Thundercals 48-005 for 1/48th P-47 kits

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Frank R

Thundercals National Insignia and Data Decals for the P-47, No 48-005

by the Tick

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48-005 Type 4 national Insignia and data Decals Pt1 for the P-47 Thunderbolt

Besides enough insignia to do 9 complete aircraft in multiple configurations, there is plenty of excess data that you won’t find on most decal sheets, either in the “box” or as aftermarket. Below are a few examples.

PROP DATA

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Featured are 6 different blade types + an extra 13’ Symmetrical with different data presentation.

There are enough blade specific decals to do 4 sets of each type. Plenty of accurate Curtiss Electric logos and plenty of spare Hamilton Standard logos using gold ink background that makes them stand out.

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12’2” A.O. Smith asymmetrical blades complete with fine, twin prop tip stripes

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Hamilton Standard 13’ diameter blades, utilizing the most common white data. The image doesn’t do justice to the logo.

 

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A pair of well-done and wired Tamiya engines by Ed Mate.

A pair of well-done and wired Tamiya engines by Ed Mate.

Final touches are the P&W engine data plate

Final touches are the P&W engine data plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Pratt & Whitney logo decals.

And Pratt & Whitney logo decals.

There are 8 sets of flap indicators. These are particularly useful for the Tamiya P-47 series as the kit allows for lowered flaps.

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Flap indicator decals are not included on the kit decals.

ALSO on this 2 decal set release are 2 different types of landing gear hydraulic data plates, wing gun numbers and red wing root NO STEPs. This decal set and other ThunderCal releases, can be purchased at Thundercals@yahoo.com – 48005, a 2 decal set $22.00ea.

Dealer inquiries welcome.

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2016 October Meeting Notes

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Frank R

October 21, 2016 McKinstry Meeting

Theme: ADC (that’s Air Defense Command, for the acronym-challenged)

Notes by The Tick and Paul

Attendees were: Paul Gasiorowski, Mike Hanlon, THE TICK, Charlie Scardon, Jim Batchelder, Frank Ress, Brian Gardner, Bill Soppet, Lee Lygiros, Carl Geiger, Dan Paulien

F-89J Scorpion, 1/72nd, Revell, built by Charlie Scardon

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Built out if the box. Paints used: SNJ, red and yellow Testors. The Insignia red was applied over Testors gloss white. Depicted in 64th FIS / 10th AD circa 1957. SuperScale Decals.

F-106A, 1/48th, Monogram, built by Norris Graser

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Overall Model Master ADC gray, SuperScale Decals. 5th FIS, Minot AFB, N. Dakota. The 5th flew the F-106 from Feb 1960-April 1985, before re-equipping with the F-15A.

EF-111A Scorpion, 1/72nd, Monogram, built by James Batchelder

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Jim built this version of the Ardvaark out of the box about 30 years ago. He used Model Master paint : 36440 light gull gray and 36320 dark compass gray.

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Markings for an a/c based at Upper Heyford, England. 20th TFW / 42nd ECS.

F6F  Hellcat, 1/48th, Hasegawa, built by James Batchelder

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For this build, Jim used Model master gloss sea blue – Eduard Photo Etch and SuperScale Decals.

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Markings portray Ens. Donald McPherson VF-83 USS Essex, 1945.

Ki6 Tony, 1/48th, Hasegawa, built by Mike Hanlon

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Mike used IJN grey (Tamiya) for the fabric ailerons Aluminum Alclad (undersides) and just a standard Gunze O.D. (topsides) AeroMaster Decals, 56 Combat Regiment, 1945, Itami Air Base, Japan.  Mike said he had a little difficulty with the wing assembly.

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Flagship Models 13 inch Seacoast Mortar in 1/35th scale

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Frank R

 

Flagship Models 13 inch Seacoast Mortar, Model 1861 in 1/35th scale

by Glenn Estry

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Kit is almost 100% resin except for two or three pieces of brass rod (for levers). Resin parts were so poorly molded, that trying to remove them from the flash resulted in so many broken pieces that I decided to leave them alone and recreate them from brass, using them as patterns.

The only resin pieces I kept were the actual cannon mortar, the wheels and the two carriage sides. I kept the cannonballs (molded as one long linked chain) and used them as decoration.

The circular base was made from basswood, then trimmed and sanded into a circular shape which was used on ships to facilitate aiming. The ‘deck’ section was not part of the model, but it was made from thin birch plywood. Both were colored with ‘Minwax ‘Ipswich Pine’ stain.

The fittings and plates on the base were made from .005″ brass sheet,and aged in ‘Blacken-It’. The rails were made from sheet and square brass rod and soldered to make rails for the carriage to move on. All the other brass was made from either sheet or rod in appropriate sizes. The straps holding the cannon trunnions were made from brass sheet, drilled and held down with #2-56 hex head bolts after I tapped the holes I drilled in the carriage sides. Cross bars underneath the carriage are also held together with 2-56 bolt and nut and hangar straps for the wheel levers are held on with #1-72 screws and nuts. The loading scoop was made from brass and basswood. The tongs for lifting the ammo were hand made, held together with #0-80 nut & bolt. The ring and hook also hand made. All soldering was done with 60-40 solder.

Paint used was Testors Metallizer ‘Burnt Iron’ and ‘rust’ was created with ground chalk pastels and then sprayed with Dullcote.

Overall, the quality of the resin molding of the large parts did not require much cleanup, but any small parts were mostly unusable unless you have extreme patience cutting, sanding, filing away the flash and hoping you don’t destroy the part.

The kit is available in some places online for $50.00 but knowing you’ll have to build all the parts yourself might make you think twice about buying this kit. However, (tooting my own horn here) I think my efforts made it a much better looking model than it if was made as it comes supplied.

 

 

 

 

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2016 September Meeting Notes

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Frank R

September 23, 2016 McKinstry Meeting
Theme: ODD Ball Weapons

Notes by The Tick, guest commentary by the webmaster

F-51D Korean War, 1/48th, Tamiya, built by Mike Hanlon

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Tamiya Medium Sea Grey and Gunze Sangyo H-52 Olive Drab upper camouflage over Tamiya Light Sea Grey lower Ultracast Aeroproducts propellor and spinner. Ultracast P-51D block tread tires. Red Roo dust filters.

Xtradecal X48-092 P-51D Mustang Mark IV RAF, RCAF, and RAAF service. Number 3 Squadron RAAF April-May 1945 Cervia, Italy.

Boulton Paul Defiant, 1/48th, Airfix, built by Mike Hanlon

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Number 264 Squadron RAF Hornchurch July 1940. A/K Interactive paints RAF day camouflage. Kit decals. Eduard photo-etch instrument panel and seat belts.

Soviet Aerosan (AKA first snowmobile), 1/35th, Trumpeter, built by Dan Paulien

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Built OTB Basic paint is Model Master Insignia White. Finished with washes, watercolors and pastel weathering.

13″ Seacoast Mortar, Model 1861, 1/35th, Flagship Models, built by Glenn Estry

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This started out as a resin kit, but the small parts were too brittle, so they found their way to the trash can. Glenn then made replacements of wood and brass and copper for the majority of the original kit parts.

Shinden, 1/72nd, Tamiya, built by Frank Ress Sr.

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Frank Ress brought this model, but it wasn’t his build. Frank’s father built this OOB sometime in the 1970’s. Likely using Floquil paints, kit decals.

“Dad liked ‘weird-Os’ – he found anything that looked non-traditional interesting.  And he’d never build 3 of anything if they weren’t part of a set, he’d want to try something completely different. Now I’m in a chapter that has a fixation on P-47s – seems like half the kits, themes, and conversations are about Thunderbolts. Jugs are one of my personal favorite WWII a/c, too, but there are just too many other things I want to build.  And I’m attracted to the weird and one-offs, too. Probably why I like Norris, crusty as he is. I’ve wondered whether this meeting theme is some kind of subliminal self-reference to the Tick.”

Bacham Ba-349A Natter, 1/72nd, Bren gun, built by Paul Gasiorowski

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Partially built model. A rocket powered point defense interceptor. First flight march 1945. Plastic with resin and photo etched parts.

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