Kari's bench 2021 -->

[Medicman71]

Very nice work on the Viper and Phantom. So where are the issues with the Viper? I've though about getting one at Nationals later this year as they're putting out a Texas Vipers boxing of that kit.

Oh and AZ Models is pretty much a short run kit company. That's why that kit is that it is.

[KSaarni]

Thanks Mike,

Kinetics Viper is good as such, very nice details, but then all buts...

1st of all, poor instructions. In many cases you need to guess what part goes precisely where. Good reference pictures of course help. Also, there is no where informed if and how much nose weigth is needed.

But what kills a little bit the mojo, in my humble opinion, is the "engineering". For exemple, the sprue gates. After cutting the piece off, you really need to clean up and sand a lot, loosing details in some cases. And you cannot help thinking, why on earth is the piece not turned 180 degrees, to leave the sprue gate invisible etc.

There are also ejector pin marks on strange locations, difficult to fill or to get rid off.
For example the inner wall in wheel well, which is very visible and a few of the marks are very difficult to fill / get rid off



An example of fitting issues, the nose cone. Not a difficult one to fix, but still, strange..



Nevertheless I will finalize it, but first the Phantom

- Kari

[Medicman71]

[BlackSheep214]

I've got 2 Kinetic Vipers and a Hornet...



No, Mike... they're not for sale.

[Stikpusher]

I only have two Kinetic kits in my stash, a Hawkeye and a Thunderstreak. And those arent for sale either

[KSaarni]

I'm planning the next project, of which the F-84F is high up in the list.
I have 3 options (currently available in my local web-shops) to go with

- The Kinetic
- The Revell (ex Monogram)
- Hobbyboss

I have been doing some research and I think I will go with the Kinetic, despite the fact I have never had "good views" building a Kinetic..

- Kari

[Stikpusher]

Yeah, Ive heard that Kinetic kits are challenging. But It looks quite similar to the Monogram kit in engineering, aside from having recessed panel lines, so it can't be too bad.

[KSaarni]

One never seems to know with Kinetic… I would be happy to pick the Revell/Monogram, if not those recessed panel lines would exist. I don’t have any eager to start re-scribing an entire plane, so yeah, Kinetic is most realistic option.

- Kari

[KSaarni]

Most of the bigger paintwork has been done regarding Tamiyas Phantom. Tamiya provides masks for the canopy, but they are unfortunately not pre-cutted. I find it strange, taking in consideration that pre-cutted masks is more a de-facto than not.
Especially as the Tamiya is a quite expensive kit.
Nevertheless, the masks did almost their job, some leaking in one corner, which I need to fix carefully still.



Decaling work started already a week ago, step by step.

Slightly disappointed with the decals.
My findings

A) The decals need to stay in water very long time and even then, they are sort of "sticky" when trying to slide off the paper.

B) When finally attached, then that stickyness is sort of vanished and there are difficulties to keep it in place, which is annoying as the water under the decal must gently been pushed/pressed away, the decal is like floating.

C) They are quite fragile, despite that they are thick. A number of decals have broken already. For example the shark mouth lost the "lower jaw", a small decal, just broke into 2 pieces, while trying to "build it back" , it broke up to a 3 pieces... had to skip the lower jaw entirely.

D) Tamiya decals, at least in this F-4B kit, are thick like cardboard. Difficult to get them to conform on the surface. I have used Tamiyas own Mr Mark Extra Strong decal setting several times, even the day after and so on. Some parts of the (same) decal comforms on the surface, other not! Which is sort of crazy.

E) Lessons learned, despite wonderful kit, excellent engineering, joy to build etc etc. But the weak point is the decals.
SO, next time, I go directly with aftermarket decals.



Mr Mark Extra strong setting is hot. It kicks-in, in perhaps already 20-25 seconds, so if you have applied it, then you defintely cannot any longer move the decal. But it works well, but the decal is too thick however to comform


So ja, still some decaling to go and then starts the gear show!


- Kari

[Medicman71]

Damn that sucks Kari. I too have not been impressed with Tamiya decals.