AIRCRAFT - Battle of Britain Group Build (Jan 1st 2005 - May 31st 2005)

Tanky you can also get it at www.greatmodels.com thats where I have been buying mine!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7 http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TD49005 I'm thinking of this cockpit for the kit. How is True details usually?

Usually pretty good. This set is fairly simple but does improve on the kit parts.

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7 http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=TD49005 I'm thinking of this cockpit for the kit. How is True details usually?

Tanky, True Details make A1 quality stuff at a very reasonable price. Some of their older catalogue is ex KMC (their Beaufighter cockpit for instance) but still very good quality. The only word of caution I would give is make sure the resin cockpit you get is made to match your model/brand of kit, or you could have some major resin surgery ahead of you.

Cheers
Darren

Jay Just keep on practising. It's all you can do.

Can't see any pictures at the moment as I'm at work, just red crosses. Need to evict my other half from the Mac tonight and try and catch up on everyone's progress.

Also on the cards for tonight, is priming my Hurricane with a coat of Gunze silver. Hopefully it won't need too much in the way of corrections, though I'm worried as to how that rear wing to fuselage seam is going to look, especially after my rescribing efforts!

I'll post some pics soon.

Where are we with the NA GB? I'm looking at an MS406 in RAF markings with French camo based in Egypt at the end of 1940.

Karl

Guys,

Sorry for not a lot of talk - flat out at work

However, one comment in here has me intrigued ... Priming. I have not primed any of my models before - preferred to use multiple light coats. Can someone please explain the benefits of priming?

I sprayed the interior of my spitfire with a home brew mix of interior green today. Not sure about the shade, but I think it's close enough. Now it's onto detail painting, washes and dry-brushing.

Cossack The main reason I prime is that it shows any defects in the surface. It's alot easier to see scratches, seams and blemishes when it has a coat of primer on it. It'll also help the paint make a strong bond with the model. It's not absolutely necessary to prime, but I always prime my models with Tamiya spray can grey primer.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Tweety - keep the disks.. Kremps decided to give it one more go and moved back in over here...

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
The disks were bad enough!!

CossackSame as Pingy, I have never primed a model, except for Alclad(duh!).
I'm pretty fastidious about imperfections, and will spend an hour looking over the completed kit from every angle looking for the slightest blemish.
Then I give it a quick wash over with alcohol (1 for me, 1 for the kit, 1 for me...........)
and then start painting.
Have never had my acrylics lift off of the kit yet I might add.

I always prime my builds to make sure all seams or other blemishes are gone & to help with final paint adhesion. I only use Floquil grey primer applied with the AB.

Regards, Rick

darren, I know what major resin surgery is like. EWith my mig-29, aires cockpit was designed for the kit, but Even to get it to rudimentary fit, you have to razor saw off most of the kit front area, and then some MAJOR filing sanding and then filling to get a good fit. Thanks for the advice.

Cossack I prime for basically the same reasons as the guys above ie checking seams, scratches, etc, etc. But I also find priming a must if I am spraying any kind of satin or gloss paint, as the primer gives the paint something to bite into and gives you a much better coverage IMHO. I find it not as vital when painting with matt finishes, but it still helps. Just my

Cheers
Darren

after my martlet I am dead sold on priming.. I did it as I was using Vallejo acrylic and I kept hearing horror stories about its' adhesion... that stuff went on smooth, and didn't come off... not even one flake!!! it also helped me spot a trouble section before I put the paint on where I needed to touch up some sanding a little before going that far...

But can you use any flat paint (like a light grey or in my case for the Hurricane, sky) for primer or do you ave to use the manufacturers "primer".

Jay - you can either use the manufacturers primer (not flat paint) like MM light grey primer, or Tamiya white primer... or Krylon primer or very fine auto primer to prime your models... I have used the MM and Krylon primers with success, my first chouce would be the MM or Tamiya primers (or any model paint manufacturer) then the auto "very fine" primer and Krylon last... but they all will work for you! with enamels it is not such a problem but now for acrylics it is a MUST for me!! and also when painting colors with poor coverage ability like White and Yellow...

Thanks guys ... I almost always use acylics, and have never had adhesion problems. Although, Tom, as you said - I do see some value for whites and yellows.

I will have to give it a crack

I always use Gunze acrylic silver, not because of adhesion problems, because I've never had any, but because it shows up blemishes like nothing else!!!

Speaking of which, I gave my Hurricane a coat of silver last night, and will probably spend the next few days sorting a few little problem areas here and there. That rear wing to fuselage seam is just not right!!!!!

Picked up my MS 406 for the NA GB as well yesterday.

Karl

QUOTE: Originally posted by KJ200 I always use Gunze acrylic silver, not because of adhesion problems, because I've never had any, but because it shows up blemishes like nothing else!!!

And How! I used it on my Hurricane last night and it showed some spots that need fixing. I don't know what you mean about the rear wing fit problems, maybe I am looking at the wrong spot. Are you talking about the horizontal stabilizers or where the trailing edge of the wing joins the fuselage.

BTW, Success! I knew if I just practised a bit more, my AB would work. Also, thanks for the tips on not thinning, it helped out a whole bunch with the paintcoverage. I've taken some pics but didn't have a chance to uplaod them yet, I'll get them on soon. You know, a silver hurricane is actually quite pretty!.

Jay, Looking forward to seeing the pics.

Regards, Rick

Jay Someone mentioned using it a few months back, so I gave it go, and like yourself I was amazed at the results.

The other benefit is that you can scratch sections of the top coat off to reveal 'metal' beneath.

The joint I've had problems with is the one under the wing where it joins the fuselage. I ended up with a huge seam, and ended up removing most of the fabric detail in my insane quest to remove the seam. I ended up having to make a scribing tool to put back the troughs in the fabric. I'ts not great, but at least it's underneath!!!!!!!

I'll be a lot more careful next time.

I've spent the evening tidying up all those areas highlighted by the silver, and I'll post some pics at the weekend.

Karl

Okay, now I know the spot you mean, yes, I found that problem too. I haven't sanded it yet, that is going to be tonights' job. Funny thing is I had a very similar problem with my Monogram Typhoon in the same spot. I also noticed that the number fo ribs on the fuselage part don't match the number in the wing!

I had actually used the silver for the idea of doing some chipping.

That underside fuselage to wing join on the Hurricane is the most difficult part of the build. Like you guys, I'm glad it's on the bottom .

Regards, Rick

Well - After a frustrating afternoon I have my new DSL modem, complete with my new DSL provider operational...

I'm going to actually try the silver undercoat on one of my future builds and see how it goes... wanna try that as my attempts at chipping and all haven't been to my satisfaction.

Thanks all!!!

I haven't posted much lately but I've been busy











I used pastels for the exhaust stains and to shadow the airleron joints and sealed it with the MM acrylic flat. Rumaged through my wifes sewing box and found some of that invisible thread you guys have been talking about for the antenae (I love that woman of mine...). Didn't want to do too much weathering as it is supposed to be newly arrived on the BofB scene. This has been a gret kit despite my blunders and I really want to do another one someday. I notice that Hasegawa has announced the H2-3 kit for later this year. would have been nice to have it in time for this build but... there is always nest year.

One more thing, I got a head start on the North Africa GB last weekend by building this for the mad armored car GB. figure I can use it in a diorama with something. Its the Roden 1/72 sdkfz 233 with Rommel's personal command car markings. Hmmm... seems to me I saw a picture somewhere of Rommel's personnal transport plane... an He 111 if I remember... NOOOOOO!!! Must resist...




Anyway, this has been a blast and I fully intend to do it again with you guys in the NA GB, the 109 GB, next years BofB GB... etc. etc....

Razor - beautiful job ... looks great. As does the piece from the "dark side" ;)

Razor The 111 looks great. Nicely understated, just like the real thing.

Tom Chipping is a doddle with the silver base coat. It's also great if you accidentally scratch the top coat, you can pretend you meant to do it!

Rick I'm not convinced about the underside of Hasa's Hurricane, as the fabric ribbing crosses a panel line, but I haven't had a chance to dig out any photos to check it against.

Karl

That is a lovely He111!

cheers

Mike

Well fellas i've just read through the last few pages and thanks for all the info on the Kittyhawk / P-40, thats definatly on the to do list

Tanky and Razor nice looking builds guys it's great to see some bombers coming off the production lines.........
Pingy Good progress on the Spit matecan't wait to see it finished....

Darren It's here.........Thanks mate for sending it up and Thanks Tom for going to the trouble just so us Aussies can finally get to try out Future

OK

Big Problems

with my computer, some motherhijacked our system and competely destroyed it, over 360 viruses and countless other problems that can't be fixed so we are gonna have to reformat the lot with a new Windows XP program, we couldn't save anything not even my model pics......
Anyways i may not be around for the next couple of weeks very much only when i can get on a freinds computr like now, but i certainly will be building during this time....
Gotta go Cheers Jules.......

Jules - I just want to get you addicted to it, then I will charge $120 per ounce plus shipping to get more to ya! Glad ya got it!!! Sorry to hear about the computer probs... I spent yesterday offline and it felt like a week!!!

Dave - sharp looking build! I really really need to get to mine!!! The more I see here the more the urge gets!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Jules - I just want to get you addicted to it, then I will charge $120 per ounce plus shipping to get more to ya! Glad ya got it!!! Sorry to hear about the computer probs... I spent yesterday offline and it felt like a week!!! Dave - sharp looking build! I really really need to get to mine!!! The more I see here the more the urge gets!!!

Ahhh that won't work Tom, Kremps is coming over to give me my monthly Phsyc analasis and rubdown and she has agreed to bring anotherr bolltle over hidden in her Leopard skin Bikini, you know the one she got from Burma......

LOL Jules!!! Good to have you back!!! (daydreaming of Kremps in that leopard skin bikini)

Dave, Great job on the Heinkel. Very nicely done.

Regards, Rick