Jump to content

My First Proper Model - Airfix Fairey Battle Mk1 1:72


Recommended Posts

I have recently taken up modelling again. I had built a few models as a child, but nothing serious. It has taken me a good few years to get back into the hobby again after getting the initial craving to build something. After looking at models online and following BM forums I decided to take the plunge!

I've found myself with a bit of spare time and money so I decided to be brave and splash out on an airbursh. I thought that if I didn't enjoy doing this build I would be able to shift the kit I bought on ebay, however I have loved making this model and already see my purchase as a wide investment!

I decided to build an Airfix 1:72 Fairy Battle Mk1 as my initial practise build. I wasn't too worried about making mistakes on this, it was all about learning a few tricks of the trade. I've had this kit stashed away for a number of years and I'm finally glad to see it built.

Anyone who has built the Airfix Battle will know that it's not that great a kit. It's very inaccurate and, as I found, the parts don't come together very well. The detailing isn't fantastic either, there are a lot of raised lines and huge rivets, which made applying decals a bit of a pain.

So enough chat, here a few photos. Please be critical and give any advice you may have, after all, this is all about picking up skills and tips for me!

imagejpg20_zpsb77d2c69.jpg

imagejpg19_zpsaf707d08.jpg

imagejpg13_zpsc96f785c.jpg

imagejpg13_zpsc96f785c.jpg

  • Like 18
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this is your first model since your return to the hobby, then congratulations and if this is your first attempt at airbrushing then double congratulations. As you say the old, nea very old Airfix kit is a shocker so pat yourself on the back for that too. I I may, one item that sticks out literally is the landing light glasing on the satrboard wing, you giot the other one right. Care with those sort of parts prior to final assembley will always reward in a better looking model.

Didn't Fairey's build some ugly aircraft in those days?

Colin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I absolutely love it. It has almost made me weep with nostalgia.

On a technical level, from what I can see your building standards are excellent in terms of fit and finish, seam lines etc. It is a remarkably tidy job and you have done well to get it all together while preserving so much of the evocative rivet and panel line detail

Since you asked for nit-picking, I would say your camo demarcation lines could stand to be a little tighter, and you would achieve in 1/72 that using paper / tape masks with the edges *just barely* raised. I can;t see anything else that I would do differently in an out-of-the-box attempt at that kit.

Really lovely to see it, thanks for showing.

EDIT: Someone else has just spotted the dodgy fit of the landing light cover. Chances are you can get that out and turn it the other way up . If not, then the killer thing to do is cut out a tiny rectangle from the non-stretchy plastic cellophane-style wrapping material that birthday card come wrapped in from the shop. Cut about 1mm oversize all way round (practice with the sticky part of a post-it not until you get the shape right), attach with the faintest dob of contact adhesive and touch in the paint around the edges.

Edited by Work In Progress
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rather unusual subject.

Pretty good building and painting for a first proper model.

I like alot the picture with the grass on the background.

This kit was certainly not the easier to back in the hobby, congratulations !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you've done yourself proud with this kit as a starter, the paint job and weathering is very good, the clear parts are a bit cloudy but then this kit isn't great, I believe Falcon do a vacform canopy for the battle in 1/72 which you could have used instead, but for an out of the box kit you've done a really good job, as heloman1 says the landing light could have been worked on a bit to get a slightly better fit with the wing but I really think that's it in terms of anything you could have done differently.

Seem and join lines are invisible, paint job is very good, weathering is subtle but looks right, decals look good, awesome!

Well done, I look forward to seeing your next model!

Rich

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the great comments and pointers!

The SB landing light is sitting a little proud as mentioned above. I only push-fitted it in so I will take it out and shave it down slightly.

The clear plastic parts went slightly duller when I varnished it. I used Klear polish which has given it an almost frosted appearance. I think a little dab of turps on a rag would clean it off. I'm going to make a list of problems and tips which I've encountered whilst building this to help any fellow novices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I think the canopy looks fine: the slight frostiness is not excessive and discourages the observer from noticing the yawning absence of interior detail provided by the kit. The Falcon set is excellent for clarity but does rather force you into prettying up the insides.

Edited by Work In Progress
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, what have a learnt from making this model?

- As I've mentioned above I bought an airbrush and compressor before even starting this model and I'm glad I did. I was a little unsure at first as it's a big investment and I didn't know what I was doing. After a little online reading and watching a few videos I was ready to go.

- Humbrol filler worked well to fill any seam lines or gaps. I applied it with a cocktail stick, smearing it into the gaps. Then letting it dry over night before sanding. Airbrushing shows all any flaws a lot more so in the future I'd maybe take a little longer perfecting this.

- Humbrol paints were a nightmare for me. I couldn't get the right mix and kept getting blockages. Vallejo Model Colour worked well, using their thinner In a 50/50 mix. Vallejo primer spayed straight from the bottle. The primer was great however I did get one scratch in it and it doesn't sand down well so be careful with it!

- Canopies scratch very easy, and getting rid of flash or mold marks was difficult. I need to invest in some very fine sanding sticks and compounds to rub out any scratches. When I applied Klear it frosted the canopy so I think I will leave it masked up until last. When masking canopies make sure you use a brand new very sharp scalpel or knife. The blade I started with wasn't perfect and it made things messy.

- Decals like to be applied to a flat, smooth, glossy surface. Applying a varnish (or Klear) before hand will help. Micro sol also helped my decals melt into a detailing of the model. One my decals were on they had a bright shine compared to my paint work. I brushed on some matt varnish to tone them down. Then brought them back up to a satin finish using Klear again.

- When trying to airbrush Humbrol matt varnish (I Imagine this will be the same for their satin and gloss varnishes?) my airbrush just blocked immediately and was a complete pain to clean. I ended up stripping it and soaking it in white spirit over night.

I hope some of this information may be of use to any other novice out there! And if anyone has any tips for me, or questions, fire away!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done for a first build. That is no mean feat with this kit.

I am personally allergic to the myriad of rivets these old kits display. A good work out with sand paper restores a lot of the delicacy of the shapes, especially on a 1/72 model. Even rescribed lines can be seen as redundant at such a small scale, but they do look nice!

Well, just my opinion, for what it's worth. But the decals will be much easier to apply...

Great job.

JR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

Dont airbrush Klear on your canopies, brush it on.

Get yourself some Windsor & Newton Galeria acrylic varnish, bottle of matt and a bottle of gloss, you can mix it to give the sheen you want then, thin it 50/50 with isopropyl alcohol.

Get another airbrush that you just use for varnish, stops rogue spots of colour turning up in your varnish cotes.

For primer try using Halfords aerosol primers. they dry quite quickly and can be sanded without them peeling off like acrylic paint does.

for polishing canopies get something like 12000 grit micromesh sanding cloth to finish polish them.

for things like your wing light, fit it and sand it to shape then mask it before painting.

Have to say that your Battle is a great build and you obviously have what it takes to produce beautiful models. I look forward to seeing your future work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm very impressed with the canopy frame painting, which is very neat, especially as the aircraft has a lot of it.

Is it my eyes, or is the propeller not at right angles to the body? If you leave them free to rotate this often happens as the shaft is usually too sloppy. I always glue my propellers on after painting (using PVA glue) and make sure they are straight. PVA glue is good as it can be disassembled and doesn't attack any paintwork.

Stewart

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a great return to the hobby and you certainly did,nt pick a kit without faults but great job.The good news is there are dozens of new tool

Airfix kits at great prices released over the last few years to enhance your skills with so enjoy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a good build for a long term returnee. And the fact that you picked such a difficult kit makes it all the more impressive.

I don't have too much to add to the advice over the above but I would emphasise that dipping canopies in clear gives the best result.

I also remove ALL river detail from these old rivet infested kits. I don't tend to rescribe, relying on tonal differences to the paint to try and break up the monotony of the paintwork.

My technique for landing light covers is to discard the kit supplied piece completely. What I do is cut a rectangle of Sellotape (Scotch Tape to some) larger than but as close in size to the landing light aperture as possible. I carefully place the rectangle over the aperture making sure not to get any fingermarks on the tape. The self adhesive quality ensures that it should stay in place.

I then trim the edges as close to the edge of the hole as I can using a sharp Swann Morton curved blade.

To ensure that the tape doesn't come off over time, I then brush around the edges very lightly with Klear/Future - which acts as a mild glue and sealant.

So far, none of the lights I have made this way have come off. The oldest model on which I tried this technique is about 5 years old now.

The benefit of this method is that the light cover is nice and clear and has a scale resemblance to the thin perspex that covers these old style lights. Before attaching the light cover, I usually punch out a disc of bright foil and glue it in place to represent the circular reflector that most of these lights had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again for all the great comments and pointers! I'm already building a small collection of kits and I'm eager to start them, the hard part is choosing which to do. Im determined to start a model and build it completely without getting distracted and moving onto another. This could be easier said than done though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...