The Skyray is a good one, Chuck. It certainly IS one of, if not THE prettiest jet the Navy/USMC has used.

Thanks for the nice comments, fellas - about an M1A1. I do plan to do one or 2, but don't hold your breath to see it finished in the near future. I'm so speedy, you can time me with a sundial! Plus, I have to go clean out an area so I can make an assembly area/paint area in the back room. That area was the original attached garage. It's always been storage since WE moved in 23 years ago, but I can clear out some junque to make an assembly area ... but there is a LOT of junque to find room for! (You may notice my spelling of the work "junk." That's because junque represents a higher CLASS of junk than normal.)

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

😉

Finally getting back on the Ford that has been idle for awhile. The nose assembled, next a sub assembly in building the horizontal all moving integrated tail.

Simple quick assembly which will allow it to move on the kit. Though in the end, it may be difficult for it to move once it is installed into the hull of the fuselage.

Next is to assemble the interior components within the main fuselage.

The intake and fan are prepainted Tamiya Gloss White and Vallejo Aluminum.

The lower half of the airframe is where most of the work will take place in this session.

The main gear bay sides on this kit are well detailed and consist of 1 part that will box in the bay.

Next is to attach the fan and bulkhead just forward of the wheel bays.

The upper half contains the roof section of the gear bays and the upper intaking. All prepainted Gloss White.

Next the wing fold inserts are installed into the lower section. So far all the parts have fit well into their location on the model. Just not taking for granted still that all will align properly while test fitting the upper half. Next up is completing the main fuselage. More to follow.

I remember that old Helldiver kit, built that as well as the Corsair, the Hellcat and Wildcat of that generation of Monogram kits with the folding wings and retractable landing gear. And realized that wd-40 and model paint didn't mix.

Cockpit looks very nice! Looking forward to the rest of the build. I understand the actual Skyray was a dog to fly, but it sure looks nice as a model. It was one of those planes that just looks fast.

This update on the Skyray. Here I painted the exhaust nozzle and tail cone. First spraying Alclad exhaust in the exhaust pipe. Model Master Burnt metal on the outer edge of the tail cone.

Exhaust turbine is Vallejo steel.

Next to install the canopy clear bits.

What Tamiya continues to do so far I have experienced is very nice clear parts. This kit is no exception. Starting with the windshield.

Next up is the rear inner canopy brace. Painted MM Flat Black enamel. Then carefully attached into the canopy.

Not only very clear parts, they also fit very well on the model.

Next to mask of the framing with Tamiya tape. Jets are much easier to do than the multi wing paneled canopies of WWII multi engine aircraft and their turrets and observer windows. Like the Betty.

So I rarely ever get a canopy mask set for most of my jet builds.

At this time some sub assy work. Like the huge drop tanks this plane carries.

Then the early Aim 9 sidewinders as well. Already in Tamiya Gloss White.

Time to go over the airframe before apply the pre-shading. Though this won't have too much weathering as most of the images show the Skyray pretty clean.

Next up start painting. More to follow.

Pre-shading has always been a hit or miss prospect for me. Looking forward to the rest of the paint job.

Coming along well Chuck. Looking forward to seeing it finished.