Thanks, Bish.  That's good to know.

All the builds are comming along, well done all.

I have some updates on my Mossie build, sorry but this is me spitting the dummy! The Alclag Aqua Gloss went on like wet snot, I dislike the stuff and will most likely tip the remaining product down the sink were it belongs in IMO, end of story.

What can I say about DK Decals, absolutley nothing good. I had to hit some of them with a hairdryer to get them to soften enough to laydown to some degree. I tried Micro SOL which didn't do much, then hit it with Mr Mark Softer which helped, but not without allot of physical assistance. The print on the wing rondals ended up being extremely poor in print quality and colour IMPO. I had no choice but to use them as the build was an RAAF mossie flying in the RAF. If had taken the time to really look them over, I would have created my own, and done a far superior job to boot.

I am by my own admission a perfectionist at some things, modelling is one I strive to be that in!

You can't see here, but there are alot of "boogers" (painters term for dust etc) in the gloss coat.

Decals almost done.

Next steps are too add all the aerials, landing gear , minor weathering, touch ups and final matt coat etc etc.

Till next "whinge"...

Despite your problems Damian thats looking really nice.

Thanks Bish,

Just needed to vent, maybe not the right place.

Damian

EBergerud

If anyone wants a quick but very hard and very bright gloss, hand brush Future over the areas you want to put your decals. When sprayed, Future is satin. When hand brushed, it's very gloss. I know one good modeler that mixes Future 50-50 with water as a version of "micro sol" (not set, although I dropped a decal onto major irregularity on a tank with a puddle of future and it set great.)

 

I handbrush entire models with Future all the time to get a super gloss finish ready for decals and panel line washes. It takes several coats but Future dries very fast and can be recoated in minutes.

You can also brush on Future and immediately apply a decal on the wet Future for a super bond.

The only issue here is you have to let the Future cure no less than one day to avoid issues with decal setting solutions. I usually let it cure 2 days to be extra safe.

Greg

I somehow missed your question about level 5? I really haven't noticed that till you pointed it out lol. 

CMK02: Ouch, those are some big gaps! Looking forward to seeing how you fix this. 

Damian: She looks good in the photos, maybe I just can't see the issues? 

Finally cemented the cockpit inside the Tempest and went to attach the wings to the fusilage. And the fit is horrible. I had to grab some superglue and just brute force things into place. Now I worry with a bump or sneeze the seams are going to rip back open. I'm thinking about ripping the whole thing back apart and sanding the krap outta it to try to get parts to fit without using a hammer. 

Damian,

Man,  Decals can be the worst sometimes. They  vary so much from kit to kit and AM providers. The absolute worst kit decals I've used were the Tamiya provided ones. They are thick and heavily printed and are very difficult to get to lay down. As a first try, Micro-sol, usually works , sometimes needs some coaxing, and as a last resort , Walthers will soften about anything made, but don't use first. its very strong and will destroy thin decals. At times even a little cider vinager does a good job. Mossy looks good though... your extra effort is paying off!

Take care... Doug

Thanks all for all your support and comments.

I have moved on, just needed to vent a little. Still, i can always use the Alclag to clean my wooden floors...

Damian

Ernie, no worries re missing my question re Revell Level 5. I type too much stuff, its' my own fault not yours.

D, the Alclad clear coat products always get confusing. Did you use the acrylic one or the laquer? If acrylic, did it bother you that it went on "milky"-looking? That's just the nature of the beast, and it has to be layed down thick. As Don often says about clear coats, just before the point of running. If find all acrylic clear coats finicky at best to spray. Sorry you got annoyed, but things sure look good in the pics nonetheless.

I was just pondering Ernie's comments about brushing on acrylic clear (Future). I've done it to, and maybe it's time to just do it that way, I dunno. Never tried it with Alclad Aqua gloss though. I gave up on trying to spray Future a couple years ago. That's just me, some folk have no trouble at all.

Gamera, jeez, everyone is having trouble today!!! You'll get it sorted, my friend.

Everyone's comments of Future are interesting...

I've tried spraying it a few times and it always goes down with a horrible pebbly orange peel finish if I go with multiple light coats. If I spray heavy it runs all over the model to the point I got huge gobs on the bottom of the model once where it ran and the drips dried. I haven't tried brushing the stuff on though. Right now I use it for dipping canopies and clear parts and that's it. 

I find Model Master acrylic gloss and semi-gloss to work great for shiny finishes. On the other hand I've had the matte dry with a white hazy finish no matter how well I mix it, even using a new bottle. Not sure if it's moisture in the air or what. So I went to Alclad matte finish and so far it's never let me down. 

Gamera and Greg

I also tried to spray Future and also get a pebbly finish but Aqua Gloss sprays beautifully. The problem mentioned with Aqua Gloss may be a bad bottle or batch like their gloss black paint

I handbrush the Future and get really good results. You just need to build up the gloss with multiple coats.

Thanks PJ! 

I've got a bottle of Aqua Gloss I ordered along side the Alclad matte. So far haven't used it simply because the MM acrylic works fine and prefer acrylic. Less trouble to spray, clean-up, and less nasty on my lungs. Plus most of my washes are solvent based and I'm worried they might dissolve the AG.  

I'm going to have to try the Aqua Gloss just because I did buy it and I don't want to waste it though.

G, the Aclad Aqua gloss is acrylic, its not lacquer like the rest of their range. Thats why its used as a replacement for Future. It does protect agaisnt solvent washes, my issue is getting a proper coverage.

Bish

G, the Aclad Aqua gloss is acrylic, its not lacquer like the rest of their range. Thats why its used as a replacement for Future. It does protect agaisnt solvent washes, my issue is getting a proper coverage.

 

Oh really!?! Awesome! I hadn't opened the bottle yet, I guess I should have read the instructions on the side.... 

Gamera

Spray Aqua Gloss straight from the bottle and do not shake it to avoid bubbles. It sprays really smooth and apply in several light coats to build up the gloss. You can decal within a couple of hours if you want unlike Future. As Bish posted its acrylic and works just like Future.

Aqua Gloss has serious fans. I've used it on clear parts, but don't quite see its huge superiority over Future. Phil Foley recommends AK Interactive's Gauzy for an acrylic clear coat over metallic colors. I've got some and will try it out.

Assembly on the Beaufighter is close to done. The kit built up splendidly, although there were a few bumps. The late 90s -early 2000s Tamiya planes were a very good bunch and this is one of them. It does not have the part count or precision of the items appearing after about 2010 like their "Zekes", IL-2, Storch or any of the 1/32s that folk rave about. So I didn't get to try many fillers - Golden Hard Molding Paste works the same as an acrylic putty like Vallejo Plastic Putty but is better - very hard but easily sandable. (It's made to create little statues with among other things.) I did have a little problem on the rear wing root that I didn't notice and wanted a quick fix. I used Tamiya Light Curing Putty and it's very good stuff. It's odd (actually a dental resin): you put it on and it cures within a minute or two under bright light - maybe three under a normal flourescent bulb. Sands great. Gotta keep it covered though.

Above is the body pre primed: note all of the smudges etc. Below is the kit primed with Duplicolor automotive filler-primer lacquer. The stuff is excellent. (This is a Paul Budzik technique. If you don't know his videos go to You Tube or check his web site in the next thirty seconds. Guy's a genius although having skills I can't even imagine.) It applies with a fan cap which creates a splendid spray pattern. There isn't a hint of runs, dribbles or anything - it lays down perfecto. (I did it in three coats - two would work.) It smothers errors but leaves panels lines etc perfectly clear. Not sure whether I'll sand it before painting or not. Doog, the big inspiration behind "Black Basing" says one nice thing about it is that you get a "bad ass" look to the primed kit. Judge for yourself.

Eric

plasticjunkie

Gamera

Spray Aqua Gloss straight from the bottle and do not shake it to avoid bubbles. It sprays really smooth and apply in several light coats to build up the gloss. You can decal within a couple of hours if you want unlike Future. As Bish posted its acrylic and works just like Future.

 

Oh thanks Steve! That's how I apply the Alclad matte so I shouldn't have any issues. I'm going to have to look at the bottle of it. It has a 'chemical' sorta smell to it so I've been using paint thinner to clean it up. 

Eric: She does look badass! Thanks for the tips, I'll have to give them a try.

If I get a vote, bad ass it is. The finish from the Photo is just brilliant, leaving excellent panel line and general definition. Well done!

+1 on Paul, his in depth explination and the hours he spent in preparing his videos is just top notch. I personally went the laquer AB primer route and was able, for my skill level, to acheive a smooth finish. I got small araes of pebbling around the wing routes, but thats my lack of skill. 

You have done a brilliant job, I look forawrd to seeing her finished.

Damian

Gamera

Right now I use it <Future> for dipping canopies and clear parts and that's it.

Me too, and oft times don't even bother with that.

Ernie (Plasticjunkie) said: "......but Aqua Gloss sprays beautifully. The problem mentioned with Aqua Gloss may be a bad bottle or batch like their gloss black paint"

That's been my experience with the Aqua Gloss too, Ernie. Could be re a bad batch, maybe.

I just wont to say a final word on my experience with Alclad Aqua Gloss (The Acrylic) variant of the Alclad range. As the acrylic floor cleaner "Future" is no longer available in Australia which is way I purchased Alclad's Aqua Gloss product. Other modellers may like this clear gloss and get excellent results and my experiences are just that, but I would rather throw away all my panel washes that are not compatible with a lacquer based varnish than use the acrylic gloss again, pure and simple.

I dont want this to become a distraction from the great builds here.

Now, onto some more great builds.

Despite the tribulations, I think you did a highly commendable job of painting and decaling the Mosquito, Damian.  the grey/green camouflage looks excellent.

I received the FLIR pods today and installed them. I'll continue on with it now that I'm done with the Kate and Thunderbolt.

Looking good Steve.

Coming on nice there Eric, looking forward to seeing the paint go down.

Hello All,

Nice "Badbeau" Eric.

Check, The old Hampden has some rough spots, but I'm sure you'll find a way to bring her up to date and make her look a stunner !

Steve, The resin pods look good. 

Well - The stars, planets, atmopheric conditions, my build progress, and  a major topic of discussion have all alligned.  

I was finally able to get some pics in good lighting - just after applying my brush coat of "Pledge with future shine" (^{_{or whatever it is called now}}) gloss coat.  I agree with PJ - this has been my choice for gloss coat for a long time.  and definitely make sure you give it a day or two to cure. 

Interior detail shows up here.  But after looking at the clear parts the other day - I'm not sure if the kit canopy can be posed open.  May need to try something else.  I don't want a closed cockpit with this one.

Subtle panel line wash with slightly darkened base colors.  

Hopefully decals will go on this week.

Chris

Morning all!

Chris... Very nice! That finish should take decals nicley. Like the way the underside looks.

OK, a little more from me, The kit is coming along quiclly being a 72nd, paint and detail will likely take as long at the build.

OK, this was the step I was dreading, where the controls mounted to the upper wing fit and the wing root gap.   NONE! There was no gap at all, that has to be a first for me. Matter of fact, I had to file just a smidge to  get it to mate smoothly without pressuring into place... Impressive! Airfix has vindicated itself in my eyes!

No problem with lower wing fit either, All the clips are there because I often remove the locating pins just to allow a little flex if I see any over hang of the mated pieces. This did have just the slightest over hang and it would have damaged a difficult to repair panel line to sand it out. Well , That can sit and dry for awhile ...Take care all! 

Doug

Doug,  Thanks - and your's is coming along nicely as well.

Must be Hurricane Season !

Chris

Bossman

Must be Hurricane Season !

That's what I was thinking LOL