"GERMAN ARROWS" - OFFICIAL DO-335 GB

That's always a downer. Do you have any spares.

Well, I'm digging through the stash to find something that'll sort of work.  The good news is the subject  isn't heavily decaled, just Balkenkruez and a couple of small labels.

Reasoned, I've got most of my Tamiya decals left if that would help. I used masks for the main stuff.  I will have used most of the small stencils tho.  

Bish, looking like an Arrow.  The cockpit pictures are a bit dark, but looking good.

Thanks MA, ye, I really need to work on better pics, especially of these smaller areas.

Thank you for the offer MA but I scrounged up some Balkenkruez and made do, should have pics later tonight/tomorrow!

Excellent.  I'm about ready to do some pre capture weathering, and then I'll have a set of pics before she got delivered Stateside.

Here's the Mono Do 335A

Very nice Reasoned, very nice indeed.  Did you drop those flaps, or was that a standard feature of the Mono kit?  Where did you find the No Push decals?  Is this airframe 240115?  (guessing that is a 115 on the vertical stab)  Love the late 82-83 colors.  

Thanks MA, the movable flaps were OOB with the Mono kit, guess they were ahead of their time!  Actually after I tried a pair of the original Balkenkruez decals that came w/the kit (which were shot), I tried using the extras included for the Do 335A-12, they seemed to work fine (other than silvering a bit).  So the only thing the kit decals didn't include was the Swastika.  This is airframe "105", which had no details on "Wings Palette".

Nicely done, Reasoned!!  How did you clean up the seams on the front cowl and wing roots?  I need to finish mine up, it's been sitting for 6 weeks in a dormant state.

Thanks Chris, the cowl fit fairly close (at least compared to the aft engine cover) but it still required a little "white" putty and CA.  The wing roots took some styrene filler and CA, not an easy task.

Really nice looking build reason, great work.

Well, after a week of filling, sanding, sanding, filling, priming, sanding and more filling, I have got to the stage where its enough. I want to do a scheme using 3 grey's, RLM 74, 75 and 77. But as my paint of choice, xtracolor, don't do 77, I had to order some from White Ensign, and I got the other 2 colours fr4om there as well, so I had to wait for those anyway.

So this is the end result of all that sanding and filling.

O, did I mention I have had to do a lot of sanding and filling.

The paint arrived this morning and I got the coat of 77 on just after taking these, and it doesn't look to bad. I might touch up the worst area's, but will see how it looks once dry. I know its not perfect, but some times you just have to say enough. And at least I will know what to expect when I do the next of these Dragon kits. 

Bish

O, did I mention I have had to do a lot of sanding and filling.

lol, yeah, I kind of got that.  It looks good though Bish, it will work out fine.

Thanks. I now have all 3 colours on, just a bit of touching up to do and will get some pics. It does look a lot better now.

Reasoned, Bish... Looking good! Reasoned, I like the nice sharp splinter lines, and you got the rear engine hatch to fit nicely. The cover is a PITA to get to look nice, but you did it very well. Bish, Dont know about you but I detest putty work! You have obviously mastered it where I fall far short! LOL...

Doug

Monogram 335 wing gap:

Where its sat since mid-April. I'll weight the nose down then close up the cowling.

Doug, I am the same. Its not so much the filling, but the sanding and trying to make sure I do remove detail and get the gap filled correctly. I think its the only par of modelling I don't like. And it only seems to be needed on aircraft, I can't remember the last time I used filler on an armour build.

Chris, now that's a nasty gap, looks like you going to have as much fun as me.

Yeah Chris, that's a beauty of a gap. I welded a thin strip of styrene one on side and filled the little gaps with CA, then sand, sand, CA, sand.  Hey, that's why it requires us.

Chris... if the wings are not already glued, make and install a spreader inside the fuse to close up the gap,I had the same problem with mine, and after Iinstalling a spreader in the fuse, and taping the wing tips together to set the dihedral on the wings it closed the gap to the point where just a .010 piece of plasticut strip filled it nicely.

Rigid is correct, come to think of it, I put a spreader and taped the wings up too (think I know where the idea came from).  Also, spreading the fuselage makes fitting the aft engine cover much easier but it looks like yours is already in place.

I got a coat of future on this morning so its all ready for decals. But before I do, here it is. I gave it an all over coat of RLM 77 and then used 74 and 75 for the top and mottling. I haven't based this on any particular scheme, but I think you can see the evolution from actual German aircraft but also in partgoing back to the pre war 3 colour camo on top.

Now I like that! That is a unique and interesting choice of colors and they go well togethet!

Doug

Thanks Doug. That's one thing I like about Luft 46 builds, a chance to come up with different paint scheme.

I'd like to squeeze another one in, and I want to do a "46 " paint scheme... just havn't decided yet.

I didn't decide on my scheme until I started it. I had a rough idea, but just made up the pattern as I went along. I have the decals on now so will get a pic up today.

I had a quick PM off SS last night. He has been really busy with work recently and expects this to continue for another couple of weeks. He only had a little time to send a PM but not time to go through threads and send replies.

He just wanted everyone to know he hasn't bailed and apologises for his absence, but as I am sure we all know, life gets in the way of the important things, like models, from time to time

And as for my build, I got a bit carried away and got on with the weathering before taking pics. OPP's. I will do a bit of clean up today and get some taken.

Sorry for the delay. I had a bit of a drama on Sunday morning. I knocked over my almost full bottle of plastic weld, again (that's about the 4th one in the last 18 months) and some of it went onto the top of the right wing. So once I let it dry, I of course had to sand down the end of the wing and redo it. After several coats of paint and the flat finish, it now has a slightly leathery look on the tip, though it can't be seen unless you get close. This didn't show until after it was painted and varnished. I have decided just to leave it and live with it, its not all that noticeable.

So, after all that and adding the undercarriage and doors, this is how she now stands.

So nearly there. Still got to add the wheels and access ladder and make the handle to retracting said ladder and a few other bits. 

I like it Martin... Of all the strange aircraft the Germans developed during that time I like this one the best! It may not have changed the inevatable outcome of the war, but if these had been released earlier and in larger numbers, I bet it would have been a tougher time of it. Hope you have one of your cool stands in mind to mount her to.

Doug