French a/c group build 2012-13

Finally have an update for y'all! Bigtime painting session tonight...still need to go back and do some cleanup in a few areas, and I'm guessing I may have to do some more general painting if there are any areas that look "light", but I want things to cure overnight at least before I make that call.

To give a sense of how much I've been thinning paint down lately, here's the first few passes of my blue mix:

And...

Sprue-ce Goose

VanceCrozier

Interior pics of those WW2-era french machines do seem hard to find.

Even on the French language sites 

Well, slightly easier I suppose. Need to switch my brain into full-on Français mode & start googling terms that way, see if I can get some better results.

You are certainly thinning the paint down - it's more like staining than painting!!! Is this just to make sure you don't lose the pre-shading, or is it to allow you to paint despite the Texas heat?!?! I love the colours you're using. Tamiya Acrylics - or are those bottles just there to prop up the kit? 

Went back and re-shaded some of the brown and and khaki areas, then touch-ups all around, followed by a filter coat of the upper surface blue-gray thinned with white and 90% thinner to knock down the contrast and blend the colors a bit.

Pretty sure this wraps up the main camoflage portion of painting!

Looks nice! They had some very strange colors, and I think that adds to the, um, uniqueness of the planes!

Looking good Doogs!

VanceCrozier

You are certainly thinning the paint down - it's more like staining than painting!!! Is this just to make sure you don't lose the pre-shading, or is it to allow you to paint despite the Texas heat?!?! I love the colours you're using. Tamiya Acrylics - or are those bottles just there to prop up the kit? 

I'm actually using Gunze lacquers exclusively on this one - they're a lot more "dustproof" than Tamiya's paints in this heat but airbrush about the same.

The thinning, though, is more something I've been into lately, both to preserve the preshade and to add some depth to the paintwork.

I should also note that I freehanded the camoflage - first time I've done that in a LONG time since I'm usually the king of overspray.

Freehanding it as well? Looks good. My hands are steady enough to do that on larger areas, but I need to pick up an a/b that can handle the finer details. (Yes, I'm blaming my tools!)

Dang Doogs that look good!

Do you find that the gunze lacures cure well if so thin? I have treid the same thing with humbrol and tamiya enamels to keep the shading but found if thinned to much they tend to not cure like they should, they rub of with handling the model more easlely.

Theuns

DoogsATX

Went back and re-shaded some of the brown and and khaki areas, then touch-ups all around, followed by a filter coat of the upper surface blue-gray thinned with white and 90% thinner to knock down the contrast and blend the colors a bit.

Pretty sure this wraps up the main camoflage portion of painting!

Beautiful kit, Doogs. Nice work. 

I am unfamiliar with the lacquer paint you are using.

Is it still available in the USA or must I send away to some former French SE Asia colony to obtain it ?

I've never gone looking for Gunze's goods, but I keep hearing about them - must be available in the US without too much effort.

Looks great Doogs, and I like the pre-shading effect. I must admit I use many brands of paints depending on what I'm doing and what I have around at the time.

I've recently thinned Gunze acrylic with Tamiya Acrylic thinner, not sure if I liked it that much. I felt that something a little 'hotter' might be better,. What do you use ?

Cheers

Tony

Tony - I'm using Gunze lacquers (Mr. Color line) and thin them with Mr. Leveling Thinner. Can't easily get my hands on their Aqueous line so I'm not sure what thinners are compatible...

D.520 update:

Decals are on! Since I don't trust Tamiya decals, I picked up a sheet by Berna Decals, who I've never used before. They go on quite well - a bit resistant to moving around so place them carefully, but they're thin, don't tear or fold up, and seem to conform really well to surface detail.

This D.520 represents an Aeronautique Navale aircraft of Escadrille AC1 operating out of Algeria (Tafaraoui Airfield to be exact) in 1941...

Superb 520!!! another intresting subject

Thanks Doogs, it's th other way here, I don't see Mr Color in the shops anywhere, except for the metallics for some reason the aqueous line is readily available. I think it must be the wholesaler.

Cheers

Tony

DoogsATX

This D.520 represents an Aeronautique Navale aircraft of Escadrille AC1 operating out of Algeria (Tafaraoui Airfield to be exact) in 1941...

I think they were too busy surrendering to worry about the colour of their camouflage (I AM SO SORRY THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR AND INAPPROPRIATE)

VanceCrozier

Not sure how well it worked as camoflage, but I love the look of those colours!

hmmm - salt as a filter Doogs?? Hard to pick it up in the photos, how's it look "in-person"??

VanceCrozier

hmmm - salt as a filter Doogs?? Hard to pick it up in the photos, how's it look "in-person"??

To be honest I think I need a slightly heavier coat. It was more pronounced with the salt staining before I put down the Alclad light sheen.

ahhh - looks good in the close-up. I don't think I'd want the effect any heavier than that though. Most of these machines saw months of duty, not years, right?

Well...that's before the clear did away with the salt stains. It's much more subdued after:

As to service life, a lot of these D.520s actually served for years, from 1940 into 1942/43 (when the Free French got their hands on some P-40Fs and Ls). And in North Africa, no less. Not exactly the most hospitable of climates. Here's one example where you can definitely see the kind of fading and staining that they bore (especially evident near the base of the tail)

Oh yes, the North-African machines kept on going, I was just basing that on the lack of Vichy-stripes. Yep, momre subdued after the clearcoat but it can still be seen. (Or maybe I just know it's there now?!?!)  That would be a great effect to try on a worn & weathered car, could be made to look like spots where wax has abandoned & paint has started oxidizing.

Well I have not yet started my Rafale for this GB yet... but I did finally complete another French bird, my Mirage IIIEA for the Falklands GB, so I thought that I would share a peek at it here 

I have at least one more jet to finish before I can think about any new starts.

Excellent mirage Stik 

Love how that one turned out Stik.

Excellent Mirage, stik! Jets typically aren't my thing these days but I dig that paint work!

The D.520's taken a few more steps toward completion. Some more salt fading, which will fade with the final matte coat...hoping to get to that tonight or this weekend.

Love that salt-fading look. On the decals as well?

Thanks guys!

Doogs, that D.520 is looking real sweet too! I loved building that kit! A great kit of a good looking fighter.

Sludge wash for the panels, final matte coat, unmasked the clear bits, started some chipping. Still have a lot of little things to see to, but this sucker's in the home stretch...