wm_cheng Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Hi all, I thought I could share what I'm trying to start on (in part to thank all the wonderful people on this forum here who have helped me over the years). After almost a 3yr hiatus on model making (I have a new 2yr old daughter now). Its also an experiment to see if I could carve out any personal time for me (I'm sure some new fathers here can relate!). After hearing so much good things about the new tooling of the Academy 1/72 scale F-16CJ - I decided to pick one up, and it was indeed amazing! Worth every penny and more, it is better than all Hasegawa kits except for its newest toolings and much cheaper too! Actually I find it better in most aspects - it was a very pleasant surprise as I had my doubts on anything not Hasegawa nor Tamiya (rather old school that way). It was originally just to be a straight OUT-OF-The Box build to get my skills back, but as I got more and more into the subject (F-16) and the kit itself proved to be such a delight I ended up getting more and more into modifying it! When you've got an already great kit to begin with, it lets you get creative and do mods - as opposed to spending all your time just correcting and filling in the kits errors! Anyways, just a few progress snaps for now. Its an amazingly small aircraft, so all the pieces are correspondingly small to. I started to detail the main gear wells with some additional parts, wires and photo-etched parts based on photo research (what a great 1/72 scale kit well and gear unit, probably the best I've seen straight out of the box). This is just the preliminary stage, it still has to receive its oil wash, some warning stenciling decals and another layer of brake lines and various wiring bundles (but I included a penny for scale). I spruced up the cockpit with the Eduard photo-etched kit and added small sprue switches and toggles - definitely the smallest I've ever worked on! (some are not shown since I added since the photos were taken) I also used a True Details resin seat and fixed that up too, disappointingly it didn't come with the ejection rails which I scratch built and the very distinguishing environmental sensor pitots "horns" on either side of the seat head-rests. I also borrowed a friend who has this tool called Rosie the Riveter and tried it out on the wing surfaces to do some structural rivets of my own on the main wings. Since I decided to drop the flaps slightly, I also corrected the kits molding of the flaps (added the body piece to the flap and corrected the mold panel lines. I also cut apart the rear split airbrakes in preparation to build them in the open position. However, I've been having a ***** of a time with the main intakes! I'm currently on my sixth try at them now. I realize they don't go back all the way to the fan, but they're not bad. What I usually do is paint them with a flat black interior, and then shade and feather the gloss white from the front so it gets an artificial darkening as you look back into the hole it looks deeper than it is and disappears into black darkness. But for some reason (either I'm just rusty, or the opening to spray the white is too small, or I lack the patience) or another each time it hasn't worked out. I originally filled the injector pins while the halves were still apart and sanding them down. Then I glued it together, and painted Mr. Surfacer 500 on the side seams. I then spent "way to long" sanding the side seams with 400 wrapped around the shaft of a drill bit that was similar to the curve of the side walls. I had a few gos at the gloss white which had a hard time covering the black, either I sprayed on too thick and it dripped or created runs, or there was some pebbling or pooling around the front lip. Each time I stripped it down with Windex (I use Tamiya acrylics) and started over again. However each time I stripped it down, I started to damage the interior surface slightly until I could see a faint line of the side seams and one of the injector pin impressions started to faintly read around try 4 - great! I tried to do a little more surfacer and sand again for my 5th try. This time I got the air pressure right... switched to flat white which has a lot more covering power... and the feathering worked great! However, once the black was covered over with flat white, I noticed a myriad of imperfections and scratches that the last fill/sand job created!! ARGH! Just as I got one thing right, the surface fails on me... So have anyone else had troubles with this area of the kit? Any tips... (no, I do not want to put a FOD cover or baggie over the intake!) any suggestions on how to sand the interior more easily or efficiently. Or test if the sanding of the interior is up to par for painting prior to final painting (I guess I could add a primer step before the black). Anyways thanks for reading my I should be building a model!... its such a great kit otherwise, but I'm just stuck here at this stage! p.s. why can't I upload using the attachments for my photos? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
illithid00 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Wow, that looks great! The wheel wells and cockpit are amazing. As for the intake, try polishing it with some denim fabric from an old pair of jeans. That will really help get rid of surface imperfections. Also, try closing off the rear of the intake, pouring in white latex (house) paint, then removing the part closing off the rear of the intake. Let the paint run out, let it dry, then when it's cured cut off any drips out the back with a sharp X-acto. That's the method I've heard works really well at filling in imperfections. Attachments were disabled a while back due to a hacker attack. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Very nice work so far! Watching with interest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share Posted August 25, 2008 Hi all, I got a little more progress on my workbench... Boy, I'm feeling my age... gettin' old - these parts are so damn small!! I'm really happy about the Eduard Photo-etched kit I got for the F-16 and I'm learning a lot about applying the photo-etched parts to the cockpit. I love the HUD that's built up for the front console and the wrap around canopy gasket. Finally got past that damn intake!! After six separate tries and re-tries, finally got it together and looking decent, but there's still 3 flaws inside, but I've had enough - they will be flaws that I'll have to live with. I've learnt that there's no such thing as the perfect model (its the holy grail) that keeps me building for that hope one day... I've made a major mistake with detailing up the main undercarriage gears now. To get me onto something else other than that stupid intake, I started to work on the gears and got carried away before I started to look at my painting and assembly process. I should of waited and applied these details in the end, it would have been easier to mask a completely bare gear well when I came to painting the rest of the aircraft - oh well, live and learn, thats why I'm practicing in this piece of plastic and not a Valkyrie! So I've left off all the wiring, brake lines and hydraulic hoses till the end after the painting. You can get a sense of scale when you see the penny next to some of the images. Lastly, I just couldn't wait and wanted to paint up the fuselage portion of the cockpit and work the photo-etched parts into the rest of it with a very light bit of dry brushing to bring out the highlights and details. Well, a lot of sanding ahead of me! Finally the fuselage is together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Hot demn that´s small!! great work with the PE and the paintjob! Gonna be an impressive little viper! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 I am glad to read positive opinions on this kit because I have one and I had not read opinions about this new product. You're doing an excellent job!! My model will be Chilean, I have chose a different color from usual. I have a curiosity: I saw you are using eduard photoetched, I have visited the site and I have concluded that the photoetched are for an Hasegawa model and not for an Academy, have you particular difficulties to adapt them to this kit? Thanks for your answer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hoops Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Looks great so far, and I think that you are doing a really good job on the model. Are you building a Block 40 aircraft? It looks like it with the reinforcing plates and the WAR HUD. What squadron will it be marked as? I'm looking forward to more progress! Cheers, -Hoops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Outstanding work on that cockpit! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 WOOOOW...that's truly a great work!!!! I love how you handle with those tiny bits of PE!!! Keep it up Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks all! Can anyone give me any hints on how to attach the electrostatic discharge probes at the ends of the wings? I've found some tiny gauge brass wire that fits the bill (I thought brass wire would be more durable than sprue since if it gets hit, I can bend it back) - however I want it to attach more positively than just a dab of crazy glue. None of my pin-vise micro drill bits are even close to the diameter of the brass wire (way too big). Any tips on creating some kind of a hole/seat within the wing to allow the brass wire to be glued in more positively? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
illithid00 Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks all!Can anyone give me any hints on how to attach the electrostatic discharge probes at the ends of the wings? I've found some tiny gauge brass wire that fits the bill (I thought brass wire would be more durable than sprue since if it gets hit, I can bend it back) - however I want it to attach more positively than just a dab of crazy glue. None of my pin-vise micro drill bits are even close to the diameter of the brass wire (way too big). Any tips on creating some kind of a hole/seat within the wing to allow the brass wire to be glued in more positively? First off, this is an amazing build. For the static discharge probes, I'd personally just use some toothbrush bristles stuck on with super glue. They're very hard to break, the glue should be plenty to hold them. If you do go with your brass wire, my only guess would be to try a hole from your riveter, maybe deepened with a pin or something, then stick the brass in and glue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 You may to have to use Kristal Clear and small pieces of nylon fishing! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 (edited) Hmm... thanks, but even a pin is too big (way too big diameter wise) for the gauge of brass wire. Toothbrush bristles is a good idea, but the same problem is not the probe itself breaking, but breaking at the glue joint, it such a small dab of glue that there isn't much surface for the glue to hold onto. What is Kristal Clear? Is it a type of white glue that dries clear? If so, its not strong enough at this small size, the glue site is literally the head of a pin. Oh, BTW, I screwed up the order of certain assemblies (I shouldn't of detailed the main gears yet) now that I have, what is the best way of masking the bay off to prime and paint the rest of the aircraft? Edited August 26, 2008 by wm_cheng Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Sorry for the error, the correct name is Cristal Clear, it is a sort of glue that becomes transparent when it dries and is strong enough to withstand nylon yarn, I use it to simulate transparent parts and also to fix my models bases. On the web, I found this reference: http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/mercha...Product_Count=3 I hope that it can be useful! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Thanks Spad, Is this stuff tacky or quick setting? I have this canopy glue that is essentially a white glue that dries crystal clear too, but it has no strength when setting, I'd have to hold the piece there for hours before it sets up (not fun - great for canopies, bad for antennas). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 The product that I suggested you, is white and is very dense, it dries quickly enough. Precisely because it is thick, you can easily rest the thin nylon in place and leave it without waiting hours, it takes time to become more transparent. I've never used it on large surfaces, but only to create small details, such lenses on missiles. A friend of mine has used precisely to do your own work and he has had excellent results! I think that alternatively, you can use the vinyl glue, putting a small drop on the model and after a minute or so, you can place the nylon (if you decide to use it). My advice is to give it a try on an old piece and see directly the result!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Nice updates there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 Some more updates... Argh... sanding... sanding... and more sanding... Did a primer coat to see the results, and I'm not a very good sander anymore. Man am I out of shape, a few years from modelling and I don't know how to sand again!! I still have some seams and blotches of Mr. Surfacer here and there, I keep sanding again, thinking I got it, then primering, and realizing its better but not all gone, then I get to the part where I start to loose the curvature of the surfaces and details, but the damn repair job is still there!! Argh!! at some point I've got to call it quits and walk away and call my losses and get on to another stage. The little sinkholes/devits on either side of the fuselage proved a bit problematic, I filled them with Mr. Surfacer, but the more I sand, the more the Mr. Surfacer stands out, its as though the surrounding plastic is softer than the Mr. Surfacer!! The horizontal seams by the cockpit has proved a challenge too, think I successfully puttied and sanded them smooth (at least to the light and my fingernails) I glued that little bump/hump to both sides of the fuselage, only to find out that the seam is still visible after primering. Now I have to sand that part around the nosecone antenna and humps, which is proving very difficult without erasing those small details! I love small 1/72 models, but now I wished it was slightly bigger like 1/48 or something. DID I MENTION I HATE SANDING NOW... I've never had such problems with my older Hasegawa kits, I don't know if its because I'm coming back into modeling after a 3yr hiatus and I am rusty or that there's just more filling to be done with this Academy kit, but the sinkholes on the fuselage sides seem to be just bad QC and all the little various injector pin marks all over the place! I wasn't a fan of the 6 piece intake assembly! And making the wings a glue on piece, it should of just been part of the top fuselage. It seems like its just parts sake for extra pieces sake. IMHO Plus there's this fine texture all over all the parts, that shows up if you spray Alclad metalizer paints without primering first. Oh well, some more little bits and pieces here and their that I've been working on... Modifying the airbrakes seems to have paid off with the Eduard PE kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
illithid00 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 That exhaust is awesome! Do you have any pics to illustrate how you made it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 ARGH!! Disaster stuck... In my stupid attempts to accelerate the drying process, I placed the kit a little to close to my lights and it deformed the canopy (beyond re-shaping it back). I can't believe how stupid I was!! I've got too much invested in this bird at this point. I called the store where I purchased the kit from, but they say that they have no way of contacting Academy to obtain a replacement part. I remember back in the day (20yrs ago) when I had a 1/32 Tamiya F-14 and I was able to purchase just the canopy tree again from the distributor (Borgfield Toys in Toronto, Canada). But it seems I may be out of luck this time around. So any one here with a suggestion on an avenue to pursue? I'd hate to purchase another kit just for the canopy (and I don't assume anyone here on these boards have a spare one - its not like its an option part?!) but you never know? I'm going to try the Academy web site. DAMN!! The exhaust was just a modification of the Eduard PE kit, its originally made for the Hasegawa kit, which has no interior thuster can detail at all, I merely cut all the PE turkey feathers from the PE kit and applied them to the Academy part (which isn't bad for a 1/72 injection molded kit). I wish I could claim all the credit for the work, but I can't. ;-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark M. Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Look in the box. Academy kits often have little paper slips with instructions on how to receive replacement parts. I know the last few Academy kits I bought had something like that. Don't go through the store, go straight to Academy. That's where you want to go for parts. Cut out the middle man. As to their responsiveness, I can't say. Haven't ordered any missing/broken parts from them as of yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wm_cheng Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 Look in the box. Academy kits often have little paper slips with instructions on how to receive replacement parts. I know the last few Academy kits I bought had something like that.Don't go through the store, go straight to Academy. That's where you want to go for parts. Cut out the middle man. As to their responsiveness, I can't say. Haven't ordered any missing/broken parts from them as of yet. Thanks, Yeah, the store wasn't much help, neither were the Canadian distributor. I did send an e-mail to global@academy.co.kr in hopes that they will help (and hoping that they'll read english too). I didn't get that slip, all I got was a glossy yellow slip with warning and tips about building the model in several languages. Do you have any of the information on that slip? Everything is on hold now... ;-( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nate Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 You should try contacting MRC (http://www.modelrec.com/), I believe they are the North American distributor of Academy, but maybe just US. It was a few years ago, but I got replacement parts for an Academy mustang - I had to send in the side of the box and then wait a few weeks - but I can't remember if it was Academy or MRC who did it.....HTH and good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spad Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Hi wm_cheng, I expected your progress, I am sorry for what happened, frankly, I would not know how to help you, the only solution if you are unable to find a new, is to make the new canopy using as a mold from a box Hase and vacuform it; if the new canopy will not have the same shape, you can always leave it open. would be a shame to not complete the model. If you can still affect the question for the antennas on the wings and rudders, my friend and a member of the Forum, starflyer, he used to the same problem the Cristal Clear of which I spoke you, you can see the results in the last two photos here: http://www.modellismopiu.it/modules/newbb_...lat&order=0 the final result is commendable in some of these photos of the finished model: http://www.modellismopiu.it/modules/newbb_...22&forum=49 Ciao Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Wow! The exhaust and speed brakes look terrific! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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