Flanker Frenzy 2012

Hard call to make...  it does seem that less is more accurate.   I guess that once they get sold and repainted they just cover up the factory markings.

I think I've got the magic combo now, although they still have issues. 12 seconds in lukewarm water, 20 seconds sitting, them move into a puddle of water using a Q-tip.

BUT... I've got another problem that I didn't really see until looking at the pictures. (Friggin' poor lighting where I was working last night.) Decal film has yellowed.

Alright, all those stencils would make the machine look showroom-fresh, right? Starting to re-think that as well, have yet to see ANY pics of Ukrainian Flankers with stencils visible?? Considering scrubbing the smaller stencils off, or mostly-overpainting them - thoughts?


Rudders turned out well...


The carrier film seems to be yellowing a little.


Some more slight yellowing here. Roundel looks alright here, where it is laying over one colour.


Not as happy here, where there are multiple colours.


The black access point decals... kinda wishing they were gray,

Tearing a decal sucks, I usually make that a chipped spot...   if they're touchy, would warmer water help them be a little more pliable?  Sometimes it helps, sometimes it don't..

Hmm, problems getting photos up, but.... decals have been started on the Flanker.

Man, The Authentic decals sheet is really comprehensive, all stenciling etc. BUT... these things are touchy. Really fragile, had several break on trying to move them of the sheet. I also broke my own rule of "try a stencil first" and went right to one of the Ukrainian roundels, which tore a little bit. Colour density seems really good on everything except the roundels of all things. May need to touch them up, trying to decide if that may just make it worse than it is now.

May not take 8.5 hours, but it'll be time-consuming.

Hopefully it won't take 8 1/2 hours like mine did...

I believe I may, possibly, probably, HOPEFULLY be starting decals this evening.

Knock on wood.

I wish....  

Returned to the Su-27UB C last night, finished painting the wheel wells and nacelles.   I'll try to get those mounted onto the lower fuselage body tonight and possibly get the fuselage closed up as well.

Does MM sell in pints, or gallons???

I'm imagining your shiny Flanker...  finished.

After I dropped off my gift Flanker and talked to the the classes, I stopped by the LHS/dive shop that is around the corner from the school and got some more MM enamel Flanker Medium Blue as I'm going to need a lot more of this stuff before this GB is over...

Last night consisted of a little bit of highlighting raised panel lines with a pencil, followed by a couple of rounds of brushing on Future + buffing. Still need another coat  I think. Happy that there was very little colour shifting. Progress, just nothing worth taking a picture of! Sooooo go back to my last photos and imagine them slightly shinier, and you're ll caught up.

Tonight's a write-off so expect to see decals on the Flanker this weekend.

To give an idea of just how large this thing is...

I like those colors as they are, Vance.   If anything, use a little grey in the dullcoat for that blended look.

Sharp camo work...  I may have to try one someday.

yep.. great and good progress guys !!

Had the Flanker out last night for some touchups in areas where the masking pulled up etc. Not really obvious from the pic, but the Inspector approved.

I keep looking at it wondering if my colours are too deep, but many of the Ukrainian Flankers (when new, of course) seem to have that good deep colour. Will decide tonight if I'll be over-spraying the thing tonight or not. At this point I think I'm leaving it as-is, I do like the colours so far.

Although the instructions showed the Archer on both tail fins, it only goes on one side and I didn't ref my books so I might have this on the wrong fin!   Oh well, it's going to hang from a classroom ceiling so accurate details aren't too critical.  LOL, 'that guy'...  been him, done that.

Some last minute detail paint is drying right now and I'll throw on a dull coat/haze layer later tonight.  I'll add the breakables, missiles and attach the burner cans tomorrow and then call it FINISHED.

Dre

and now it wears all the decals that I care to put on it....

...

Nice!! I keep looking at that "Sukhoi bird" on the tail & thinking it's upside-down. I'll really have to watch myself as I start decalling, I don't want to be "that guy" ...

and now it wears all the decals that I care to put on it....

I got a few decals put on last night before I quit for the day- 9 hours of masking, painting and touching up were enough for me...   I'll finish the decals tonight and begin the remaining detail painting.

Look at all that Flanker-y goodness!! Looking good Dre, and making me miss MM enamels a little bit!

I decided to, uhhhhh, "allow my paint to fully cure before handling again" over the weekend. Spent some time with a petite French model (MS.406), and had multiple batches of family over at various times. Will try to finish off my touch-ups this evening though.

And camo is done.  MM enamel Flanker colors mixed 75:25 with Gloss White.

Tomorrow I'll begin masking and painting things white and shiny.

IT. IS. ALIVE!!!!!

this is the first coat of MM enamel Flanker Medium Blue mixed with 30% Gloss White.   I need another heavy coat before I can flip it over and begin painting the top half.  About 6 gallons of 110 PSI compressed air shooting at ~ 20 PSI at the airbrush, using a little more than 1/2 oz. of mixed paint ( 1jar) so far.... expensive paint job if it's going to take close to 3 jars of this Medium Blue to decently cover it!

I have never tried to mix Future with food coloring, but others here say it works.... good luck.

Well I didn't want to push my luck leaving the masking on there any longer than required, so I'll be using Post-it notes along the edge there. Not sure I'll be able to access any Tamiya clears as my best local source for that now is a Science Toys Shop that happens to have some Tamiya models & supplies in one corner. Soooo he's got a really limited supply of paint,and a bunch of rattle-cans for the automotive kids. Considering Future tinted with food colouring... will obviously test this on something first.

Tamiya clear paints are your friend here...   some smoke, some blue, some yellowy-orange and Bob's yer uncle.

But.. you've already pulled the masking from those panels.   Are you going to freehand that stuff?

Next up - trying some colour variation on those exposed metal areas. Needs to be done in a way that this mere mortal can handle lol.

Hard edge requires masking- I know my AB won't do that fine a line and I certainly cannot.

Thanks bsyamato - cutting all that tape takes a while to do, but I like the effect on these splinter-type patterns. Really the only way to go.

Lookimg so clean and precise paint work Vance 

We're not cutting into your retirement savings with international Flanker shipping charges are we Dre? Hoping to finish up the camo touchups this evening so I can move on to decals asap, get that canopy uncovered. If I play my cards right I could be wrapping her up this weekend.

That looks great Vance.   You need to send me your addy so I can send you the first of the 2nd. squadron miniFlankers.