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This kit was excellent. I
added a few parts here and there, including some seat belts in the cockpit.
I did not take any "in progress" photos!
I did not like the kit decals, so I purchased decals from "Aero
Master." I cut as close as possible to the edges of every decal,
including the inside of the (A, O, R, the rectangular yellow decals, etc.)
I airbrushed on the canopy off white frame lines on the inside and out side.
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During the
Korean War, I worked at "Goodyear Aircraft Corporation;" in Akron,
Ohio (G.A.C.). G.A.C. made the canopies for the F-84. An
order came in and we started applying the fiber glass bands on the inside and
out side of the canopies. We were told that when any bullets hit this
large canopy, it blew off the aircraft.
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These bands were about two or three
inches wide, by about a 1/32" thick. We glued them on with special
glue, which melted the canopy plastic. Later during the war, we were told
that the fiber glass bands kept the canopy from blowing up and off the F-84.
G.A.C. worked 2 eight hour shifts, 7 days a week. We made them by the
thousands! They heated big sheets of the clear acrylic plastic, then
placed in a mold. The "GO" button was pushed, and it started to
spin real fast, and forced the hot acrylic plastic into the mold. Yes! we
had some scrap canopies, but that's OK, 'cause the U.S.A. tax payers paid the
bill. I think we were paid about $2.00 dollars an hour, (union wages).
Big $$$$ in those days. After saving some bucks, I went out in March, 1952
and bought me a brand new Caddy "Hard-Top" two door car! Cost
was $3,200.00.
The color of the fiberglass ranged from pure white to off white, and sometimes a
yellow white, and a dirty looking yellow brown. So what ever color you put
on in this range of colors is just fine!
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The
natural metal aluminum paint is by none other than "Scott Bell,"
d.b.a. SnJ Model Products. Here is his email address: SnJmodprod@aol.com
Scott lives near Sacramento, CA
U.S.A. We have been good friends, and I'm sure if you email him, he can
send you his paint, no matter where you live around the globe! Don't
forget to mention my name! Mentioning my name will not get you a discount
on the paint, but it may hurry up your order, I think!
I trimmed out the model with Tamiya paint, and weathered it slightly. I also
mask off the tail and wing tip tanks and airbrushed on the blue color.
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Before I sold the model, it took a
first place at our club contest in 1999. It beat my F-100D Thunderbird,
which came in second. Someone won third place, and he moaned a bit!
He thought his model should have won first, 'cause he scratch built in several
items, while my two models were barely out-of-the-box.
Remember ! It's not what
you build in, nor how much! A judge looks for "QUALITY."
If the quality is not there, you should not win!
Happy modeling,
Rodney
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