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Reasoned

 I'll be dipped in sh!t, I've thought about using caulk a few times and just never did it.  I bet that went in there pretty darn well around those engine gaps. 

I like that effect with the NMF Doogs, this will be my first time using Alclad (got a good deal on some from a LHS in the Windy City).  I'm going to use Aluminum and Magnesium, hope it's not too much of a contrast.

Some wip pics

If you do find that to be too much of a contrast, you can just over-coat the entire thing with a thin mist coat of one of your two colours to even things out a little.

Wow! there is a lot of contrast on those finishes but they turned out great. Looks like you painted right over primer and not the gloss black they recommend? 

Reasoned

I like that effect with the NMF Doogs, this will be my first time using Alclad (got a good deal on some from a LHS in the Windy City).  I'm going to use Aluminum and Magnesium, hope it's not too much of a contrast.

Mmmm, you'll certainly notice contrast between those. Most of my P-51 is Aluminum, with some Duraluminum. And the exhaust panels are done in Magnesium. So that's about the contrast you can expect.

I also made this handy reference back when I was working on a P-47 (unpainted wing replacement):

 I'll be dipped in sh!t, I've thought about using caulk a few times and just never did it.  I bet that went in there pretty darn well around those engine gaps. 

I like that effect with the NMF Doogs, this will be my first time using Alclad (got a good deal on some from a LHS in the Windy City).  I'm going to use Aluminum and Magnesium, hope it's not too much of a contrast.

Some wip pics

I went back and did some more dry fitting and OWL was spot on.  There were very noticeable gaps where the horizontal stabilizer attached to the fuselage.  I was thinking that I will need to do some filling and I thought "too bad I couldn't caulk these babies like I caulk my window."  BING...light bulb went off.  Why couldn't I?

I decided to become adventuresome, so I grabbed my caulking gun with tube already loaded, since I have been caulking windows lately:

I put a dab on a card...it has long drying time, so no rush:

I used a toothpick to apply the caulking to the seams.  I then wet my finger and ran it across the seam and presto...perfection.  Good news is this caulking is water soluble (until dry--so it is easily manipulated) and paintable. 

Before:

After:

I am now going to see how it sets up, but it does not shrink, so I am crossing my fingers.  If this works out, I will use this technique a lot because it is so easy to apply....

Cool, nice effect...I have a number of kits in the queue that will require NMF, so I am willing to always try something new.

Another option for shading NMF....

If you're using Alclad, do it all up in gloss black, then lay down a high-shine finish. Airframe Aluminum or Chrome or similar. 

Then come back and spray the middle of the panels in a regular Alclad, i.e. Aluminum, Duraluminum, White Aluminum, and so on.

The high-shines are somewhat translucent, and with the black base they will show as darker than the panel centers with the regular finishes. If the effect is too stark, mist either a high shine or regular shine over the whole thing to tone it down.

Did this with my P-51 WIP and am thrilled with the results:

The vertical stabs fit pretty nice.. They need some lovin' when you glue them on though... I dry-fitted, sanded a bit, dry-fitted, sanded a little more, and got a tight fit, then glued.. Didn't have a fit issue with the horizontal stabs, except right at the front joint, which needs a skoshi-bit of putty.. I thinned some Testor's White with rubbing alcohol and brushed it in...  You can get away with leaving the vertical stabs off until after..

I did dry fit the main wings and the fit seems to be good..I have never done this before.  But based on OWL's comments, I may have to attach the horizontal and vertical stabilizers to fill in seams and noticeable gaps prior to any NMF.  I will take a close analysis again of the main wings and other parts.  If it looks like the gaps are too big, I will abandon the separate parts approach.

hutchdh

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

Hmmmm - for the sheer "don't take up the whole kitchen table with your airplane" factor, I may leave the wings off. I've never tried it before, but it makes sense on something this big. Have you done it with this kit before? Is the wing join suitable for assembling after the paint shop?

OWL...thanks for the warning.  I will dry fit and take a look see...I may have to install before applying NMF.

Hans...I'll have to give that a shot.  I used to apply charcoal and pastels/powders years ago and have gotten away from it.

FWIW, I post-shade with charcoal a lot.. Small brush, powdered charcoal, and apply gently until you get the effect you want...

hutchdh

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

be careful of the tail boom join (the flat part that sticks out,  Idk what to call it). When I built my B25 earlier this summer, it required some putty work.

I used the Tamiya Smoke on the post shading of the P-47 as well.  I plan to use various shades of Alclad on the Mitchell.

Looks fantastic, I've seen your F-100 before (love the exhaust work).  How did you do the post shade on the P-47 and what type of NMF are you going to use?

Post shade...works real well...see below:

hutchdh

Reasoned:

 

hutchdh:

 

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

 

 

 

Smart idea Hutch, I'm interested to hear how that works.  I'm also doing a NMF but will try assembling first and am little concerned about some of the masked areas accessability.

 

Thanks...I look forward to seeing your finished build.  How do you plan on doing panel lines?  I have had success with using a very faint coat of Tamiya smoke...since the panels lines are not recessed and I am too lazy to scribe any, I will go with the old faithful route.

Are you going to post shade the smoke w/AB or do a wash?  I'm not going to scribe panel lines but will probably use an acrylic wash over the NMF, weather it up a bit.

Reasoned

 

hutchdh:

 

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

 

 

 

Smart idea Hutch, I'm interested to hear how that works.  I'm also doing a NMF but will try assembling first and am little concerned about some of the masked areas accessability.

Thanks...I look forward to seeing your finished build.  How do you plan on doing panel lines?  I have had success with using a very faint coat of Tamiya smoke...since the panels lines are not recessed and I am too lazy to scribe any, I will go with the old faithful route.

hutchdh

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

 

Smart idea Hutch, I'm interested to hear how that works.  I'm also doing a NMF but will try assembling first and am little concerned about some of the masked areas accessability.

I decided to go NMF on this bird, vice OD.  I plan to do something a little different this time in that I will keep the sections apart.  This should accommodate an easier task when it comes to masking the different panels to get the various shades.

Thanks guys,,,

I'm not weighting the bird, since it's going on a diorama.. I'll trap a screw in the nosewheel and put it through a pre-drilled hole in the dio-base...

I weighted the PBJ-1 though, and it took weight in the space you talk about, weight in the tunnel, plus weights in the radio rooom, and both nacelles...

The interior colors are not done... I sprayed the fuselage halves with a "moss" green to provide a "primer" for the green ZC.. But I kinda like the colo rit is too..

I had to add the nose and 'pit details, since the bombardier's escape hatch will be open, as well as the center panel of the canopy..

Looking good Hammer.  Yeah, there seems to be several opinions as to the 25's interior color.  Some say it's yellow chromate, others green chromate and still others just dull green.  I chose a dulled green chromate throughout.  As mentioned earlier, it's a shame to "hide" all that nice interior detail inside the fuselage.  There is a lot of glass in the nose (depending on version) so it makes sense to detail it a bit more.  I have found masking this beast less than pleasurable.

BTW, since this bird is a tail sitter, I saw where one builder stuck some weight between the instrument panel and the solid plate just in front (this was after I had already fused the halves ).

Hans, very nice.  I opted to not do so much of the interior because not much of it will be seen where I will display it.  Your pit is looking really good.

Hans von Hammer

The Mitchell so far...

Hans, haven't looked too hard at the paint callouts yet - is that zinc chromate on the cockpit area but not on the fuselage interior?

The Mitchell so far...

ah.. I see... coool..

p38jl

Was Sole Survivor about Lady Be Good ? .or ??..

Not really, but there's a "nod" to her in as much as the B-25 was found in the N. African desert years after WW2 ended... It's more of "ghost story", with a really good surprise ending that you won't see coming...

I've finished the nose and the cockpit, starting on the radio compartment and top turret... I'll get some pics up later tonight..

Anyone actually making progress?  I see lots of post, but few pics.   I just buttoned up the fuselage and will do some minor puttying....will post a few pics today or tomorrow.  Getting back on track, after losing power the past 48 hours from the hurricane....

Hans von Hammer

Can you see the irony of those early missions? B-17s, escorted by Messerschmitts, being intercepted by Spifires...

The second prototype He 274 being used by Sud Aviation as a test launching platform for the Vautour jet program.