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Starting again at Zero


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After a 40 year, or thereabouts, gap I have taken to the sticking things together and throwing paint at the result to see if it resembles anything like the instructions says it should.

My main issue with this build was with the decals...

  1. the silvering effect, especially the red lines on the wings
  2. tried my hardest to get the yellow flashes on the wings to wrap around but failed spectacularly resulting in cracks and tears in places.  Have thought about a paint touch up but is this wise?  If so what colour will match? 

Any suggestions, advise etc...

 

20161009_143734_zpsjin5ewy6.jpg

 

20161009_143843_zps1i5pvvnq.jpg

 

20161009_143827_zpsdezgu15u.jpg

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Looks pretty good to me.

 

My suggestion is to mask and paint the yellow ID bands. I tried to use similar decals on my Typhoon and it was just impossible. Painting is far easier by comparison.

 

As for silvering, you just need to make sure you've got a few coats of clear gloss down first. I use Humbrol Clear. Those wing walkways are always a problem but if you can get the surface as smooth and shiny as possible it'll really help.

 

Welcome to the forum too!

 

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A surefire way to cure silvering is to put the decals down onto wet Future/Kleer. As it dries, it fills up all the voids underneath the decal. Starting with as sooth and glossy a finish as you can get is also absolutely required.

Edited by Jessica
Spel chekur fail
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Did you try using a decal setting solution? I always use Microset & Microsol when decalling, they really help with adhesion and helping decals settle around curves on wings / fuselages etc. Saying that, I've had issues with the decals in my last few Airfix builds, as they seem quite thick and reluctant to behave as I would like!

 

I'd also echo what others have said about having a properly glossy surface on which to start putting decals. Silvering is one of those things that is really irritating when it happens, but it can usually be avoided.

 

Nice Zero!

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Guys,

 

Thanks for the replies.  I think from what you are saying to me that I need to put more prep time in to ensure the surface is really smooth before I apply the decals.  I did use Humbrol decalfix to apply them but maybe not in the right way. 

 

I was pretty pleased with the result but I know it can be improved and is way off the standard of some of the dispalys on here!

 

Again thanks for the guidance.

 

Simon

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After 40 years that is great going. 

 

Agree with Ian on the yellow. Anything like that strips etc without any patterns such as roundels ie plain I use paint. They never look realistic in decalform and are usually a pain to apply.

 

Matter of interest on yellow. Last helicopter which had yellow tips on the rotors. Yellow is, with white, the most difficult paint to cover the paint underneath which shines through until the 3rd or4th coat of yellow.

 

I am a fan of Stylrez Badgers primer which is the best primer I have found. I have the yellow which I thought I would use as a first coat. As it happened that is all that I needed the depth is perfect obliterating the base colour of the rotor. Just one coat did the job.

 

Laurie

 

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Cracking build Simon,welcome back to the world of modelling! and that's a good start,keep it simple while you find your feet,try a bottle of

Humbrol gloss coat thinned with enamel thinners or give their clear a try which brushes on out of the bottle(use a flat brush if you have one)

two coats and you should get a lovely surface to decal and when and if you want to the surface is ready for a wash into the panel lines.once 

your decals are on a couple of thinned Humbrol matt coat's should do it,most of the guys here have their favoured gloss and matt  finishes 

but Humbrol is a good starting point,and I have to agree with the other's I mask and paint yellow surfaces like this every time.

 

Edited by stevej60
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