1945 GB

Sharp-looking Spitfire, BD!  Impressive weathering and all those little data decals are a great touch.  Very attractive.

Thanks, Checkmateking! I have to say, I love getting the stencils on. I know not all aircraft carry them all the time, but I do like putting on as many as possible since I think it adds more interest to the aircraft overall. And really, the Eduard decals made it so very easy. I only had to soak each one for about 10 seconds. Super easy. It was the opposite with the kit stencils in the Tamiya P-51B. I gave up on them due to silvering and thickness and just tossed on a few for interest.

Well, my Mosquito isn't in yet, and I got mad at an ICM Yak-9T that needs a ton of work, so I pulled out the Tamiya Corsair. I need to find some markings, but it will be 1945.

I'd previously accidentally loaded my airbrush with way too much interior green (working on the aforementioned P-51B), so the cockpit is already base-coated.

I will be posing the wings folded on this one, and I got the central wing portion/bottom of the fuselage and both outer wing portions together with the rocket hard points installed. After consulting research photos, I will also be posing the flaps down.

I've never done one with folded wings, and it should not only be interesting, but a shelf space-saver!

-BD-

Bish

Now that's committing in advance. I believe its due out in July isn't it. I'll be interested to see what markings that kit has.

MC:

I know the the stuff is related, but if you want a really sweet top layer (over what is painted) I recommend (as does Chris) gloss medium, not gel. If you had low waves, I think I'd go with Woodland Scenics Realistic Water - absolutely nothing tops that stuff for clarity once you get used to it. But it's too thin for waves so you get really great bottoms of the wave pattern, and the top doesn't look right. Gloss Medium (Liquitex works well, but Golden is always trumps in my book) is thicker and you can shape it over the movements of the waves nicely. Prior to laying the final gel/medium you might want to sculpt the surface a little and get rid of little pointy pieces on the surface. (This is where I think Floodberg is right about covering the surface with paper, and then use molding paste -heavier and dries quicker- or gel to illuminate the pattern of the waves.) The step I never got straight was adding foam to the tops of the waves caused by the ship's movement. I spent a couple of weeks trying to get these techniques usable but I think I made record numbers of stupid mistake. I cobbled something together that I thought was okay and then I finally noticed that Flodberg had YouTube videos - that would have simplified things a lot. This was the best I could do (this time out) and I think I got Floodberg's painting near the hull, but I simply failed in attaching foam on top of the waves. (The only thing I found that Chris might have been mistaken, was his claim that if you removed something at the top of surface, it would be very hard to fix. I found a little windex to remove something followed by a light medium coat worked fine.)

Eric

i971.photobucket.com/.../port-ab_zps6fec90fb.jpg

Eric,

Thanks. I will go over the gel with that medium, and after that, I will spray a gloss varnish to simulate wet. I've tried several methods and gloss sprays and they end up turning the cotton yellow. I have found that the acrylic varnish works well.  My goal is to have the seas similar to this.

This is my first attempt at spray. I didn't work hard on the aircraft as my focus was working on the spray procedure. It's not perfect, but not bad for a first attempt. The base is foam inside a picture frame.

That is a tremendously dynamic work, Steve!  The movement and fluidity is expressive and compelling.

Gentlemen, thank you for the kind comments re . ol' gritty Sherman. Encouraging and motivating.

The Spitfire looks great and Modelcrazy, that dio looks super.

Cheers...

Well, I didn't like the way it was turning out. The sawdust was too lumpy, so I did what Chris Flodburg suggests and went over it with pieces of paper. I think it looks much better. I will paint it again when it dries. I'm really anxious to get to the cotton stage.

Steve

Steve - that base is coming along nicely. It seems like a lot of work, but I know it will be great when it's finished. I can't wait!

-BD-

Ok, so when I returned to the hobby in October, the first two kits I built were a Spitfire IX and an F4U-4B Corsair.

Now you've seen my Spitfire VIII in this GB, so I figured why not another Corsair variant?

Here is where I am now with Tamiya's F4U-1D. I'll build it out of the box with the wings folded. Nothing too crazy here, just a beginning WIP shot.

I think I'll try some new weathering techniques on this one.

-BD-

If you sand the paper cover to the extent possible - you can add extra waves etc with something thick - I think regular modelling paste is best because it's so thick, dries fasts and sands well. (Paste is very different from either gel or medium - for a starter I believe it's all opaque. You can get the stuff textured with lava or glass beads and use it for a neat mud for tank work.) When that's dry, sand a little more if needed and then paint. (I love the kind of two tone greenish/blue that Flodberg puts around his hull - that would be the ls painting stage. As I recall I hand painted the base to get some more texture, but airbrush would be just as good. The "minty" treatment Flodberg advises must be airbrushed.) I would not spray clear gloss medium/gel unless you're using something called Varnish which is supposed to seal an acrylic painting - it can be bought gloss clear but I think it's too thin. Your gloss/medium should be painted on and generously. I liked sponge brushes and my finger - water doesn't have brushmarks. Let it dry overnight and it will looks really good. Floodberg is correct on another point - if you're going to use fiber for a foam instead of some kind paint effect (I've never seen a paint applied foam look good) synthetic fiber is much easier to work with than cotton. Rayon cotton balls (sill used by surgeons because they don't leave as many fibers behind than cotton) are hard to get commercially unless you want to cough up about $30. On eBay however they sell stuff called CelluCotton which is 100% Rayon - and you can get mini portion (easily enough for a couple of ships) for $4.50 shipping paid. If can use cotton if you want to get on with things - but watch those YouTube films to see how Floodberg does it - the videos were a huge help for me. I think Floodberg is wrong about one thing. (The fiber is attached with water thinned gloss medium/gel). He suggests that once you've used a cement on the cotton/rayon it's almost impossible to remove. I found it easy. Just use something like Windex or watered ISP and carefully rub it back and forth over the cotton - it comes off pretty quickly, so use a light touch. There will be a mar. However if you take just a thin amount your final gloss coat and cover the affected area. You're back in business in less than an hour.  I don't think a final Varnish is at all needed especially if your ship is imbedded in the base - you'd end up with a shinny ship if you weren't careful. (There are still some fans of two part resins, mostly in the railroad community. I find the stuff unpleasant to work with and I can zero advantage to acrylic materials.)

It is true that if you use everything that Floodberg advises (and I've mentioned stuff recommended by him) that it will run up a pretty good bill - but if you buy quality (Golden first, Liquitex fine - avoid student grade stuff) you will have a lot left over. And if these products are firmly sealed after finish they'll last a very long time. When you get friendly with art house materials you'll find a whole load of potential uses - modelling paste, for instance, I think is an excellent filler.  

You might even try Golden's new paints. I use Golden Fluid Acrylics all the time and once you master stuff like airbrush medium it's very easy to use and has terrific color. They've now made a thinner version of the same paint called High Flow. It's exactly like using Vallejo Model Color (often used for hand painting which it is very good for but can easily be used to airbrush once you figure out how to thin it) or Vallejo Model Air which is thinner and designed for airbrush use. Golden Fluid=Vallejo Model Color; Golden High Flow=Vallejo Model air. If someone put a gun to my head and demanded a very complex airbrush pattern, I'd go with Tamiya. But I'm so used to water based materials now that almost all my painting is done with water based acrylics (LifeColor is another good one). I don't have the space to use a spraying booth - so things like hard core lacquer paints like Alclad are out; and  both Tamiya and Gunze now are lacquer paints not true acrylics (check the label - if says flammable or potentially poisonous, you've got a lacquer. The solvents used by Tamiya/Gunze are very mild and I do use them when needed - but I like soap and water clean-up and almost complete lackof smell. And the water stuff is still wonderful paint. (BTW: when tank guru Adam Wilder first started making the claim that both Tamiya and Gunze were actually lacquers and should be thinned with Tamiya/Gunze lacquer thinners people howled and claimed dedication to A-20. Anything that worksI suppose and some people are so good at airbrushing that they compensate for weakness, but inmy opinion there's no question that Wilder is right. Mig Jimenez and Mike Rinaldi agree.)

Eric

I Painted the blue and sprayed the seafoam green to the churn area. Next it the cotton application.         

Realizing there are brush strokes in the form, I'm leaving them as I think they should add to the gale wind effect.

Steve, really interested to see how you get the ocean effects, that's looking really nice. I think your right about those brush strokes.

BD, interesting looking build. While I don't really take much interest in pacific aircraft, the Corsair is a nice looking aircraft. Are you doing this with the wings folded.

Watching you make waves should be fun and educational.  I've only tried the aluminum foil route, and could use a better technique.

MC, I have been watching your whole project with great interest. This sea base should be the cherry on top once it's all completed.

Brandon, the F4U should be a real sweet build. That is supposed to be a gem of a kit.

As for me, I got the lower run of the indy link tracks done for one side. So far so good, but I did encounter one hiccup. The wheels are a tad bit wider than the gap between the guide teeth on each track link, so I had to do a bit of sanding on the back sides of the road wheels to make things fit...

Looking good, stik.  Nice progress.

MC, (Steve) your spray on the seaplane and the waves on your ship are looking amazing. I would love to try something like that but have little to no experiance or referance material to go by. Beautiful work  your doing though...

Doug

If anyone is interested in a water effects technique that is very good but much simpler than the big waves favored by Floodberg and one of the modelers listed by Baumann in his Modelwarship "Tips & Tricks" (Compendium of Water Making Techniques) is Kostas Katseas. His techniques are very different from Floodberg's and quite bit more direct, They are intended to show ships either at rest or cruising very slowly. Work great with big seaplane like a Sunderland. If you want to see his work, register at ModelWarship and get on the gallery and type in Kostas Katseas. One ship will show up and then click the modeler's name at the very top you see all of his ships in the gallery. Really nice. (Do the same for Jim Baumann or Floodberg - give you a quick case of the humbles.) Inside Baumann's post is a link to a discussion where Kostas shows how he did water for a Hood. Better yet is a translation from a Spanish board - the translation is very clear and and Kostas does a very good photo-build. www.u-modelismo.com/.../index.php I did two bases for my destroyer and this one is painted using Floodberg's technique but the base itself follows Kostas' methods. I kind of like it:

Eric

Thanks CMK. I got the top run on earlier this evening, added the fender once it had dried, and started the bottom run for the opposite side later on.

Even though I am getting more proficient at these things, have I mentioned lately that I do not like indy link  tracks?

Stik - I remember building individual-link tracks on a couple armor models about 15 years ago. I don't miss that... You look like you've got a great start, though.

Bish - I like the U.S. Pacific planes. I'm more interested in the ETO, but I gee sup playing Aces of the Pacific, which was when I fell in love with the Corsair. I do plan on doing it with the wings folded. Mainly because I think the dark sea blue planes tend to be boring, but I wanted to do a semigloss coat and fold the wings.

-BD-

Indy link tracks remind me too much of working on the real things once upon a time.... And that was never fun, be it in the motor pool or in the field.

Well guys, I'm done with the Indy...Yea!!! I am looking for a suitable backdrop for the pictures, possibly a poster with a stormy sky. If it takes too long (a couple of days), I'll just take some pics in front of a grey background.

Here is the beginning of the stormy sea "wave" application.

    
Acrylic medium and cotton.       Brush the cotton on to the base. Continue application as desired.

Steve

Gentlemen (and ladies),

Here it is, this was my first attempt at doing water for a ship. So without further adieu, my 1/350 scale Indianapolis. Please excuse the tape in the middle of the backdrop. I need to come up with a better method for a background.

As always comments and critiques welcome.
I'll take my badge now, if it ok. 

Steve

Steve - that came out great! No one would ever guess it's your first time doing water for a ship. I like the backdrop, too. But really, that ship is gorgeous. I'm envious of your skills, and have really enjoyed watching it come together.

Excellent job!

-BD-

Stick,

No problem about the pic, I'll set it up tonight.

Steve - that whole presentation is just amazing!

I can almost taste the seawater, that's how good that turned out.  What type of cotton was that again, and was there anything else done to it after affixed to the base?

regards,

Jack

Jack thanks,

I used synthetic cotton, just the stuff that comes in a bag at any store. I know the medical synthetic cotton works better, but that stuff is pretty pricey. After the cotton was applied, I sprayed the entire diorama, including any part of the ship I wanted to show wet, with an acrylic varnish.

I will take and post some new pictures tonight (not as many) as I am displeased with the background as it is. Also as RobS suggested in one of the threads, I will also take a few as B&W, just for atmosphere.

Steve, you blew my mind with that diorama. Nicely done indeed. WOW !!

Steve, that is just amazing. The amount of work you put into that ship certainly shows and it turn out a stunning build. And on that base, its something else. I wouldn't believe that was cotton, you can almost feel the spray.

Your badge is very well deserved. Can't wait for Stik to add this to the roster.

Thank you Bish, that means a lot.

Stick, here are some new pictures, much better I think.

Steve