Bowcat's Italeri SR-71 Blackbird

Jim R

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Hi Bob
Looks great. Decals on planes always add a lot to the model. I'm with you regarding decal quality. Some are so thick or have such poor register they are almost unusable and yet we know that excellent decals can be made.
Jim
 

adt70hk

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Bob

Looking very good indeed. Well done for getting the better of the decals.

Andrew
 

rtfoe

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Bob, that's a handsome looking Blackbird with the markings on. I try not to use Italeri decals if they look the papery type especially when they have that matt look.

At 1/72 it is quite a size...just checked my Academy kit.

Cheers,
Richard
 

Mr Bowcat

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Cheers gents. :smiling3:

Richard, yes, lesson learned there. IF I ever build another Italeri kit, I will look to source aftermarket decals. I have obviously be spoilt up to now with Tamiya and Meng (Cartograf) decals. :smiling3:
 

spanner570

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Very nice Bob.
Looks the part for sure.

Ron
 

Jakko

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IF I ever build another Italeri kit, I will look to source aftermarket decals. I have obviously be spoilt up to now with Tamiya and Meng (Cartograf) decals. :smiling3:
A lot of Italeri decals are (or at least were) also by Cartograf. It will say so on the sheet if they are.
 

rtfoe

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A lot of Italeri decals are (or at least were) also by Cartograf. It will say so on the sheet if they are.

Apparently I heard from a source that Cartograph decals come in different grades depending on the kit brand and pricing. The older Italeri kits came with decals with no name...armor especially...forget about applying them on zimmerit. :smiling5: I haven't bought an Italeri kit lately so can't vouch for their decals. It's always good to check.

Cheers,
Richard
 

Ian M

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I'm a bit slow at times.. What is the MLT trick? Anybody?

Looking very sharp Bob.
 
D

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I'm a bit slow at times.. What is the MLT trick? Anybody?

Looking very sharp Bob.
Misting a coat of Mr levelling thinner over once you have finished priming or painting. It seems to reactivate the surface giving an even smoother finish.

The first person I saw mention it here was Barry W. I tried it at the next opportunity and it works very well.
 

Mr Bowcat

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Cheers gents. :smiling3:

Ian, as Andy said, after painting just add some MLT to the cup (I don't even bother cleaing out the old paint) then mist over at very low pressure.
 

boatman

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Very very good Bob this plane is one of my fave an you have done a splendid build an paint finish an how you say you are gonna have it climbin straight up on them glass rods great but if I ever model like that with the glass rods I would try an fit some ultra bright led's inside at the top end of the rod so that the light shines down the rods to give the effect of after burner flame but that's just me as I think it would set the model like in motion an give the effect of the power comin from those powerfull engines
chris
 

Mr Bowcat

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Cheers Chris. :smiling3:

I actually did consider doing that, however the SR-71 has quite a unique afterburner signature, and I couldn't figure out how to achieve it.

sr71_blackbird8.jpgSR-71-1.jpg
 

boatman

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YEA I see what you mean Bob it does look a bit tricky to get that effect but if you don't try you will never know an if it doen't look right there;s always the option of leavein the led's off but fantastic model you have built if my models come up half as good when I build them i'll be very pleased
chris
 

Jakko

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the SR-71 has quite a unique afterburner signature
That’s known as shock diamonds, Mach diamonds and some other names, and they’re present in many engines on afterburner, including jet fighters and spacecraft. As Wikipedia’s short explanation puts it:
Wikipedia said:
The "diamonds" are actually a complex flow field made visible by abrupt changes in local density and pressure as the exhaust passes through a series of standing shock waves and expansion fans.
I thought about it for my Lightning F.6 that I put on some perspex rods to display it much like your SR-71, but I don’t really see how you could convincingly replicate this on a model. It would be so cool if you could, though :smiling3:
 
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