All Subjects - Aussie Group Build 2005

I finaly couldn't get around it, I had to strip back the mosquito as the 'One Go' didn't go down properly.

Dave - sorry to hear that... My Typhoon is still sitting there.. freehand camo is on, waiting on some touch up on the pattern... way too many kits going at once for me... there's times I think of just putting on the decals and small bits and saying it's done... but I'm not that much of a quitter I guess...

good luck to you!!!

Hey, I just realised that I cracked the 100 post mark and have 2 stars!!!!! Yay to me

Thanks Tom , I suppose it can always be classed as practice for when I get around to stripping the yellow and black stripes off my 1/48 Classic Airframes Battle Trainer. Thats been sitting there waiting for the same treatment but I haven't had the guts to do it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Sean - measure the area where you want to put the roundel and guestimate it. I can see if I have anything near that size and send it to ya... or several sizes if I have them... I still like the red roo decal idea and I saw that on another helicopter build, can't remember which type. Also think I saw it on an Aussie SBD.

The guesstimate size is around 5 or 6 millimetres.
Not large, hence the hassle I'm having in locating anything even close

QUOTE: :::Progress Update::: OK I hate masking . I know there are some weirdos (Tom) who enjoy it but I don't. I am forcing myself to get through this so that I can start putting some paint on my Buffalo. What makes it worse is the damn Buffalo has a framed window in the belly of the a/c for the pilot to look out of which is just a joy to cut out teeny weeny bits of tape for. I just keep telling myself, it will be over soon, it will be over soon.... Cheers Darren

Darren, BMF would be a BUNCH easier mate, tape is too thick and uncontrollable.
And after checking out harv73 pic, it would save you ALOT of hassle.

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Speaking of Eduard, Tweets go to the Eduard site and have a squiz they do a Profi Pac for the Has Spit VIII which includes dropped flaps, i figured if you gonna go to the trouble of putting the CMK merlin engine in that you might wanna go the whole hog on it

Funny thing.
I got the CMK engine kit today, the one I got from eBay for a steal.
The eBay description said it was for the ICM Spit IV, but the instructions inside said it was for the Hase kit
The differance between the IV engine bay and the VIII, is pretty much stuff all, if anything!
Could life be any better

Just had a peek at the Eduard stuff.

It's for the ICM 1/48 kit, but I reckon I can make it fit


I'll order it and see what it's like.

Thanks for the info Jules

Sean - hmmm 5-6mm that is pretty small... have you thought about the testors decal system? you could scan one and reduce it down... you could even get that pic of Kremps Darren or Rick posted and reduce it too... some nice nose art always sets off a model!

Yeah, I gave that a very quick thought, and canned the idea.
I am not planning on making my own decals, I have naff all free time as it is, and I would rather spend money on kits and PE than something like that.

Ah well, this will teach me for changing my mind so many times about what I'm going to build for GB's.
Bad planning on my part


:::slaps own hand:::

Finally got the foliage green on the Airifx Boomerang!!

Still a while to go yet, but at least I have got it this far :)

cheers

Mike

Mike - good to hear it! I was afraid that kit would do you in! Thats showing it who is boss!!!

Sean - yeah I end up there now and then... with the short end and all... I just make so and be happy it looks as good as it does!!! (still thinking a red roo would look fabulous on it)

Dave - see you are on... you haven't posted yet but Hiya!!!

Tom I pop in and out in between working on the models. I have just finished painting a RAAF P-51 in NMF and stripped my RAAF Fairey Battle TT of it's crappy yellow/black paint job (all 1/48).

I have decided to bin the kit canopy for the mosquito and see what the Paragon PR Mosquito canopy is like. So I have the choice of ordering from Hannants or waiting for it to hit snowy mountains. bugger

Here is a pic with the Boomer painted in Foliage Green.

A chance discovery, mrs madmike was spraying her T-Rex with Vallejo Dark Green (Going to reverse mask the lighter colours). This is a dead ringer for Pollyscale Foliage Green, so close it would be a great substitute.



Got the prop tips for both the Boomer and the Spitfire Mk1 finished as well.

Been a busy days airbrushing, my son Douglas used the a/b for the first time, spraying his WH40K Whirlwind tank.

Let's all repeat the litany..."I am going to beat it, going to beat it!!"

cheers

Mike

Mike looking good Mate and your not wrong, the vallego colour is spot on

Mike, looking good so far buddy

Well, another trial is complete for the Bell.

I ask you guys, have you ever tried to make radiator fins from .005" styrene!!!!

If not, DON'T, it will drive you nuts.

It's good stuff though, it's thin enough to make the retaining framework for the canopy on this thing, so I dont have to fill and sand the join

Not only that, I have to make a couple of panels to bring the Bell from a D model to a G model, and the .005 is just right for the scale

Now the wiring....................................

sounds complicated Sean I'm glad i'm not doing it
BTW still looking forward to some pics...........

I'm still waiting on Pollyscale Foliage Green from SMM, must be quite a backlog on the stuff. Mike, which Vallejo is that, Model Air? The only Vallejo I've found in Sydney is Model Color, which isn't airbrushable (not if you're sensible anyway).

Meanwhile the Mitchell is stuck while I wait for Acc. Min. to send me the missing instrument panel decals - here's hoping they come through.

BTW: I got a 'fine' head set for the Badger 100LG & it works beautfully - hasn't clogged so far. I'm still using the medium needle (fine needle backordered) and it still gives me a much finer & more controllable spray.

I actually used the Pollyscale FG on my Boomer. I mistakenly grabbed Lori's mixing pot of Vallejo Dark Green she was using for her T-Rex and re-sprayed a wing.

It all fell into place when I looked at the Boomer under my Halogen workbench light and realised I had used Lori's paint. The difference was very slight. I have since re-sprayed that wing with Pollyscale FG.

Give Stanbridges Hobby Shop a call here in WA, last time I looked they had several pots of Pollyscale.

You can a/b Model Colour btw, Lori did just that and it sprayed wonderfully. She cut it with distilled water. It dries very quick in the brush, so she is going to try some retarder next time to slow down drying.

cheers

Mike

Made the tail rudder last night.

Took a bit of doing making it look like it had a pivot point, while keeping the frame strong enough to handle the odd ' knock' or two.

Now to run some more cables etc etc etc.

Sounds good Tweety i should be finished the 109 for the BoB GB in a week or so and after that i'll be concentrating on the Spit VIII, Should be able to finish it in a month

Good too hear(read) Jules!
Really wanna see that 109 of yours

Kinda hoping I'll finish the Bell soon, it's starting to drag on a bit now.

Biggest problem with scratchbuilding is the 'drying' time.
There is only so much you can do for a particular part at any time, otherwise you make mistakes.
I realised my first mistake last night.

I remade the section the drive shaft goes for the tail rotor, but instead of inserting the steel shaft, THEN the cockpit, I went the other way round.

Having a hell of a time getting the shaft in place without snaping the kit in two

Carl - you can airbrush either one, thin them with distilled water like Mike said, or Vallejo's own airbrush thinner which already has a retarder and adhesion aid in it. I use the Vallejo thinner with my Color of Eagles paints (made by Vallejo) and it works like a charm! I have never had the paint lift with masking like some of the MM colors do!

adhesion aid in the thinner!! Not what I'd want if using it to clean up. I read somewhere (Vellejo literature?) that Model Color had much large paint particles and was not designed or recommended for airbrushing. Model Air has very fine particles.

Yeah Sean i know what you mean about a build dragging on, it's hard not to lose interest sometimes, I'm hopeing that the big Flower Class Corvette for the BOTA GB doesn't turn into a build that starts to drag on

Tom I used MM enamels for the BoB Emil and while i didn't have any paint lift with masking tape i did notice that i chipped very easily, i had to go back on a couple of occasions and fix the chips............

Hey has anyone heard from South lately I havn't heard from him in a dogs age.........

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bandha Boy adhesion aid in the thinner!! Not what I'd want if using it to clean up. I read somewhere (Vellejo literature?) that Model Color had much large paint particles and was not designed or recommended for airbrushing. Model Air has very fine particles.

Carl

My lovely wife Lori's T-Rex is proof it sprays beautifully, although she had issues with the paint drying in the airbrush. A drop of retarder will fix that next time. The dark green is a dead ringer for RAAF foliage green or even RAF dark green.

cheers

Mike

bump

and a good bump it was too!!

Well, things are moving well on the Boomer front.

Wheels, undercarriage and exhaust done, undercarriage bay painted. Just need to mask off the prop tips and the blades can be finished as well.

Next up, decals....Yep, and they are Esci ones as well. So first off is the Microscale Clear decal film treatment, then they may well need to be bedded down in Future.

I can see this little Aussie battler being finished next weekend, all things being equal.

With mrs madmike using the laundry (where I spray) for mundane things like washing, I have to wait to fire up the compressor...

cheers

Mike

Well I am finally over the Krempitis.... but have to wait till daylight to get to work as I need to fire up the compressor. Wife has another karate belt test today but no modelling because she expects me to be there.. This is her last belt before black belt and somehow she things that is more important than my modeling.

Carl - the thinner from Vallejo is just for spraying, not for cleanup. It comes in a bottle with a built in dropper. I prefer Color of eagles (MAde by Vallejo) to the Vallejo line. The colors are named standard FS type names (RLM 02, Middlestone etc...) for one thing... the only color of the line I haven't liked so far has been sandgelb (RLM 79) .. it was a bit too bright for my tastes so I bought the Model Air bottle instead..

I go into hospital tommorrow for a knee operation so I should get a few days off after it. So I reckon I should manage to get some quality model time happening. Time to respray the Mosquito and the Battle and the Skyhawk and put the markings on the Mustang.

Thats not good Dave
Hope it's just a simple op for your knee.

Was it you who just had a shoulder op as well???


Ok, got the canopy attached to the Bell, and it took some doing!!!!!
A WHOLE lot of CA was needed, not only to hold her in position, but also to fill some small but annoying gaps.
Now I have to use the .005 styrene to fabricate the braces that surround the top and bottom of the canopy frame, then some masking, and more assy of parts before the final colour coat.
Slow and tedious project, but seems to coming along well
And some pics of some of whats been done so far..............

Side view of the cockpit with scratchbuilt wiring and cooling tank (made from .005 styrene)

Scratchbuilt centre console, before.

after. This took some doing I'll tell ya!!

Engine, with scratchbuilt piping for exhaust, ignition and fluid lines

More piping and ignition leads and odds and ends.

As far as scratchbuilding goes, I've pretty much hit my skill limit, and the only other thing left to scratch up is the fuel tanks, and a few more fluid lines.
Any more than that, and I KNOW I'll stuff it up.
I know when to stop nowadays