80 Years of Airfix GB

Thanks frank, and this is a good point to remind everyone we have 3 weeks left on the GB. But, remember, as long as your names down on the list, please feel free to keep posting those progress pics.

It's cold and rainy today or I'd be out on the patio/paint bench doing the camouflage on the Meteor. Maybe this weekend.

The forecast is for sunny and warm Sunday. I hope so. I'd like to get out on the patio and put some color on the Meteor.

Bish

Thanks frank, and this is a good point to remind everyone we have 3 weeks left on the GB.

And a good time for me to post my excuses.

I'm sorry to be the guy who joined and didn't finish. I thought I'd post proof of a (not very good) try:

I got stuck on the fiddly bits on the front steering/suspension. Every time I sat down at the bench, nothing happened. Then my building season ended.

Next season, I think I am going to do something I've not done in years, shelf this for a while and start something else. I'm not sure if it's because it's an old kit or just I don't remember how to build a car undercarriage.

You run a great GB, Bish. Sorry to have let you down.

Thanks Bish, Nice job on the Belfast. One of these days I need to get around a build a ship model.

Thanks Mopar Madness

Jeaton01: Great job on the USAAF bomber supply set, been thinking about pick one of those up.

Real G: Lookin' good.

Fotofrank: The Meteor is coming along great. I like the two toned paint scheme.

Theuns: I really like the bare metal with the flat red paint scheme.

Johnny: Looking forward to your Bf110E.

I'm making good progress on the Heinkel, after putting a base coat of Tamiya XF-19 Sky Grey I pre-shaded with Tamiya X-1 Black.   Then used Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black(bottom), Tamiya XF-2 Flat White(fuseulage band), Model Master Enamel RLM 70 & 71(top splinter camo.)  Next up is paint touch ups, then final assemby of add on parts, then a coat of Tamiya X-22 Clear and decals.

IMG_9899 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

IMG_9898 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

IMG_9897 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

You haven't let anyone down Greg, you have al the time you neded to wrap that up. I hope you will post more pics as it comes along.

Thanks Dan. I am looking forward to doing some larger ship kits very soon.

Nice work on the 111, looking good.

Dan, sweet splinter camouflage!

Catching up again and I see theres more great work to be had here! 

tempestjohnny - I'm seeing RED!  That's a sweet little Gnat, so bold and colorful!  Looking forward to the Bf-110!

Real G - the Vampire is coming along nicely.  I like how the two pilots are sitting in the cockpit...looks like very tight quarters for those gents!

Mopar - sorry to hear that the Gnat took a deep dive into the waste bin!  On the bright side - There's always another kit!

jeaton01 - its very cool that Airfix has that kit!  Definitely helps with getting a dio to look right!  All the vehicles and aircraft you completed look great!

Bish - Super looking vessel!  Is the Belfast a cruiser?

fotofrank - Nice work on the Meteor and pilot! 

theuns - man that is some detailed paint work on the Kate.  Looking very sweeeeet!

DantheMan - Oh, that Heinkel is looking very nice!  Great job on the splinter camo

Here's an update on my Airfix builds.  Had to set them aside to complete Lewbud's Weekend Madness GB.  With that over I can get back to the Airfix trio and focus on them for the next couple of weeks.

The BF-109E has the most progress.  As usual the antenna took a hit and I lost the pitot tube.  Ah well.....  Paint is all Vallejo Model Air  - some mixing to get the right colors.  Goofed up and painted the dark green pattern inversely at the right wing tip.  Also painted the white stripe on the wingtips too thin...should be almost twice as wide.  Not sure if I will correct them...the masking/painting came out so nice!

The P-51D has Alclad II Aluminum sprayed on.  That's it...

The FW-190A is practically covered in masking so no pic.  Just need to add the GrauGrun RLM 74 color for the camo.

Thanks Ernest. Yes she is, a Town Class Light Cruiser. She is now officially known as HMS Belfast (1938) so as not to get confused with the 3rd Type 26 Frigate which will also be named Belfast.

Those are looking very nice, great job on the 109 camo, would not have noticed the error if you had not mentioned it.

Bufflehead, your 109 is looking really nice! The pre-shading is nice and subtle. Very nice.

Agreed. I would never have noticed any errors in the paint. The post shading looks great!

Meteor Update: Shot the grey underside camo on the Meteor this morning. Model Master Light Ghost Grey enamel. I'll let the paint cure for a day or two then begin shooting the topside camo.

Bish

Thanks Ernest. Yes she is, a Town Class Light Cruiser. She is now officially known as HMS Belfast (1938) so as not to get confused with the 3rd Type 26 Frigate which will also be named Belfast.

Very nice Bish!  Going back and looking at your pics again I must say I really like the camo job and the wood decks you did!  Adding the photo of the real Belfast is a huge plus!  Thanks for the ship build on this GB!

The Meteor is looking good Frank!  Can't wait to see it with camo on!

Looks great Frank!

Terrific work all round guys!

I got some pre-painting flat black into the cockpit and intake tunnel the other night.

Gotta hurry!  

Meteor Update: Just now sprayed the grey camo on the upper surface. Used Testors Gunship Grey. Might be too dark but I wanted to make sure there was enough contrast between the upper and lower greys. We'll see when the green goes on.

Looking good Frank!  Gray might be too dark, might not....depends on lighting.  The bright lights of my paint booth and photo area makes all my paint jobs look much lighter than under normal lighting.

I was moving along at a pretty good pace until the tape monster struck!  Had to re-sand and repaint this particular area. Hopefully I'll have this one wrapped up this weekend.

What kind of tape, Chad?

Tamiya tape. The problem is it ripped up the paint and the primer. On the rare occasion this does happen it's usually just the paint that comes up and not the primer.  I think it was a self-inflicted problem though. I didn't wash the sprues in warm soapy water before I started the kit. 

bufflehead

 

 

Bish

Thanks Ernest. Yes she is, a Town Class Light Cruiser. She is now officially known as HMS Belfast (1938) so as not to get confused with the 3rd Type 26 Frigate which will also be named Belfast.

 

 

 

Very nice Bish!  Going back and looking at your pics again I must say I really like the camo job and the wood decks you did!  Adding the photo of the real Belfast is a huge plus!  Thanks for the ship build on this GB!

 

Thanks Ernest.

Bish,

The Belfast is shipshape and Bristol fashion.

Frank, 

The Meteor is looking good. I've had other models use Gunship Gray for Extra Dark Sea Gray. It's close, if not a little on the dark side.

Ernest, 

The Emil and Mustang are looking good. My Emil will have the RLM 02/71/65 paintscheme and I was kind of worried about it at first. Seeing yours in that scheme put my mind at ease.

Chad,

That sucks about the paint lifting. I know you'll fix it to where it won't be noticeable.

Now for my adventures with Airfix plastic.

Here's where I picked up construction last night. I started this four+ years ago for the 75th Battle of Britain GB. At some point during her travels through time, the cockpit got lost so she'll look like a gate guard with the canopy painted black.

Here's where she was last night before I went to bed.

I wasn't familiar with paint scheme of RLM 02/71/65 as my only other Luftwaffe builds were RLM 70/71/65. I found out that Model Master has discontinued their International line of enamel paints so I'm trying Mission Models paints on this bird. Not real happy with canopy mask by P-Mask. It's a vinyl mask which is great on flat surfaces, but won't stay down on the curved surface of the rear canopy. May have to do some cleanup on those windows after everything is painted. We'll see. Hopefully I can shoot some RLM 65 when I get home tonight.

Mopar Madness

I was moving along at a pretty good pace until the tape monster struck!  Had to re-sand and repaint this particular area. Hopefully I'll have this one wrapped up this weekend.

 

Wasn't able to see those pics earlier Chad. I am sure you will have that pached up no problem. Look forward to the final pics.

Thanks lewbud.

I rather like that early war 109 scheme with the 02. I did it on an E-3 a couple of years back and i like the contrast between the light and dark greens. Lok forward to seeing more of yours.

Buddy I had to do a double take when I saw a Luftwaffe fighter on your workbench!

Thanks Bish. You can take the Spit from the Dogfight Double off the front page as I have no idea where it is. I thought it might be hanging out with the 110 I started for the 75th BoB Anniversary build, but I found the Zero from the Pearl Harbor Dogfight Double instead.

Chad, 

Such oddities do occur from time to time. It started out as an idea to build one of each type of aircraft used in the Battle of Britain.  If memory serves, Airfix has covered each of the major types of aircraft on both sides with their new tools. I bought two of the 110's because the decals included a BoB aircraft and one with a shark's mouth option (I'm a sucker for a plane with a shark's mouth). I just need to source a Ju-87B-1, a Ju-88A-1, a He-111H-2, and a Do-17Z-1 to cover the Germans. I know Airfix ha done all but the Ju-88A-1 recently. The Italians contributed some Fiat CR.42s, G.50s, BR.20s, and some Macchi MC. 200s and I'll have to source them from other manufacturers.  I'll throw this out now unless someone beats me to it, I'll do an 80th Anniversary Battle of Britain build starting in the summer next year. Airfix has covered the British side as well with new tools except for the Lysander and maybe the Beaufighter Mk.I.  Made a late night check of the paint locker and found the remnants of paint leftover from the BoB GB from 2015. I should have enough Model Master paint to finish the 109 and possibly the 110.

Sorted that lewbud.

The 88A-1 is sadly missing from any companies line up in 72nd. But other than that, Airfix have indeed covered just about anything British and German from the BoB. Not sure about an He 111H-2 but they do have the P-2.

Thanks for the heads up on the He-111 Bish, I was going off the Xtradecals German Battle of Britain set and they provide markings for a H-3. I just checked evilbay and it looks like I'm going to have to save up because both the Airfix and Hasegawa options seem to be spendy at the moment.