Hi folks. Brand new to the forum (been lurking a while to watch all the builds). Let me say, there are some very talented people here. I just received my first package last week and have been playing around with it. I haven't built a model in years, and painting was always my weak spot. Loved putting them together, but was horrible at painting. I don't know what I'm going to do in terms of painting this model. The thought of a full repaint is horrifying as I do not have the skills. But the collective knowledge around here may just inspire to do it. We'll see. Anyway, here is my attempt at painting the cockpit and sanding the pre-painted parts from my first pack.

Thanks CR. I'm having a hoot. Can't wait for the next pack.

Thanks Carl. That is much appreciated. I may lose my nerve when it comes to the hull plating. I don't have an airbrush, and I'm not sure I want to invest in one. I have always found that when I try to paint a model with brushes, it looks like a painted model, not like the prop. I will look around the forums and see what other guys without airbrushes are doing. I've also found a lot of great youtube videos (some from folks on this forum). There is no end to the talent pool upon which we can draw. Who knows, I may end getting an airbrush and giving it a try. Thanks again.

Steve

Charles, I'm right there with you. The second my brush touches the hull, I'm committed. I did just order a few cans of Tamiya "Insignia White", in case I decide to paint the whole thing, but I have a hard time picturing myself taking that first shot. We'll see. I have a full set of the Tamiya weathering pastels and they work great for streaks and rust lines.

I also have a can of flat coat. I am going to try that on the inside of one of the plates. I want to see if it takes away that "plastic" look of the model. I have always found that even a coat of primer makes any plastic model look more realistic than without, but then I go and brush on other colours, and realism goes out the window.

Let's keep on playing around with this thing and see what we come up with.

Hi and welcome to the forum above all enjoy your build

Got my first shipment of Shapeways replacement parts today. Total impulse buy! Haven't even gotten my second package from DeAg yet, but these babies will be painted and ready to go when I do.

Hey just as an FYI, I was trying at the beginning to post pics from my phone and was having all kinds of trouble. But if you get a photobucket account (and install their app), and then upload all of your pics to a folder there. You can then really easily copy and paste the image URL from your phone into the replies.

Also, when your all done you have a nice photo library there in a single folder where you have all of your pics stored.

I use my Android Pad to do all my pictures. I use an App called Resize Me! By XnView. You can either then upload to photobucket or upload directly to the forum.

The optimum size for getting them to display on the forum is 640 x 480

I have had no luck with the quad cannon that came with the model. I must not be using the right primers. I tried it with Tamiya grey, but it chipped off very easily. So I stripped it, waited a few days and tried it with a metal primer. It chipped a bit, but I tried a coat of color over it, and it just wipes off. I am wondering if I didn't pre-soak it long enough to get the coating of oil off of it.

Any thoughts. I have one coming from Shapeways, but I was quite pleased with myself for the decent job I did drilling the holes in the end of the barrlels .

How do you like the 3D printed parts? I'm thinking about buying some of them in case I screw up. I think I like the 3D detail a lot more for the main hold area, it doesn't look like a toy. Is it worth it?

Dwayne