Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Thanks Dave now I understand what you were trying to say.

Cheers 

darson wrote:

Dave that's a beautiful looking Spit, great job .  I've had a read of your build article and I'm afraid I don't understand the part where you mention "cutting squares in the paper and using scotch tape to hold them down through the mask".  I get the holding down with sticky tape bit but what's with the squares? Darren I'm going to agree with everyone else, I think your Spitfire looks just great.  Although you didn't show any shots of the camo before hand, the end result looks spot on. Cheers

 Darson, all I mean is that you cut a square in the mask and you use that opening to stick the mask to the model with the tape. This way you don't have to try and stick an edge down which results in a 'hard' edge.

 I have been bad, I have started the Barracuda already. I have to make best use of the little time avaialble and unfortunately I couldn't resist it. The scary part is that I have started on the wings and wheel wells and it is going together easily. A touch scary considering the manufacturer.

PS. Thanks for the comments on the Spitfire

Yeah, I'm getting the same treatment from my Corsair. 

TANGO 1 wrote:

Roger, Darren, thanks for your kind words! I'm just real fussy when it come to building my Spitfires I guess! Still, a little extra effort won't hurt none.

lol! You perfectionist, you! Nothin wrong with that!

The Dauntless is giving me the guilt trip of a lifetime here! With the work schedule full for the week, it's all i can do to pass by the bench with the unstarted kit there. I tried explaining to it that between work, my wife overseas, and the extended family all doin stuff that i was gonna have to get to it sometime next week. But i still get those sad puppy dog eyes......

Ummm, maybe i'm sharing too much with y'all

Hey Everybody.......!

Frank brought some rum on board! 

Cheers Frank,

Just make sure  you've sobered up before you start spraying!!

Darren-

I'm still here!  Have been working 10 hour days the last nine days in a row, so haven't been in the shop much.  But, I have the next 5 days in a row off, and I just got my new twin-cylinder with air tank and auto shut-off compressor in the mail today-plan on lots of airbrushing tomorrow!

So, have some rum-drink up me 'hardys, it's the weekend! 

I have'nt done any modelling today, life etc. preventing me from the haven that is my workshop. I did start putting my Lynx together yesterday and it was not good, the fuselage halves did not want to go together, I think it was my "padding" that got in the way. Anyhoo, I left the thing in a vice last night and its not fighting me now........

Y'know I could do with a drink. Where's all the rum gone?

Hey.....anyone seen Frank ?

Bob,

I have to admit, I am tempted to get a few details for my Hellcat, I'll have to look and see what's out there for my kit.

You are gonna be busy..................

Roger, Darren,

thanks for your kind words! I'm just real fussy when it come to building my Spitfires I guess! Still, a little extra effort won't hurt none.

Dave, 

thanks for the link, lovely model by the way. I will definately try your masking technique in the future.

Well, I went and did what I didn't want to...on order for the Hellcat Mk.1 are:

Techmod decals (800 Sqdn. Atlantic theater), Eduard Color Zoom (interior only-instructions look pretty straight forward), True Details resin wheel/tyres, Ultracast resin seat (can't build without that..) and with sooo much cockpit detail, just had to try a Squadron vacumn form canopy. 
So much for my OBB....

Dave that's a beautiful looking Spit, great job . 

I've had a read of your build article and I'm afraid I don't understand the part where you mention "cutting squares in the paper and using scotch tape to hold them down through the mask".  I get the holding down with sticky tape bit but what's with the squares?

Darren I'm going to agree with everyone else, I think your Spitfire looks just great.  Although you didn't show any shots of the camo before hand, the end result looks spot on.

Cheers

I use paper masks for the SPitfires I make. This link gives a bit of info on how I do it:

http://www.aussiemodeller.com/pages/Reviews/acft%20kit/Harvs_spit14e.html

Essentialy I use the instruction sheet photocopied to the right scale as cutouts then cut small squares in the centre of each paper piece. I then tape the paper to the model which allows the edges to be up a little allowing the airbrush to leave a fine soft edge.

Roger, Frank,

Thanks for the kind words fellas, it helps when things don't go so well in the workshop.

To answer Roger's question, when I first sprayed the camo green the edges were too soft and there was quite a lot of overspray. Now I have used a liquid mask, it is much improved.

However, the pattern is not quite accurate, so I want to touch it up here and there. For example a couple of curved edges need adding on the port wing. No big deal....I'm just a fussy so and so.

I am not good at freehand camo.....yet! Therefore I use a mask, weather its made from paper, tape or liquid is up to you, but if you are like me then a mask is the way to go when spraying a camo pattern on anything in this scale or smaller. 

Darren-

Looks to me like that Spitfire of yours is turning out beautifully!  And, that little helo is looking good too, great idea on the tissue covered sidewalls!

That does look nice, Darren!

I am curious though, cause i gotta Spitfire waiting it's turn on the shelf until my skill with an airbrush improves. But ya mentioned the camo didn't look quite right. How so? I'm curious to know. I think the camo will probably be the most difficult thing when i go to do it.

Thanks Rick!

I'm glad someone else thinks so!

Looks good Darren.

Regards,  Rick

Hi crew!

As promised here are a few pics of todays butchery in the workshop.

First up, my troublesome Spitfire. You can see the camo pattern is not quite right yet, I have just torn off the large bits of the liquid mask. When the paint dries proper, I will tidy up the edges. Anyhoo, the demarcations are better now. I just need to polish things up a little. One thing that has disappointed me is that the panel lines on this kit are very shallow. After 3 light coats of paint one can barely see them, so some re-scribing will be needed.

Now we move swiftly on to my 1/72 Lynx. I like this kit! Nothing special, just a fun build. I am trying a few things out here, it may look daft now.......but give it a chance.

I have added some tissue paper to the interior walls and ceiling to simulate the padded material inside helo's. 

Here is a closer look.

This is the rotor assembly, not bad for OOB .

Here's the office, small to say the least. I've added a few bits to it to make it look more interesting. Used a little artistic licence here.... 

Well, thats all for now. Time I sat back by the fire for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. 

TANGO 1 wrote:

Dave, I like the choice you have made! I have always fancied building a Barracuda so I will watch your build with great interest. I have heard it is a difficult kit, I hope it does'nt give you too many problems.

 I have heard a bit about the kit but I found that a build review was done on it at ARC and I  printed that off for reference. From what I understand a lot of the problem is just the floor and bulkheads being too big. But having looked at it there is a fair amount of cleaning up of pour stubs and flash on the parts. I was in fact tossing up between the Barracuda or the Grand Phoenix Firefly Mk 1 I also have. But as there is less resin in the Barracuda it won this time.

DesertRat wrote:

Well, i am happy to report that i now have the dauntless in my possession! I'm gonna see if i can get started on it tonight. But i think it would be prudent to put some work into refining my small workbench before i really get into sitting down to a build. Of course as luck would have it, i find myself pretty much all over the flight roster at work for the next few weeks, so i think time for me may at a premium.      I didn't realize it before, but i see now that the dauntless i got here was the Confederate Air Force version released by Monogram in the late 80's. The decals and paint scheme shown on the box looks more like the pre-war markings. I haven't decided if i'm gonna do it like that and go straight outta the box, or if i might look into aftermarket stuff. So, maybe the lack of free time for the next week or so might not be a bad thing. Gimme some time to consider my options. Don't suppose anyone has any words of advice on this kit, would they? I'm still pretty much a novice who has been out of it for several years, so any nuggets of wisdom would be great. Thanks!

Roger, 

glad to hear that your kit reached you safely 

I have not any experience of this particular kit, so I cannot offer any specific advice on it, if you have been out of the hobby for such a long time, it might be a good idea to lay off the aftermarket stuff until you feel OK using it. Just an idea, you do it which ever way suits you.

harvs73 wrote:

Well I have finally managed to make up my mind with what to make - I will be doing the Special Hobby 1/48 Barracuda Mk II. As a semi backup I have a 1/72 RAN Firefly Mk V that I have half done. I really want to make an FAA or RNZAF Avenger but unfortunately I only have 2 x TBM-3 Avengers in 1/48 from Accurate Miniatures. I also have some Kiwi markings and the Aeromaster declas for the FAA but they need the TBF-1C to use them.

Dave,

I like the choice you have made! I have always fancied building a Barracuda so I will watch your build with great interest. I have heard it is a difficult kit, I hope it does'nt give you too many problems. 

Well, i am happy to report that i now have the dauntless in my possession! I'm gonna see if i can get started on it tonight. But i think it would be prudent to put some work into refining my small workbench before i really get into sitting down to a build. Of course as luck would have it, i find myself pretty much all over the flight roster at work for the next few weeks, so i think time for me may at a premium.

   I didn't realize it before, but i see now that the dauntless i got here was the Confederate Air Force version released by Monogram in the late 80's. The decals and paint scheme shown on the box looks more like the pre-war markings. I haven't decided if i'm gonna do it like that and go straight outta the box, or if i might look into aftermarket stuff. So, maybe the lack of free time for the next week or so might not be a bad thing. Gimme some time to consider my options. Don't suppose anyone has any words of advice on this kit, would they? I'm still pretty much a novice who has been out of it for several years, so any nuggets of wisdom would be great. Thanks!

Daywalker wrote:

Darren- Sorry to hear about your Spitfire woes.  I think I can relate with you on that one.  As for starting on your Lynx, I have to be honest- I clipped and sanded a couple of parts on my Corsair yesterday.  Just couldn't wait.  I'm so ashamed...

I dunno......you guys!