My first kit
 

I have almost finished my first full kit. It has been a constant learning experience from beginning to end, and I have used this forum and alot of your tips and advice in building. The plane is a TF p47 .60. I have a YS 120 to power her and am using Robart offset struts(which, by the way, are making the gear doors almost impossible to the point that it may not happen on this one).
I used this plane to try a lot of new things including glassing and using an airgun and homemade stencils. Just need to build a couple of bombs, waiting for my wife to use up some of her small bottles of beauty products for that project And I am also looking for a skeleton figure to pilot this plane something in 8-10" range.
Next plane p-40 can't wait.

RE: My first kit
 

Looks great man, thats some major weathering.

RE: My first kit
 

thanks jeff,

the idea was the plane is supposed to look very old (skeleton pilot), for two reasons.
First I thought it would be cool to try to make it look 50 years old and secondly, the idea of making it look old and beat up gives you a lot of excuses for not so great work;)

RE: My first kit
 

Parkerspop,

I have my H-9 P-40 that is going to go the same route. It met an early expiration date, so I am re-doing the plane in a like fashion.

Did you see the movie Heavy Metal? There is a scene from a plane graveyard where the pilots come back to life and chase a live guy around. I am trying to follow that idea. Since we probably fly out of the same place, I look forward to seeing your plane out at the field.
Do you go to Grantsville or to Salt Lake?

Tom

RE: My first kit
 

Gotta love that honesty;). It does look a little "War Weary" During WWII, when a plane got too War Weary to fight anymore, the painted "WW" in whit letters on the tail, or cowl, and used them as unit "hacks" for the brass to toole around in.

RE: My first kit
 

Wow, that really looks cool ! Great job, you are a natural.

RE: My first kit
 

Great job !!!! its nice to see a very differant look and that particular scheme is not easy to tackle. You did an awesome job ! How about sharing some of your skills-ie airbrush and cameo details !!!! :D

RE: My first kit
 

Here is a link for a cool pilot http://hppilots.com/images/Parlor%20...%20picture.jpg.


In case the image dosent turn out here is the link to the site.
http://hppilots.com/images/Parlor%20...%20picture.jpg

Jeffrey

RE: My first kit
 

I have seen some people take the bust of one pilot and glue it to another body you might be able to do that with that bust. I am getting started on my first warbird a CMP 40 size P47. I won't fly it this year as I only have a little less than 20 flights on my Thunder Tiger trainer. I have a SkyRaider Mack II low wing trainer coming this week that I am going to start flying.
The guys at my club said I am a natural pilot and am ready to move onto something more exciting! (or they like crashes LOL)

Jeffrey

RE: My first kit
 

Not trying to be critical here just an observation, but if your plane is "too weathered" it removes the believability if the subject matter. People identify with a subject when it's plausible. "Hairless Joe" is a well known subject of the 56th FG and while it was used extensively it was still pretty well maintained, after all Maj Schilling was the Group Commander.
This is a hobby it's perfectly fine to do things any way one wants. You said it's your first plane and I'm sure it's been a learning experience and you had fun.. that's the important thing![8D]

RE: My first kit
 

Liberator,

I fly in Salt Lake when I do fly, but it's been quite a while. I've been more in build mode than fly mode and that's got to change.
And the theme from Heavy Metal is exactly what I am going for. I thought it would be cool to have the plane be "ressurected" in our time with no restoration. So it's important to get a skeleton to pilot so people don't think it's "too weathered to be plausible".

RE: My first kit
 

It's so old even the aluminum has "rusted"! :D

RE: My first kit
 

Yeah, get back out flying!

I have been thinking about how to make it look hammered and I like what you have done, if I may ask, the cracking on the canopy is very impressive, how was that done?

I am going to put clear monokote on parts of the wings and tail surfaces and paint the ribs inside silver or a pewter color to make them look like metal ribs, then put the rest of the covering around the clear spots. I am hoping that the net effect will look like the covering has been torn away in places and is gone.

RE: My first kit
 

That is a good idea for the torn away look. You could probably run some wiring and junk to make it look more detailed. The canopy was easy, just scratched in with my knife.

RE: My first kit
 

Knife huh? nice job, it looks great!

RE: My first kit
 

Good point KMOT,

I didn't even think that part through. I am under process of creating a lot more paint flaking, replacing most of the rust, besides I thought the rust didn't look right, and not just because aluminum shouldn't be rusting. I would assume however the bolts are made of steel and do rust. Would that be correct?

RE: My first kit
 

I used to work on h53's which look like they are in about the same status as what your trying to go for. Anyways, rivits in the skin will corrode into a white powder, like baking soda.