MPM 1/72 Northrop X-4 Bantam ** FINISHED Aug 22 13:40 **

[MerlinJones]

Anyone fancy to guess what I'm drinking? It's non-alcoholic and it's not coke.

If it's purple-coloured, then it's Vimto.
If the purple is due to the adjacent clamps, thenm I'll opt for Dandelion & Burdock.
(Those Murricans don't know what they're missing).

[JamesPerrin]

I've posted the numbers of the steps as written so you can see how I've jumped around. I've mainly had to go and fiddle around with the undercarriage so that fuselage components could properly set.

I'll be adding filler shortly and then leaving it for a bit to cure. If I was you I'd probably start another kit at that point but I'd better go and water the garden.

If the purple is due to the adjacent clamps, thenm I'll opt for Dandelion & Burdock.

It is brown in colour. D&B? close but no ...

[JohnRatzenberger]

I wondered if the clamps had been dipped in whatever it is .... how is it modeling under a black light ?

[JamesPerrin]

.... how is it modeling under a black light ?

... illuminating.

+6hrs

Tomatoes watering and some veg picked for dinner... hang on a minute wrong thread.

19. Sanded fuselage and wing joints not too much bother. A couple of minor touch ups to deal with.

I also fitted the now dipped canopy and found that it was too narrow at the rear. Rather than try and fill it out I sanded the cockpit coaming thinner to match.



As I've blanked the exhausts I'm now wondering how I'm going to mount it for spraying

[MerlinJones]

That long, thin object, up an exhaust, perhaps?

Good on-going problem-solving, James.

Regards,
Bruce

[JamesPerrin]

+7hrs

That long, thin object, up an exhaust, perhaps?

I've blanked the exhausts quite far back, so not possible. Might just have to drill a hole in them and poke some wire through.

Wiffie finally returned from her mum's so got some dinner. Bacon and pasta with home grown courgettes and beans.



Rhubarb (yes homegrown too) muffin for afters.

While Abbie slaved over a hot stove I had gone on and finished painting the undercarriage. Canopy added with white glue.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Don't do a close-upof the rhubarb muffin, my mouth is watering already ....

[lancfan]

Don't do a close-up of the rhubarb muffin, my mouth is watering already ....

I second that

David.

[MerlinJones]

No...do it...and what was the pop?

[JamesPerrin]

+8hrs (and a bit)

No...do it...and what was the pop?

As you can see I did just go ahead and shoved some wire up it's pipes (oo-err), I'll reblock the exhausts later.

14. Canopy masked and filling completed 19.

10. added wing fences. These are resin details but the instructions I don't believe are quite accurate. The two tiny blade like aerodymanic structures when there were added to the X-4 appeared on the starboard wing tip. Jay Miller's X-Planes being invaluable for checking these details as like a lot of experimental/prototypes things were changed/added throughout their life.

20 Parts washed ready for primer.

21 added nose probe, as the nose blends into the probe it needs adding before painting

22 Grey primer. To give a single solid colour for the white to cover I sprayed it using Alclad primer. This is ready to use out of the bottle and went on easily. The finish is rougher than I would like (micro filler!) but that could be me not putting it on wet enough. Some issue were sorted and the grey was then touched up.



PS The pop was Sasperilla! Something good did come out of the Temperance Movement

[splash]

It would have looked good in grey in active service.

What does sasperella taste like?

Regards
Splash

[lancfan]

If you have never tasted Sarsperella then you must find a stockist and try it, try the local health shops who should sell a cordial to dilute.

David

[MerlinJones]

Sass...I haven't seen that in donkeys! Good choice and who's your supplier, please.

As to what it tastes like...er....besides tasting like sass...erm....like root beer, but nowhere near as medicinal.

Regards,
Bruce

[JamesPerrin]

I picked it up, along with some D&B cordial from a sweet shop that is directly opposite from where Halifax's Modeller's World use to be in the Piece Hall, Halifax. They are made by 'Mr Fitzpatrick' from the last remaining Temperance bar in Rawtenstall. I first had it as a kid from a neighbours SodaStream and have only found it occasionally since. Like Vimto it's nice hot too.

http://www.mrfitzpatricks.com/;

I believe Sarsaparilla (big computer's spell checker seems to know how to spell it) is an ingredient of root beer, I also love root beer. Proper brown bottle stuff not that A&W stuff in a can.

[JamesPerrin]

+10.30hrs

I've given it a couple of lights coats of Citadel Skull White primer and just now a coat of Halfords Appliance White. We'll see in the morning it it needs another coat of gloss.