Battle of Midway Aircraft Group Build

I don't think it's the pics that make yours look darker mate. I did use Gunze paints, but I lightened my intermediate blue alot. Out of the bottle, it is very dark, and almost grey. So I added some light blue and white to brighten it up a bit. The Non-specular sea blue is about right out of the bottle, but I think I lightened it a bit too. Yours looks good though, nice paint job.

Those Hellcats with the mouth and eyes look great too. I'd like to do an overall blue one next time too. I've done enough tri-colour planes for now. I've got decals for McCampbells Minsi III and a few others, so I'll just have to pick up another hase kit.

Sean-quick question regarding your weathering techinique on the pic above. Did you apply aluminium paint after the green or did you do aluminium first and then green? If the later, what method did you use to remove the green?

Thanks in advance.

ok... what a day! now that it is said... coming along nicely with my P-47 for the Latin American GB... that Tamiya kit (the bubbletop) is SWEET!!! In fact it is so nice I think I am going to order another Typhoon for the Aussie GB because now I see the best way to attach all those upper fuselage pieces and have them line up... so far everything is going together as well or better than the Martlet (Wildcat)... much much more detail in the cockpit... in fact I agree with several reviews that mentioned that it rivalled if not surpassed most resin cockpits for the P-47... (with the ultracast seats added of course IMHO)

Anyway enough about that... thnking of getting the Ultracast seats and tires for my B-26 if they have them and build that for the build... everyone is going Dauntless crazy so maybe it would be best to save that for a later (possible) Dauntless GB??? <hint hint>

I need to try to find a 1/48 B-26 kit.. this is the 1/72 one and I hate 1/72.. (because I am old and feeble and can't see the pieces haha) plus detail shows up so much better in it...

anyway I am just rambling but am looking forward to more in progress pics!!! <again... hint hint>

I know I'm getting in late but I'd love to have an excuse to make my 1/48 AM Avenger.

Sign me up!

Welcome aboard MrBee, you'll find a fine group of fellows here. For an "old" newbee they've been very good to me. I like your choice, we need TBF/TBM in the bunch. I think you have found "your excuse" right here!!

Phil

MrBee - better late than never I say! I'll update the build page and put you on there!!! Welcome aboard!!!

Welcome to ze build MrBee. You'll have fun with that build, I here the AM kit is a beaut.

Haven't posted in a while so I'll give an update. I've fixed the lower wing/fuselage joint as best as I can (it's not perfect but if I keep monkeying with it at this point I'm just going to make things worse) and sprayed the underside of the Dauntless. Now getting ready to spray the upper surfaces. Just one technique question. Whats the best way to get a clean line where the two colors meet? Should I mask it or just freehand it with the airbrush? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Once I get the blue-grey on I'll post some photos. Pete

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 ... everyone is going Dauntless crazy so maybe it would be best to save that for a later (possible) Dauntless GB??? <hint hint>

...another Group Build...when will the madness stop! However, I have wanted to add a -5 to the collection at some point.....and add the lessons learnd on the -2...maybe '06.....oh bother....

btw-engine components painted last night. Hope to flat coat the engine tonight, along with putting a little putty in the joints. Not a perfect fit, but the best of any project to date. And again, some of them are due to my fit errors on the cockpit.

Pete - wasn't a masked line but not real blurry either... a technique that works good with that is using either blue tak putty (from the office store, what teachers hang posters up with) and rolling it into little sausages and placing them on the body along the line the demarcation will be, or cut a paper mask and with rolls of masking tape (think cigar bands) tack it about 1/4" above the surface you are spraying... then spray, with that one make sure you don't spray at an angle as to get overspray under the mask...

Bob - my first was a learning experience as well... you'll be surprised how fast the cockpit goes together the second time around!!!

Tom, thanks, I'll try one of those ideas. I might be interested in a Dauntless GB but not till the end of the year at the earliest due to the fact that I can't help myself from joining every one that comes down the pike (I think the current number is 9). One thought though would be to open it up to other dive bombers. I'd like to try the new AM Vindicator. It would be a good excuse.

hmmm not a bad idea.. any dive bomber, any nation... would love to see some Ju-88's etc as well as the US fare!

QUOTE: Originally posted by pingtang I don't think it's the pics that make yours look darker mate. I did use Gunze paints, but I lightened my intermediate blue alot. Out of the bottle, it is very dark, and almost grey. So I added some light blue and white to brighten it up a bit. The Non-specular sea blue is about right out of the bottle, but I think I lightened it a bit too. Yours looks good though, nice paint job. Those Hellcats with the mouth and eyes look great too. I'd like to do an overall blue one next time too. I've done enough tri-colour planes for now. I've got decals for McCampbells Minsi III and a few others, so I'll just have to pick up another hase kit.

Daniel Yeah i lightened the intermediate blue with about 10 to 15% white but i didn't lighten the sea blue at all, looking at it in front of me it looks a lot lighter than in the pics but it's still a little darker than yours,
BTW looking forward to seeing Minsi III i have a couple of pics of McCampbell and his A/C, looks good with all those Japanese kills on the side

to the GB MrBee i'm also building the AM avenger but i'm still on C/Pit construction at the moment, all is going together well and yep it's a great kit

This is the Dash 3...and will be done up in the markings of Dick Best-- a flight leader from Enterprise-- he went out twice at Midway and got hits on carriers both times out!

First a shot of the interior:


And onto the seat-- did the belts with the foil from a contact lens package....


Thanks for looking!

Looks very nice Jeeves. Great progress so far.

looks good Jeeves! I think I have seen that type of cockpit once or twice before! Now if I can remember which plane it belongs on...

Tom Looks a lot like the dauntless I'm working on, doesn't it? And similar to the one Bob is working on. All those WW2 aircraft look so similar.....

Nice job Jeeves. I especially like the harnesses. Will keep that tip in mind for future builds.

The office looks good Jeeves

Thad

QUOTE: Originally posted by bobbaily Sean-quick question regarding your weathering techinique on the pic above. Did you apply aluminium paint after the green or did you do aluminium first and then green? If the later, what method did you use to remove the green? Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the late reply mate, just a tad flat out lately

On this one I went aluminium first, and allowed it too dry for 24 hours.
Then I got a piece of foam and dipped it LIGHTLY into some Maskol.
Then I dabbed it onto the aluminium surfaces in a rough manner.
Then oversprayed with IJN Green.
Once that was dry, I simply rubbed off the Maskol with my finger, and voila!!!

I had to use Humbrols Maskol cause I use acrylic paints, and most other masking liquids are water based.

Sean-thanks for the reply. That's one method I have considered, but I would be limited to using Testor's Metalizer in a spray can (gotta buy an air brush one of these days...and build the modeling room to go with it!). Other options on the table are using Metalic silver paint and follow the process at that point. Still, in the back of my mind is using aluminium foil...it is an inexpensive kit (with no interior detail what-so-ever) and then paint. Haven't done that before and this is supposed to be a learning process... Still pondering.

Thanks again. Pictures soon in the Pacific GB.

Mike - nice interior, so it was foil from a contact lens pack, Hmmmmm.

Tom - did I read something about an "update" on the group build page, Hmmmm again!

Sean - thanks for sharing the tip & did u use IJN green on the cockpit cabin also? My Kate kit paint scheme just list "cockpit color" (????)

Phil

Traintrak - yeah I added MrBee... did you choose a build? let me know.. this has been a horrible week at work and everything that could have gone wrong did so I've been kind of out of it...

A good source for Japanese AC questions is www.j-aircraft.com ... they have lengthy papers on colors of planes etc... a good authoritive source for that stuff! I am going to check it out before I start my Zero...

--->edit<---

ok I read back and remembered perfectly you telling me this... sorry I left ya off so long shipmate! Glad someone is building another Japanese plane! Wouldn't have been a "Battle of Midway" without them! Just a bunch of yanks flying around doing loops and stuff otherwise

Kremps....


(waiting to see how long it takes for Tweety to jump on here, he has an uncanny knack of appearing anytime her name is mentioned... like a trained puppy if ya ask me.. she rules him with an iron fist in a velvet glove!)

Hey no problem ole buddy, I know how it is when the brain gets fried. As a fellow corpsman I recommend "shore leave" every time!
Thanks for the Jap A/C link, every little bit helps. I saw what is probably a very good book on the subj over on geatmodels.com, some rare "color" photos, but its 50 bucks & the text is all Japanese! I'll stick to free web info. See ya'll later, headed to Mobile, Ala in the morning, the wife & i are going to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, & of course I'm making a side trip to the USS Alabama BB-60. They've also got some vintage a/c on display, so I hope to get lots of good pics.

Phil

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 Kremps.... (waiting to see how long it takes for Tweety to jump on here, he has an uncanny knack of appearing anytime her name is mentioned... like a trained puppy if ya ask me.. she rules him with an iron fist in a velvet glove!)

Ahhhhh the glove

Soft and luscious, yet firm and manly..................
Looks cool when you stroke it against the fur too

See I knew it!!! Don't hear even a whisper out of Tweets lately... mentioned the old bag of hot air.........and POOF... he appears...

Phil - enjoy!!! I saw some pics taken of the Alabama... looks good! they even have an OS2U over there...


enjoy!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 See I knew it!!! Don't hear even a whisper out of Tweets lately... mentioned the old bag of hot air.........and POOF... he appears...

Nothing if not predictable eh Tom

QUOTE: Originally posted by tweety1 Ahhhhh the glove Soft and luscious, yet firm and manly.................. Looks cool when you stroke it against the fur too

So Tweets i presume that your refering to the fur on Kremps back