1/48 Airfix Hurricane Mk. I Battle of Britain (501 Squadron)

bvallot

Sweet Joe. Can you tell I'm making my rounds? =] I wanted to ask you about the Airfix tooling for this kit. What are you thoughts on engineering/accuracy/detail?

 

Nice to have you back Britt. I was wondering where you went. Thanks for kind words. Their Hurricane is quite good. Typical soft white Airfix plastic though that I'm not crazy about.

Sweet Joe. Can you tell I'm making my rounds? =] I wanted to ask you about the Airfix tooling for this kit. What are you thoughts on engineering/accuracy/detail?

plasticjunkie

Looks fantastic Joe. You hit another homerun with this one. 

The colors you used look fine to me and the shades will vary with every picture, lighting condition and weathering. Again greast job done on this one.

I have the old 1/32 Revell Mk.1, resin Grey Matter pit and Zotz Battle of Britain collection decal set in the stash that I have been holding back for a Battle of Britain GB so hopefully one will come along. 

 

Thanks PJ. Let me know. I may participate as well, as I'm about to embark on two Eduard Me 110s, a C and an E. I havent participated in a group build in years. 

Looks fantastic Joe. You hit another homerun with this one. 

The colors you used look fine to me and the shades will vary with every picture, lighting condition and weathering. Again great job done on this one.

I have the old 1/32 Revell Mk.1, resin Grey Matter pit and Zotz Battle of Britain collection decal set in the stash that I have been holding back for a Battle of Britain GB so hopefully one will come along. 

lawdog114

 

Hello Nikola, I'd have to dig out my books, but here's a few pics I found abroad.  They're kind of poor quality, but you can definitely see fading on the wings.  I have one color pic in mind of an RAF pilot standing on the wing of a Spit and you could clearly see the spotty faded green on the wing surface.  When I find it I'll share it.  Granted some were worse than others.  Your milege may vary.  

I look forward to that Spitfire of yours...

 

Hi Lawdog,

Thank you very much for the photos! These will come in handy definitely.

I think that you managed to reproduce the fading effect very successfuly. Well done indeed!

One observation if I may - from the first glance, the only difference that I see from your model and the photos (I looked up some more being inspired by what you sent) is that on real aircraft the fading often crosses the camo demarcation lines and panel lines, rather than being always confined within them, which makes sense I guess. Often it doesn't cross them, as you have it on your models, and this randomness is really what gives it a more realistic look in my opinion. I think that it has to do with pre-shading as well.

Also, as I said, it might be the lighting in the photos which usually fail to truly represent the subtle effects and colour, so I might be seeing it differently. 

I will definitely have to study the archive photos further, but this was my main observation.

Again, brilliant job on both models! Well done!

Best,

Nikola

Nikola

 

 

lawdog114

 

Thanks Nikola, yeah I'm gonna go ahead and go with no and disagree with you on that. I wanted the green to appear faded and I believe I achieved that. It's all about experimentation. Besides, that was a hot summer in 1940 so sun fading was very likely, especially on the darker green.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Lawdog,

I guess you are right, it depends on what you want to achive in the end.

I will have to study the references more I suppose.

Do you have any good refs which you used since I have a 1/32 Spit waiting in the stash so those might come in handy.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Best,

Nikola

 

Hello Nikola, I'd have to dig out my books, but here's a few pics I found abroad.  They're kind of poor quality, but you can definitely see fading on the wings.  I have one color pic in mind of an RAF pilot standing on the wing of a Spit and you could clearly see the spotty faded green on the wing surface.  When I find it I'll share it.  Granted some were worse than others.  Your milege may vary.  

I look forward to that Spitfire of yours... 

lawdog114

 

Thanks Nikola, yeah I'm gonna go ahead and go with no and disagree with you on that. I wanted the green to appear faded and I believe I achieved that. It's all about experimentation. Besides, that was a hot summer in 1940 so sun fading was very likely, especially on the darker green.

 

Hi Lawdog,

I guess you are right, it depends on what you want to achive in the end.

I will have to study the references more I suppose.

Do you have any good refs which you used since I have a 1/32 Spit waiting in the stash so those might come in handy.

Thanks in advance.

Best,

Nikola

Nikola

 

 

lawdog114

 

Here it is...

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/184474.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks man, brilliant Spit!!! Hues and finish are top notch.

Work in progress also. :)

 

Yes, in terms of color modulation it is better than the Cane. It still has it slightly stronger though.

I think that if you just work on that slightly, you will produce perfect models. :)

 

Following you with pleasure.

 

Best,

Nikola

 

Thanks Nikola, yeah I'm gonna go ahead and go with no and disagree with you on that. I wanted the green to appear faded and I believe I achieved that. It's all about experimentation. Besides, that was a hot summer in 1940 so sun fading was very likely, especially on the darker green.

TheMongoose

Wonderful build! Your paint really lays down smooth. Nice touch you have.

 

in terms of dullcoat, i learned this last year. Rustoleum owns Testors now. Rustoleum clear coats read exactly thesame as Testors. Awesome since we can get a full can for nearly the same price as the Little modeling can 

 

Thanks. The problem is that I need their jarred dullcoat. I don't particularly like spray cans. Hopefully they keep making it. 

tempestjohnny

Very nice as usual.  You might be ok with your dullcoat. I heard it's just the Model Master line that's going. 

 

Thanks Johnny, and that's good news. 

jeaton01

Well done, Joe.  One after another!

 

Thanks!

lawdog114

 

Here it is...

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/184474.aspx

 

Thanks man, brilliant Spit!!! Hues and finish are top notch.

Work in progress also. :)

Yes, in terms of color modulation it is better than the Cane. It still has it slightly stronger though.

I think that if you just work on that slightly, you will produce perfect models. :)

Following you with pleasure.

Best,

Nikola

Wonderful build! Your paint really lays down smooth. Nice touch you have.

in terms of dullcoat, i learned this last year. Rustoleum owns Testors now. Rustoleum clear coats read exactly thesame as Testors. Awesome since we can get a full can for nearly the same price as the Little modeling can 

Very nice as usual.  You might be ok with your dullcoat. I heard it's just the Model Master line that's going. 

Well done, Joe.  One after another!

Greatmaker

Beautiful work.  Hope I can get mine to look half as good.  Thanks for sharing

 

Thank Robert...

Beautiful work.  Hope I can get mine to look half as good.  Thanks for sharing

modelcrazy

Looks great Lawdog

 

Thanks bud...

Looks great Lawdog

B777Commander

Nice work sir! How did you like using Montex masks? I have a set for an upcoming 1/48 Ju-52 project, but I haven't heard much about them either way. Also, what do you use for your semi-matte finish? I really like it. It has a little more sheen than what I use, but is still matte. Very convincing!!! Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks! Be careful with the Montex masks on that corrugated surface of the JU-52. They're too thick to stay in all those grooves. I had that issue with my Devastator. They work great on flat surfaces though.

I still use basic Testors dull coat lacquer cut with plain old hardware store lacquer thinner. It dries quick and is very durable.  I've been using it for years and I have yet to find a better finish. I've heard rumblings that Testors is going out of business soon and it will no longer be available, so I will need to find a substitute. 

keavdog

Beauty.  I love that story.  I've got the hasegawa kit and I've been trying to find 303 squadron markings.  

As always, wonderful job.

 

Thanks Keav. Technod has a sheet of 303 out there. I've seen it on eBay. I want to do a Polish cane myself someday. 

Pawel

lawdog114 - that's a very nice looking Hurricane you got here! I was going to raise the same point Nikola did. I tried to pinpoint the problem I have with that panel lightening and I think what bothers me most are that the lighter spots are round on square panels, wich is most noticeable on the base of the left wing, but even more than that, the colour demarcation line between green and brown on your model behaves like a panel line - that is to say the lighter spot on the green never crosses over that line and that bothers me. IF you did the preshading while the camo was masked, it would be enough to cross over the masking with the lightening and it would all look more natural.

Which should not detract from the great work you did on the model - thanks for sharing and have a nice day

Paweł

 

Thanks Pawel, and thank you for your input. I did use Tamiya Deck Tan instead of my normal Buff which may be the culprit. 

Nikola

Could you share the link to the Spit? I would very much like to see it, as I love what you've done with the Hurricane. 

Here it is...

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/184474.aspx

Beauty.  I love that story.  I've got the hasegawa kit and I've been trying to find 303 squadron markings.  

As always, wonderful job.

lawdog114 - that's a very nice looking Hurricane you got here! I was going to raise the same point Nikola did. I tried to pinpoint the problem I have with that panel lightening and I think what bothers me most are that the lighter spots are round on square panels, wich is most noticeable on the base of the left wing, but even more than that, the colour demarcation line between green and brown on your model behaves like a panel line - that is to say the lighter spot on the green never crosses over that line and that bothers me. IF you did the preshading while the camo was masked, it would be enough to cross over the masking with the lightening and it would all look more natural.

Which should not detract from the great work you did on the model - thanks for sharing and have a nice day

Paweł

lawdog114

 

 The problem is you have to intentionally overdo it otherwise it gets lost in the follow up washes and gloss/dull coats. 

 

You are right about that!

I think that is one of the hardest things to master in this hobby - judgement when it comes to colours and layering. A challenge for me definitely. But I guess that's what makes it so much fun. :)

Could you share the link to the Spit? I would very much like to see it, as I love what you've done with the Hurricane. 

Thanks in advance. 

Best, 

Nikola

Nikola

 

 

lawdog114

 

 

Nikola

Hi Lawdog, 

Absolutely brilliant Hurricane! I love the colours and your perfect paint finish! The little dio complements it very nicely as well. Great work!

One comment if I may - IMHO and from my very limited experience, the colour variation on the green could be slightly subtler, and you could have varied the intensity and color of panel line washes, but it's just my opinion and my style. Might be the lighting in the photos as well so...

Again, great modelling! Thanks for sharing!

 

Best, 

Nikola

 

 

 

 

Thanks Nikola, I appreciate the critique. Actually the green is correct for this time period. Tamiya makes this color, XF-81, which is what I used. I have the AK RAF Green which I though was actually too green so I used the Tamiya instead. The panel line washes were done with AK Interactive panel line washes. The one I used on the upper was designed for brown green camo. If anything I think it's too subtle. I appreciate the kind words. 

 

 

 

 

Hi Lawdog, 

Thanks for the info about the paints. I definitely love the hues you chose for the scheme, no doubt about that! :) 

What I was refering to was the actual color modulation within the green itself.

 

Best, 

Nikola

 

Ahhh....gotcha. I'll agree with that. The problem is you have to intentionally overdo it otherwise it gets lost in the follow up washes and gloss/dull coats. I think my Spitfire turned out a little better.  

lawdog114

 

 

Nikola

Hi Lawdog, 

Absolutely brilliant Hurricane! I love the colours and your perfect paint finish! The little dio complements it very nicely as well. Great work!

One comment if I may - IMHO and from my very limited experience, the colour variation on the green could be slightly subtler, and you could have varied the intensity and color of panel line washes, but it's just my opinion and my style. Might be the lighting in the photos as well so...

Again, great modelling! Thanks for sharing!

 

Best, 

Nikola

 

 

 

 

Thanks Nikola, I appreciate the critique. Actually the green is correct for this time period. Tamiya makes this color, XF-81, which is what I used. I have the AK RAF Green which I though was actually too green so I used the Tamiya instead. The panel line washes were done with AK Interactive panel line washes. The one I used on the upper was designed for brown green camo. If anything I think it's too subtle. I appreciate the kind words. 

 

Hi Lawdog, 

Thanks for the info about the paints. I definitely love the hues you chose for the scheme, no doubt about that! :) 

What I was refering to was the actual color modulation within the green itself.

Best, 

Nikola