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Airfix figures - please shoot me

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  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
Posted by Lufbery on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 6:59 PM

I've not used the Airfix figures, but I've painted 1/72 scale soft plastic figures from Orion.

Here's a great web site with illustrations and information on painting 1/72 scale plastic figures:

http://www.angelfire.com/id/macp/techniques.html

I used the techniques to paint the figures for my Martin MB-2, but primed with Future floor wax instead of white glue.

 Here are a few more web sites that I use for reference:

 Here's how a couple of mine turned out. I'm still working on using a wash on the figures to bring out their facial features:

.

I'm pretty happy with the results, but I hope to do better next time. [:D ]

 

-Drew

Build what you like; like what you build.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Friday, July 20, 2007 9:21 AM

After a lot of pondering I may, repeat may, have stumbled on a way to clean up at least the worst of the "frizziness" you get from trying to scrape/cut the mold seams off these guys - I tried heat.

Heat as in, "I wonder if holding a straight pin in a candle flame and then running it alongside the mold seam would smooth it out better than trying to cut it off?"

That was quickly followed by, "You have to be careful not to heat the straight pin up too much while holding it with your fingers."

After a couple of, "Wow, it's Censored [censored] amazing how quick this soft blue plastic melts!" comments, I think I may be on to something. Film at 11. 

 

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Yuma, Arizona
Posted by Brumbles on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:55 PM

If you painted 'em, then coated 'em in two or more coats of Dullcoat, to both harden the surface and toughen it, might that do it?

Then when you shoot 'em they'll look much better, at least! 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:14 PM
 mfsob wrote:
These may well end up being consigned to target practice ... I thought I had found a way to make the paint stay on, but the least little flexing pops off huge flakes. Why Airfix, or Heller, or anyone else chose to make what are actually quite decent figures in this size out of this godawful soft plastic is beyond me.
C-H-E-A-P....that's why!
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:19 AM
These may well end up being consigned to target practice ... I thought I had found a way to make the paint stay on, but the least little flexing pops off huge flakes. Why Airfix, or Heller, or anyone else chose to make what are actually quite decent figures in this size out of this godawful soft plastic is beyond me.
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: United States
Posted by ww2modeler on Friday, July 13, 2007 4:47 PM
 Brumbles wrote:

My friend Doug and I used to buy those Airfix figures by the boxfuls and set up elaborate battles in his backyard -- Afrika Korps versus 8th Army was a favorite.  Then we sit back and shoot em with sling shots and bb guns. 

Of course that was in the days when we'd get rid of old models by staging The Attack on Pearl Harbor and set them all on fire... when mom wasn't looking!

LOLBig Smile [:D]

On the bench:

1/35 Tamiya M26 Pershing-0%

1/144 Minicraft P-38J Lightning-50%

Numerous 1/35 scale figures in various stages if completion.

 

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Yuma, Arizona
Posted by Brumbles on Thursday, July 12, 2007 11:41 AM

My friend Doug and I used to buy those Airfix figures by the boxfuls and set up elaborate battles in his backyard -- Afrika Korps versus 8th Army was a favorite.  Then we sit back and shoot em with sling shots and bb guns. 

Of course that was in the days when we'd get rid of old models by staging The Attack on Pearl Harbor and set them all on fire... when mom wasn't looking!

  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: USA
Posted by Mike S. on Thursday, July 12, 2007 8:57 AM
Yes, I've used those Preiser sets for years. The Fallschirmjager and military band  sets are particularly nice, as are the pilots. I was simply ruing the fact that the nice little 1/72nd Airfix sets are in that horrible polyethylene instead of hard styrene. Especially irksome as they have a wide selection of periods in the line.
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by ajlafleche on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:16 PM

Do a search for Preiser figures. They've been around since the last ice age, but they are excellent. Regular plastic, many interesting poses, no bases. I picked up the pilots and ground crew in the late 70's and they still stand up to many others in that scale.

Preiser at Michigan toy

Remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

  • Member since
    May 2006
  • From: USA
Posted by Mike S. on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 7:48 PM
If they would only release these in hard styrene, these sets would be real winners.
  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Baton Rouge, Snake Central
Posted by PatlaborUnit1 on Sunday, July 8, 2007 7:06 PM

You mean there's actaully a USE for this crap?????

 

david

 

Build to please yourself, and don't worry about what others think! TI 4019 Jolly Roger Squadron, 501st Legion
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by crazygerman on Sunday, July 8, 2007 6:44 PM
 I bought a set of Airfix Afrika Corps troops in 1/72 scale once and I swear they're made of rubber, found one use for them though, if you take the sprue and stretch it, the soft plastic makes nice rubber hoses, etc for small scale armor
“It’s the unconquerable soul of man, not the nature of the weapon he uses, that insures victory.” -George S Patton Jr. On the Bench; 71 "Cuda
  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Baton Rouge, Snake Central
Posted by PatlaborUnit1 on Sunday, July 8, 2007 5:36 PM

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

brings back vivid memories of a set of them I purchased as a youngster in the 80s.

 I still remember it to this day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Run screaming!!!!!!

David 

Build to please yourself, and don't worry about what others think! TI 4019 Jolly Roger Squadron, 501st Legion
  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: The Socialist Republik of California
Posted by Sic Semper Tyrannis! on Saturday, July 7, 2007 10:31 PM

Man I picked up Dragon's Sdkfz 251/16 kit with 3 of those blasted soft plastic figs. Oh lord how I hate these things! Forget about it. There is no way on Gods green earth to get those beepin' seams to dissappear. Toss those jokers in the trash can.

If Dragon starts makin' all their figs with this type of material I will cry for a month straight.

SST

On the losing end of a wishbone, and I won't pretend not to mind. ----------------------------------------------------------- 1/35 Dragon SdKfz 251/1 sMG Various 1/35 Figures 1/35 Dragon Stug III Ausf B. (Balkans)
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Airfix figures - please shoot me
Posted by mfsob on Thursday, July 5, 2007 7:17 PM

I got a box of Airfix 1/72 scale RAF Personnel to try and liven up my aircraft model displays. On opening the box I discovered to my horror that they are made out of a soft blue plastic. I read up on suggestions in the forums for removing the mold lines (which led to questions like, "Daddy, why are there a bunch of little blue men in the freezer?") and priming them (white Floquil spray enamel was apparently not the best choice). They all got thoroughly scrubbed before I started trying to clean up and paint them.

And they still look like crap. Even with a new blade in the Xacto, I can't seem to get all the seams off (but have amputated the odd arm or foot). The paint doesn't seem to want to stick. I haven't even tried a wash to make what few details there are visible.

Any suggestions short of a mass nuking in the microwave would be appreciated. 

 

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