On July 15, 2026 at 1:05 am Russ Wrote
I’ve always preferred that ‘fresh out of the paint shop’ look for my airliners….  I primarily use Humbrol enamels, with Xtracolor, Tamiya in lesser quantities.

My current paint regime is:

Fuselage – Assemble, mask seams 1/8″ max each side, putty, remove masking, sand, inspect, repeat as needed.  Lig…

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Then came cleaning up the ridge along the edge and the slightly rough surface. I used 6000 and 8000 grit sandpaper, then used Christian’s advice and polished it with a wet paper…Read more

Does anything about that surface scream like any paint mistake, or does it just need polishing?

On July 14, 2026 at 6:53 pm Convair990A Wrote
Not exactly the same, but close: I’ve been thinning Humbrol gloss enamels, but i thin it much more than 50-50. Sounds to me like the mixture is too thick.

I squirt MLT into my colour cup and then i dip a brush (one of those cheap, Testors flat 1/4″ wide ones) into the paint tin and then swirl tha…

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I’ve been thinning my semi-gloss Revell paints with Model Master enamel airbrush thinner and then spraying a thin tack coat followed by a slightly heavier final wet coat. It…Read more

On July 1, 2026 at 9:05 pm Convair990A Wrote
well, if the surface has been sanded, i am thinking there should be enough sanding scratches to allow the enamel to mechanically bond to the surface.

Which colour is the enamel and which is the lacquer, and what are you using for a thinner?

-d-

The sequence was as follows:

1. Tamiya FSP thinned…

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On June 29, 2026 at 7:52 pm Erick Cantu Wrote

On June 29, 2026 at 11:17 am LH707 Wrote
Erick, have you considered writing up a 737 detail guide? You have an incredibly detailed knowledge of these airplanes, I think it would be a great reference page.

Oh, I’m not sure I’m the right person. I only really know much about the first generation, and…

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On June 23, 2026 at 9:31 am Robert Morales Wrote
Regretfully, I will have to miss out on DEN this year. I was all planned out to go but my travel partner for all cool Airliner events had to bail on me this year. but with good reason. He’s my son and has been selected at the ripe old age of 32 to be a Captain at American! He has already started t…

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I ended up losing the center gear drag strut on my A340 kit, so I’m going to use stretched sprue for that. I also thought I lost one of the nose gear doors, so I made a spare out of a sprue tree number sign. When I went…Read more

That’s this piece here between the landing lights:

The small door goes on the trailing edge of the strut:

Here’s a side view:

Hope…Read more

On June 8, 2026 at 9:21 am Convair990A Wrote
That would be a viable option, on the next model. There’s really no way i could open out the nose gear doors now without destroying the adjacent areas.

The DC-8 is also a similar case, although the nose gear doors are separate on that model. The problem i had with that one was successfully gluing i…

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On June 8, 2026 at 9:15 am Convair990A Wrote
Looks great, Merlin!

No matter the method chosen- all that matters is the end result.

-d-

Thanks! In my case, the end result is often achieved after several false starts, so I like to share the process so that others can skip some of the “learning moments.”

I looked for a couple of different masking options, until I hit upon a variation of @convair990a ‘s technique of using tape of a given t…Read more

Not sure if that’d work.

On May 27, 2026 at 7:29 am Convair990A Wrote
Difficult to answer.

This model represents a culmination of techniques i learned from previous builds. I know that were i to build a second Revell 727, it would go much faster because of the lessons learned here.

Also much of what was tested and perfected here would be applicable to the Airfix 727 or…

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The real question is: would you build another one of those, or apply what you did learn on whichever next kit you tackle? Thinking back, the Heller 707 is the only kit I’ve ever built two of.

Keep us all posted on the build, looking good!

On April 29, 2026 at 1:42 pm proplineruk Wrote
I dont get it , what is so difficult about producing an accurate Boeing 707 kit ? AA managed very effectively and produced a superb model but at a premium price, so obviously the information for producing an accurate model IS AVAILANLE ,so why aren’t the kit producers using it ?

One last point no o…

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On April 28, 2026 at 1:28 am Wayne Fowler Wrote
Thank you everyone for the suggestions.  Robert your Braniff 320C is beautiful.  I agree the Authentic Airlines 707 is the best way to get there, but my understanding is that they are ceasing operations and closing their business.  I think I am going to keep looking at the wing and build a 320C fi…

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On April 27, 2026 at 4:48 pm gjake Wrote
Looking at the Minicraft 420 kit, I’d say that the engines look more correct than those in the Airfix kit, although the look of the pylons seems a bit questionable.

Yes, the Authentic Airliners kit is probably the most correct out there, but their website currently shows it as not available.

Gene

Fair e…Read more

On April 23, 2026 at 9:05 am xradar98 Wrote
The LU bowling shoe 319/20 are available at AHS. The sheet was done as LU/AHS. I had a sheet for a million years, and when I started my kit, found out I have lost that sheet, so bought another. I am sure Russ still has a few.

https://www.airline-hobby-estore.com/product-p/a4-205.htm

Thanks! I’ll go…Read more

On April 21, 2026 at 4:29 pm gjake Wrote
Depending on the aircraft you want to build, Flight Design did some for the DC-9 and A320, Flightpath did a batch of several different aircraft in that scheme, Draw Decal offers several aircraft in the scheme, and Airline Hobby Supplies has a 757 bowling shoe decal. Liveries Unlimited also did decals for…

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On March 29, 2026 at 5:57 pm xradar98 Wrote
Okay Dullesflyer,

I don’t have the skills for it, but how do add that finished center section landing gear and all, without an ugly gap/seam when you glue it together?

I have tried, and tried… The only way it works for me is assemble, sand, putty, paint, decal, install gear. Clear coat.

I have not…Read more

On March 22, 2026 at 3:32 pm gjake Wrote
Had the same problem 30+ years ago; that and my Future clear coat fracturing over time. I eventually read an article in an IPMS Journal about solving these types of problems by using a food dehydrator to make sure your paint is fully cured.

I put painted parts in the dehydrator at about 95 degrees, and…

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Regarding the Boeing antennas and beacons, they’re also off-center on several other types, including the 757. I always thought it had something to do with a structural piece on centerline forcing the accessories slightly off center. Or it could be that the 757 and maybe the 737 inherited…Read more

On March 19, 2026 at 5:08 pm radioguy Wrote

On March 18, 2026 at 5:49 pm LH707 Wrote
Correction: looks like there is a table: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A350#Comparison_of_variants

Basically the 350F is a shrink of the -1000. So get the 1000 kit and chop some frames out.

Thanks so much for the info.  That 3m works out to a hair over…

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Basically the 350F is a shrink of the -1000. So get the 1000 kit and chop some frames out.

On March 14, 2026 at 8:35 pm DUS-SEA Wrote

On March 14, 2026 at 8:08 pm LH707 Wrote
Do you by any chance have pictures of it?

 

Is it the sticky residue from the tape itself?

 

If the acrylic is fine with isopropyl alcohol, I’d suggest trying that.

Yes, the residue is from the tape.

Isn’t isopropyl alcohol going to affect the pai…

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Is it the sticky residue from the tape itself?

If the acrylic is fine with isopropyl alcohol, I’d suggest trying that.