Curtiss P40-B Warhawks Airfix 1:72 First build in 40 years!

[GeordieMc]

Hello everyone. This is the sorry tale of my attempts to built this aircraft after a rather long break (and I never was much good as a boy). The kit is the Airfix Dogfight Double with the Curtiss and a Zero in it.

I began by giving most parts a coat of Humbrol grey primer from a can. The result seemed okay for a first go. I never used to prime parts and always brushed straight on. Probably why I always got a terrible result.

The first pic is before priming and the next shows the primed wings with the inside of the wheel bays painted Yellow from the pots of Humbrol acrylic supplied in the kit.

My main purpose for the kit was to try some new techniques such as using filler and airbrushing. I never considered these when I was young but decided if I was to make progress I had to dive in.

I gave the upper part a quick brush to give it a darker base coat and filled a few gaps with Lilliput. I sanded them down but needed to make a much better of job of this as was revealed by further painting.

I hand brushed the prop with Vallejo metallic acrylic (Steel front and black rear) but think I need to thin this a lot more. The finish is poor and I think I will airbrush in future.

I mixed the kit's Humbrol acrylics with isopropyl alcohol at 50:50 and added a drop of Vallejo retarder. I then airbrushed the top and bottom of the aircraft with 3 fine coats. This was w my first ever attempt with an airbrush. It was a cheap one that came free with the compressor. I used about 20psi and stayed about 3 inches from the model. I was pleased with the result for a first go.

I thought the gaps where the wings joined the fuselage were too large and that I would try to sort this by adding some Revell Contacta and then using elastic bands to pull the wings up. This worked okay and gave a nice dihedral to the wings. Not sure if its accurate though.

I then applied a gloss coat using Humbrol clear gloss. Again i airbrushed it on in a couple of fine coats.

Time to add decals. I was dreading this as I remember the trials I used to have with them in my youth. I had bought some Microset and Microsol to try and duly set about the task.

Most went on well (for me anyway) but the really tiny ones were a pain. Some were the size of a full stop and I have to admit that I omitted some as my frustration got the better of me. However, the Microset and Microsol seemed to help a lot.

I then tried using Klear polish for a sealing coat before adding my hopeless attempts at weathering. I really had no idea here so just added an umber wash to panel lines and in a few nooks and crannies.

I put some behind the exhausts too. Roughed the paint work up a bit with a toothpick and small bits of sand paper.

Finally gave it a couple of coats of Vallejo matte acrylic and added the fragile undercarriage and thought to myself what a mess I'd just made as I forgot to mask the cockpit before spraying the matte coat. Ah well, lesson learnt.

So what did I learn? Airbrushing is going to be the way forward for me. Loved this part. I need to learn how to properly mask canopies. My old eyes are not good enough for really tiny decals. I need to learn the proper weathering techniques. Most of all I learned that I love making models and can't wait to start the next one.

[David Womby]

Welcome back to the hobby! Nice result for a first one after so many years. Keep at it.

David

[stevej60]

That,s a great start for a first time Airbrush,It,s all about practice and getting the mix right and finding method's that suit,I use decorators flexi

filler for wing join,s etc and hand brush canopy frame's then scrape off the excess with a cocktail stick(if there is a well defined frame) look forward

to seeing more builds in the future!

Edited November 16, 2015 by stevej60

[Darby]

'Most of all I learned that I love making models and can't wait to start the next one.'

My thoughts exactly. Now, how about a Roden Gotha for the next one?

[GeordieMc]

Thanks for the kind encouragement guys. Think the Zero from the same box will be next, but already got 3 1:48 kits in my stash, a Sabre, Starfighter and Mossi. Put a few more on my Christmas list. I'm adopting the idea that the more you build the more you learn. With the help and advice on here thrown in I'm hoping to have something much better in the not too distant future.