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

Hi Tom,

It's an Iwata HP-C. Actually, I really do think it was the paint, it was an old pot, although unopened. Anyway, I've re-mixed the paint, and really really stirred it. It seems to be OK now, so one of my abandoned models will be used.

ahhh! glad you sorted it out! I ordered an HP-CS awhile back and quickly cancelled the order... not sure which brush I want. The HP-CR seems very similar in quality to the Omni 4000, and I hate to have to rely on my old brush (either the 155 or the 175) to spray things like Vallejo acryics.. so I am unsure. Maybe I need to break down and get the HP-CS after all. no biggie in switching.. although I have been toying with the idea to get the entire vallejo line and get rid of all my other paints as I am beinginning to get used to their ease and the way they go on.

decisions decisions....

Jay, sorry to hear about the decal problems. Hasegawa decals aren't the highest quality, but they usually lay down OK. The wing walk decals that I used from that sheet worked with no problem.

Osher, sounds as though the paint wasn't stirred enough, letting some thicker pigment find it's way into the AB.

Regards, Rick

Tom My new toy arrived yesterday, a Badger 100

Haven't had chance to play with it yet, but the first thing I did notice was how much smoother the trigger action is on the 100 than on my Omni 4000. It requires a lot less effort to pull back on, and therefore should be a lot easier to achieve consistent fine lines with it , the main reason I bought it.

Osher Hope you sort the paint problems out. Have you thought about switching to acrylics, as the clean up is far easier?

I am work so can't see any pics, will try and look at everyone else's progress tonight.

No progress on the Hurricane, it still has dirty great shiny patches on the upper wing and wing root, however nothing I don't beleive I can't fix. Replacement canopy has ben ordered, along with a set of Eduard masks in the new 'Kabuki' tape material, so be interesting to see how they shape up.

Karl

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Progress Report::::::::::::::All the uppersurface colours are on the Emil now i just have to do the mottling on the fueselage before i can Future it ready for decals... This will be my first attemp at fueselage mottling so i hope i don't stuff it up considering how well the other colours went on Something I ALWAYS do before applying the mottling is Future the model. This way I can wipe away the cruddy mottle and leave my camo intact. May be a little unorthodox, but after getting the base camo right, I hate the thought of stuffing the whole thing up with a dodgy mottle spot or two.

Tweets i do the same thing, after every colour i give it a coat of Future to protect it...........

Pingy Yeah mate i think thats a good idea, with the N A GB i've added the date finished and page the pics are on when posted, currently yours is the only one up there

Time for a pic

Your bf-109 is looking good Jules! I agree Rick & Karl, it's probably the paint being lumpy in places, or not stirred enough to absorb the thinner. I checked it this morning, and actually, it's not too bad. A couple of spots need some refinement, but otherwise, not too bad for a first coat. I think the lumps 'spread' during the night. Second coat tonight (fingers crossed...)

I've just sprayed the RLM 71 Dunkelgrun splinter camo on my 109. I mixed up some Tamiya acrylics, and brush painted onto some plastic to check the colour. When it dried, I thought I had a good colour match, so I thinned the same batch and sprayed it. It dried much lighter, I then had to add more of the darker colour to make it right.
Has this ever happened to anyone else ? It's the first time I can recall it happening to me.

Anyway, decals are done and dusted on my Spitfire, not too painful for a change. A little finishing, a little weathering, and I'll post a photo.

I really like the Martlet too, I think I'm going to have me one of those...

Jules, The 109 is looking great. Keep us posted.

Regards, Rick

Tony - I've been eyeing these decals. the top one looks sweet, but I just found out it is neither NMF or white, but light blue grey. I just have to find out what color that actually is. Definitely not the navy blue gray of a regular Wildcat.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EP48016

here's the one I am doing for the North Africa build, it's next to the bottom in lght gray with middlestone uppers.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AN48548

Tom, that should make a very attractive scheme. Good luck on the build.

Regards, Rick

Hi Tom,
Way back when I started my Wildcat theme, I only did 1/72, which is a shame because these decals don't appear to be offered in that scale. I may have to try some of the interesting schemes the hard way. Incidentally the nice Hasegawa/Dragon Wildcat kits hadn't been released yet eith, not the Tamiya 1/48 one.
I have done a Martlet III in middlestone over azure, and have a photo of another that is middlestone over night/black which will also be interesting.
FWIW, I think my next one is an Operation Torch F4F-4.
Cheers

I just want to say thank-you thank-you thank-you to Tony for sending me replacement parts for my Spitfire. It's so very kind of you. I can't thank-you enough! Now to make a success of the build (before the end of May too I hope), and use those parts.

Okay, now for some good progress pics! I got it all futured up and ready for some weathering! Let me know what you think!
As for the RAF code custom decals, the pictures sure make them look nicer than in real life. The edges are a little wonky and some of them started to develop a little bit of a purple tint, wierd. But at arms length, you really can't tell. I'm happy with the result so that is all that matters.







Rick, thanks again for the decals, I sort of solved the problem by sanding/buffing the winkles flat then dry brushing insignia blue, red and yellow where it was needed. I think it worked well. Thanks for all the help! Soon, very soon guys.

Looks great Jay. The decal problem doesn't show in the pics. Very nice work.

Regards, Rick

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Tony - I've been eyeing these decals. the top one looks sweet, but I just found out it is neither NMF or white, but light blue grey. I just have to find out what color that actually is. Definitely not the navy blue gray of a regular Wildcat. http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EP48016 here's the one I am doing for the North Africa build, it's next to the bottom in lght gray with middlestone uppers. http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AN48548

Tom I don't know what they've been smoking over at Eaglestrike, but I can find no reference at all to any FAA color called Light Blue Grey.
The FAA in WWII used a Light Slate Grey, Sky Blue and Grimmy White but not Light Blue Grey in any of the searches I have done.

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_uk.htm

I'll keep searching through my written references for any other info.

Cheers
Darren

Thanks Darren... it is well possible it is a dupont substitute for an RAF color used then. I heard mention of many planes coming in that config after the first batch was delivered. To me it looks almost a white color, so it would be interesting to find if there is an actual "light blue grey" available. I wonder if it is the standard US Navy Blue Grey mixed with white???? That might make sense since it was coming from Grumman at the time... let me know if you find something, I will be looking myself.

Tomy - if you haven't built the Tamiya 1/48 kit yet it is a really sweet kit. A bit basic in some areas but once put together it looks good! Post those pics you talked about if you get a chance, I would love to see them! BTW: do you have any reference shots in color that show the landing carraige color? It looks almost black, but I noticed in some photos a blue look to it so went with Sea Blue when I did the BoB ones as before they reached Britain the would have been in a US config I assume. And the color in the pics resembled what the US Wildcats had... a very deep blue.

Looking good Jay, keep at it!!! The yard work can wait until the fall.

oops! I looked at Jay's build at work today but forgot to comment on it (can't do it from work, Big Brother is watching)

Looks good Jay! you pulled yourself out of a tight one quite nicely!! Looking forward to seeing some dull coat on it so we can see the detail!

Great looking work Jay, it should look awesome with a flat coat. Nice One

Cheers
Darren

my fellow Wardmates, Jay, thats looking really nice, great paintjob

Progress Report::::::::::::::: Not a lot i'm afraid, the missus is going out tomorrow night for a few hours and i already have the A/B cleaned spotless ready for the mottling, without her annoying me i should be able to totally concentrate on the mottling and get it done

Nice Hurricane Jay, I'll look forward to the finished photos.
Tom - I've always though Wildcat u/c to be black, I'll scratch around to see if I have anything, would appreciate if you could do the same.
Here the photo I was talking about, my memory tricked me, it's actually dark earth and mid stone disruptive camo over night.
BTW, is it too much to ask for a scan of the decal instruction sheets, please, since I'm gonna have to do it the hard way ?

Jules The Hurricane is looking great.

Glad you managed to tame those decals.

Karl

Thank for the comments guys. I really appreciate it. I got the underside 'washed' and It looks pretty good (IMHO!) Tonight, maybe the top and then --dullcoat!

Jules, Good luck on the mottle. Looking forward to the results.

Regards, Rick

Tony - no prob, I will try to get that out to you tonight... the scheme you are seeing there in that pic is probably underside is half sky, half night. That one is on the sheet I have as well, those are the early war Martlets, mostly the ones intercepted from the France shipment.

Have you checked out the Hasegawa Martlet in 1/72? Unless you were hell bent on doing the kit you have it might be your solution. I just noticed it last week at my LHS.


---edit---

Tony I found some color pics of Wildcat landing gear, which would probably be similar on the Martlet as the also kept the white uppoers on the undercarriage. Sadly it doesn't help, in shadows the gear look black, but in this pic it looks to be a dark sea blue. Maybe some of the others can get a look at this and see what they think, and you can judge too.



Also I found this site with a walkaround of the Wildcat which should help on a Martlet:

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Wildcat/F4F_FM.html

Tony - I have them scanned, email me and I will send them to you!

Hi Everyone,
Tom - thanks, I'll email you shortly. There is a definite dark sea blue tinge to the photo that you post. When did the USN start specifiying the use of Sark Sea Blue ? I know it was not used on Hellcats and the like until later on.
Of the four Wildcat/Martlets that I've done, I've done one each of the Revell, Academy, Airfic and Hasegawa kits. Suffice to say, I'll only ever utilise the Hasegawa/Dragon kit from here on. If necessary, it's probably easier to convert one if necessary than make a decent model from one of the other kits. Incidentally, the Hasegawa Martlet III kit comes with the decals for the same aircraft I did, except that I used Aeromaster decals on a converted Academy kit, before the Hasegawa one was released.

As far as progress reports goes, I should be able to post some photos of a completed Spitfire this weekend, my first GB !
I've finished spraying the base colours of the 109 too. There are a few little touch ups to be done, but overall it's Ok so far. I'll post photos of it too.

Cheers

Tony looking forward to seeing your pics mate BTW i've just ordered the Tamiya 48 scale Wildcat and eduard coloured PE set and some express masks for the Pearl harbour GB...........

Rick[/b] thanks mate, this will be the first time i attempt a mottle scheme

Tom Have a look at this picture. It definitely shows the landing gear with a shade of dark blue on there. Don't know if it's just because it's a restored one or if they were painted that way when they were use in service. I found a really good site a while ago with good detail shots of wildcats. Can't remember the site, but I downloaded alot of them, so if you want them, I'll email them to you.