1/72 Hasegawa B-47E Stratojet

[Orion Field]

Here is my B-47E Stratojet, out of box with kit decals, my first SAC bomber, but not my last, I have a B-58A and B-66 in the stash....

[Jinxter13]

:thumbsup: That's a great job on that kit.....I hope they bring it back, if only in a limited run, that's one I'd do even though it's in the wrong scale .

[Pirata]

Well done. That's a beast of a kit. You tamed it well.

[Frank Steffens]

Nice job on the metal finish!

I noticed in some of your in-progress threads that you use 3M painters masking tape...I'd recommend using that for filler masking material on bigger areas...for demarcation lines, pick up some of Tamiya's masking tape...its available in several sizes, and will produce sharper lines between colors.

Another thing I've noticed is that in some of your models, the tires and hubs have a little bit of overlap, with a somewhat blotchy appearance. One way to make the hubs and tires look good is to paint the hub first, and then use Tamiya flat black (mixed with a drop of red paint for a more "rubbery" look). Dip your brush into Tamiya thinner, then pick up some of the black and touch it to the tire near the rim, you'll notice that the thinned wash will travel around the hub and create a sharp demarcation. Make several passes with the thinned mixture until the rubber around the rim is painted, then paint the rest of the tire normally. It can be a bit of a pain in the neck to mask the hubs, or to paint the tire right out of the jar, but I've gotten the best results with this method.

Also, I read in another thread that you had a problem with your Aztek airbrush and had ordered an Iwata. Whatever you do, don't throw out that old Aztek! They have a lifetime warranty, and as long as you don't open the body, they'll either fix the problem or send you a new one! Check out the Testor's website for details, I think if you email or call their customer service line, they'll tell you where to send it in. I sent in an Aztek A778 metal body airbrush that had a broken feed coupling, and they sent me a brand new airbrush. If I recall correctly, the turnaround time was pretty quick also.

Keep up the great work, and congratulations on your recent graduation!

[Orion Field]

Nice job on the metal finish!

I noticed in some of your in-progress threads that you use 3M painters masking tape...I'd recommend using that for filler masking material on bigger areas...for demarcation lines, pick up some of Tamiya's masking tape...its available in several sizes, and will produce sharper lines between colors.

Another thing I've noticed is that in some of your models, the tires and hubs have a little bit of overlap, with a somewhat blotchy appearance. One way to make the hubs and tires look good is to paint the hub first, and then use Tamiya flat black (mixed with a drop of red paint for a more "rubbery" look). Dip your brush into Tamiya thinner, then pick up some of the black and touch it to the tire near the rim, you'll notice that the thinned wash will travel around the hub and create a sharp demarcation. Make several passes with the thinned mixture until the rubber around the rim is painted, then paint the rest of the tire normally. It can be a bit of a pain in the neck to mask the hubs, or to paint the tire right out of the jar, but I've gotten the best results with this method.

Also, I read in another thread that you had a problem with your Aztek airbrush and had ordered an Iwata. Whatever you do, don't throw out that old Aztek! They have a lifetime warranty, and as long as you don't open the body, they'll either fix the problem or send you a new one! Check out the Testor's website for details, I think if you email or call their customer service line, they'll tell you where to send it in. I sent in an Aztek A778 metal body airbrush that had a broken feed coupling, and they sent me a brand new airbrush. If I recall correctly, the turnaround time was pretty quick also.

Keep up the great work, and congratulations on your recent graduation!

Thanks, I use enamel paints so the tip on the tamya acrylics wont really work for me, next model. which is a B-17F I am masking the wheel hubs with liquid latex so that I can prevent the running that comes from free painting. Thank you on the graduation congrats, I am actually starting grad school in the fall for a Masters in Information Management with a certificate in social media from Syracuse University...I want to use that to start a decal business so that I can add to the hobby that I love so much!

Edited July 29, 2011 by Orion Field

[caudleryan]

That's a wonderful looking model! I only have one critique- a small one. The key to a good looking model is in the prep work. I would also say it is also about using good tools and supplies as well. As Frank said, Tamiya tape is awsome stuff for demarcation lines. It makes

the demarcation lines more sharp and therefore, you wouldn't get "underspray". Meaning, when you spray your paint, the paint won't bleed through.

Seam lines can also detract from the overall look of a model. One trick is to get the best possible dry-fit and use liquid cement. Tamiya also sells this. They sell it in extra thin

and possibly the regular. Extra thin is the best. What you do is hold the fusalage halves together and then touch the tip of the supplied cement brush to the seam. Capillary action will draw the cement into the seam. Let it set for a few seconds to let the plastic melt. Kinda like welding. You are welding the plastic together. After it has set for a

few seconds, you press the halves together until a bead of melted plastic oozes out. Putty

without using putty. When it is dry, then you sand it.

Speaking of putties, There are all sorts of them. I tend to stay away from the Squadron brands. What I use is mostly spot or glazing putty for automotive repair. You can find this at Wal-Mart in the automotive section for around $5-6. I also use Tamiya putty. I believe they came out with white putty. But, usually this is harder to find due to labelling issues.

The glazing putty works just fine. Another trick is to mask the seam line to be puttied.

Lay a strip of tape on each side of the seam. 3M blue tape is fine for this application. It doesn't have to be pretty. Now, get your putty and apply it to the seam. Be careful not to get any past the tape. The idea here is to minimize the work. Now, when the putty is still wet, get some nail polish remover and smoothe out the putty with a q-tip. This is very important. Make sure it has acetone in it or it won't work. After you have smoothed the putty out, remove the tape and let the putty dry. After that, just sand it a little. Almost no sanding involved.

Well, I think I have mumbled enough. Again, you're doing awsome! Keep up the great work anf I look forward to seeing some more of your models.

RYAN.

[Orion Field]

Thanks Ryan, I'll get some tamya tape, that sounds like it will work better, I tried your technique of dryfitting the model and glueing it with extra thin tamya cement on my B-17F that I'm working on, and it turned out well. I'm just starting the paint on it, so I should be able to put it up on here by the end of the weekend...hopefully

[HOLMES]

Orion,

EXEMPLARY EXQUISITE work...It turned out GREAT,

NICE work.

and Congrats on the Graduation et al.

HOLMESY

[caudleryan]

I should have mentioned earlier. When gluing the halves together, only glue a little bit at a time. That way, you can line up the halves, glue, and repeat. This way will reduce steps and gaps.

RYAN.

[Kevan Vogler]

Very nice finish on one of Hasegawa's pre "Shake-n-bake" kits

I tried building that kit twice and I know it isn't easy at all.