Airfix 1:72 Spitfire Mk.I
Discussion
alleggeria said:
Good idea with the transparent PS. I will give a try.
I am following your builds with interest. What is remarkable is that you are using Klear as an intermediate gloss layer for sealing and decal covering. Do you ever have issues with cleaning the airbrush afterwards? I haven't dared to try it myself yet in the fear of ruining the airbrush pistol.
BTW if you end up using the more conventional alternatives to Klear, I'd be happy to buy a bottle off you - difficult to find these days!I am following your builds with interest. What is remarkable is that you are using Klear as an intermediate gloss layer for sealing and decal covering. Do you ever have issues with cleaning the airbrush afterwards? I haven't dared to try it myself yet in the fear of ruining the airbrush pistol.
Continued with applying a wash. It's OK-ish, the partially filled panel line experiment has - as expected - made retaining a wash difficult. The bits I had to re-scribe are fine though, so it's a bit of a mish-mash:
Did some work on the propeller. Looking at original photographs, in some there seemed to be a very slight difference in reflectivity between the propeller and spinner cap, which I've tried to replicate by using satin black for the spinner cap, and the same overcoated with matt for the propeller. I suppose the wood/metal construction might have caused the difference (if it's there at all):
Painted the base of the upper light cover with gunmetal:
Added lead wire hydraulic lines to the u/c legs:
Made a bead sight out of brass tube, the drill that jammed in it while I was opening it up (every cloud), and a dot of PVA:
And finally a pir of undercarriage indicators out of brass tube, flattened at one end:
Also had to do a small repair on the sbd. aileron that had got some pooled Klear on it:
The vast majority of my time spent on models is correcting tricky to correct errors that I somehow don't seem to be able to avoid these days. Takes its toll on the motivation.
Did some work on the propeller. Looking at original photographs, in some there seemed to be a very slight difference in reflectivity between the propeller and spinner cap, which I've tried to replicate by using satin black for the spinner cap, and the same overcoated with matt for the propeller. I suppose the wood/metal construction might have caused the difference (if it's there at all):
Painted the base of the upper light cover with gunmetal:
Added lead wire hydraulic lines to the u/c legs:
Made a bead sight out of brass tube, the drill that jammed in it while I was opening it up (every cloud), and a dot of PVA:
And finally a pir of undercarriage indicators out of brass tube, flattened at one end:
Also had to do a small repair on the sbd. aileron that had got some pooled Klear on it:
The vast majority of my time spent on models is correcting tricky to correct errors that I somehow don't seem to be able to avoid these days. Takes its toll on the motivation.
Edited by dr_gn on Wednesday 29th November 22:45
dr_gn said:
BTW if you end up using the more conventional alternatives to Klear, I'd be happy to buy a bottle off you - difficult to find these days!
I am using this stuff. It appears milky from the bottle but dries fully transparent. Viscosity is comparable to water.It is not that these are available everywhere, I had to do some searching before I found these bottles for sale at our local wholesale, €5 per bottle or so.
Edited by alleggeria on Thursday 30th November 20:54
Edited by alleggeria on Thursday 30th November 21:45
alleggeria said:
dr_gn said:
BTW if you end up using the more conventional alternatives to Klear, I'd be happy to buy a bottle off you - difficult to find these days!
I am using this stuff. It appears milky from the bottle but dries fully transparent. Viscosity is comparable to water.It is not that these are available everywhere, I had to do some searching before I found these bottles for sale at our local wholesale, €5 per bottle or so.
Edited by alleggeria on Thursday 30th November 20:54
Edited by alleggeria on Thursday 30th November 21:45
I've always been wary of using it - I've only ever used Klear.
I am not sure how to define the smell. I asked my wife but we did not get any further than indeterminate smell. I guess if you would do the parquet floor the entire house would smell fabulous, but that is not really an anwser to your question.
You know what? I will do some experiments tomorrow to see how it airbrushes. I also need to dip a canopy of the 1/48 Monogram YF16 I couldn't resist at last week IPMS NL and started in advance of the upcoming holiday period.
You know what? I will do some experiments tomorrow to see how it airbrushes. I also need to dip a canopy of the 1/48 Monogram YF16 I couldn't resist at last week IPMS NL and started in advance of the upcoming holiday period.
alleggeria said:
I am not sure how to define the smell. I asked my wife but we did not get any further than indeterminate smell. I guess if you would do the parquet floor the entire house would smell fabulous, but that is not really an anwser to your question.
You know what? I will do some experiments tomorrow to see how it airbrushes. I also need to dip a canopy of the 1/48 Monogram YF16 I couldn't resist at last week IPMS NL and started in advance of the upcoming holiday period.
I’d be interested in the results. A very experienced modelling pal of mine uses it, and says it’s effectively identical to Klear. I can’t get past the fact it’s cloudy, somehow it seems unlikely it can dry as clear as…well…Klear, but if it does, great.You know what? I will do some experiments tomorrow to see how it airbrushes. I also need to dip a canopy of the 1/48 Monogram YF16 I couldn't resist at last week IPMS NL and started in advance of the upcoming holiday period.
I made some card jigs to get the u/c legs fitted about right:
Took a bit of trigonometry to get it right, but seemed to work:
Secured with a combination of Tamiya cement, PVA and cyano:
Found some scrap p/e to use as a fuel filler cap, just needed a dark wash:
Also painted the signal lamp lens:
And made the oblong shaped canopy panel (whatever it’s called):
This is how the propeller ended up with a wash and Matt varnish:
Took a bit of trigonometry to get it right, but seemed to work:
Secured with a combination of Tamiya cement, PVA and cyano:
Found some scrap p/e to use as a fuel filler cap, just needed a dark wash:
Also painted the signal lamp lens:
And made the oblong shaped canopy panel (whatever it’s called):
This is how the propeller ended up with a wash and Matt varnish:
Flatted the wheels on a strip of wet and dry to make it sit level and to tweak the weighted tyres:
Then gave it a coat of Winsor & Newton Galeria matt varnish:
Always makes a Kleared model look much more refined.
Unfortunately, it revealed that I've got the white demarcation a bit wrong (about 0.5mm too high) on the stbd. wing. I missed it, probably becasue the glossy surface gave a highlight right along the leading edge. I'll have to wait a few days (W&N matt seems to take ages to fully dry) and then re-mask and re-airbrush green along it, and hope it doesn't screw anything up.
But overall it looks OK so far.
Then gave it a coat of Winsor & Newton Galeria matt varnish:
Always makes a Kleared model look much more refined.
Unfortunately, it revealed that I've got the white demarcation a bit wrong (about 0.5mm too high) on the stbd. wing. I missed it, probably becasue the glossy surface gave a highlight right along the leading edge. I'll have to wait a few days (W&N matt seems to take ages to fully dry) and then re-mask and re-airbrush green along it, and hope it doesn't screw anything up.
But overall it looks OK so far.
Masked and corrected the leading edge:
Fitted the exhausts (after very lightly staining the fuselage behind them:
Upper light:
Signalling light:
and guns:
I'mnot very happy with the upper wing roundels, especially the panel line along the leading edge which cuts them. When I filled the lines, they weren't very consistent, and in trying to make them look better by adding a pencil line, I've made them worse. I guess I'll end up masking them and overspraying dark blue to make the repairs less obvious.
It's been a series of corrections, and correction of corrections to get this thing to look anything like right, and it's still not over. A thoroughly miserable experience which I can't wait to put behind me. Trouble is, the more hours spent, the more risk in correcting things that could go very wrong...
Fitted the exhausts (after very lightly staining the fuselage behind them:
Upper light:
Signalling light:
and guns:
I'mnot very happy with the upper wing roundels, especially the panel line along the leading edge which cuts them. When I filled the lines, they weren't very consistent, and in trying to make them look better by adding a pencil line, I've made them worse. I guess I'll end up masking them and overspraying dark blue to make the repairs less obvious.
It's been a series of corrections, and correction of corrections to get this thing to look anything like right, and it's still not over. A thoroughly miserable experience which I can't wait to put behind me. Trouble is, the more hours spent, the more risk in correcting things that could go very wrong...
So I masked and re-sprayed the blue bits of the roundels, and it has improved things a bit.
Keen to actually finish a model, I cracked on and added the small oval window I'd made:
and the aerial, out of EzLine:
The insulator is a dot of PVA, painted buff.
And the rudder and wingtip light covers out of PVA, painted clear red or green as appropriate:
Finally, the propeller, that I modified so I could fit it last, but it would still spin:
And barring any errors that become apparent in daylight, that's that.
Keen to actually finish a model, I cracked on and added the small oval window I'd made:
and the aerial, out of EzLine:
The insulator is a dot of PVA, painted buff.
And the rudder and wingtip light covers out of PVA, painted clear red or green as appropriate:
Finally, the propeller, that I modified so I could fit it last, but it would still spin:
And barring any errors that become apparent in daylight, that's that.
AlfaCool said:
Top notch once again Doc.
I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Definitely this. Your models are incredible and the skill involved is of such an amazing standard. All of us are our own worse critics, but please be kind to yourself when you can. At the very least keep building. It would be such a shame if you stopped when so many of us get such enjoyment out of watching you do things we could only dream about!I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
sharkfan said:
AlfaCool said:
Top notch once again Doc.
I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Definitely this. Your models are incredible and the skill involved is of such an amazing standard. All of us are our own worse critics, but please be kind to yourself when you can. At the very least keep building. It would be such a shame if you stopped when so many of us get such enjoyment out of watching you do things we could only dream about!I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Next up is to finish the Spitfire 22, then the Viggen, then Vulcan. Then reset and start afresh, hopefully with more motivation.
dr_gn said:
sharkfan said:
AlfaCool said:
Top notch once again Doc.
I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Definitely this. Your models are incredible and the skill involved is of such an amazing standard. All of us are our own worse critics, but please be kind to yourself when you can. At the very least keep building. It would be such a shame if you stopped when so many of us get such enjoyment out of watching you do things we could only dream about!I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Next up is to finish the Spitfire 22, then the Viggen, then Vulcan. Then reset and start afresh, hopefully with more motivation.
But, no pressure,,,
Halmyre said:
dr_gn said:
sharkfan said:
AlfaCool said:
Top notch once again Doc.
I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Definitely this. Your models are incredible and the skill involved is of such an amazing standard. All of us are our own worse critics, but please be kind to yourself when you can. At the very least keep building. It would be such a shame if you stopped when so many of us get such enjoyment out of watching you do things we could only dream about!I cant help but feel you are beating yourself up a bit.
I know its hard with your high standards and keen eye for mistakes to make every build a nightmare.
But lets not forget modelling is supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Next up is to finish the Spitfire 22, then the Viggen, then Vulcan. Then reset and start afresh, hopefully with more motivation.
But, no pressure,,,
I haven't built a kit since probably the early 70's, but I am totally amazed at the amount of thought and work that people like you put into these tiny models.
I am sure to your eyes this Spitfire is riddled with faults, but to me, it is nothing but utterly amazing, and I could spend days going through these sorts of thread.
As others have said, well done.
I am sure to your eyes this Spitfire is riddled with faults, but to me, it is nothing but utterly amazing, and I could spend days going through these sorts of thread.
As others have said, well done.
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