That's right Harold.  And I only do that when the paper wants to rest too close to the surface.  Most of the time the paper rests up 1/32 or so and that seems to be about right.  The paint wants to be pretty well thinned, and low air pressure is also good.  One other thing I do is spray the edges first, aiming straight down or a little toward the center, and then fill in the center areas staying away from the edges.  The British used mats to paint the camouflage pattern so you want an indefinite demarcation, but not a real loose one like you would see on a USN tri-color scheme.  Here's a 1/48 ICM Mk XVI I did some time back.  I did a pretty hard line on the bottom, not sure if that is right on the fuselage except for the cowling, which is usually not blended because the belly part is a separate removable panel.

jeaton01

Looks good, Harold.  I just bend up the edges of the masks a little to get the soft edge, but it looks like the clay works well too.

 

John when you say "bend the masking up a little" I believe that would mean a little over spray of Sky would get on the edge of dark brown and green creating the soft edge you were taking about, is my understanding correct?

Harold

Nice work, JB.

Looks good, Harold.  I just bend up the edges of the masks a little to get the soft edge, but it looks like the clay works well too.

Harold: Yeah, all that work you put into her is really showing up. Sharp job!!!

JB: Love that camo. Don't know if it's totally correct either but it looks sooooooo good!

That S5 is looking good Lost, 

Harold your perseverance on the camo paid off, looking forward to the finished product.

A little research (I should have done this part first) shows that the camo should probably have been more of a light brown than a sand color but it is too late now...                  The decals are on, not many, it appears when these birds were repainted they did not have any stencils. That works for me as I have an edward Mk IX overtree that I can use those on.

Bish

Nice work on the camo Harold.

 

Harold

Nice work on the camo Harold.

LA, looking nice there. Thats going to be a fun scheme to do.

lostagain

Harold, it was a shame that the first shot at the camo didn’t come out as planned cos the colours look spot on. Like the work you have done on the masking, looking forward to the result, you are getting a nice feather on the edges.

The process I used this time is nearly foolproof except on the vertical surfaces. If I wait too long after applying the masking putty to a vertical surface like the tail putty begins to sag, so I may need to do a two-step process in the future. Other than that, I will continue to use this method on my next model.

I will give the fresh paint a couple of days to dry and then mask of the camouflage surface so I can paint the Sky colour underneath the wings and fuselage.

Harold

Remeber this date: December 7, 1941

Harold, Tony, JBRaider, Piers: Those all look fantastic guys!!!

Primed and ready for some paint. This was my first time using the Mr Surfacer and I really liked it.

I added white to the centers of the panels and sprayed the underside a light grey, but I lost those pictures.

I then sprayed the top with Vallejo Yellow Ochre and highlited the centers with a little light grey added in.

I then masked off the camo and shot it with a dark blue, highlighted with a little white mixed in as well. The highlights on the blue don't show up well in the picutres but they are there.

I don't know how acurate the colors are but they are spot on compared to the Eduard instruction sheet.

Harold, that looks very precise. I've done something similar in the past and I think that'll be good.

Here's an update to my late entry, the Airfix Spitfire 1a. I've also just ordered some decals to do an Australian squadron, perhaps with Ocean grey/Dark green upper surfaces for something a bit different.

Cheers

Tony

JBRaider

Harold it looks like you have recovered nicely after your first try and seem to making good progress. My usual method is a combination of tape and blue tack but I have been tempted to pick up some of the AK putty so I am really interested to see how this works out.

I find camouflage masking the most frustrating part of a build, but it is so rewarding to see the final result.

 

This morning I made a change in the process that seems to work better. Instead of applying the putty to the paper mask, I apply the paper mask to the putty. In other words, I create a flattened bed of putty about an 1/8 of an inch thick, then lay the paper mask on the putty gently press it down and trim off the excess using the paper mask as my template. Please see the last photograph below.

The paper mask in this location was too small for a masking tape cutout, so I created a small flat piece of putty and laid the paper mask on top. It was much easier to fit it to the wing and I could use a stick to touch up around the edges. I don't plan to remove the paper from the putty after painting I will just discard the mask and putty together. In my mind it does not matter if the putty is not exactly the shape or size of the paper mask as long as it looks right and covers the area I am trying to protect.

Harold

Harold it looks like you have recovered nicely after your first try and seem to making good progress. My usual method is a combination of tape and blue tack but I have been tempted to pick up some of the AK putty so I am really interested to see how this works out.

I find camouflage masking the most frustrating part of a build, but it is so rewarding to see the final result.

Harold: That sounds good! 

I painted the prop this evening. And got the canopy masked. I'm hoping to be done by the end of the year. 

Just a remonder, the GB has just under 4 weeks to run. But as always, as lng as your entry is on the front page, please feel free to continue to post your builds after the 31st Dec. I don't want anyone to rush to meet a dealine.

jgeratic

Looks good.  I like the idea of trimming the putty while on the paper masks.  Wonder if scissors could cut the putty, or too tacky?

 

regards,

Jack

 

The masking putty I like to use is AK Camouflage Plastic Putty for Airbrushing. I leave it in a sealed zip-lock bag over night and it shelf-levels to pancake shape about 1/4" to 3/8" thick as you can see in my little 3-minute demonstration video.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/164748493@N04/51725195317/in/datetaken/

Looks good.  I like the idea of trimming the putty while on the paper masks.  Wonder if scissors could cut the putty, or too tacky?

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Harold, sounds like you are good to go.  Yes, airbrush angle combined with masking height will determine the overspray width.

 

regards,

Jack

 

Next, I turn the mask over, so the paper is facing up and use a flat putty knife to press down slightly on the paper mask. Putty pushes out around the edges of the paper mask and through the rectangular cutouts. The putty at this point is only slightly thinner than 1/8". Then with a new #11 hobby knife blade I carefully trim the excess putty as close as I can without cutting the paper mask.

The paper mask with putty is ready to apply paper side down to the model. The paper acts like a carrier holding the shape of the putty, so when I am applying it to the surface of the model only the edges and cutouts stick to the surface. I use a wooden stick to reshape any putty that gets out of line. If I need too, I can remove the paper mask and start over without damaging the painted surface or the paper mask.

As you can see below, I was able to hold my dimensions and create a reasonably soft line between the blue and white colours. Of course, using this method successfully on the model will determining the merits of my procedure.

Harold

jeaton01

I've come to the conclusion that A or B patterns  matching odd or even serial is a minefield, and I recall reading that that was the initial plan but it soon became random, and the A pattern was more prevalent.  Just have to go with the photos, as usual.

 

Harold

I've come to the conclusion that A or B patterns  matching odd or even serial is a minefield, and I recall reading that that was the initial plan but it soon became random, and the A pattern was more prevalent.  Just have to go with the photos, as usual.

Sorry i haven't commented guys but there's not really anything i can add to this. Some great info shareing here about schemes which i think often get overlooked.

Gamera

Harold: I think Jack already covered everything so I'll just say DITTO here...

Only thing I'd add is I'd never spray toward a mask on purpose. You're better off spraying away from it or at a 90 degree angle. I sometimes end up spraying into a mask by accident- and then I get paint being driven under the mask by the air pressure. 

 

Harold: I think Jack already covered everything so I'll just say DITTO here...

Only thing I'd add is I'd never spray toward a mask on purpose. You're better off spraying away from it or at a 90 degree angle. I sometimes end up spraying into a mask by accident- and then I get paint being driven under the mask by the air pressure. 

Harold, sounds like you are good to go.  Yes, airbrush angle combined with masking height will determine the overspray width.

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Hello Harold, I would use rolls of putty on the undersides of the paper mask edges - assuming it is sticky enough? 

Now, because the putty spreads when pressed on the model surface, that is something that requires looking at.  Either use really thin 'worms' of rolled putty, or you may have to trim back the edges of the paper mask beforehand to make up for this.

Another detail to look at is the camouflage patttern itself.  Eduard seems to have gone with a 'B' pattern, with some alterations.  I'm seeing 'A' pattern, which would be the mirror image of those paper masks.  Only a few period photos I can find of Bader's P7966.  Note how the rudder pattern does not match up at all with either pattern - possibly a repaint from repairs??

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

Regarding how to apply the masking putty I have learned that 1/8" diameter rolls (worms) work pretty good. 1/4" is what I used the first time and it takes up to much space. 1/16" is good, but hard to control. So if I use 1/8" I can cut the paper mask back an 1/8" on all sides except the leading edge of the wing and I should be close to the original size of the paper mask. I will test my theory before I do anymore painting on the model.

I also learned a very interesting fact about masking putty. If I press the masking putty down just enough to make it stick to the painted surface and hold my air brush at right angles to the surface I am painting I get a 'soft line' between the green and brown. On the other hand if I hold the air brush so I can get paint under the curve, or radius of the rolled masking putty the line is usually much sharper. In most of the Spitfire photographs I have seen the line between green and brown camouflage patterns is soft. I will need to experiment to see how right angle air bushing compares with the size and shape of the masks.

Harold

Hello Harold, I would use rolls of putty on the undersides of the paper mask edges - assuming it is sticky enough? 

Now, because the putty spreads when pressed on the model surface, that is something that requires looking at.  Either use really thin 'worms' of rolled putty, or you may have to trim back the edges of the paper mask beforehand to make up for this.

Another detail to look at is the camouflage patttern itself.  Eduard seems to have gone with a 'B' pattern, with some alterations.  I'm seeing 'A' pattern, which would be the mirror image of those paper masks.  Only a few period photos I can find of Bader's P7966.  Note how the rudder pattern does not match up at all with either pattern - possibly a repaint from repairs??

regards,

Jack