I was able to decal most of one side of the main body and it's looking good!
I still have more to go, so fingers crossed!
I still have more to go, so fingers crossed!
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Radical Rocketry F-104 Starfighter Build
- Thread starter KenECoyote
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Looking good! Thanks for the info...I may order the Bomarc for now. I've always wanted a smaller Bomarc as the only one I have is the 29mm from North Coast Rocketry of 20 years ago!
Thanks! Yeah, the kits can be on the pricey side, but usually that's the case with garage or specialty type kits. I know that Rob puts a ton of work into getting the kits designed, refined AND tested, so I like supporting his business.
The cost may come down as more kits are made and maybe he'll have a Black Friday special this year.
Thanks dpower! Hiccups along with heart attacks is more like it sometimes.
Update: I was quite divided over whether to slash and fudge up my original decals since I thought that I might actually want to build the kit one day.
However, I was like YOLO and just went for it. I figured a better end product would be worth the risk.
Upper one's face stuck in place and lower one is about to have the "nether feathers" put in.
End result on the original decals look good! Just a bit of touching up with a fine Sharpie...
However, I was like YOLO and just went for it. I figured a better end product would be worth the risk.
Upper one's face stuck in place and lower one is about to have the "nether feathers" put in.
End result on the original decals look good! Just a bit of touching up with a fine Sharpie...
And a new set of enlarged decals printed look great!
I'll still leave the ones I've already applied on since it looks pretty good, but it's nice to have a set that's not jigsawed up.
BTW I tried to print a second backup set, but my printer didn't like me anymore.
So next I'll be finishing up the right side decals, then the "Jabo", followed by paint touch-ups and then clear coating or maybe Future. Almost there!
Thanks for following along!
I'll still leave the ones I've already applied on since it looks pretty good, but it's nice to have a set that's not jigsawed up.
BTW I tried to print a second backup set, but my printer didn't like me anymore.
So next I'll be finishing up the right side decals, then the "Jabo", followed by paint touch-ups and then clear coating or maybe Future. Almost there!
Thanks for following along!
Got the "Jabo" on and nice day to take a pic!
I love the way the canopy looks.
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Wow Ken -- this looks just amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this incredible build thread!
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Yesterday I added the rest of the decals to the other side and then I went about adding the white lines to the wings.
I wasn't sure how to replicate the white lines since there are so many options (paint, decal paper, vinyl).
I first tried plain white decal paper, but that was a big fail since the straps were so narrow and thin that they stretched or tore (no pics).
Then I tried some inkjet vinyl paper I just got, trimming it into strips with an Xacto. Instructions said to peel off the vinyl after printing, but I swear I couldn't peel anything... I wonder if they sent me the wrong paper.
I tried wetting it and then I could peel off a thin layer of vinyl, however, there was some paper stuck to it. Still, it seemed to go on and at first it looked gray, but when it dried it looked a nice white!
Unfortunately after they all dried, some lifted up.
So today I mixed some clear Elmer's glue with water and applied a bit with a small brush and that seemed to do the trick. Looks good with the lines.
So next I'll touch up the canopy paint, then try a clear coat (fingers crossed) and wrap this one up.
Thanks for following along!
Pic of some crows I saw today
(Gimmie a like if you counted them!)
I wasn't sure how to replicate the white lines since there are so many options (paint, decal paper, vinyl).
I first tried plain white decal paper, but that was a big fail since the straps were so narrow and thin that they stretched or tore (no pics).
Then I tried some inkjet vinyl paper I just got, trimming it into strips with an Xacto. Instructions said to peel off the vinyl after printing, but I swear I couldn't peel anything... I wonder if they sent me the wrong paper.
I tried wetting it and then I could peel off a thin layer of vinyl, however, there was some paper stuck to it. Still, it seemed to go on and at first it looked gray, but when it dried it looked a nice white!
Unfortunately after they all dried, some lifted up.
So today I mixed some clear Elmer's glue with water and applied a bit with a small brush and that seemed to do the trick. Looks good with the lines.
So next I'll touch up the canopy paint, then try a clear coat (fingers crossed) and wrap this one up.
Thanks for following along!
Pic of some crows I saw today
(Gimmie a like if you counted them!
)
I'm still annoyed that those simple white stripes caused me more trouble than all the other complex decals.
So time for paint touch ups!
In the pic above, it may not be noticeable, but irl (in real life), there's yellow showing behind the intakes and it is visible from above.
Here is the same pic enlarged to show the sneaky cheeky yellow spots hiding:
I took the can of gloss black that I had used earlier and sprayed a bit into a small cup, then I used a model brush to brush in the spots.
Next I did the same thing to touch up the canopy (remember the fine orange model tape fiasco?), but with the gloss gray and a fine tipped brush.
Good to see that my hands can still be steady after all these years.
I'll leave it to dry overnight, then scrape off any small boo-boos. Then I'll use the same procedure with the yellow paint on the canopy.
So time for paint touch ups!
In the pic above, it may not be noticeable, but irl (in real life), there's yellow showing behind the intakes and it is visible from above.
Here is the same pic enlarged to show the sneaky cheeky yellow spots hiding:
I took the can of gloss black that I had used earlier and sprayed a bit into a small cup, then I used a model brush to brush in the spots.
Next I did the same thing to touch up the canopy (remember the fine orange model tape fiasco?), but with the gloss gray and a fine tipped brush.
Good to see that my hands can still be steady after all these years.
I'll leave it to dry overnight, then scrape off any small boo-boos. Then I'll use the same procedure with the yellow paint on the canopy.
I touched up the canopy with yellow to the point I was happy with it (trying to make it perfect by hand would mean multiple rounds of gray and yellow in a see saw battle lol).
EDIT Add: This for me doesn't have to be perfect since this isn't a display model build and I plan to fly it... a lot.
So for now I'm just waiting for good weather to apply a clear coat to seal the decals.
If it weren't for the decals, I wouldn't even bother since I've had some paint jobs ruined when the clear coat reacted badly.
EDIT Add: This for me doesn't have to be perfect since this isn't a display model build and I plan to fly it... a lot.
So for now I'm just waiting for good weather to apply a clear coat to seal the decals.
If it weren't for the decals, I wouldn't even bother since I've had some paint jobs ruined when the clear coat reacted badly.
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an absolutely amazing build.. you got mad skilzzzz! thank you for taking so much time sharing the build, I learned a ton from it.
"Mr. Jones", I would have counted your "Big Yellow Taxi" but I'm "Colorblind" and I'm out of time because it was "A Long December". (loved that band)
"Mr. Jones", I would have counted your "Big Yellow Taxi" but I'm "Colorblind" and I'm out of time because it was "A Long December". (loved that band)
Haha, thanks for the great compliment tooth!
Just an update that in the past week I've applied two rounds of clear gloss and it's pretty much done.
First clear coat is always a nail biter!
Some more pics after since it's a nice day...
Let's try one more coat of clear...
I plan to launch this at the upcoming METRA launches weekend of March 25-26. I'll try to get some pics of the flight.
Thanks for following along everyone!
First clear coat is always a nail biter!
Some more pics after since it's a nice day...
Let's try one more coat of clear...
I plan to launch this at the upcoming METRA launches weekend of March 25-26. I'll try to get some pics of the flight.
Thanks for following along everyone!
I'm still annoyed that those simple white stripes caused me more trouble than all the other complex decals.
I'm in the auto shops a bit and always grab pinstripe tape on clearance.
That's a GREAT suggestion! If I had to do it over, I'd just trim it from vinyl sheets... I was thisclose to doing just that.
If you look at one of the pics from yesterday, you'll see the back edge of one of the white strips lifted up. I had to stick it back down before the second clear coat.
Thanks Bill!
You can also just cut strips of white decal paper, which have the benefit and drawback of being quite adjustable while placing.That's a GREAT suggestion! If I had to do it over, I'd just trim it from vinyl sheets... I was thisclose to doing just that.
If you look at one of the pics from yesterday, you'll see the back edge of one of the white strips lifted up. I had to stick it back down before the second clear coat.
Actually I tried that first thinking it was the easiest solution, but it seemed too thin and long here... the decal paper I was using would curl up into a tiny ball and then when trying to apply it would stretch and tear. I believe I had clear coating on it, but perhaps there is a limit to the clear coat's strength.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Awesome! If only the shipping to germany wouldnt be that expensive. I defeinitely like that!
Clean build you did!
Clean build you did!
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the feedback!
I'll add that I actually wasn't sure if I could even do this when I started, but I really wanted to and I figured I had the parts and some experience. Plus I really enjoy challenges and problem solving (my blood pressure probably doesn't though).
I also figured that if this didn't work out, I could try actually painting all of it with masks (that'd be a real challenge! ) or just go with a different paint scheme.
I'll add that I actually wasn't sure if I could even do this when I started, but I really wanted to and I figured I had the parts and some experience. Plus I really enjoy challenges and problem solving (my blood pressure probably doesn't though
).I also figured that if this didn't work out, I could try actually painting all of it with masks (that'd be a real challenge!
) or just go with a different paint scheme.
Launched at the club today! Was my first launch for this season and was again on a C5-3.
RSO seemed doubtful and even asked me if it's flown before and I said it had (I later showed him a pic and video... great that it was on the same motor!
RSO seemed doubtful and even asked me if it's flown before and I said it had (I later showed him a pic and video... great that it was on the same motor!
It was quite windy with some heavy gusting. Worse yet, the wind was pushing chuted rockets behind us towards the river behind us.
That made this launch quite tricky since I also wasn't sure how it would behave in wind. *Plus* I had actually rearranged the clay in the nose more towards the bottom half to try to stop the arcing towards the cockpit.
Flight was beautiful!
View attachment 20230422_113052_1.mp4
That made this launch quite tricky since I also wasn't sure how it would behave in wind. *Plus* I had actually rearranged the clay in the nose more towards the bottom half to try to stop the arcing towards the cockpit.
Flight was beautiful!
View attachment 20230422_113052_1.mp4
The nose came down on a separate chute fine this time, however the wind pushed it to the edge near the river (phew!).
The body came down flat, so the fish line attachment worked as well!
However, the body still took some damage on landing.
It had landed in the parking area, so I didn't see how it landed nor if it hit anything or landed on the road, but damage was minor and I may have even stressed that area in transportation.
So all in all a GREAT flight and excellent results in my book. An upscale would be breathtaking if it performs as well as this bird!
Thanks everyone for following along!
The body came down flat, so the fish line attachment worked as well!
However, the body still took some damage on landing.
It had landed in the parking area, so I didn't see how it landed nor if it hit anything or landed on the road, but damage was minor and I may have even stressed that area in transportation.
So all in all a GREAT flight and excellent results in my book. An upscale would be breathtaking if it performs as well as this bird!
Thanks everyone for following along!
Awesome Ken -- thanks for sharing... Sorry about the fuel pod but hope it can just slip back on that tab with a fresh coat of glue...
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