Atomic Espresso

Academy 1/48 Supermarine Spitfire MkIX

noreply@blogger.com (coffeebugg) — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:58:00 +0000

After having rebooted my gunpla building a couple of years back. I thought it's time I went back to my grass roots. So what do I do? I splurged on plastic model kits of planes, cars, and ships. No tanks yet, maybe in the near future. Got around to prepping some kits for building such as primer coats and such. But so far, I haven't really gotten too far on a lot of them.

Here I'll be sharing with you some progress shots of the first aircraft I've gone far along as complete the build. It's just that I haven't been able to apply camo patterns because my compressor is broken.

So I give you the Academy's 1/48 scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX as she appeared in the African theater with the British Fighter Air Wing in 1943-44. As is known in plamo communities, Academy pretty much makes cheaper replications of Tamiya kits. Cheaper also means that you can expect some shoddy fabrication with the runners, so some re-work on the plastic parts will most likely be necessary.

Here you see the main hull already painted inthe base color of Desert Yellow from Tamiya. At the bottom, I'm working on adding the detail colors such as cockpit dials, levers and buttons. all of which were dry brushed.

Not much on the bright colors. Mostly silvers, and flat blacks, and a spot of light blue and yellow here and there.

As you can see I've also already painted the under carriage part of the wing in Light sea gray.

This part took me the longest to put together. The Pilot seat was a pain to put together. The Control rods had to be slot through holes into the safety frame and connected to the pedals. All the while trying to keep the frame from caving in. Yeah, something I'm not looking forward to my other WWII aircraft in queue.

Putting the wing halves was pretty straight forward. Just remember to put the machine gun pod in before sticking the 2 halves together.

Here you have the fuselage and the wing assembly put together. Quite glad they came together without much of a hassle and a gap between them. Elevators are also in place.

And here she is all together. Albeit a camo paint job is in order, she's looking mighty spiffy here. Opted for the clipped wing tips as well as the low slung air intakes.

Until I get my compressor working again, I don't think I'll be able to put up fully painted kits. Meanwhile this is how she will be for a while. Right now, I'm just completing the 1:720 scale LHA-4 USS Nassau by Italeri. Boy, does it have serious warping issues. Also on the side is my first Modern aircraft in a while; Academy's 1:48 scale F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcon. I'm currently stuck with the fuselage as it is a bit misaligned. And the wing has this horrendous gap where it meets the upper half of the fuselage. Soon as I get those sorted out, I'll be posting pics of it in it's final build phase.

MG RX 133K "Miku-Nu"

noreply@blogger.com (coffeebugg) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 13:31:00 +0000

If Black Rock Shooter had a Mech...

Well, I guess a lot of you guys already know annoying and smug little me. But for those who don't here's a quick backgrounder about me:

About Me

I've been building Gunpla for well about a decade now, long before Gundams nor Anime became house hold names here in Manila. I had amassed a good 90+ kits with a mixture of HG, HGUC, and MG's from various series like Zeta, Sentinel, 08th MS, Victory, and Silhouette Formula. Alas, my humble abode was collateral damage from a fire that gutted 4 homes, ours included, in late 2002. Along with it my gunpla collection. And so I sought it best to start over, and restarted building gunpla with the MG MSA-0011 Ex-S Gundam in December 2003.

If there was something I'd really like Bandai to see make into a 1/100 Master Grade Kit, it would have to be more from the Victory Gundam Series, particularly the Victory Dash Gundam, but since the V Gundam is already out as a Ver. Ka. I is excited about it. Another one would have to be the MS-303E Deep Striker. Also, though it's already been released by G-system, I'd appreciate it if Bandai could find ways to make the 1:35 scale Zeta Gundam More easily available.

If you're interested in reading more, click on "about me" to take you to my "Otacool" room post. ^_^. Coffeebugg out.

And so the story goes....

Konata: At last, Kagamin! I has completed the most Biri~biri~ awesomest Gundam in the Gunpla world.
Kagami: That laugh of yours is very ominous.. And why am I wearing this again.. And what does this have to do with me calling Miku?

Konata: Behold!! I give you the Gundam to "PWN" every Gundam in existence!!
Kagami: What the hell is that abomination?!
Konata: I giveth you.. the RX-133k Studie Glad "Miku~Nu" Ita~Gundam armed with the LEEK Saber!!
Kagami: I can't believe it.. you've completely lost it haven't you.. a "LEEK' saber?
Konata: Now go get Miku...

Miku: Ne ne.. Hachune.. check this out! If I pose like this.. Ne?
Miku Hachune: (ﾟДﾟ@)
Kagami: I still can't believe she made one.

Miku: ooh.. Pose again! What if we put this in the next P. Diva Game.. wouldn't it be cool?
Hachune: (@ﾟДﾟ)
Kagami: You do realize she.. it.. doesn't say anything. Why am i still even here...

Miku: Last shot for group photo!! Can I use this in the next Animelo.
Kagami: Seriously...
Hachune: (@ﾟДﾟ@)

And onto some close up shots.

Mainly used Semi-Gloss black, Gunmetal, and purple. For accent and highlight colors I used Gloss Aluminum and Coral Blue. I used Pink, Chrome Silver and coral blue to do some panel lining.

Also weather it with the Tamiya Winter scheme Weathering kit which comes with Burnt Blue, Burnt Copper and Oil gray.

This be the Right Shoulder pauldron. As you can see, I used a good helping of Flat Super clear.

Here be the Left knee assembly. Just painted the Hydraulic pistons in Burnt Copper and dusted them off with Oil gray. I also Lightly smeared the thighs with burnt copper along the seams after lining it with chrome silver.

Another look at the left knee. I forgot to mention that I used Gunmetal to paint the Inner frame and then misted it with Smoke(TS-71).

Still the left knee. This time the Intake/exhaust part. I smeared some burnt copper where we presumably would see hot exhaust gasses would be causing the surface to rust. Also you might notice the small recessed part in the Gun Metal Armor Plating. I used Burnt blue over Oil gray

Ah the Head.. lotsa work here. For the coral blue panel lining, I basically covered that face plate with coral blue then cleaned it off with a q-tip dipped in thinner and lightly cleaned it off. The eyes, pink and green lining, and vulcan gun is hand painted with 000 paint brush. Top coated with Flat super clear as usual. By the way, I apply weathering after I top coat with Flat Super clear to give it a surface to cling on.

Shield assembly. Did the same with the Exhaust port as in the knee area earlier. The Water slide decals I apply after I paint but before I apply top coat. I also use Mr. Mark Softer which partially melts the water slide decals.

How I use mr. Mark softer:
1. Apply water slide decal. remove air bubbles by dabbing damp (not soaking wet) tissue.
2. Apply ample amount of Mr. Mark Softer to give it a glossy sheen; let decal absorb the solution.
3. Spray top coat once you no longer see a gloss, sometimes can happen immediately to within 1 minute.

Click here to view the rest of the gallery.

Previous works

noreply@blogger.com (coffeebugg) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 03:57:00 +0000

Thought I'd share some of the Gunpla, in varying stages of completion, that I've recently worked on.

First off, my OOB GP03S, while it may have some panel lining, it basically still is OOB. Might still break this down, then re-sand the nub marks and do some light touch ups on the panel lining and add some more details.

I'm still in a toss up if I want to give this a custom paint job. And if ever I do, I still don't know what color scheme to go with. Most likely just go with some slight alterations to the original.

Next up, my GP01FB in Prototype Orange colors. Just your standard recolor and some weathering. I'm still a bit unsatisfied with it, so chances are I might end up revisiting this and tweak some details on it. One major gripe I have with this kit is that the back of the ankle armor doesn't match up. had to put in a lot of putty work and sanding to flatten it.

Lastly, perhaps one of my recent Gunpla which I've really had fun putting together and received much fanfare when I took the sheets off; my recolored RX-93 Hi-Nu. Based the color scheme on the '08 Studie Glad BMW Z4 Super GT race car. Hence the Itasha decals. What was an entry for a Gundam competition on Figure.FM, I ended up just having fun with it.

Of course, I'll be doing a feature on each one with more detail shots that I took. Meanwhile, here's a lol build for ya.

Time to reboot!!!

noreply@blogger.com (coffeebugg) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 06:22:00 +0000

Armored Core Mirage
Originally uploaded by coffeebugg

I think it's high time I put this little piece io defunct web space to good use.

Considering as how my Wordpress blog has been over run by my social ramblings, Dollfie updates and the wayward random figure photo, Gunpla and Plamo has been shoved aside. Despite how varied my hobbies have spread out, I am still, first and foremost, a plamo builder. It was where all my hobbies now have started upon and forever shall be. It is no surprise that my adopted vinyl daughters would take interest in it as well.

SO!! This little collective rectum shall be my repository for my model kit and gunpla updates. Which would include my WiPs, my new acquisitions and completed ones, as well as upcoming purchases and a thing or two about my guerrilla building techniques.

Well then, that said.. Let's get this mess all sorted out and start stripping those runners!

New Home

noreply@blogger.com (coffeebugg) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:56:00 +0000

I have officially migrated my blog. Though this little corner of the web will still remain for my auxiliary blogging.

So, if you want to hear the latest from my humble noggin', head on over to the new home of Hallucinogenic Java.