B-29 Assembly Line

[GregM]

Thanks guys!

After these are done I hope to keep rolling on two others - I want to finish that Bockscar kit that I never finished, and I found a set of Kee Bird decals last week that I had forgotten I bought.  I wish that I had ordered three kits to do at once instead of just these two.

[GregM]

I guess it took me a week total, but the bomb bay and nose gear doors and the tail skids are in place.  The flaps are installed on the wings, and I've started cleaning up the seams.  I hope to have the seams cleaned up, wings installed and some primer going on by the end of the week.

[draken35]

[GregM]

I lost some work time this week due to migraine and other issues so they won't be in primer this weekend, but they're close.  I need to get the cockpit glass on and the masks done, and some areas need a second application of filler. 

[No.1]

Good to see you back, I suffer in past from migraine and know what is the pain

[GregM]

Usually when I get a good migraine I can count on having it for three days, it's there immediately when I wake up and lasts throughout the entire day.  We're going through some pretty tough times at work with new owners that we unanimously agree have ruined the reputation that we built over the last 25 years and my blood pressure was so high for most of last week my vision was going hazy, and the stress is what set my headache off this time. 

On a lighter note, I just finished installing the greenhouse glass on the models about two minutes ago.

[modellius]

woah, the two big birds looks great !
 

[GregM]

This was kind of brutal, but I made it!

[GregM]

And one hour later....

[draken35]

Nice progress!

[No.1]

With all those glass there, hope your eyes are in place

[GregM]

With all those glass there, hope your eyes are in place

I have plenty of light around my model desk but this was the first  time I've done this for quite a while, and I did have more trouble seeing than I remembered!

I got the gloss black base coat on last night.  Some areas will need some sanding - I've never had great luck with spraying gloss colors. I'm headed to Thunder Over Michigan for four days so I probably won't make any more progress for a week or so.

[modellius]

Very nice progress !

[GregM]

Since my last update I've gotten the gloss black base coat down on both models, and neither turned out great. I've left one alone now and am trying to concentrate on getting just one completed first and do the one for myself later on.  I've sanded the black base with 800 grit and applied a second coat which came out acceptable.  My first attempt at spraying Alclad Aluminum resulted in the paint almost immediately turning into pudding in my airbrush. The second test with a smaller airbrush was a little better but it's still spraying grainy and doesn't want to feed correctly. The regular aluminum Alclad didn't seem to fare well being stored for several years - after very much shaking it's clinging to the inside of the bottle differently and smells different than my other Alclad paints.  I've ordered some more which will be here next week.

I've tested the Polished Aluminum bottle, which seems to have had a better seal and made a slight pressure escaping noise when the cap was opened, and it sprays fine. 

[Second Air Force]

I add lacquer thinner to my metalizer-type paints with good results. Try it on a small amount of your Alclad to see if it thins out.