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I enjoyed building this kit. The challenge transformed from "do not use putty" to "preserve as much surface details as possible" and I think that I managed to do just that. I only used some amount of filler for the nose transparency but I used vacformed replacement, not an original kit part. I am thinking of building more of SBs as I really liked the kit and have a large unused decal sheet, definitely a Spanish version and 2M-103 with Prop-n-Jet conversion set. So - TBC

Last "WIP" pics before final shots

Hi, may I join with Although Maia is started this is soooooo far from completion. S23 is still untouched. If "yes", could I ask admins to move the topic into the GB please?

Modern silicons do not require release agents

I always prime resin exactly for the reason mentioned - paint adhesion. There was a dedicated "Mr. Resin Primer" by Gunze Sangyo, unfortunately discontinued. Now I prime with regular "Mr. Primer Surfacer", find that its adhesion is not as good but acceptable

Some progress. Eventually I decided not to use Begemot decal sheet and do one of the option that the kit provides

Intetesting. I was wondering if Enterprise was ever stacked with "late" orange external tanks, as "early" tanks were white up to STS-2. And yes, when Enterprise was used for launch tower tests at Wanderberg the white tank paint was already abolished so orange is legit

Sometimes I am getting into modelling impotency when I am not touching part-paints-glues-tools for months. These periods may be followed by a time of frantic activity when I finish some long awaiting projects and starting new ones so that the number of unfinished ones constantly grows. I have finished this and nearly done with that and I have a box with a wonderful picture and content too good to resist. The body parts are seriously wrapped Problem? Only for resin kit neophytes. Those who build resin kit regularly know that the remedy is really simple. Boil a kettle, put a part in the hot water for 20-30 seconds so the resin becomes soft, put on on the even surface and voila 10 minutes and the problem is gone Initial priming A stark reminder about safety. Modelling is a hobby but we deal with sharp knives and other tools, some of them can be dangerous so always think about safety. I was detaching a wing from resin stub with Proxxon rotary saw when it flipped and the saw hit my small finger on the right hand, I literally cut of the fingertip. The good news is that A&E doctors said that I am lucky and may expect full recovery as fingertips are one of the few parts of human body that have an ability to regenerate just like lizard's tail, the bad news is that the wing now has a couple of deep cuts I need to fill and sand down

Out. Price circa 250 Euro + postage. Write to [email protected]

Just one word. Valkyrie

By the way, this is the post I mentioned in the beginning of this topic where Valentin builds the kit he hesigned https://www.dishmodels.ru/gshow.htm?p=1295 Interestingly, he is using Tamiya extra thin. I tried to use the one with green label that did not work for me

What is this black stuff you are using for masking?

I think I have explanation for this paradox. This kit has probably the best level of surface details I have ever seen. There is no a single traditionally scribed "panel line", instead all the panels are overlapped and rivetted, just like on the real thing. Therefore each even a finest seam is looking somewhat foreign, it just does not fit the pattern and leaves much less room for sanding. Even the slightest step or gap that would be totally OK with other kits is very visible but sanding it down could ruin the details around. Therefore the focus of the challenge is moving from "do not use putty" to "try to preserve the original detailing as much as possible". And with this I failed miserably. Alas, I could not keep the details of engine nacelles, had to sand them down and redo panelling and riveting to the best of my abilities that are far below the original. Preshadining rivet lines with good ole' Sharpie. It is not really visible on the pics but gives quite nice effect on closer look

Wings are in place. Fit is almost perfect, had to trim just a bit here and there but no filler was used Nacelles are expectedly tricky. Four parts are needed to be glued just right. This is where I surrendered, just can't keep the original details. No filler was used but I had to sand down intricate panel lines and riveting, prime and then redo. Surely, Valentin used much finer tools and much more skilful pair of hands I realised that the only way I could keep the surface details is to apply as little paint as possible. Therefore the colour scheme is chosen - silver-gray all-over, VVS circa 1940. SBs were not NMF, they were painted with gray enamel mixed with aluminium powder. So I did the same - mixed Mr. Surfacer 1000 with Halford's aluminium, this will serve as a primer AND as final coat. Pre-shading is absolutely required to make rivet rows visible, trying the technique on stabilizers and control surfaces Transparencies in the kit are .... well.... Fortunately I have replacement

Complete. This was a difficult one

Surely, this is THE most difficult scheme I have ever painted. A lot of curved shapes on corrugated skin. Add poor resin adhesion. The kit is supplied with masks but they are not of great help as they shrunk, either because of age or because of inappropriate storage. There is a decal for the tail star but I decided to mask and paint it too The twin guns in the kit are quite delicate, I added some etched parts from the vaults The plane is mostly ready, time to deal with cargo/passenger gondola

Yes, having this problem too: In a mean time, interior is done, the fuselage is closed. There is just a tiniest of steps between centre and nose sections. Maybe I should redo this part

Thanks, I suspected something like this but did not have any evidence. Now I have

I would not recommend anything that I did not use. Yes, I use Molotow when I need high shine chrome

https://www.molotow.com/en/applications/marker-applications/liquid-chrome

There some things that usually frighten people but actually quite easy to do. One of such things are spoked wheels. It took me less than an hour to make a pair The most tricky thing is to install a spindle after first two pairs of spokes are drawn

Most of Spanish machines are SB-2M100 rather than SB-2M100A, identifiable by two blade propeller. So these options are also out of consideration. Sigh.

There may be several viewpoints here - planes were Soviet produced and USSR was not neutral by any means - Frankist Spain was neutral, Republicans not so much Another option would be to search for Finnish markings, there were quite a few captured aircrafts in Finnish service

I mentioned Begemot decal sheet but most of interesting schemes are for 2M-103 modification, Soviet 2M-100/100As are mostly boring silver-gray or green top/blue bottom. Most interesting 2M-100 schemes are Spanish Republican machines but these are not eligible for this GB as Spanish Civil war happened before WW2. A bit more interesting variant may a Chinese machine, however I have next to zero knowledge of Chinese air force of that period so not sure that they are eligible either. Perhaps some reading would change that In a mean time - had some progress with interior Another observation - Tamiya extra fine glue has no effect on ICM plastic, neither does pure KET. Have to stick with Revell Contacta and CA