I posted these over in GD last week and learned there we had a hobby sub-forum.  I wanted to post them here.

Background - I built a ton of planes and cars when I was a kid but never really took the time to build them carefully or paint them accurately.  It pretty much glue it together and play with it or hang it from the ceiling.  I had a cheap testors airbriush when I got into cars but was never very good with it.  I'm now in my mid 40s and decided to get back into the hobby.  I got all my kids a  kit for Christmas (3 girls ages 8-15).  We built them and just painted them with rattle cans.  They came out ok.  I had to get one for myself.  I went down to hobby lobby and got a B-25j kit and had hell with the rattle cans.  I ended up buying a Paasche Talon airbrush and a 2nd B-25 kit and it came out all right.  After watching a ton of youtube videos I took the full plunge and both all the proper tools/fillers/glue/tape etc and built a Tamiya P-51d.  It came out pretty good.  I just finished my 3rd build which was the Tamiya F-14a.  The kit was a pleasure to build.  While it isn't perfect I'm pretty proud of the way it turned out. There are quite a few mistakes and things I would do differently, and maybe I'll do the D model at some point.

- Tamiya F-14a Kit in  VF-84 Jolly Rogers Hi-Vis CAG plane (circa 1980 I think - scheme was featured heavily in the movie "The Final Countdown")
- Eduard Photo etched cockpit kit
- Tamiya Acryllics, AK X-Treme Metals, and Alcad II Matte final coat

Here is the P-51.  I went for  a much more worn look



I'm finishing up a Revell 2016 Corvette and then I have several planes stacked up on the bench ready to go:

Tamiya 1/32 F-4j - This one will be box only parts
Another Tamiya P-51d - I bought the Resin detail set for this one (gun bays, engine, cockpit and gear bay)  I have the Eduard Cockit PE kit again, haven't decided exactly what I'm going to use
Hobby Boss 1/48 A-10
Tamiya 1/48 F-4U Corsair

I appreciate your skill, sir. They look fantastic.

They look great.  When I was younger, I used to hurry and assemble a kit in a day or two.  I find it more fun to take my time now.

Holy crap thats awesome!

Awsome work

Beautiful. High viz is best viz.

Love the look and the aircraft, but don't care for building them. So I get diecast.

Damn, your 3rd build since getting back in the hobby and it turns out like that?

I couldn’t get results like that after a 100 models.

Wow, perfect.

Stunning!

Great job!   Careful though.  Before you know it, you'll have a stash of 300+ kits, 9 half builts hanging out in your shop, building a display case that is 8' wide, 24" deep and 7' tall that will lead to a new hobby of wood working that will lead to thousands of $$$$ in new tools that will take up space in your "hobby room" that you share with gun cabinets, car parts, storage for shit, etc....

I've been thinking of doing the same type of thing.  I built tons of models in my early teens/teens.  I'm in my 50's now and watching model building vids on youtube.  Wanting to pick up an air brush and start all over.

Thats pretty damn impressive!!  Nice work!

Great job OP! I like you have gotten back into the hobby after many years when my young son wanted a kit. Built him a OV10 that turned out okay but he loved it and thinks it’s perfect. I have a Super Hornet Jolly Roger high vis kit sitting in my study that you just inspired me to start.

They change depending on the thrust setting.

Excellent

I'm not really sure why but on the real plane when the engines are not running one is full closed and the other is full open:

Do they do any taxiing on their own with one engine running?

This is due to the engine shutdown procedure, and how electrics and hydraulics are used to control the (TF-30) engine.  On the deck, the nozzles are opened by the afterburner fuel control pumps (which are themselves hydraulically powered) via a weight on wheels switch.  During engine shutdown, the right engine is shut down first and the nozzle remains open because both electrical and hydraulic power are available, and the nozzle is commanded open by the signal from the weight on wheels switch.  When the left engine is shutdown, electrical power is lost as the engine spools down, but before the hydraulics become ineffective.  When electrical power is lost, the weight on wheels signal is also lost, and the nozzle is commanded closed (the default position).  The fuel control pumps continue to operate, closing the nozzle before the hydraulic system loses pressure due to low rpm on the engine.

source:  

Mike