So, about 11 days ago i said i would be starting on the oil canning that weekend. Didn't quite work out like that. I spent the best part of a week, starting at the front and going along one side and then repeating on the other, blending in the edges of the PE and cleaning up where i had filled flood holes and other bits. Going the check pieces was tricky as it mean filling PE and trying not to lose rivet detail. But it feels and loks like it has paid off and i think its created an oil canning effect at the same time.
Still need to fix the 2 drain holes at the front.
The PE sections above the saddle tanks were removed and re-fitted. These stuck out to much so i cleaned and filed down the plastic creating a shelfe for the PE to sit into making it flush. I also removed all of the rib detail and replaced it with thicker sheet styrene. I had used the thinnest one i had, but this was just not strong enough and kept coming away. So i recut and replaced all of the ribs and its holding fine now.
And then on Wed i finally got to the oil canning. Its taking longer then i thought, the pic below is after 3 nights. I am doing one section atb a time, running the curved blade down it and then useing small round sanding sticks to clean it up and get a nice curve. At first i could not see the effect, and you can't really see it in the pic, but when i turne my bench light off, the shadow create by the room light showed off the curves and i think its working out well.
I have managed to get these done with 1 blade but its starting to dull now so will ahve to replace it.
As well as the drain holes at the front, i also need to fix these at the bow underneath. These are both on the starboard side, the port side is fine.
And i also have the inside of the tower painted. My referance said the inside of the 552's tower was either black or dark grey. There is one pic were you can see the inside of the tower as well as the railing around the rear and the wave deflector part way up the tower. We know the deflector is black on top, and to my eye this looke to be the same as the tower and railings, so i opted for black. I have also given it a gloss coat prior to some light weathering.
My main focus with this now is to finish the oil canning. But i do need to get on with my 262 as well as a Stuka for the CAS GB. So i plan on working on those 2 and spend about 30mins per evening doing the oil canning. Hopefully by the time the aircraft are down, the hull should be ready for the final touches.