Now thats really shaeing up LA, looks great with the markings on.

LA, that blue does look great and the decals really pop it all.

The metal finish look sure brings out the body details.

Jack, that is some very fine detail work.

Checking in to see what you guys are up to from a quick break from the weather down here in sunny FL. Weather is significantly different than IN. You're all making me miss my workbench a little bit.

So this is how it looks with decals on:

LA: Yeah, looks pretty darn perfect! Looking forward to the photos with decals.

Even nicer now that I have started putting decals on...

Blimey LA, that makes a big difference. Very nice, that colour looks spot on.

Thanks Jack,

It's Gunze's bog standard blue #5 in their aqueous range. I bought that and the standard tamiya blue #4, this was better.

LA, thank you, and I'd say you nailed the roundel colour this second time around.  What is the Gunze reference number for that particular blue?

regards,

Jack

Thank you Bish,  Tempestjohnny, Cliff, and Tony.

Hope I can starting painting this  soon.  Details on both main wings are almost done,  just have to add some wire loops to the four control horns.  Then sort out the struts by adding  some brass rod to the ends, and that should be it for the construction phase.

regards,
Jack

Niec work Jack, I'm learning as you go.

Cheers

Tony 

Yeah, that looks amazing Jack! 

Some awasome work yet again Jack, love all that added detail.

Thanks Eric, i was checking out the kit and noticed the same markings, so guessed it was.

Again, thank you.

Since last update, have worked on both ends of the fuselage and got her up on her legs somewhat.  I tell ya it was a bit tricky setting the main landing gear, as all three pieces had to be positioned before the glue set:

Wheels won't be added until after everything is painted up,  same with the rudder (taped for photo).

Tail assembly needed some reinforcement, as the fin was only held in place by a single point forward.  So added a 0.8mm brass rod, which also acts as the hinge attachment point for the rudder. Tail skid also fixed, just barely visible is the support rod made of brass.

1. - original rudder attachment has three thick hinges, these were trimmed off.   The added brass rod also makes this area more accurate detail wise.

2. - detail view.  Note the hinges were placed into notches sawed into the spine of  the rudder. 

3. - test fit of rudder.



At the forward end, latches made from sheet plastic.  A thin wire added around the circumference of the cowl as well as some further details on the underside - based on photos.

To facilitate the painting stage, decided to separate the cockpit decking into it's wood and metal sections.  Sawing exercise causes some plastic loss, so had to replace that with sheet plastic.

A side note, Eduard provides two styles of cockpit decking - the one above is the cut open style.  This was a field modification to facilitate access to the gun breeches.  I couldn't find any info as to when this was carried out on this particular airframe (or even as a general practice for the Camel units), but really not much choice in the matter when fitting the aftermarket machine guns.

regards,
Jack

Ok guys, front page updated.

AA, very nice job on the dio, really come out nicley. Thanks again for taking part.

Eric, i am guesing thats the Italeri Mk I kit, so have put that down. Thanks again.

Eric Z, a job well done and fitting tribute to both fighters of the BoB era.

-----------------------------

Eric B, for a kit that was fighting you all the way, the results on your Sunderland are quite eye catching.

regards,

Jack

AA: Looks awesome to me. Love the extra figures, they really bring the scene to life. Kudos sir!!! 

Btw: If I may ask are you thinking about getting another dog or is this too soon? 

Eric B. (Just noticed both of you are named Eric): Love the Sunderland. Not something you see everything witch makes her cooler than a Spit or a Hurricane right there. Big and impressive too. And you did a great job on the camo and rigging. We are our own worst critics- you should be proud of her- great job!!! 

Eric, i like that a lot. I think your being very hard on yourself, i like it a lot. Thanks for taking part and being just a great member of the groiup. I'll update the front page later.

And for some reason i negl;ected to add this entry to the roster. Can you remind me which kit it is again please.

Italeri 1/72 Short Sunderland MK1

Paints: Golden High Flow, Vallejo Model Color

Weathering: Salt Fading, Com.Art Acrylics, Wilder Oils

docked2 by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fft-lft! by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

OK: it's time to call this a wrap. This was not my finest hour, but some things went okay.

Good News: Black basing works very nicely. Golden High Flow paints are the airbrush's best friend and the colors mix so well that I think I had very good matches - fading was intentional. Salt and oil fading is subtle - I just have had better before/after pics, but I think you can see on the detail pics that the surface is quite irregular but because so little paint is used the detail stands out nicely.

Fbelodet! by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fwingdet2 by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fwingdet by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Bad News: There's always driver error in my kits - we'll take that as a given. Three factors worked against a really good model. First, I got carried away writing an article about some particularly rotten island campaign in the Solomons during WWII. (I get paid for such things and buy models or necessities like static grass applicators.) I'm also leaving for the spring-summer migration to the Midwest. Anyway, there was time pressure and that never helps me. There were some extra weathering steps that would have helped the kit, but they didn't get done. I really wanted to do a water base for this model, but that was out of the question. The Sunderland isn't exactly graceful, but when it's on its temporary wheels and wheelbarrow apparatus, it's an ugly duck. The kit's also very large and very hard to handle. This meant I needed to put a lot of construction off to the end, making some complicated steps or doom them to ruin due to clumsiness. (I lost a bomb anyway.) And this kit is at best mediocre. For a new tool kit in this era, I was very disappointed. The engineering was odd - none of the flair you see from Tamiya. (I've done three straight Tamiya kits before this one - one from the 70s and it was better than the Sunderland.) The fit was simply poor - not terrible, no thoughts of jumping off a bridge, but I was always fighting the kit. That's not good for morale and doesn't encourage taking those extra steps. I admit I'm glad this is over. (I also sold new Italeri kits of the Hurricane I and Ju-87B in favor of the new Airfix versions. I don't regret it.)

But in retrospect, I have no idea where I would have put this monster if it had been put on a base. It's certainly a subject worthy of a kit. And forty years ago or so I would have said this model has very high "funk appeal." It actually looks ok from five feet.

Next UP: Kursk T-34

Sunderland Pics Below

Eric

Frt-r by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Frt-ft3 by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Frt-ft2 by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fright by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fbelow by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

Fleft by Eric Bergerud, on Flickr

AA, was great to have you on boards. I'll check those pics out tonight, i am at work atr the moment, and will update the front page. Thanks again.

Gamera

TJ: I think I already commented on all of those but please let me say again, great job on all of them! 

 

Alright, I couldn’t mope around sad and depressed about losing my dog forever, so I finally got back to the bench and the RAF Battle of Britain diorama is now FINISHED!  Here then is the final reveal:

https://pin.it/oze56srjbss4r7

https://pin.it/3ukh6zmwcafvlj

https://pin.it/pvy5vub7sqmauv

https://pin.it/ix4vki32vxivnx

https://pin.it/iwjiltdbnxsioa

https://pin.it/2l3m4bc2blds3s

https://pin.it/22d7gt4gpwkvxu

https://pin.it/aontztrapmfxwv

https://pin.it/4big6fbhlcd5e3

Bish, many thanks to you for running this group build!  Thanks for your patience and all the work you put in organizing it, it was a lot of fun, and this latest project is the most elaborate I’ve done.  It was an inspiration seeing all the other fine works out there as well.  Now just a short time to catch my breath and start working on some of the other group build projects I’ve signed up for.  Cheers!

TJ: I think I already commented on all of those but please let me say again, great job on all of them! 

Cheers Johnny, front page updated.

Bish here is a .Update for the links for my builds

LA: Looks pretty darn close to me!

And thanks guys. I think I'm going to try to go ahead and add the landing gear etc even though she won't fit back in the box if I do. The missing parts HAVE to show up sometime.

LA: The kit's been out of prodution for years or I'd try to order replacement parts just to get the originals to show up. I could probably scratchbuild the missing door which might be enough...