F4D Skyray VMF-115 Silver Eagles WIP

Konrad -
Oh thats fast 🙂

Martin Oostrom
I first took the pictures of the mirage, then cleaned the bench. After that I took the pictures of the f4 and f-100. Then I posted everything.
It makes me look sooooo fast. But tell anyone 😉

Konrad -
I thought you wanna speed up like
Michael 😉!

Martin Oostrom
I want to, but I don't think I'll be able to.

Cuajete
Following

David Thor
Taking a seat.

Łukasz Gliński
Me 2 🙂

Ekki
Me too.

Spanjaard
i am in too 🙂

Martin Oostrom
Welcome guys. First surgery on the lower wing half is done. Build could be paused due to the acquisition of some very old kits in ESM in Houten. My room reeks of old mouldy paper and cardboard. 🙁
Need to get rid of those first 🙂

Greg Baker
Is it too late to vote? I wanna see you build the skyray... mainly cause I have one that's destined for major surgery in the future... and I'd like to see what it's supposed to look like first.

Martin Oostrom
I'm building the f-100 and f4d at the same time. So I can please everybody. 😉

David Thor
This pleases me even more. 🙂

Bryn Crandell
🙂

Martin Oostrom
I aim to please 😉
Welcome Bryn

David Thor
And i tread you so poorly, by delaying the A-7 build. : - ((((((

Martin Oostrom
What's in store.... no problem David 👍

Clifford Keesler
I have always wanted the 1/48 one, maybe someday I will get it. LOL.

Martin Oostrom
You should. It's a beautiful plane. This kit goes together so smoothly.

David Thor
That really looks like a beautiful plane in the making. Should get one of those too.

Martin Oostrom
David, you should. It's a nice kit without major problems (so far).
Lode, thank you.
After some work on the F-100, it's back to the Skyray!

Lost_Erik
Looking good Martin

Clifford Keesler
Looking very nice Martin.

Stephan Ryll
Looking nice so far Martin 👍 the Skyray is a wonderful plane 🙂

Clifford Keesler
I think I am going to do a 1/48 one.

Erik Leijdens
I second that Clifford! Nice progress Martin👍

Peter Hardy
Too many projects, not enough time! I do like the 50s jets, especially Heinemann's Hot Rod, the A4 Skyraider! The Thud is another classic. I'll follow this Martin, no pressure though, but this will be cool!

Martin Oostrom
Thank you for the compliments and patience.
You're so right Peter. Both on the projects and the planes. First I need to put a big dent in my stash before I can buy an A-4 or a F-105. (Last time I posted something similar I bought 8 kits while accompanied by Spanjaard 😄 ) Great guy 👍
All newcomers, welcome!

Spanjaard
not half as nice as you Martin 👍 . That day i kept my hand in my pockets and got purchased very little, a 1/72 tank, that concorde were you got the Drakken... but afterwards, i got a few things and specially multiple 1/144 planes (7 boxes home, one to pick up in my LHS and 5 on the mail)... and some of those have 2 planes per box!
about being slow... i have more models in my stash that i have ever built in my complete life... and i used to be a lot faster in my younger days (specially since I not using filler or sand paper, or detail sets 😛), so i guess i will need to live 100 more....

Martin Oostrom
Okay, primed her in white. Underside will be white, top light grey.
Any suggestions on a preshading colour? Gonna try it for the first time....

Konrad -
For my taste black is always a good solution. Panellines black and for other areas I use lighter colours. Anyhow you can use any colour you prefer.

Spanjaard
i agree with Konrad, but i have just used it once. i have seen people even using markers for it.... but i would not probably go that far.
try in some old kit first (even some flat plastic would do), just to get the feeling of how it goes.

Clifford Keesler
You must be talking about Me Spanjaard, I used to use a Sharpie to pre-shade my kits with raised panel lines, before I started re-scribing them. Now I use black basing.

Clifford Keesler
Martin, I saw a couple last night while reshearching the kit, that the guys used dark gray for preshading.

Spanjaard
i think it was a big marker what i remember. so must have been somebody else😉

Martin Oostrom
Thanks Clifford. Figured black would be too much contrast on the white, dark grey makes sense.
Spanjaard, you've got a great memory. Check around picture 32: WIP Revell Polikarpov I-153 Chaika | Album by Mahoo76 (1:72)
Wasn't a big success.

Spanjaard
maybe that is the one😉 but not seeing the preshading can be fixed with postshading. i would be more worried about the ink bleeding though the paint or something like that..... sometimes there are funny reactions to some products

Peter Hardy
Lode, I just went through Martin's stash. I am looking forward to one of his locomotives! And I am sure he promised to build an Aussie Highway truck. With his build rate they should both be done by next weekend!
Martin, do the A4 as a Kiwi Air Force fighter. But, finish the Skyraider first!
Spanjaard, my mother always said "Never go shopping on an empty stomach". In your case never go to a model show with your credit card!

Martin Oostrom
Man, I've got plans for those locs. I bought some HO rails for proper look and some HO carriages from an about to quit brick store. As the display cases are too short I intend to do a cutout on the carriages. Ideas enough, now more time and skills 😄
A4 in Kiwi markings? Why not 👍
Over here there can be some resentment towards our neighbor countries, why would an Aussie want a Kiwi jet?

Spanjaard
You are right Peter, but my problem is at home, not in the show, ascMartin is my witness, I can go to a show, and go back home with very little. But at home with all the online shops out there..... I fall into temptation!!

Spanjaard
Specially when stressed

Spanjaard
those big ships must need tons of PE!😉

Peter Hardy
Lode, one road train will suffice! I am on hand for expert advice for a small fee, at a discounted "Mates rates" of course. And, yes PE is made from pure gold, the PE I bought from Germany for the Type VII for $800 an ounce. Plus postage. Won't get me again.

Don't believe that Aussies and Kiwis are not brothers, we might give each other hell but if anyone else tries we leap to each other's defence. They bought our Navy's A4s when we scrapped our aircraft carriers in the sixties and seventies. Would love you to build a hot rod in K1W1 markings.

Jay Dubya
Those Kiwi AF display teams used to do tandem barrel rolls - while the two A4s were connected refuelling. RESPECT !!!

Martin Oostrom
I can fit an 1/72 scooter in somewhere. But a complete roadtrain in 1/24 is out of the question. Even a 1/200 Rodney would be smaller 🙂
Sooo, that needs to be a smaller scale, but which and what kits? I need an answer by 2025 as I won't have much time anytime sooner 😄

Martin Oostrom
Okay, preshaded the panel lines in dark grey. I know you have to overdo it in this stage, but I fear I overdid the overdoing. Peter, as my personal antagonist, will you be so kind to confirm I did everything wrong? Thank you.
Following Wim's advice about the Vallejo Model Air, my 0.2 needle didn't clog as much as before. Progress!

Konrad -
It looks good Martin. Keep on going 👍

Peter Hardy
You will have to repeat Wim's advice. I am hopeless with airbrushing anything other than Tamiya and Mr Hobby.
More comments tonight. Mrs Hardy ready to leave and I cannot annoy her as I do you.

Spanjaard
she can kick you for real, while we can only do it metaphorically 😄

Spanjaard
I am sure you did not overdone it, i may have gone a bit further, but of course, it is easy to say that from here 😛

Martin Oostrom
Oh oh, Peter's got time for comments. #RunsToHisKitchenToGetSomeSalt
With two young kids in the house the smell from lacquer or enamel is not preferable, that's why I use Ammo, Vallejo and some Revell. I still need to find some alone time so I can paint the exhaust with Alclad though.
Now for real. Spanjaard thinks the lining is underdone, Konrad thinks it looks good and I am not sure. Anybody got a coin to toss?

Clifford Keesler
It looks good to me. That kind of stuff is really a personal preference.

Spanjaard
i was going to say they same as Cliford. the only opinion that counts is yours. 🙂

Łukasz Gliński
I think for the bright colours (light grey & white) this is good enough, but I'm not an expert, I lost almost all preshading on my Crucian Carp😉

Peter Hardy
Martin, my airbrushing skills are best described as being somewhere between useless and pathetic. I have done the usual thing for me and thrown a stupid amount of money at the very best Paasche airbrushes and I still struggle. I can do a reasonable job for a ham fisted Neanderthal with Tamiya paints but AK and Vellejo results in spitting, spotting and temper tantrums. If Wim has shared a secret, do share with me, please? Pretty please?

As for the amount of pre-shading, all my preshading gets buried beneath a thick layer of base coat despite my best intentions. Criticism of your painting is something I doubt I could pull off without you doubling up with laughter. So, it looks effin' brilliant to me!

Peter Hardy
Thanks for the advice Lode. I should spend more time on you tube learning how to airbrush like a champion instead of haunting Scalemates. I have bought a little device to clean the paint out of parts. Brings them up like new. Ultrasonic gizmo.

Have heard of the show but haven't seen it.

So much to learn Lode! PE, pastels, airbrushing, figures, strewth it just goes on! And I haven't even looked at a dio yet!

Martin Oostrom
Wim advised to put the paint through a small sieve, like the ones used for tea.
Then it's approximately 10 drops of paint, 3-5 drops of thinnet and 1 drop of Vallejo air flow improver. Should have the consistency of milk. Gives a very thin paint, which needs several layers. Because it's so thin you can paint almost all layers right after each other. You can speed up the drying time just by blowing some air from your airbrush.
That's the theory, time will tell if I get it right for real.

Now for the airbrush. It's a wonderful instrument that's capable of producing fabulous results, but I don't master it.
When I bought my H&S I spent some time here sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/ and here howtoairbrush.com/
Hope this helps.

Spanjaard
if i may give some suggestions. Try to thin it to too much, when it flows without problem try to do it again, with less thinner etc, until you get the right results. if your airbrush alows different needle/nozzles, try with a bigger one. if it works in the big one, you can try a thinner one.

Remember that whatever works for Martin (or anybody else) may not work for you. you have higher temperatures and the air is drier than we have here for example. that would mean that same paint and airbrush that Martin use with excellent results, will give horrible results if he were to use them there next to you. you will probably need more thinner/flow improber than us. and if you have aircondioning, that dries even more
try to leave youtube a bit aside, and practice, try different brands and ratios, write down the results, try them again.

one of the mantras that you hear/read everywhere is "use the thinner of the same brand", right? well, last October i was in a training with a great modeller during SCM, and he basically said (and demonstrated) that itis rubbish. some paints actually work BETTER with a different brand, or with a combination of thinners even. this guy probably have done a million tests, since he has even using different types of paint and thinner, like adding a bit of nitrocellulose thinner to acrylics... but the results were incredible.
take and old kit, remove the paint, and do experiments, and then again, and again.
to do tests, no need to fill the cup of the airbrush. just get a drop counter, a small syringe or something like that, and make very small amounts, just to test. in any case, if you use very small amounts of paint, you can get a model done with a lot less paint

sometimes some older paints may clog more... try with newer bottle first.

it also helps to be crazy paranoid about cleaning the airbrush. in my opinion, it has to be perfectly clean to get the best results. and i mean really clean. take a magnifier to check the inside of the nozzle for example. between colors you may need to clean it more or less, that depends on paint temperature and other factors. at the end of the day, clean it completely, ready for inspection 😉

another suggestion, try to use low pressure and low amount of paint. i think it is better to do 5 ultra thin layers, and one thick. slower is better.

Martin Oostrom
See Peter, if you ask nicely, you get tips 😉
Especially the one from Spanjaard is useful. It's -3,5 degrees over here at the moment so test the mixture for yourself!

Anyway, just finished the underside in satin gloss white. At the risk of jinxing myself: it seems I might be starting to get the hang of this preshading enigma.

Spanjaard
it certainly looks excellent

Peter Hardy
But will it fly?

Clifford Keesler
My favorite airbrush is a 25.00 Master G-25 with a .02 needle that I bought from TCP Global. It sprays everything very well, and it is 5 years old.

Peter Hardy
The problem is not my tools, it's the lack of talent of the operator!

Next week over 40C predicted until Thursday when it will cool off to a balmy 38C. Won't be painting anything with the airbrush that's for sure.

Spanjaard
no reason not to.... it will be simply require more thinner probably. but it should be possible
the question could be if the melted plastic will take the paint or not

Martin Oostrom
Put un an extra sweater after Thursday, we wouldn't want you to catch a cold.

Peter Hardy
Too late! Came down with man flu today. Might need some cheering up over the next few days. Oh, and Martin? I don't own a sweater. Best I could do is put two shirts on.

Martin Oostrom
Just painted the exhaust before work. Wife and kids were already gone, so Alclad time! With a bit of luck the smell will be gone before anybody gets home.
Thin layer of black gloss primer, then Jet Exhaust and some highlights with Aluminium.
It will be tucked in completely inside the fuselage, so no need for extensive weathering on the outside. Perhaps a touch of white/blue on the inside.

Peter Hardy
Coming along pretty good Mate. Actually very impressed with your instrument clusters. Neat work.

Peter Hardy
Spanjaard old mate, YOU go and sit in my garage in 40degree heat and try and convince me that there is no reason not to! I have plenty to do indoors, in the air conditioning. Like chat to a Spanish Don who loved the cheese so much he stayed, for 20 years! LOL!

Spanjaard
Man up Peter... "I got the flue", "it is 40 degrees", ... Lame excuses to sit in front of the computer instead of doing some modelling 😛

If you pay the flight, I will be there to chat in person, (of course in the airco area of the house) in about 24 hours.

Peter Hardy
You would be very welcome! A personal airbrush trainer? How much do you charge? My advice, travel light and leave the sweater at home. I will warn you though, my lawn will take longer for you to mow than Marty's!!!!

Spanjaard
Send the tickets and we will talk about my fee when I get there (well after a week diving in the great coral barrier)

Bart Teunis
Well and some paints will clog just becasue they can't stand eachother......

Martin Oostrom
Sorry Peter, you got me there. What's instrument clusters? Beyond my English/Australian at the moment. 😮

Welkom Bart 👍

The grey is done as well, I like the way the preshading shines through. 😎 But the jinx struck even before I typed it. 😠 On image 36 you'll see two nicely painted wingtips on the left. Sadly enough the shapes are identical when they should be mirror images of each other. So one's got a nice white topside and a grey underside...... 😭
Any tips for stripping the paint on one wingtip? 😳

Martin Oostrom
Or just preshade again and paint over the existing paint?

Stephan Ryll
Looking good Martin 👍

Spanjaard
You can try to paint it again, and if does not look right, it should be easy to remove the paint and start over. I is just a wing tip. I have done that kind of cleaning with a complete model....
If you use acrylics, simple and plain pure alcohol with kitchen papel would do

Clifford Keesler
The preshading turned out great Martin. Insturment cluster are Insturment panels.

David Thor
Looks very well done!

Konrad -
Martin your preshading turns out great 👍.

Martin Oostrom
Thank you guys.
Will try to paint over.

Martin Oostrom
I'll concede this is better than most of my builds. To call it a top build is too much praise 😳

Łukasz Gliński
I wish my future USN projects (in that gull grey + white camo) would look that good 👍

Bart Teunis
for stripping -> ethanol ....

Spanjaard
Going really well Martin. Be happy that your only mistake, can be resolved with alcohol , for once😉

Peter Hardy
Oh Spajaard, that's beautiful!!! LOL!!!!

Martin Oostrom
Nice comment Espagnolo!!
Preshaded once more. Lightened the grey a bit, was too dark. And I'm planning on doing a softer edge on the nose.

Martin Oostrom
Asmy airbrush spat out the first drops of white, the phone rang; emergency at work. Hastily finished the white, which looks like 50 shades of grey now....
When I finally got home the airbrush was off limits, so brush painted some reds and greens.

Peter Hardy
Need a bigger house or a smaller family.

Spanjaard
just set priorities straight, family than modelling and ... anything else?, ah, then work.

Peter Hardy
Your Wife is standing right behind you with a rolling pin isn't she?

Spanjaard
ha ha ha. no (right dear?)

Peter Hardy
Lol!!!

Martin Oostrom
I was on stand by for the whole weekend and of course on Sunday afternoon there was an accident.
But not on this Monday and because I had worked on Sunday, I got home a bit earlier. So, sprayed the white again, noticed some red on the grey and painted the nose black. I could mask the nose good enough with masking tape when I realised I had some liquid mask from Vallejo somewhere. Applied it with a toothpick and solidified it with some air from the airbrush. This stuff works like a charm! 👍 Need some more practise to get a perfect straight line, but this I can fix with the panel line wash.

I think after a small touch up on the red I'm done with painting.... So it's a gloss layer and then decalling!

Greg Baker
I dunno... but the comedy hour on this thread is as entertaining as the model building... I'm still laughing at Spanjaard's comment about solving problems with alcohol...

Peter Hardy
Martin, I can't lend you any masking solution, I had a new bottle of Humbrol but it turned into a solid lump with the high temps. Might have to put a refrigerator in the hobby room.

Lode, I could give up the hobby completely and just enjoy the mateship! But there is the problem with what I might fill the above mentioned fridge with if not Humbrol masking solution.

Peter Hardy
Did you get the 1/48 scale sub??????

Clifford Keesler
I think she is looking good Martin. I'm sure you will get all the little niggles worked out.

Peter Hardy
Lode, You owe her big time!

Martin Oostrom
And when will you build the Mighty Hood? And more interesting; where will she live when finished? She's HUGE! Is the misses moving out?
This thread is better than Saturday Night Live 😄 but there is an obsession with intoxicating drinks developing..... which I don't mind😎
Clifford, thank you 👍

Peter Hardy
Just imagine how much PE in that "accessories bag" I bet it's big one!

Peter Hardy
Got a gold and copper mine just north of here Lode. I'll get them to dig up and extra 10kgs for the task.

Bernhard Schrock
Martin, good results so far. But are you sure that the wheel wells and folding area are green? This would be very unusual for this AC-type and white/gullgray scheme. Imo both should be white… YW

David Thor
Indeed very unusual. However it doesn't look bad.

Martin Oostrom
Bernhard, you are right as usual. I thought the white folding area would make the total picture a bit bland. So I choose green as a contrasting colour.
Thanks for your feedback and compliments 👍

Peter Hardy
I'll get the shovel then...

Clifford Keesler
Looking good Martin. @ Bernhard, thanks for the info, I was going to paint my wing folds red.

Peter Hardy
Weekend coming up Marty! What is the plan with the Skyray?

Martin Oostrom
Over here it's Friday midday. Tonight I have to bring my son to a scouting weekend, will be late when I get home.
Tomorrow it's birthdays, newborn and other visits. I hope to lay fown a gloss layer in preparation for decals and washes and stuff (memo to self, don't forget to paint the exhaust housing gunmetal grey)
I am not aware of any plans for Sunday, but looking ahead for more than a couple of hours is quite difficult for me 😄
Hopefully I have some decals done and perhaps some weathering by Sunday evening.

Martin Oostrom
Sorry Peter. Delayed: P-38 | Album by Mahoo76 (1:72)

Martin Oostrom
The grey paint felt like an Aussie truckers chin (I imagine), so I polished the whole plane. No need for a gloss layer before decalling, I think.....
Anyhow, thick Tamiya decals are getting drunk on decal softener and are getting where they need to go, sort of.
Halfway there, time for a drink and bed.

Spanjaard
nice!

Clifford Keesler
Looking good Martin.

Stephan Ryll
That's looking very good Martin 👍

David Thor
Looking very good! A roll-out seems to be due very soon!

Martin Oostrom
Thank you guys!
David, I'm afraid not. Work has been crazy this week, so the weekend will be family time only. Next week the misses has a redecoration of the second floor planned. My bench is on the second floor 🙁

Spanjaard
good luck with the redecoration 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Ouch!.

David Thor
Haha i know that kind of delay on my important work very well. I hope you don't have to suffer to much. 😛

Peter Hardy
Ummm, Spanjaard you are supposed to be helping aren't you?

Spanjaard
this weekend unfortunately i have an appointment.... in another continent 😄

Peter Hardy
All those lifts to work and you're unavailable? You could at least offer to mow the lawn while Poor Martin is slaving away keeping Mrs Oostrom happy.

Spanjaard
Precisely, but you can take a plane and do it yourself, while I am flying in the opposite direction. Actually that would be the best time for you to visit Europe 😛

Jay Dubya
I'm sure that if Peter had feelings he'd be hurt Spanjaard. But given where he's from he's probably gone a bit Mad Max.

Spanjaard
Mad Max.... he was just a school kid compared with Peter 😛 right Mr Hardy?😉

Peter Hardy
Too many plane rides for work Don Quixote! I'd rather walk than catch a plane. Jay Dub, I do have feelings, they are just well hidden... Boo hooooo.... Martin? They are all being nasty to meeeeee!
Actually, I reckon that some of the classic Mad Max Outlander vehicles would be great builds! Not the new movie, but the old Mel Gibson ones. You wanna get outa here? You talk to Me!

Martin Oostrom
Now children, play nice!
Phew, work was a ***** this week. And now we're of for a shirt weekend vacation 🙂
Going cold turkey on my hobby 🙁

Martin Oostrom
Okay resurrected this. Decals are all on. Tamiya decals are hard to get into panel lines and tear up easily. needed tons of decal soft.

Dutch
Martin, another outstanding project! Let's see her all finished up! I envy you the time. R/ Dutch

Martin Oostrom
And I feel like scraping for time

Martin Oostrom
Okay, found some time 🙂
Glued air brakes, tail hook, legs, wheel bay doors, exhaust & wings. Painted exhaust cover and guns.
Touch ups & weathering next. After that some matt varnish and Done.

Dutch
Martin, It is looking very nice!

Peter Hardy
Another perfect product rolling off Martin's Magical Production Line!

Martin Oostrom
Thanks Dutch.
Peter, you're equally generous with jokes, barbs and now praise. I can handle the first two easily, but the latter is too much. 😉
Like everybody else I see only the flaws, not the achievements.

Spanjaard
and also multiple kits at the same time.... respect 🙂

Clifford Keesler
It is looking awesome sir.

Peter Hardy
Don't lay it on too thick Mates, it's only Martin being Martin!

Cuajete
Very nice color scheme.

Tim Heimer
Looking good for an amateur! LOL

Martin Oostrom
I'm no friggin amateur 😠
I'm a beginner 😉

Martin Oostrom
Tried some weathering on the underside. Seems my skills don't like bright base colours. A dark grey Crusader is more of my thing

Tim Heimer
I Even call myself that! or just a wise fool! LOL Ya Martin I think a lighter gray would be a better wash, not too dark.

Dutch
Martin, Still and all, very nicely done. Definitely not overdone! I hate it when overdone and you can see every panel line in stark contrast. In real life, you cannot, so it is better if not done so on a scale model. Very pleasing subject and flawless execution! Prachtig!

Peter Hardy
Never calls me an amateur! Never calls at all...

Tim Heimer
Peter I never called you an amateur, but I have called you other names!

Martin Oostrom
Okay guys. This is it. I sprayed a matt varnish and on top some mild aluminium chipping with a sponge. Then I removed the Bare Metal Foil Masking. Or I tried. That stuff is so smooth, it slithered from under the paint in places! Had to cut the paint along the edges first, then I could scrape of the BMF. There was some sticky residue left, but a bit of thinner took care of that. Pictures of her completed self can be found here: F4D Skyray VMF-115 Silver Eagles COMPLETED | Album by Mahoo76 (1:72)

Thanks for all your barbs, jokes and above all, Support with a capital S! 👍

Spanjaard
congratulations Martin!

Łukasz Gliński
That looks familiar - I always have the some problem with de-masking, still looking for the cure 🙂

Dutch
I've heard rubbing alcohol helps remove the masking tape without marring the clear plastic.

Łukasz Gliński
Which one? Jack, John or Jim?😉

Tim Heimer
It's still looking impressive Martin!

Peter Hardy
Look Tim I have told you before, leave me out of it!!

John Thomas
Very nice work

Cuajete
Well done, Martin. Congratulations!

Martin Oostrom
Thank you all for the nice compliments. She's a joy to build. Folded wings and the airbrakes cutout were a first. The result is decent enough, and most flaws (my faults) are a bit hidden or easy to overlook. She sure does look nice with her tips up 😉

Peter Hardy
All tips should be up Martin! Or maybe out? Great job buddy, I bask in the reflected glory!!!

Greg Baker
Peter, please ensure you remain fully clothed while basking...

Great job Martin. Whenthe flaws are that tiny, they're easy to overlook. Each of your builds seem to be getting better than the last. I'm eager to see what's next!

Martin Oostrom
Be careful Pete, the guys are throwing so much praise this way, the glory could be too hot. Don't get too close, or you could end up like Icarus.

Greg, in this scale most things are tiny 😛
There's a certain Crusader to finish next, then it's back to the Graf