,

I am sorry for your loss . My mother passed away about 20 years ago and I still miss her . I know what you are going through . The pain goes away with time but the sorrow does not.

Matthew

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks for the kind words boys, very much appreciated.

Hoping to find some time to get back on the Big Cat.


Steve

[A-10LOADER]

Well now, time to get this forum back up and running again.

Today's update is brief but, still progress. After many coats of clear cement I finally got the forward windscreen blended in to the fuselage. Some primer will give me a better idea of how it really looks. I used Rust-Oleum texture paint for the walkways on top of the intakes. I tested it on an old A-10 that I use to practice various airbrush techniques. I think it looks the part and will work out nicely on the Big Cat.

I really appreciate all of you who are hanging in there and still showing interest in this project. Til the next update, all the best.

Steve

[granch]

Nice to see you back to your hobby. Seems to happen only very few on this forum when you aren't here!

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks granch, it's good to know you are still interested in my project. It's also good to be back. I'm hoping to find more time to apply to this project so more updates can occur more often.


Steve

[granch]

Go on. Work and hobby have therapeutic value when you're tired from sad thoughts. Even if results are not so good when you start again, because they are under influence of our mind: we are not machines, but human being.

[A-10LOADER]

Greetings all,

I managed to get some time in today on the Tomcat. I restored the " panel fastener " detail to the areas that I did a little bodywork to.





I also attached the small brass pins to the canopy with some JB Weld 2 part epoxy and, got the main canopy masked off and ready for black paint. Once the black dries I'll apply the medium gray FS35237. This all depends on how my airbrush decides to act. I just ordered a bunch of needles, aircaps and, tips.








I also managed to solve my compressor issue. I picked this new one up back in January. This should be a major upgrade over my old diaphram compressor and it's alot quieter. Now I need to get my Grex airbrush and I should be set for a while. Thanks for stopping by and your continued interest.

Steve

[A-10LOADER]

Small update for today, I managed to get the canopy painted flat black and, as I usually do, I mixed too much paint so I used the extra to check all my bodywork, rescribed panel lines, panel lines that I had filled in, etc. Things look pretty good, IMO at this stage so, the next step will to be to join the nose section to the main body and address that seam that I will need to make disappear.














Thanks so much to everyone who still shows an interest in this lengthly project.

Steve

[A-10LOADER]

Very brief update for today. I am very fortunate and honored to have a " professional " model builder for a friend. He is also a Vietnam vet and a GREAT person. Throughout this project I have refered to him many, many times to guide me on certain things, ask him questions and get his opinion on how to tackle that next step.
A few weeks ago I asked him if he would be willing to make me a new pitot tube for each of my Big Cats. Yesterday he delivered a homerun !! He turned this out of 1/4" aluminum stock and it looks great on the jet. The one that came with the jet was plastic, which was destined to get broken and, was proportionally incorrect. Here is a shot of the new one installed on my VF-154 jet, much better IMO and I don't have to paint it.





We also have been talking about how I am going to prime / paint this beast ?? I figured on using Tamiya spray cans just because of the shear size of this thing, then going back with the airbrush and washes for weathering. He suggested I give this a try and that I wouldn't be disappointed. I am anxious to try this baby out but, I'm not quite ready for primer just yet. Again, I am fortunate to have such a good friend and can't thank him enough for all his guidance and expertise, YOU ROCK BUZZ !!!





Next up is to get the forward nose section mated to the main body. Thanks again to those who still find this project of interest and til next time, take care.

Steve

[A-10LOADER]

I wanted to post this update over the weekend but, came down with the flu. Still home today, we'll see about tomorrow.

Today's update, over the weekend the forward nose section got mated to the main body. I had 2 helpers, thanks Buzz and Ed, to assist me. One person mixed the JB Weld 2 part epoxy for the nose section while the other mixed for the main body. We noted the time on the clock and worked accordingly. Everything went together without a hitch and now the two are one. I will now work on getting rid of the seam where they went together. The bottom seam gets covered mostly by the Phoenix pallets, which is good so, not much of that one is seen.








The 2 antennas are not glued in yet I was just checking their fit. You can see I've moved the forward one, from it's original location, more towards the center of the spine as per my reference pics. The white pieces behind the RIO are pieces of cotton balls. I am plugging any openings I can to eliminate overspray from getting into the cockpit area. Besides getting rid of this seam, there are still a few items that will need to be addressed before I can start to prime her. I have some sink holes inside the lip of both intakes that will have to go away, I need to attach the in-flight refueling door, figure out a way to seal the main canopy so no overspray gets in, mask off the wingtip lights and the navigation lights and, plug any other openings to keep the overspray out.
Thanks to all who still show interest in this project, til next time.


Steve

[A-10LOADER]

The seam on the spine is no more. A little gel super glue and about 10 minutes of sanding and everything blends together very well. I just need to slightly rescribe a panel line on each side and clean out some of the dust from the "panel fastener" detail. I'm very happy with how this all worked out. Now to address the sink holes inside the intakes.





A little off topic but, keeping with the 1/18th Tomcat theme. These are two stands that I made for a client in Texas. I used my 154 jet as a test for the photos. He has 2 Tomcats, one is a VF-84 jet and the other is a VF-154. I wanted to try falcon20driver's idea for display bases so, I figured these would be a good test. My first time working with the resin epoxy. There are ALOT of hours into these things even though it may not look it. I think they came out really well and I can't wait to see his Cats displayed on them.
Enjoy your weekend everyone, Happy Hoildays to those who celebrate and, thanks for still showing interest in this project.


Steve

[A-10LOADER]

Forgot to add this earlier. I got the scratchbuilt in-flight refueling door glued on. This door was made out of 0.10" sheet plastic and fills the void that was previously there. The door blends in nicely with the area now and, everything is the same height. Til next time .....


Steve

[A-10LOADER]

Greetings all,

I'm gonna have to put this thread on the " back burner " for a while. My oldest son is away, at Lackland AFB for basic training and Tech school, and while he is away I've decided to redo his room for him. This will be a total gut job down to bare studs and roof rafters. This project will require all my attention and leave no time for the Big Cat. I WILL return to the Tomcat and ask for your patience while I tackel this project. Thanks all.


Steve

[rschaap]

Good luck with the project and thank your son for his service to our country.

[pickelhaube]

Good luck with the project and thank your son for his service to our country.

I agree 100% with RSCHAAP

We as Americans should be proud of all of our sons and daughters in the service.

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. Who knows with any luck he'll get 20 years in like I did.


Steve

[Studly]

hi Steve. i have been following this thread with much interest, i am absolutely Gobb Smacked over the attention to detail you have done to this bird, what an inspiration !!. I look forward to the completion of this project and thanks for sharing your work with us.

Greg

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks for the very kind words Studly, much appreciated. I too am looking forward to the completion of this project. I'm itching to get back on her.
Work continues on my son's room, I have until the 17th of August to finish. Progress being made but, still a ways to go. Thanks for checking in.


Steve

[supersonicfifi]

Keep up the good work .... Fantastic

[A-10LOADER]

Greetings all,

Thanks supersonicfifi, I'm glad you like it.

Brief update for today. Work on my son's room is about 95% finished. I have a couple of pieces of trim to machine yet and the baseboards received their last coat of clear yesterday. They will be installed tomorrow.

I've been itching to get back on the Tomcat so today I masked off the wing walk areas and sprayed them with the Rust-Oleum multicolored textured paint. This is a great idea, thanks Marcel and Chuck, it really looks the part. So I guess I'm officially back on the Big Cat, just not 100% quite yet but, progress anyway. I wish I had a bigger update for you all. Thanks to all who still are interested in this never ending project, til next time.


Steve

[Jwcarpenter]

This is so cool to see back on the production line. I hope all is well with you!

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks buddy, feels good to be back to work on her. A few more little items to attend to and she should be ready for the paint barn ( primer ).
Things are good here thanks.


Steve

[granch]

Glad to see you again on this fantastic work.
Chris

[A-10LOADER]

Thanks Chris, it's good to be back.


Steve