Gift GB

Thanks very much, Bish and Z.  Very nice of you both.

I'm off now to deal with the bombs.  Fooled around with masking tape yesterday; didn't like the way it was working, so I think I'll experiment with decal stock.

CMK- she is looking sharp! The top masking results are top shelf  

Thats looking great.

Thanks, Z.  Here are photos of the Battle unmasked.

Undersurfaces are black, but I believe the RAF called it "Night."

Upper surfaces are Dark Earth and Dark Green.  I used WEM Colourcoats for all the exterior colo(u)rs.

Masking went really well.  I didn't have to do any touchups for oversprays, cuz it came out exactly right the first time.  I don't know how that happened  !

Those pesky ailerons are supposed to be movable, but the left one fit so tightly, it won't budge.  The right one is so loose, it flops around.  I tacked the right one with glue after I took the photos, so it stays put.

Thanks for looking.

I just read through the thread you posted in painting. Using this Lacquer paints can be tricky, i had forgot about the issue of using it over an Acrylic. The Lacquer paint can be damaging if not done right, but touch wood in 3 builds i have had no problems yet. Look forward to seeing the 29 nice a shiny.

That's going to look really good CMK.

I had read about that scanning/masking technique on site when I was looking for info on making your own custom decals...nice to see it "live" here.

Bish

Glad you were able to get the info you wanted Z. That looks awasome. Did you use future, or just go straight with the black.

Good pick out for info Bish...should have included it here since the question was first posed in this thread.

The answer is straight to gloss black...no future for sanding mark filler. 

Main reasons I chose to follow recommendations were:

1. potential reactions in the layers

2. thickness of future and would fill good details as well as the bad

3. Using Mr. Surfacer is a great, proven method followed by very fine grit sand/polish even after gloss black applied.

4. I can use the bomb halves that I am not using as test pieces just to see what would have potentially happened...nobody had tried it over in the painting forum since there are several other proven and probably easier/quicker methods to obtain great results.

Thanks for the directional nudge to the painting guru's in that forum...very insightful and informative chaps.

Thanks, Z.  I appreciate your kind comments.

The rivets have created a kind of dilemma, Bish.  I'd like to do something to break up the monotone black undersurfaces, but I don't want to use even a pin wash that will flow around all those rivets and make them more prominent than they are.  I'm thinking of just dry-brushing some dark gray at strategic locations, and letting it go at that.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the topsides, other than a dark wash in the hinge lines of the control surfaces.

Anyway, some more progess photos.

To make masks for the Dark Green, I scanned the painting instructions from the kit, then resized them in the Publisher program and printed them on a photocopier.  I took some wax paper, applied some wide (and cheap) masking tape, then taped the printed diagrams on top of that.  All you have to do then is cut the whole thing to shape with scissors, peel the masking tape off the wax paper and apply the tape-mask to the kit. 

Using the kit instructions, though, means you have to sort of fiddle around to get the pieces all lined up, but I was surprised to find it wasn't awfully difficult.

And here is the Masked Battle, ready to receive her green.  Visible at the top is part of Airfix's painting diagram.

I also used some poster ticky-tak to protect the pesky rear pit.

Thanks for looking.

Glad you were able to get the info you wanted Z. That looks awasome. Did you use future, or just go straight with the black.

CMK, ye, hard to imagine how the gunner would reach his weapons sitting that far forward. Your not wrong about the rivets, maybe a post war surplus.

thanks CMK.

I'm enjoying watching the progress on the battle. You do such clean and precise work, and that appeals to me. looking forward to the green application pics.

That is an awesome bird, Z!

29 build update...brief

Black gloss base applied...much body work to polish before alclad. Received some tips and info from the fine folks over in painting forum.

...at least I don't have to build a home paint booth! 

The 29 is so big that a good sized piece of heavy mil protected the walls and floor 

The Battle is now awaiting masking for the Dark Green splotches.  I see I left some of the masking components for the pits in situ.

One of the goofs in the kit is obvious in this view.  The gunner's seat is far too far forward, and should be relocated much closer too the rear--probably nearly the width of the seat itself.  If I were to do another Battle, I would correct this, but. . .

It appears 1968 was a good year for rivets.

CMK- as envisioned it would be...clean and sweet. Looking great.

Finally broke down and broke out my "good" camera to test on close up shots. While generally speaking the lens is too strong for the application, I could use a tri pod...here are a couple of handheld WIP shots:

...almost shows too much detail...will have to play with lighting as nec. 

Oh, yeah, Bish, the light on the Stuka looks good.

As for the Battle, it goes together pretty well, and looks good, even with its issues.

It was actually a last minute thing with the Stuka. It was only the second kit i have done in the last few years with this type of light. The other was a B-17 where the back of it was blanked off when you put the wings together. With the Stuka, i had just about finished it and was going to add the clear piece when i realised there would be a big black hole behind it. So i had to trim a small piece of styrene and try and fit it in with out it falling in. Luckyly it worked first time. And ye, it does add a bit of depth to the light, this is how it looks close up.

You might be haveing a struggle with the kit, but its looking good.

Bish

CMK, i seem to recall similar issues with Airfix kits in the past. But i think those light things are a bit much in this scale. On my Stuka, i just put a piece of sheet styrene at the back, painted that silver then put the cover on. Sounds like your way is just as effective.

Thanks Bish...appreciate the info

its for this gb

z15.invisionfree.com/.../index.php

I can't say i have ever used future to level things out. But when i think about it, it might work. Might be worth asking in the painting section.

Future is usually used to add a gloss coat before decalling. Also, for those who use enamels and oil washes, it also protects the enamel paint. As i mainly use gloss enamel paints, i don't have to bother adding a gloss coat for decals. So i only use it to protect the enamel paint, and then only on armour, as i add oil washe's before the flat coat.

I have used Alclad 3 times so far and have found a coat of gloss black enamel sufficent before laying down the Alclad.

Bish

Z, i would just go with the Black. If there are still rough parts on the surface, i am not sure Future would sort that out, though i might be wrong.

eatthis, i think i would leave the fin as it is.

Thanks for the input Bish. Prior to being inspired by CMK to sand and polish more, my thought was trending toward the future's "self leveling" properties. Did not know about normal steps you guys take regarding future coating especially when heading toward Alclad. Do you guys typically use future to protect decaling before a topcoat spray as a final? 

I am trying to grasp the best way/steps to do the finish of the surface and how future might fit into that process. Prior to starting the build, obviously I had not ever heard about future due to time away from the hobby. I was very impressed with results of the pit glass and blister dipping...so I am in uncharted waters with my skill level already.

I am re-reading/studying ruddats wash usage, and BL's pre-shading exchanges to try to pick up tips and understanding. The 29 build and this GB format is like the old saying "it takes a community to raise a child". So in effect, I'm a new parent of the 29 build, and the GB is the community helping me raise her to new levels of detail. 

Thanks for all the ideas and feedback.

I did pick up some "dull aluminum" by Alclad,(to go along with the "airframe aluminum" I already had purchased),  sanding and polishing supplies, white decal sheets and liquid decal "strengthener" at HobbyLand yesterday while out and about, so I am ready with materials for next steps...

Eatthis- I tend to agree with Bish on the fin. Just my opinion, I think the body lines favor it as is. If you were to round it off and follow more of the underbelly curvature lines, the nose cone point would be to prominent...again, just my opinion. I find this scratchbuild stuff intriguing...very cool. I'll have to do some reading and see what this is all about. I am certain with my current skill level I am quite a bit away from trying any though...but not bashful about attempting down the line!

badlanguage, nice work on that. Looking foreard to see how your decals come along. making my own is something i have thought about, but thats as far as i have goit so far.

CMK, i seem to recall similar issues with Airfix kits in the past. But i think those light things are a bit much in this scale. On my Stuka, i just put a piece of sheet styrene at the back, painted that silver then put the cover on. Sounds like your way is just as effective.

Z, i would just go with the Black. If there are still rough parts on the surface, i am not sure Future would sort that out, though i might be wrong.

eatthis, i think i would leave the fin as it is.

should i round the back of the fin off or not?

pyrman64

BL:  as alternative to aplying the dry transfers is putting in them onto clear decal paper, spray with a clear decal setter (Testors has a decal set) and apply as a wet decal.

Thanks for the tip, pyrman, I hadn't heard that one before! Unfortunately my kit has honest-to-goodness stickers and not that many of them. Bandai usually saves the dry transfers for the 1/100 kits. I'm actually looking forward to decal making, I like to try something new and different every build if I can.

its a twin build for a whif theme (ww2 went from 44-55) the saab engineers buggered off to blighty and got to work on the lightning and made a very similer delta wing for it

the other build is germany got the draken plans and made it a twin engined beasty lol

sorry for the off topic post

I like it, it kinda reminds me of a Saab Draken a bit.

Z Square 8

Question: Since the bird has had some sanding work, what would you guys recommend...cover her with future before gloss black base heading toward Alclad II? Not use future at all? Future afterward? Use micro fill or spend time with some really fine grit sanding efforts?

After I'm satisfied with my sanding and re-priming of the sanded areas...any thoughts/advice on the if/when to future process above?

eatthis- that's lookin' pretty sharp so far!

the nosecone and rocket motor (going at the base of the rudder) is from a tsr2 ms the wings are scratchbuilt