Revell P-61 Black Widow

Aftermarket decals? What is the BU number?

www.ebay.com/.../321643047172

This is my pay pal purchase information in regards to the "Aftermarket Decals".  I hope this helps?  Thank you for the read and reply.

This build brought me back to memory lane.  As I build the "Black Widow", I recall my boyhood growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii.  As a adult, I only miss one thing, the salt air.  I'm sure forum members recall their childhood rompings, growing up else where.  I remember always being outside riding my bike and playing with my friends.  Nowadays, this simple thought is unheard of.  Either we are too busy or it's the lurking predator just around the corner.  Many a times, kids are either playing with computer games or texting your best friend.  What memorable times we lived back in those days.  I will admit, technology has brought us into a new wave of things, yet we must be mindful never to forget who we are and what it took to bring you thus far.  

Here I am sanding and priming my model aircraft, I've also placed minute objects made of brass into places that no one will ever see, nor I since it was so small, I needed a magnifying glass to see.  I'm in the process of placing little pieces of pre-cut tape onto the canopy of my P-61.  These things were unimaginable during my youth.  

I recall just trying to glue the two halves of the P-61 with glue oozing out of the seems.  I have not forgotten how I used to own a no. 1 brush trying or attempting to paint in the canopy.  That no. 1 brush made me feel like a professional model builder.  That was then, this is now.  I went in 100% into buying everything possible in regards to my "Black Widow" construction that was available as a aftermarket product.  I also purchased so many different types of equipment that is available to builders like us or at a Walmart in the odd ends of an isle.  So many different choices and with so much items to choose from.  This was most exciting to me, my wife supports my new hobby in as much, she mentioned she will allow me in purchasing a compressor and an air brush.  

I went on line, traveled to our local "Michaels and Hobby Lobby" and found that a good compressor and a good airbrush would be a wise investment.  I did see a compressor and airbrush also at our local "Harbor Frieght and Tools" for a lot less than the other stores mentioned above.  Mrs. Toshi pointed out that you pay for what you get.  My initial experience with a all in one airbrush kit from Testors (Which came to a $20.00 purchase) was not the answer, at least for me.  I've stuck to my cans of Testors paint, I can only deduce my up coming build and how or what will be utilized as far as spray can or airbrush is concerned, I know the airbrush is the answer but not at these prices.  What you see here is my most current build.

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An airbrush is a nice thing. But you can do pretty well with rattle cans because so much paint is available now. It just adds up pretty quickly.

I find that is a great advantage with an airbrush- really minimal paint consumption, and acrylics of course.

If you pick up a British model air[lane magazine, take a look at what a tradition of brush painting can do. The results are different, but they are good.

Ms. Toshi is correct, and nice of you to recognize she's part of the decision.

A Badger can be had for $ 80 or so if you look around. I would stay away from Aztek, although that's not a universal opinion. The problem with those is that the spring is in the paint path and they are difficult to clean.

Definitely Michael's is helpful. HL, well I can say I don't even have the chance in my area to decide not to patronize them.

This one looks a lot like a Klingon WarBird!

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More progress!

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To GMorisson,

Thank you for the wise words in regards to a airbrush.  I did not realize that in England there is such a following like the one you mentioned.

To the mongoose,

Good eye!

I have been in love with the Monogram P-61 ever since I built my first one when I was 14.  That was 30 years ago.  I've built about eight more of them since those days.  It's definitely not one for the first time builder.  I'd say it's the perfect kit, however, for one who has good modeling skills who knows how to massage a kit into a stunning work.  It'll separate the kit builders from the kit assemblers.

I will admit that, as a P-61 nutcase, I am curious about the GWH and the Hobby Boss kits.  It makes me cringe when I think of how much each one costs in comparison to a Revell-Monogram P-61.  However, I am curious about trying out one from a different manufacturer.  So between the GWH kit and the HB kit, which one would be considered the better of the two?  I mean not only in fit, but in accuracy as well.  Is one kit "over-engineered" compared to the others?

Eric

Echolmberg,

It's treat to know that their are other P-61 builders out there, especially the old Monogram kit.  As far as which kit to purchase?  I've read and heard about how accurate the GWH Widow is.  I haven't heard much of Hobby Boss.  That doesn't mean that the Hobby Boss Widow kit is at fault, it's just that I've haven't heard much about HB.  Thank you for the read and reply.

Toshi

PS:  check out www.scalespot.com.  The build is a 1/48 GWH Widow.  It's a beauty!

Dragon made a good one in 1/72.

WOW!! The model at scalespot is an amazing model! I can only wonder how many hours that took to build.

To GMorrison,

I was not aware of a 1/72 Black Widow by Dragon.  Thank you for that info, and thank you for the read and reply.

Johnny K,

I can't even guess how long it took to make that GWH.  But that's dedication, discipline, and the art of scale model making!  Thank you for the read and reply.

Toshi

Here is the Black Widow, I have it in pre-weathering status.  I still need to add the aftermarket decals and do the salt weathering as well.  Then comes my final clear coat.  With everything said and almost done, this project did overwhelm me, I should have stuck to a much simpler scale model aircraft.  In a twist, at least I know my limitations at this point.  Tomorrow Mrs. Toshi is taking me to Michaels with a possibility of another build.  If I can't find what I'm looking for, it's off to Hobby Lobby.  

NICE Toshi! You've got that kit firmly under control. I'm expecting the next batch of pics are going to be pretty impressive.  :)

You understand what I went through with the Corsair lol. Yes, and more yes, keep at this bird mate! You've totally got this.  :)

To MBrindos,

Thank you for the kind words and support.  I'll keep moving forward with this project.

Toshi

After the application of the decals, the Widow was covered with water.  Then came the Kosher salt, this was a strange thing to apply in the world of Scale Modelling.  After it dried, I sprayed a Testors lacquer gloss.  This is the final product of this very unusual weathering step.  

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looks great toshi

Thank you!

To my fellow forum members,

Here is just a review on how I did in this Widow build.  The photo-etching was extremely fun yet, I must agree with forum members that you're unable to see 80% of the work.  My hand painting needs a little more practice, thus this will come as I do my next build.  I've found that age has given me a little more patience then as a child.  This was the first time I actually placed putty, sanding, and copper wires incorporated in a build.  I've never primed an model before, this was a great experience in learning about seams.  

I have experimented with the salt technique for the first and final time as the salt ate away the red decals (Walking Zones) on the wings of the widow, this was after even sealing the decals.  Wow!  My tricycle front landing gear is on backwards.  Oh, boy!  Yes, I foolishly glued it that way.  I now understand about raised panel and non-raised panel lines.  I grew up in the raised panel era, what a big difference this makes.  I am a firm believer of less is more, I feel I went way overboard on the weathering of the Widow.  I should have started with a minimum and added as I went along.  I've never weathered an scale model in my life, in the excitement of the moment, well as you can see, there's still that child in me and if I may be so bold?  In all of us.  Overall, I think it wasn't all that bad, especially being away from the hobby for 40 years.  I give myself a C+.  What do you forum members think?  Let me know, I'm interested and always trying to learn from my challenges as well as my successes.

Yours truly,

Toshi

Oh yes, Michaels had a scale model that was 30% off.  It was a revell P-40 Warhawk "Flying Tigers" version.  Of course I jumped at it, although I promised myself to build a Tamiya P-51.  This will be not as overwhelming of a build like the P-61 yet, I've never camouflaged a model before.  I still don't think I'm good enough for a compressor and a airbrush, so I settled with a Testors Camouflage airbrush kit, the type with the Co2 can.  That cost me $30.00.  If there are any suggestions to make the camouflage a success, your input is greatly appreciated.  Hence my next project, or as everyone on this forum says; "On my bench, I have a 1/48 Revell "Flying Tiger" build to complete"!

I think it looks pretty good, Toshi.You underestimate how difficult that kit is to get right.

You could correct the nose wheel without too much trouble.

A good hint for weathering is to work from a photograph of an actual aircraft. The black P-61s were fairly late in the war, and the most significant effect on most of them was just a lot of hours in the air. Missions typically could be eight hours.

You will like the P-40 kit much better. As far as camouflage, just be aware that the seemingly random pattern is actually a pattern. Look at as many photos as you can find to get the hang of it.

When you do paint it, go light first, then dark over. A trick I like- blow up the drawing in the instruction to scale. Lay down blue tape on your cutting surface and tape the plan down over it. Cut out the area you want a mask for (the brown) and put it on the airplane. don't burnish down the edges- leave them slightly up. Then paint; lots of light coats.

Of course you should practice first on some srap.

Good luck, you have the right attitude.

EDIT: one other trick. Figure out where the major decals go, in particular anything with white or yellow. After you've primed her, which in this case might just be a few coats over all of the neutral gray; cut decal sized shapes out of blue tape and put those on where the decals go. The thing is to make them just a little bit smaller than the decal, you don't have to be precise. Leave those masks on through the whole process of brown and green. When you do the decals peel them off, then do the gloss coat, then decal. It helps a lot to make them nice and snappy colored.

The Revel P-40 kit is a bit of a dog as well, but it can polish up real nice if you get the gaps filled . You lose a lot of the raised surface detail but you can compensate for it during painting if you want to.

I'm working on the P-40 kit for my son right now OOB. I've lost a ton of surface details, but hopefully once the paint is on and weathering gone over, perhaps it will still be okay. We'll see.

I've seen lots of attempts at this P-61 kit over the years and honestly most have ended up unfinished due to the challenges. I think you got over the hump and did a pretty dang good job of this kit. Fixing a few errors or mistakes is just part of the challenge Toshi. I corrected many mistakes on my Corsair and you liked how that turned out. I actually repainted it twice before I was happy with the effects.

SO maybe this didn't turn out like you wanted it to. But think of it not as a failure, but as a challenge to fix once you know more tricks. My advice; shelf it and come back later. I have a 1/72 spitfire I keep doing this with. It's on the shelf right now waiting in que for its next turn on the bench.

So yeah, you've done good, real good, and just stay on that horse and get started on the next build. That's how we all get better.  :)

I agree with Mike above in that you've picked a couple of kits that are real challenges (the RM P-61 and the RM P-40).  Those are two kits with a fair amount of issues BUT they do turn into great models with a lot of patience and a bit of experience required.  

Personally, I love the Revell-Monogram kits.  They make up a good 90% of what I buy.  If you like the Revell-Monogram line of kits and if you like WW2 subjects, I highly recommend their 1/48 P-51B.  It's been around for a while and should be available at your local hobby shop or even at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.  It has a minimal amount of parts which is great when you just want to work on your technique without getting bogged down in microscopic minutia.  The kit goes together quickly and you'll be applying the paint in no time flat.  And it's inexpensive, too!!  The exact same thing can be said for their P-47s, both the razorback and bubbletop versions.

If you like something with a higher parts count, then I've heard the 1/48 scale RM F-15E Strike Eagle is a real gem.  Modern jets are not my thing but I have heard nothing but good things about this kit.

I guess my goal here is to list a couple of good models in terms of fit, overall quality and price.  I don't want to see you have to learn how to swim by being thrown into a tank full of sharks!

I hope this helps,

Eric

To GMorrison,

Ah, thank you for your kind words as well as your support, I see scale model kits on this forum that deserves to be in a museum!  Very professional builds.  With that being said, I now realize the extent and difficulty in the preparation, assembly, and final accruments to the P-61.  I did not realize that other scale modelers have some issues in the assembly of the Widow.  My wheel nose is metal, hence its been attached with CA.  Uh, Oh.  

This knowledge you've given me is worth no money in the whole world!  I've would have never thought to assemble and airbrush the Tiger as such that your explanation describes.  I will follow your directions to the letter, I especially like practicing prior to the actual final build.  The decal information is priceless, I want to thank you so much for your time in reading my thread as well as the vast knowledge and experience you have just endowed upon me.  As always, thank you in advance.

Toshi

To M. Brindos,

Very wise words to adhere to.  Thank you for taking the time and by giving me this unflinching push to move forward.  You and many others have inspired me to continue on my journey of WWII scale model aircraft.  

I'm confident with your expertise that your son will have a museum quality P-40.  I did not realize through ignorance of the difficulty many proffesional modelers have with the Widow.  I just recall at 9 years old on how cool this aircraft looked and as each one broke, for various reasons, mostly playing mock air battles with them that I continued my remaking of the famed P-61.  I guess she is writely named so, Black Widow.  LOL!  

I am overjoyed at the idea of going back and repainting the P-61, this I find intriguing and inspiring as I was not aware that you had to revisit the F4U Corsair as such.  I now know and realize these obstacles can be overcome with patience and knowledge.  I will try to airbrush the widow back to its original color and slowly but surely with a keen eye and calm mind, weather the Widow back to what I had invisioned so.  M. Brindos, thank you for your kind and very inspiring words, I am humbled that forum members like you are so willing and giving of the secrets of scale model aircraft building.