Kinetic F-84F Thunderstreak

Unfortunately the gun bay panel went missing 🙁. Only after about finishing the painting I realised that Kinetic made a mistake with the Dutch color scheme. They switched the grey with the blue: the bottom should be blue, the top grey and green. Oh well, someday I'll just have to build it again.

What I liked / learned while doing this kit:
1) check historic sources (color scheme),
2) black basing works well, but you'll need a well dilluted main coat,
3) very good decals that I applied the 'old school' way: with water (Mark Fit strong was eating away the gloss coat),
4) handpainting fine lines on a canopy can work but you need magnification while painting. And good brushes ofcourse.
5) Tamiya acrylics spray best when thinned with lacquer thinner. Far better than with X20A.
6) plasticine works well to fill voids e.g. landing gear bays and cockpits before painting
7) VMS varnish can be thinned with Levelling Thinner. I previously tried X20A, but that results in 'icing'.

What I disliked / messed up while doing this kit:
1) the injection moulding on this kit is sometimes mediocre. In general the fit is good, but the fuselage halves recessed at the bottom, resulting in an ugly, recessed seam. I was too lazy to get rid of it completely.The pilot figure (1 piece) looks like Jabba the Hutt;
2) tried Humbrol clear as a clear coat, but I was rather disappointed by it: it proved to be unsuitable as a base for lacquer based panel liner or washes,
3) safely store painted parts that aren't yet used in a good container.
4) avoid using CA glue on canopies. It's just too risky.
5) The Vallejo acrylic needs flow improver or paint retarder: it kept clogging my 0.2 mm airbrush.