MQ-9 Reaper
This was a different kind of build. The kit is from Revell of Germany, but it's a rebox of a previous kit from another manufacturer and it's not a Tamiya style kit.
The plastic is very grainy not smooth at all, like a limited production kit. The main gear wheel bays are not boxed in at the rear and the engine intake is open and empty too. The decals are very thin and didn't have much glue on them at all. Setting solutions had no effect on them, so I removed them as they silvered really bad. If I run across this brand again I will really put them on a super glossy surface.
Other types of manufacturers decals may be thicker but not as fussy about the surface,and setting solutions work better. Having said that the kit went together nice, there were a number of sink marks that were shallow but in hard places to fill. Also because of the pebbly finish filling them would have smoothed out the areas in the plastic and it would have looked strange then. I could have sanded the whole thing but the detail would have disappeared. The detail was as good as it could be for the compound curves that make up the fuselage of the Reaper. I made some mistakes and should have put a deeper gloss coat on it. I'll build another someday but I'll use aftermarket decals for sure.
1/48th Bf109 for scale of the Reaper, it's bigger than I thought!
Nice job, Steven...so the Reaper is 48th scale as well..?
Yes sir, it's amazing how large it is even if don't count the long thin wings, the main body is high off the ground and long too. 4 hellfire sand 2 lgb's gives it quite a load out too.
I like your description that "it's not a Tamiya style kit". You showed patience with the drawbacks you were describing and the result is very nice. A whole new type of weapon to model, I suppose. I have seen other kits in 1/35, with figures as well, so the popularity must be growing.
It looks very appropriate for Halloween!
You're right, I wans't at all aware about the size of this thing until you put it beside a Bf 109... it looks like an RC model, but it isn't.
Good work on the model.
Steve,
Nice job. They make a good looking model of what is flying around today.It is amazing how big they are. Regardless of the problems you stated you had with it it looks very good. You should think about joining the "I know where the mistakes are but I'm not going to tell you" club. It removes a lot of stress.
Yes mate, I've just had the same problem with an old revell kit! I lightly, almost dry brushed a black wash over the top which dulled them down a little bit! I'm using microset and microsol a the minute, do you know of any better solutions or are these the best? Because the had little effect on the carrier film.