Finished and WIP planes of the Turbo-verse

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

So like I threatened in my intro post, here are some pictures of a few completed planes and my current works in progress.  Hope you guys enjoy 'em.

Starting off is a Testors/Hawk SBD Dauntless in 1/72








This guy was basically my reintroduction into aircraft modelling.  I wanted a yellow winged pre-war bird.  The stars on the fuselage sides are painted on using the weirdly engraved lines there, this was because my used box didn't have a decal sheet, or machine guns, or the radio antenna.  So... I just did the best I could with it.  I have had thoughts to redo it, but haven't gotten around to it.

[elmayerle]

*tips hat* Damn, that's impressive work, there.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Next up is a Hasegawa 1/72 A6M2 Zeke.  This was an OOB build since I had finally gotten a model with everything it was supposed to have in it.









I know the canopy should have been the same color as the fuselage, and the front of the prop should have been steel colored, but at the time I did it this way out of laziness.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

*tips hat* Damn, that's impressive work, there.

Thank you kindly.  I'm hoping my painting has improved since I did that little guy.  I know my spare parts and decal stores have so missing stuff will be less troublesome next time.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Following the Zero is an opponent for her to fight, sort of.  Its a Hasegawa 1/72 P-40N, done up in a pseudo desert camo scheme. 











This was my first attempt at a camo style, and I was trying to use up a rattle can of this chocolate brown I had for a house project.  I brushed on the desert tan.  I also like black canopy frames as you can see.  The decals came from a Testors F4U my friend sent me.  It actually came with 2 sets of the Corsair decals and a set of Dauntless decals that I really could have used a long time ago    Oh well. 

So, that was Gregory Boyington's (Major, USMC) P-40N Big Hog (Sn 53-104), thanks for looking.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

So I was wanting to try out some new techniques, such as natural metal finish and washes.  I got a nice ebay lot of two Hobbyboss easy build kits, a P-51D Mustang IV and a P-47D bubbletop.



I kind of mix-ed and matched the decals between the two of them, since I was building both at the same time.







I loved the look of the red stripes on the tail of the P-47.  They were a PITA the apply on the vertical stabilizer though!  Both sides broke into several pieces.  I tried to do a wash on it, but for some reason it didn't want to stick in the panel lines.  I'm guessing I put too much paint on.









The wash seemed to work out much better on the P-51.  Guess I wasn't as heavy handed on spraying the NMF on her or the panel lines are deeper.  I did bust the crap out of the canopy though, which is why it got painted transparent blue.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

This one is mostly finished.  Just needs a wash put on it, though I'm not expecting much.  Its a KP 1/72 MIG-19, that was partly built when I got her.  No gear, missing the third cannon, and a completely unpainted interior with a scratched up canopy glued over it. 









I had planned to put on the under wing stores (rocket pods? and drop tanks) but they were pretty finicky and had no locating holes, so I left them off.   The decals came from the kits and some spares I had gotten.  I marked her up as what I think a MIG-19 being used in dissimilar air combat by USAF aggressor squadrons in the mid 60s. 

As a what-if, I figure a small former Soviet ally had a revolution replacing their dictatorship with a US friendly government.  Since they wouldn't be able to source spares for their high performance Soviet planes, they arranged a trade with the US; exchanging MIG-19s for ex-USAF planes, (probably F-84F and/or Gs).  This would allow the US legal access to relatively new enemy craft in quantity, giving them the chance to train better for the up coming Vietnam conflict.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Another couple WIPs on deck. 

First is a PM 1/72 Sea Fury T.20.  Not a bad kit.  Not terribly detailed though, cockpit was just a floor and two seats.  I added some sheet plastic for instrument panels and two slivers as a control stick.  Hopefully when I pull the tape off it'll be visible under the canopy.



It'll be a what-if in paint scheme and decals only.  But it should look cool.

Second we have an Airfix 1/72 Hawk 81a-2.  Such a nice kit. 



I intend to try out the salt chip weathering technique with her, which is why she is half silver and half black.

Last, there is a Revell 1/72 P-47D-30.  I just recently started this one.



I plan to do some scratch-building on this one, but it'll still be recognizable as a Thunderbolt.

[Old Wombat]

Cool builds so far, mate, & your skills are visibly improving with each one!

Keep up the good work! :)

PS: Do yourself a favour & save up for an airbrush! I used rattle cans for quite a while but the salt technique doesn't really work with them (you need acrylics to allow moisture through to the salt when your cleaning it off) & the paint, properly diluted, goes on in much thinner coats (leaving much better definition of details). Doesn't need to be an expensive one with all the bells & whistles, either, there are some pretty good cheap ones out there.

[Brian da Basher]

Welcome to BTS, Turbo! I really like your models and think you've made one heck of an introduction!

The Dauntless and Zeke are especially nice and prove the saying about there being beauty in simplicity. The Testor's Dauntless kit is so basic it would seem a challenge to get a polished build out of it, but you've overcome this with great style!

I look forward to seeing how your Airfix Curtiss Hawk 81 comes out. I have a thing for P-40s and have built every kit I can find in 1/72 and have found none better than Airfix's.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work,
Brian da Basher

[Volkodav]

Very nice, welcome aboard!

[Tophe]

Great collection of models. :)
Like you, I paint canopies, this (coming for me from tsrJoe) changed my life, opening many more possibilities of transformation...

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.  Sorry about the lack of posting, the last two weeks have been pretty busy and I haven't gotten much modeling done.  My instructor told me to be ready for my first solo, so I had to do a lot of studying!  Then had some family over and some home repairs to take care of.  Its like they don't know I have a plastic addiction to feed!

Any way, I was finally able to slice some plastic and sling some paint today in between some other projects.  Not much work, but its all I could get done.



Added some paint to the Sea Fury.  I went with a RAF post war day fighter scheme, and removed the block for the tailhook, effectively de-navalizing it.  I want it to represent a what-if training Fury that the RAF purchased to replaced their war weary Spitfires and Typhoons.  Training Furies would be used by Operational Transition Units and as squadron hacks.


While the paint was drying on the Fury, I started a new project.  Only stabbed myself 3 times cutting off the wings.



The base kit is a Hasegawa 1/72 F-5A Freedom Fighter.  The wings are from an unknown 1/72 F-16 kit that I got as part of a spare parts lot, which was incomplete.  I'm still not certain if I will use the F-16 vertical stabilizer or not.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

PS: Do yourself a favour & save up for an airbrush! I used rattle cans for quite a while but the salt technique doesn't really work with them (you need acrylics to allow moisture through to the salt when your cleaning it off) & the paint, properly diluted, goes on in much thinner coats (leaving much better definition of details). Doesn't need to be an expensive one with all the bells & whistles, either, there are some pretty good cheap ones out there.

Thanks for the heads up Old Wombat.  I have been wanting to try airbrushing, guess I'll have to do some shopping.  Maybe I'll wait on finishing the Hawk till I do.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Welcome to BTS, Turbo! I really like your models and think you've made one heck of an introduction!

The Dauntless and Zeke are especially nice and prove the saying about there being beauty in simplicity. The Testor's Dauntless kit is so basic it would seem a challenge to get a polished build out of it, but you've overcome this with great style!

I look forward to seeing how your Airfix Curtiss Hawk 81 comes out. I have a thing for P-40s and have built every kit I can find in 1/72 and have found none better than Airfix's.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work,
Brian da Basher

Thanks Brian.  I've seen some of the work you've done, and that is some mighty fine praise.  The Hawk really is a nice model, I wouldn't mind picking up more of them at some point.  I don't get the hate all the other sites have for the panel lines, but oh well.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Very nice, welcome aboard!

Thanks, glad to be here!

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Great collection of models. :)
Like you, I paint canopies, this (coming for me from tsrJoe) changed my life, opening many more possibilities of transformation...

Thank you!  Yes, painting canopies is a useful tool to keep around.  Especially for some poor kits with sad cockpits.

[TurboCoupeTurbo]

Well, hopefully I wont get kicked out of the club for this sacrilege.  This was done up as a birthday gift for my girlfriend, so its her favorite colors.  The base kit is the Revell 1/48 Spitfire Mk.II.  Pretty awful kit if I'm honest.





Her name is Kate, hence the K's.  It doesn't show up well in the pictures, but there is also a "Heaven Sent" script on the starboard side.



Kate is also a Nurse, so the Angel of Mercy decal fit in pretty well.



I had to reinforce the landing gear since the legs don't fit in the holes very well.



This is the finished diorama for her.  She loved it.

[Old Wombat]

Very cool!

This is the finished diorama for her.  She loved it.

This is the important bit!

Well, hopefully I wont get kicked out of the club for this sacrilege.

That wont be happening here!

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[Tophe]

This was done up as a birthday gift for my girlfriend, so its her favorite colors.
Her name is Kate, hence the K's.
Kate is also a Nurse, so the Angel of Mercy decal fit in pretty well.
This is the finished diorama for her.  She loved it.

The first "Spitfire of tenderness", ever! Congratulations to the modeler lover... Would a better name in English be Spitkiss or Kissfire or else?

[Brian da Basher]

That's one sweet Spitfire, purists be damned!

Glad to hear she loved it! She sounds like a keeper!

Brian da Basher