The Officially Shameless PBY/Halloween '09 GB

 I'm a little more literal. Went out to put some cow pie in a box. All I need is an address an I can make your wish come true.  It's either that or set some dog poo in a paper bag lit afire on his porch and ring the doorbell and run!

Serves ya right calling me sweet!

Daywalker, I remember sending that part to you. Hardest part of the whole deal was trying to make sure that the part did not get broke. That what I like about this hobby, for the most part people are great and want to help each other.

sfcmac, That was me on the Promodeler Cat! Thanks for the picture of the decal sheet. By the way it is 10 degrees as I sit here at the keyboard. Make sure you put your socks on when you get the paper, hate to have you get frostbite walking to the paperbox. Reminds me of going to Florida in Feb. one year. It was 65 degrees when we got there, we were running around in shorts and T-shirts. People from Florida were wearing parkas and stocking caps!

MKelley wrote:

Daywalker, I remember sending that part to you. Hardest part of the whole deal was trying to make sure that the part did not get broke. That what I like about this hobby, for the most part people are great and want to help each other.

Sorry I haven't used it yet, but have no fear!  I shall soon (hopefully) as a desert '109 is high on my want-to-build list.   Thanks again Mike!

I am not the least bit worried about when you use the part. I have kits in the stash that have sat there for better than 20 years, I understand not getting to a certain kit.

 Ah I am here building! Actually about ready to close up the fuselage!  It begs to question if there is a definative answer to how much weight needs to be added to get this cat to sit on it's nose wheel. My instructions say to add weight here. Well it may take a lotta weight I would think. I dont want to make the plastic gear buckle over time but Was just wondering if anyone has experimented with the center of gravity yet?

Other than that I just noticed that there is a decal for the instrument panel. Wow that may have saved a little work but mine looks ok. The instructions just said to paint it black with silver dials. I completely missed the white instrument decal on the sheets.  Oh well next time around!

sfcmac wrote:

Other than that I just noticed that there is a decal for the instrument panel. Wow that may have saved a little work but mine looks ok. The instructions just said to paint it black with silver dials. I completely missed the white instrument decal on the sheets.  Oh well next time around!

Maybe the Green Foot Incident sidetracked you

Aaron - Nice to hear you are making progress on your PBY, cant wait to see what you have done Saturday is my PBY Build day and I am looking forward to getting back to it. 

I did a search on the net for nose weight and everyone says the same thing - "A Lot"  I am guessing everone just fills every nook and crany with what ever the can pour / wedge & hammer in .

Yes Aaron, That decal sheet is new with re-box I think.....plus IP decals are usually hard for men your age to spot!

I belive I posted here earlier about nose weight......maybe it was the PH GB. I put a bunch of lead split-shot under the nose floor. I knew it wouldn't be enough. Then I found a thrown tire balancing weight in a parking lot!

I cut it into thirds and put two pieces into a bed of epoxy just behind the aft cockpit bulk head. That was enough....and won't buckle the gear.

Received my first FSM from you yesterday! TYVM!

Ah  Yor more than welcome Nam! I figured you would enjoy that as much as anything. I saw your PBY with the nose bottom filled up. Figured it would not be enough. What I am doing is finishing the landing gear and probably am going to add the weight behind the pit and the gear wells. Thinking of some synthetic clay that I got gobbs of from making molds. Hard and heavy. I was going to diguise it as tarp covered cargo perhaps. Not sure if it will even be visable thru the little windows. Another method I have used on large Aircraft is pennies. I can simply stack them into a cylinder until I get the right amount of weight. A drop or 2 of CA and there stuck together but good. Then I can tell how much I spent on the weights too!

Have everything dry fitted and shaped. Some of the larger parts of the bulkheads and fuselage seem slightly warped. Just enough to be tricky. Have them now securely glued in place and dryfiited the Fuselage halves to check alignment and placement.

Looking at this it seems that area between the pit and wheels is totally hidden so I may just stack the pennies. Someday if this model out lives me someone may think the old pennies are cool!  There's a weird thought. Maybe I should use the State and Bicentenial quarters!

Aaron!

I admire your quick progress! Great paint and detail pickings!

Naturally you meant 'BETWEEN' pit and LG....for Goodness Sake don't put the weight BEHIND the LG! Withe fuse joined you still have a half-inch gap behind the pit to insert weight!

Maybe it was in the PH GB but think it was here that I posted about the twisted aspect of the fuse.....this effects the nose gear tub and the nose shutter.

Also....how the heck are you going to mask around that intricate LG? I built the LG using the well part as a template.....took it out then installed the wells in the fuse. Now I can just glue in the LG after the fuse is painted.

(I wrote about that too!)

You're just too busy raising a Family, I guess!

OOPS! Forgot about the 's on that IP!

sfcmac wrote:

Actually Nam Your dead on the mark with the LG! It is not glued to the well just inserted. Tabbed the join with some white glue until the stuff all drys. Then I am removing the constructed gear and painting it to be reinserted near the end when the seams are filled and the body and wings painted.  See I do listen to you!  I forgot to mention that part.

My error for not recognizing your extreme talent!

namrednef wrote:

Also....how the heck are you going to mask around that intricate LG? I built the LG using the well part as a template.....took it out then installed the wells in the fuse. Now I can just glue in the LG after the fuse is painted. (I wrote about that too!)

I think that was back when he was delerious with his teeth. 

Aaron - I am really impressed with your work - between you and Nick you guys have set the Bar High. What brand of paint and color did you use for the interior ?  Fantastic progress and Pics   

Aaron uses housepaint thinned with ale and Anbesol!

Excellent work Mac!  You're really going to town on this baby.  Do you work?  How the heck do you find time to do all of this modeling?

On the question of nose weights, have you guys seen these?  They are custom made by a guy named Terry Dean for specific aircraft.  

Terry Dean nose weights

I ordered some from him a while back, and they arrived today- including some for a 1/48 Monogram PBY!  I also bought some for the Academy P-38.  Here's a photo or two:

I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight.

Golly guys thanks!

Sean I hope I don't let you down here but have you ever seen those old PBS shows about the magic of oil painting?  Those guys get a canvas slap on some paint and in 30 minutes have a beautiful painting.  I kinda follow that approach.  I remember certain techniques and uses of color that the old german fellow used to talk about.  Things like if you need light you have to have dark. To be dark there must be light extc...

 There are lots of great model painters that simply add white or such to get a lighter color of the base coat for high lights which I do if the mood grabs me. Mostly I do odd things and you hit on it when you ask what brand, type and color paints I use.  I enjoy painting! Think it brings things to life and makes them real so it is fun for me to play and experiment.

Look at this mess at what I have used so far for the PBY.

Good thing I have 3 tables to work on in here. No room left to work. Compared to your wonderful self made shelf it probably looks massively disorganized which it is except I keep like colors together. You can even see some red nail polish I used on the control panel.

Here is what I mean by like colors. These are all shades / Brands of the Intermediate blue ? Navy blue-gray color. Used them all. Each are very close. Some are shinier others dull. Some fade with alcohol while others are unaffected. Some Acrylic some Modelmaster enamels. Each just diff enough to pick out a detail and let it stand out without really having to work on precise color mixing. You can recognize most from the Humbrol to the Tamiya probably.

Basic thing I keep telling myself is if there is a detail, Paint it!  I'll use the engines that I am currently working on as an example.

 I uses washes on everything. Every molded on detail has it's own color. The bolts on the crankcase cover are mixes of grays while the cover is a light haze gray. Covered with a wash it blends and brings them out as oppossed to being a solid color which tends to camoflauge them.

 Even really blown up they don't look too shabby. Only added detail I added was an oil line from the crank case with thin wire. The more detail means the fancier the paintjob so A resin kit engine can take a while for me.

 I get long winded but by playing you learn tricks like Tamiya paints airbrushed using 91% rubbing alcohol to thin them get much lighter and duller. Useful for a faded look. Spray some Testers Dullcoat on dryed Tamiya paint and it almost makes it semigloss and darkens it.

Spray rubbing alcohol on wet dullcoat and it whitens it in rough patches. Gives a canvas look to tarps and such. If it is too much let the alcohol dry and repray with dullcoat to make the effect vanish.  Like I said whatever grabs me at the moment. I am not a contest competer so when I get it where I want it and the kids give me the thumbs up on the cool factor! I am happy.

Keeps it fun for me.  Gosh what a mess......

G'day Chaps.

I've been pretty busy of late, but essentially my cat is very close to finished. 

It's assembled and painted, and i am yet to decide on where the making decals will come from before i attempt any weathering. So she sits, all masked up and in a shade of too-shiny-and-new foliage green, waiting...

If i'm honest, i'lll admit that this project has stalled. I'd better get some decals on order soon, or you know what happens next.

Nothing. 

Hmmm. I had seen some stuff on ARC about salt weathering and it looked interesting, and i did have in mind a very patchy faded look. Anyone got any suggestions about a finisshing technique that might be suitable? Cheers.

Photos along soon.

nick

Daywalker wrote:

I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight.

Exactly 6.66 ounces, or 189 grams.

Daywalker wrote:

Daywalker wrote: I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight. Exactly 6.66 ounces, or 189 grams.

Thanks Frank How many pennies would it take to match that

Daywalker wrote:

Daywalker wrote: I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight. Exactly 6.66 ounces, or 189 grams.

OOOOOO weee! Scary Number! If your superstitious which I ain't. But I'll go with the 189 grams anyways. The weight is what $6? I figure as long as it's less than 600 pennies I'm in business!

Ritchie!!! Welcome back!  Not been the same without ya?

Thinking on it 16 ounces in a lb. That is over 1/3 of a pound isn't it. Purdy heavy.

Thanks for the info Frank!  I'm afraid it is too late! The wheels are in motion!

Aaron - Thanks for taking the toime to write up such a detailed post. I had noticed the diffrent shades on several of your pictures and was curious about how you did that.  I knew it all could not be just the lighting for the pic. I like the idea of different shades of the same color - I am lucky to keep the base colors in stock for as far away I live from the closest Hobby Shop. (160 miles RT)  I use Model Master enamels 99% as I am use to them and know how they spray. I did buy some Tamiya Acrylics for a King Tiger but have not tried them yet.

Your Paint bench was enough to give me Nightmares, I would build you a Paint~Rack and send it your way but I am Sure  it would mess up your system . 

Question - I see lots of guys with lighter fluid in their pics , What is it used for in modeling ? I can think of a certain blue plane I would like to douse it with the stuff  then place it close to a spark or open flame 

Your Wife is gonna get you for having her Red Nail Polish

 The lighter fluid is great stuff. Thins the Model master paint for airbrushing very well and the spout just makes it neat and convenient to pour and measure in the cup. Also cleans out the airbrush really well.  I would guess vaporizing it in an airbrush makes for a pretty explosive mix but I always have than fan blowing out the window so I never smell it.  Actually most thinners and that liquid cement is pretty volitile as the lighter fluid. Put a drop of liquid cement on the wick of an empty zippo and spark it. Lights easier than the lighterfluid.  I just ensure there are no candles lit from stretching sprue and have the fan blowing and haven't blown myself up yet.

 Using the lighter fluid to thin old paint to reuse works for the day but after just a couple days it separates all the goop in the jar. So only good for the moment.

I use the rubbing alcohol to thin and clean my Tamiya stuff. Or just water if it is a color changer for the paint. Kinda fades it a bit which isn't bad when your weathering.

We had a thread about all the stuff we buy from the make-up dept. LOL Nail polish remover, hairspray, emery boards, extc. Actually the wife comes in and raids my stocks of these items pretty regularly.

Sunnas wrote:

G'day Chaps. I've been pretty busy of late, but essentially my cat is very close to finished.  It's assembled and painted, and i am yet to decide on where the making decals will come from before i attempt any weathering. So she sits, all masked up and in a shade of too-shiny-and-new foliage green, waiting... If i'm honest, i'lll admit that this project has stalled. I'd better get some decals on order soon, or you know what happens next. Nothing.  Hmmm. I had seen some stuff on ARC about salt weathering and it looked interesting, and i did have in mind a very patchy faded look. Anyone got any suggestions about a finisshing technique that might be suitable? Cheers. Photos along soon. nick

Hey Nick! I would think that salt or hairspray weathering may be a bit extreme for the PBY unless it was an abandoned relic. That method is excellent for painting the Japanese Army and Navy paint that was flaking off in droves with the South Pacific weather. What I would do to replicate a faded or patchy look would be just to take an airbrush with very thinned gray. Light or darker to you pref. Spray a thinned coat of that on like a wash and let dry. More or less will give a faded effect. Patchyness can be achieved by giving more or less to areas and then spot painting the base color in areas to replicate real spot painting.

The salt may work but useally I have seen that done by painting a bare metal color. Adding salt overspraying the other color then simplely scrapping off the salt to give a chipped paint effect. It can easily be overdone though.

Ritchie you slugmo! Welcome back to our cyber dreamland!

Frankie! PM inbound! Your in big trouble mister!

Summit wrote:

Daywalker wrote:  Daywalker wrote: I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight. Exactly 6.66 ounces, or 189 grams. Thanks Frank How many pennies would it take to match that

Sixty eight my friend!

sfcmac wrote:

Frankie! PM inbound! Your in big trouble mister!

ACK!!!

Now what did I do?

Daywalker wrote:

Summit wrote:  Daywalker wrote:  Daywalker wrote: I shall take the PBY one to work tomorrow, and weight it on my gem scale and report back with it's exact weight. Exactly 6.66 ounces, or 189 grams. Thanks Frank How many pennies would it take to match that Sixty eight my friend!

Now that is useful info! 68 cent weights coming up!

Had a rough 36 hours.....drunken idiot roomie let Barney's (avatar) son Cubbie run off.

6 hours on and off trudging thru freezing rain shouting his name.....Now I'm sicker than a....a....well, you know. Took half a day off today and posted signs. Got a call a couple hours ago.....Cubbie was picked up by a faraway neighbor!

He's back home......Father and Son reunited

Hello Everyone.

Just signed up for the forum after lurking for the past few months.

Just getting back into model building after being away for more than 10 years (been doing replica Movie props)

Anyway I have a few PBY's I just started on after seeing this group build starting up.

Requesting permission to come aboard.

I have two 1/72 Acadamy planes, one a 5 and the other a 5A.

The 5 is being converted to a 5a, in fact I just got the wheels from Squadron a few minutes ago.

Also got vacformed windows.

Someone was complaining about the lack of them a while back but I found them on the Squadron site doing a search for 1/72 PBY, (part #9162)

Still waiting for the Eduard PE kit's to arrive, coming straight from the company in the Czech Rep since Squadron was out of stock.

I also have the Mongram re-release of the 1/48 scale, getting PE for that as well, although it may be some time before I get to building it.

The small ones I will be doing them up as planes breifly described in 2 Clive Cussler novels, one in silver (The Mediteranean Caper) and one in Aqua/Turquoise (Deep 6) with NUMA markings, still have to figure what I want that to look like.

The bigger one that I'll get to later will be in the faded 3 tone blue grey like the ones in the LIFE pix from Midway. 

It will be a while before any progress pix show up since I am in the process of getting a new camera, my old one died. 

Progress so far has been on opening up the inside hatchs on the cockpit going aft (radio room) and the fore hatch on the gunner tail area (bunk area).

Also removed the gun posts, filled in the injection pin marks inside.

Did most of the assembly of the wing on one as well as cut off all the flaps since this one will eventually be mounted in flight against a yellow WWI Albatos DIII that I still need to buy (you'll have to read the book to understand that one)

Also cut out the wheel wells and scratch built wells to fit inside to have a backing behind the wheels. (gear up)

I plan to do some interior work in the areas that will be seen, as well as open as many windows as possible to see inside. 

May try putting some equipment like dive tanks and cargo in the aft sections, also plan to try and find figures to put in the In Flight one.

Need a pilot and a guy with a carbine rifle wearing a loud hawiian shirt.

Same guy's from the movie "Sahara" that came out a few years ago.

Anyway enough of my rambling.

Eric...