Ex-FAAWAFU Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Agreed, your work in the one true scale is truly amazing Steve! k One true scale, you say? You mean this is 1/48... [Exits left pursued by a mob of modellers] 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 One true scale, you say? You mean this is 1/48... [Exits left pursued by a mob of modellers] Hand me my pitchfork & flaming torch.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 (edited) If you ever get fed up with lawyering I'd think you could get a job as a surgeon. I am the world's most reluctant lawyer. I was fed up with it before I even started................. One true scale, you say? You mean this is 1/48... I thought you were strictly a 1/350 man Crisp By my standards these builds are fairly zipping along at the mo' I'd like to get em finished before Christmas so's I can indulge myself for a while thinking and plotting the Hawks...... Last night I masked the JP3 canopy (CMR provide pre-cut canopy masks but curiously omit any masks for the rear of the rear framing) - gave it - in order: a squirt of Klear; then tamiya nato black; then tamiya white primer; then tamiya flat white then tamiya semi gloss clear, then applied a couple of little decals; then a coat of tamiya flat clear; then stuck in a little handle made from stretched black sprue. Then I unmasked. The piccies. (1) After the white coat (2) After unmasking, a good deal of cleaning up using a sharpened cocktail stick and a polish with an eyeglass cloth: It's acceptable - but wouldn't tolerate any closer scrutiny than this. The search for a perfect, clean canopy framing demarcation goes on Using decal strip was never a practicable option here because of the curved framing. JP5 canopy next.... Edited December 16, 2014 by Fritag 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Great stuff Steve...have you thought of using Solar Film ? Comes in many colours, is self adhesive and flexible enough to go around compound curves. I use it all the time thanks to young Neil (woody) who kindly sent me a pile of the stuff a while back. For super small stuff I also use Bare Metal Foil though you must prepare the surface to get the paint to stay put. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_gn Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 If you carefully un-peeled the masking tape from the middle of the canopy, and placed it on decal sheet you could cut around it I guess - leaving the inner framing line? Then roughly cut around the periphery and slide onto the canopy with some Microsol. When it's set you could then trim the edges with a new blade. There doesn't seem to be a great deal of compound curvature on the framing itself... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Like the new avatar Steve...!! k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Like the new avatar Steve...!! k That it is ubercool dude y'r sirship ubercool b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 (edited) have you thought of using Solar Film ? .......I also use Bare Metal Foil though you must prepare the surface to get the paint to stay put. Thanks Andy - that reminds me I've read more than one of Neil's threads where he's used solar film. I already have some BMF. I had trouble with paint cracking and flaking off decal film when i tried to use painted decal film on a curved section of canopy. How do you get around that on these two? If you carefully un-peeled the masking tape from the middle of the canopy, and placed it on decal sheet you could cut around it I guess - leaving the inner framing line? Then roughly cut around the periphery and slide onto the canopy with some Microsol. When it's set you could then trim the edges with a new blade. Yes that's a good thought - although I think I'd have to do it in sections. There is enough of a compound curve over the whole of the canopy that the masking tape wouldn't lay flat in one piece. Thinking about it further - what I could have done was put the pre-cut canopy masks (4 pre-cut pieces for the internal demarcation) onto white decal paper and cut around it as you suggest. I'll hold that thought to try on a later build. I remember on at least one of your builds you masked inside the canopy and sprayed the internal frame colour - so as to achieve a matt finish IIRC. I've been thinking about doing that on the JP5 canopy so as to reduce the layers and up of paint needed on the outside. May yet do it - but awfully fiddly. Like the new avatar Steve...!! k An old friend emailed me that photo only a short while ago. Brought back memories and the feeling of sitting in a line of jags ready to wind up the engines and waiting for the start time.....l'll probably post it full size at some point during my jaguar build. The trouble is it looks like I'm scowling and at least you can't see that at avatar size I think it's just cos I'm looking into sun. My wife says it's cos I'm habitually grumpy Edited December 16, 2014 by Fritag 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 My wife says it's cos I'm habitually grumpy Ha, at last we have something in common...!! K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 I thought you were strictly a 1/350 man Crisp Not even I would attempt a ship in 1/48; I like being married and would rather like to stay married! I was strictly 1/72 as a boy, but since my return to modelling a couple of years ago (with a truly awful - and very much undocumented - 1/72 Swordfish to get my hand back in) I have faced the fact that neither my eyes nor my hands are as good as they once were; after all, the reason I stopped flying in the first place was because of arthritis. Not enough room in the house (or patience in the wife) for lots of 1/32, so 1/48 it is. s it happens, there are a lot of obscure Naval aircraft available in 1/48, so it suits me fine. One day I will try the Fisher Models 1/32 Sea Fury, though, space or no space, and probably the Trumpy Swordfish. And obviously if anyone brings out a 1/32 Barracuda... Similarly, much as I admire those people who produce stunning ships in 1/700, I am not destined to be one of their number. Peter Hall is gradually working his way through my old ships; after my Airfix Ark, there is an Atlantic Models Glamorgan (to be finished as Norfolk) and his imminent Leander to be done as Dido. The big gaps are Broadsword (if anyone ever sees the OOP WEM 1/350 Brilliant or Broadsword kit anywhere, but it immediately and I will reimburse you) and (gulp) Fearless. Fearless was the ship in which I went to war, so she's going to have to be a scratch build. Gulp. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_gn Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Re. The internal framing - I only ever paint the insides of the bits that are obvious if the canopy is open i.e. usually just the outer hoops. I don't think I've ever fully masked the inside framework. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I have successfully used the combination of ordinary kitchen alu foil/Microscale Metal foil adhesive for masking canopies. Appy and then trim with a new and sharp #11 scalpel blade along the frames. When the masking is removed, the paint edges are very sharp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) Re. The internal framing - I only ever paint the insides of the bits that are obvious if the canopy is open i.e. usually just the outer hoops. I don't think I've ever fully masked the inside framework. Ah. Now that makes sense. But I also downgrade you in my mind from modelling god grade 1 to modelling god grade 2 (Probably to be upgraded again at some point during the Tornado or some other WIP ) Having filed away some excellent canopy framing/masking tips for future experimentation and use I decided to stick with tamiya tape for the JP5 canopy; partly seeing as it was already in stock so to speak and partly cos I've decided to emulate dr_gn and paint the internal framing colour on the inside of the canopy. The idea being that I'll only then need a thin coat of white primer and white topcoat on the outside thereby increasing the chance of clean edges. And anyway there are glue marks that would be visible on the inside if I only painted the outside of the framing. Well it's a plan anyway. After all that umming and ahhing I only had time to make the inside of the canopy last night Only the front hoop and the bottom horizontal framing need doing so it was simple enough but a little time consuming. Edited December 17, 2014 by Fritag 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I really wish I had your patience and skills This pair are really fantastic with your attention to detail making all the difference. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Was about to say no wonder you're habitually grumpy being stuck in a job you don't enjoy but then again anything after wassing about in a Hawk/Jag/F-16 is going to come as an anti-climax. Also, by 'close scrutiny' just how close are you talking!?! 'Cause let's face it, that canopy is lucky to be an inch long in any direction and therefore massively out of scale on our computer monitors. Perhaps we should all peer at it on a tiny smart-phone screen for full life-sized effect? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 ........after wassing about in a Hawk/Jag/F-16 is going to come as an anti-climax.Ahh - but It's for the young tho' innit. Glad I did it - but I've been at the Bar now a lot longer than I did that - I wasn't cut from the right cloth to be a career officer - and I'm not sure I'd have got any more satisfaction out of being an airline pilot than a Barrister. I ain't complaining (not really )Happy with the internal painting: In goes the rear bulkhead: And a sneaky preview. Still got the external framing to paint. From the rear bulkhead back the canopy is opaque. So - make or break with the external masking & painting Steve 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Exemplary job Steve (saw the word in a book, thunk to mesen' I did, that is as good a description of Fritagging as I ever saw) But what I mean is staggeringly good, the bulkhead thingmy is just brilliant and I must admit I didn't realise it was going inside the Perspex (™ICI). And riding in it Shows me just how little I SEE when I look at things... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Ahh - but It's for the young tho' innit. Glad I did it - but I've been at the Bar now a lot longer than I did that - I wasn't cut from the right cloth to be a career officer - and I'm not sure I'd have got any more satisfaction out of being an airline pilot than a Barrister. I ain't complaining (not really ) Indeed. If you thought being a lawyer wasn't terribly fun, you should try working customer service for them. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshiretaurus Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Exemplary Fritagging Canopy is yet another example of exemplary finest fritagatory. Brilliant stuff Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Shows me just how little I SEE when I look at things... You & me both Bill, I'd never noticed the rear of the canopy being opaque.... Lovely work again Steve, super neat stuff! K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 I'm running out of superlatives here! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Ahh - but It's for the young tho' innit. Glad I did it - but I've been at the Bar now a lot longer than I did that - I wasn't cut from the right cloth to be a career officer - and I'm not sure I'd have got any more satisfaction out of being an airline pilot than a Barrister. I ain't complaining (not really Totally agree; I left later (in age) than you I think - I was 37. Occasionally I used to fall into the "why the hell am I doing this? I could have been wazzing about in a Lynx" trap.... but then I realised that if I'd still been serving a) I'd have been medically grounded; I'd have been too senior to fly; having had a Squadron it was someone else's turn; c) I'd have been a grumpy old fart flying a desk and seemingly impossibly old to the current aircrew; and d) I am an old git. I loved flying in the Navy, and if I had my time again I'd do it again every single time. But I am 55; I am no more suitable to fly an expensive piece of military hardware nowadays than I am to play rugby, start my push towards inevitable rock stardom or sidle up to some gorgeous teenager and ask for her phone number. In all 3 cases the only correct response would be "Sod off, you old git!". In the third case followed by a swift call to the police to look out for the dirty old man. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) After a few nights off for pre-christmas socialising (hic) I managed to get some time in today and pretty much finish off the last major sub assembly - the JP5 canopy. Masked: Airbrushed: Unmasked + rivet decals to simulate the prominant screws + handles. You can't see it very well in this photo but the front hoop is cream coloured as is a thin strip next to the clear sections: And test fitted. Needs a little light weathering to match the rest of the airframe: I'm pretty pleased with the slightly 'flared' effect that sticking streched sprue around the bottom of the canopy has given it. Only thing left to do is stick on various PE and plastic aerials and lamps - oh and the bang seat top handles: Nearly there... Edited December 21, 2014 by Fritag 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Nearly there and nearly perfect Does the starter work? Bet it does when Santa's elves come visiting in a couple of days, they'll be zipping round the room all night 'til the old chap calls 'em back to the sleigh I just can't get over the way you make these things happen and make them look so right well done Awesome modelling b 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milktrip Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Awesome indeed. Its been a pleasure to watch this WIP. Your skill knows no bounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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