Dazzled's Doggie Double ***DONE***

[Dazzled]

I understand your issue with masking.

Assuming you use Tamiya tape, do you press the tape hard against the transparency and then use a fresh cocktail stick to press the tape into the corners of the framing? Do you then use a fine, pointy, fresh blade, to follow the path your cocktail stick went?

I've worked with someone who spent good money on pre-cut masks, only to find that his eyesight made the extraction of these from the sheet and their application to the model, just too much faff.
I bought him some cocktail sticks and he's been a happy bunny ever since.

Regards,
Bruce

I do use Tamiya tape and cocktail sticks Bruce but, i'm afraid, it's just the eyesight and electric light. I'm trying to persuade the wife to let me have the daylight lamp/magnifier, she bought me for Christmas, before I go completely blind

[Dazzled]

Hmm. They look good, even with the trenches. The Zero is especially nice, and you did a bang-up job on replacing the weight balances. I'm surprised by the missing shell ejection chutes on the P-40 though.

What are the little pinholes in their place? Are there bomb racks in the kit?

I think they are meant to be the shell ejection chutes although they're wrong for this version. The way the parts break down I think that Airfix are planning a "six wing-gun" version and just didn't want to spend more on moulding a separate lower wing.

[IrishAir]

They're the correct shell ejection shoots for a P-40B, the circular hole at the top is a different thing entirely.

P-40B



P-40E



Cheers,
Paul

[Dazzled]

Thanks for clearing that up Paul. Now that I've had a look under a magnifier (Dazzled dodgy eyesight strikes again) I can see the holes are different shapes.

Nice reference pics by the way

[Dazzled]

After a final push the freebie dogfight double is finished.

The last things to do were to give both models a varnish overcoat (Klear) and then complete the Zero canopy, which I did last night, fitting it in position today. The P-40 canopy also went on, although not before George made another escape attempt. I hope he doesn't end up rattling about in the cockpit! The clear bits on both aircraft fitted superbly-no filling or filing, just clearfix and down they went.

The P-40 gained nav lights and a landing light (clearfix again) and then I turned my attention to the stand. As I've said before, I'm not that impressed with the stand and I wasn't too taken with the Airfix logo that stuck up like a mushroom so, rather than try to file down the cross shaped lug underneath, or cut it off, I decided to fill the hole and paint the stand. I had a can of Halfords Grey Primer handy so that settled it. This stuff dries pretty quick and covers well so it wasn't long before I was ready to put the little placard on. I got the Microset out before I realised that it was a self-adhesive sticker (DOH!) but, in my defence, I had left it in it's bag during the rest of the build.

Then it was the simple matter of adding the P-40 and Zero to their perches. And this is the finished result.























All done in eight days

[Dirkpitt289]

Beautiful builds. Very impressive. I just got back from my LHS and they said these "individual" kits (Not the dog fight double) will be in house in 30 days or so.

[Dazzled]

Brilliant. My Zero had red (wing-walk?) markings too, but the instructions placed them on later machines, not the version I made. I painted the filler caps on the wings red, although tbh, I did this for fun. I am unsure if they were red on the day. Either Airfix or Tamiya has the pitot tube on the wrong wing. Anyway, as I said, very fetching!

Or it's just me. The damn thing spent more time on the floor than on the model. Must've stuck it back on the wrong wing after one retrieval (I've got to get new specs). Oh well, it'll only take a few minutes to sort out.


And it did only take a few minutes. It wasn't difficult to remove...big surprise.

[MerlinJones]

Good looking set, isn't it...though I snorted when I heard you talk about the sticker!

Regards,
Bruce

[Softscience]

very impressive.

I may have to eat my words and purchase both kits.

[Dazzled]

Good looking set, isn't it...though I snorted when I heard you talk about the sticker!

Regards,
Bruce

It's really nice and goes together well (apart from the stand ). Next time I'm in town I think I'll look out for another of the new tool P-40's. Hope I don't see two or I won't be able to make up my mind

[Molly-new]

Now there's lovely.

Very impressive builds, and an informative thread to boot. Nice one.