Revell 1/48 B17G

[MalX]

the vac formed canopy is going well, the existing roof is cut right back close to the turret and lowered 1/2mm by sanding it down, to allow for the vac formed plastic to sit at the right height and giving it a good glueing area....

 

that below shows you how to do it, it looks drastic but it's not that hard, as long as you protect that area with masking tape !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.swannysmodels.com/YB40.html

 

i've also got a replacement turret top too, i've added more weathering to her as well,........i wouldn't have had to do any of this if Revell had got back to me with my spare parts request form.............but no, they're pretty damned useless.

 

i'm going to use 1mm slithers of painted tamiya tape for all the frames, i'll seal it in with gloss lacquer.

she doesn't look like my photos any more, she's dustier looking, because i sprayed her with very fine light grey and then ragged it over, it took ages to get it how i liked............but now she looks totally wrong in pure Matt, she needs wiping over with an oily rag and then wiping off to leave a fine sheen of gloss, this should work great because she has a rough porous finish already.

 

see below, because it's deffo not matt, esp around the engines, Polishing ? no that's too smooth and shiny, it looks  patchy and scruffy............the underside is ok right now, it's the green topside that looks lifeless, even so the fueselage still looks mattish but the engines and parts of the wing look shiny, probably from polishing her due to all her displays and general maintenance work........good grief, the underside of the wing is gloss; all of it, look at my 2nd link .............. sod that 

 

i bet that's gloss on the underside because it's easier to maintain, no way is mine going to be gloss on the underside, i'm getting too nerdy  

 

 

http://www.thehdpilot.com/photo-article.aspx?id=133

http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/Airshows 2012/Indy Exec Texas Raiders.htm

 

 

Edited January 15, 2017 by MalX

[woody37]

If you can get your hands on some Future or Johnstons clear, a light spray of that can bring a sheen back the more you apply, the more gloss it will become. I've even dipped a bit on paper towel and rubbed it acrosss the surface.

 

might have to get the vac canopy set for mine.

[MalX]

1 hour ago, woody37 said:

If you can get your hands on some Future or Johnstons clear, a light spray of that can bring a sheen back the more you apply, the more gloss it will become. I've even dipped a bit on paper towel and rubbed it acrosss the surface.

 

might have to get the vac canopy set for mine.

the vac formed canopy needs carefully trimming out, but it doesn't mark or scratch like the kit windows, it's a very flexible thin tough plastic 

 

the only big problem is what glue to use.....it looks like Araldite, because Superglue will make it go foggy on the inside

[Fifer54]

2 hours ago, MalX said:

 

 

. . . the only big problem is what glue to use.....it looks like Araldite, because Superglue will make it go foggy on the inside

 

 

Try Micro Kristal Klear (from the MicroSet/Sol people) or Formula 560 canopy glue or failing those, some generic PVA glue . . .

[SleeperService]

I'd follow MadNurseGaz's suggestion or use Humbrol Clearfix. That's my weapon of choice for vac-form canopies.

 

When cutting them out use a new knife blade very gently with several passes to cut through, filling the inside with bluetack helps as well.

 

I've got four to build they are quite addictive and remarkably accurate kits.

[bentwaters81tfw]

1/32 Revell Mossie vac canopy framed with Tamiya tape. Sealed with Clear. Done about 3 years ago.

 

[Greenshirt]

2 hours ago, MalX said:

the only big problem is what glue to use.....it looks like Araldite, because Superglue will make it go foggy on the inside

 

I use Gators Grip, an acrylic glue. Dries clear and is rock hard. Water soluble so can be applied with a brush, thinned, and  it wicks into the gaps between the vac canopy and kit. 

[MalX]

 

 

there she is  i wiped off the excess araldite with thinners as it squidged out, it fits well but the roof needs a lot of grinding down first, i cant touch her now till tomorrow..........that vac form goes across the roof dead straight and is exactly where the original panel line was..........good she doesn't need blending in the other roof turret busted as well, but i've got another vac form for that also, this model looks nice 

 

do not cut the windscreen out of the roof vac form, because it springs right open and you cant glue it in without making a horrible mess, you have to cut the roof off instead, it's the only way

 

the vac form is far more transparent than the kit's, so you can now see inside and my cockpits are rubbish..............DAMN IT 

 

[MalX]

1 hour ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

1/32 Revell Mossie vac canopy framed with Tamiya tape. Sealed with Clear. Done about 3 years ago.

 

that's the way to do it, i've got all the vac formed turrets, so i can deffo do all the front end, because the vac formed nose is way better than the kits.

Edited January 15, 2017 by MalX

[bentwaters81tfw]

A combination of Eduard mask and Clear. Attached with Micro Kristal Klear or Humbrol Clearfix.

 

[MalX]

as i thought, the Araldite still hasn't cured, it's supposed to be a 10 minute cure but in this cold damp weather more like tomorrow, my spare room upstairs is freezing, you have to mix it really well or it wont cure............right now it's tacky so it's deffo curing.

 

you get a dead straight edge with that window frame tape, i cant wait to try it out tomorrow.

 

the B17 looks big and awesome, i think i'll buy another one  but what else is there ? well there's the Tropical BF109G, and then to maybe redo my existing Spit and vulcan........................i think these 4 are my fav aircraft, the Vulcan is a good strong model but it's a dreadful kit, esp the massive wing gap to fill on the top. 

 

two BF109s..........two B17s...........new vulcan.............new spit 

 

 

[MalX]

i'm very pleased with that painted tamiya tape window frame idea, it only took 5 mins to put it on the turret roof and it looks BRILLIANT, thanks guys  i've never seen glass look as good as this, i will never do canopies any other way from now on, because the frames are so damned tidy looking..................the roof is also painted and finished, the Araldite has worked a treat.

 

any other B17 should be easy from now on..............because the windows at the end ALWAYS ruined it, i'm tempted to use Vac- form from now on, it just doesn't mark and it's so flexible as well, the kit glass is useless, you can even scuff it with clean fingers and it's as brittle as hell.

 

here's a tip :- if you're gonna use Vac- form.....buy two sets per model, because it's very easy for the blade to slip whilst you're trimming it out , the Vac Form comes from the USA and thus it takes 2 weeks to get here.....http://www.jaysmodelkits.com/jaysmk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=102_104&sort=20a&filter_id=18&page=6

 

it's nice to build something that's going right for once  

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by MalX

[woody37]

On 15/01/2017 at 11:37 AM, MalX said:

the vac formed canopy needs carefully trimming out, but it doesn't mark or scratch like the kit windows, it's a very flexible thin tough plastic 

 

the only big problem is what glue to use.....it looks like Araldite, because Superglue will make it go foggy on the inside

That's another benefit of Johnstons Kleer, stops superglue from fogging up clear parts. I always dip mine and let them air dry. It also brings the shine out more too.

[MalX]

41 minutes ago, woody37 said:

That's another benefit of Johnstons Kleer, stops superglue from fogging up clear parts. I always dip mine and let them air dry. It also brings the shine out more too.

that's what i need next Johnstons clear !.............i use the clear Humbrol Acrylic gloss (in a bottle) 

 

 

[MalX]

she aint looking good, i shined her up too much, she needs semi- matting back down tomorrow, the wings are fine, it's the fueselage and underside that's too gloss, the underside is a 10 second spray job to fix but the fueselage will be tricky, it needs to be sprayed matt at range without loosing the gloss, because the Matt fueselage as before looks wrong, i could get it by masking off panels too, the ones that look ok in gloss

[SleeperService]

13 hours ago, MalX said:

she aint looking good, i shined her up too much, she needs semi- matting back down tomorrow, the wings are fine, it's the fueselage and underside that's too gloss, the underside is a 10 second spray job to fix but the fueselage will be tricky, it needs to be sprayed matt at range without loosing the gloss, because the Matt fueselage as before looks wrong, i could get it by masking off panels too, the ones that look ok in gloss

I've seen a lot of models on displays that look fantastic with careful use of this technique.

 

It may also be worth experimenting with a fine mist of a neutral blue-grey which will tone down the gloss and soften the colours a bit. Once dry you can remove the overspray from the transparent areas that would be kept clean.  

[Work In Progress]

On 16/01/2017 at 7:27 PM, MalX said:

that's what i need next Johnstons clear !.............i use the clear Humbrol Acrylic gloss (in a bottle) 

 

 

Try this

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/20286/Quick-Shine-Floor-Finish

[MalX]

she's a write off i'm afraid  i couldn't get it............so much work wasted.

 

it took too much matt lacquer to tone it down, she's got far too much paint on her now, i've lost the flat level smooth look and the cockpit area isn't quite right also.

 

i did actually spray wash her with grey, that was a disaster, it killed the contrast and made the black exhaust streaks go dark dusty grey........she basically looked dusty all over, as if she'd been hanging from the ceiling for a year.

that's what i was after, stark contrast with a semi-shine especially on her wings, but the grey wash killed that look totally.

 

the Revell kit has perfectly fitting wings, so this model can easily be sprayed up with the wings off leaving any slight gap dead easy to hide later on. 

 

this would make her far easier to weather, because it's damned hard to get in close and work on with the wings and props already on, you have to hold her at arms length without banging the other wing and the airbrush cable get caught up on the propellers or the damned guns etc 

 

i'm not sure what to do now

 

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by MalX

[Fifer54]

Don't write her off, Mal! You've put too much work in to do that.

It is possible to strip paint off a model, automotive Brake Fluid is one product that works and doesn't harm the plastic, oven cleaner is another. There's a product (or there used to be) called ModelStrip

marketed as a paint remover for models, but it was very expensive compared to brake fluid or oven cleaner.

I don't know if any of these products would affect the vacform glazing, or the Araldite attaching it.

Unfortunately you'd lose the decals, but you'd get another crack at finishing her.

Whether stripping her, cleaning up and refinishing is a better proposition than starting again with a fresh kit, only you can decide, I just thought I'd make sure you were aware of all the possibilities . . .

[MalX]

thanks but that's too messy, i'd rather start again with the wings off and make her as 3 separate models!

 

this way i'd have the correct kit windows, yes it was one hell of a lot of work, because i had to move the waste gun to a different position, dont forget this was my 2nd Texas Raiders 

 

i'm wary of buying her again, because as soon as you fit the windows that's it, you cant really spray her again and i'm one of those types that keeps fooling around with it, when it should be left alone.

 

it's all a bit sad really ! 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by MalX

[PhoenixII]

 

.

Edited January 18, 2017 by PhoenixII
Should have read the complete piece!

[MalX]

she's savable

i'm redoing her now, all the glass is cleaned off and needs reglossing, the window frames need a pinstripe of olive drab to hide the mess..........unfortunately, they will always look wrong if you look too closely..............i will not touch the windows until last thing.

 

the fueselage has been colour washed already in a brown/flesh tone, she looks slightly similar to the photo above, as scruffy as hell....but the Observation dome area/ front top of the cockpit is cleanish OD, so this will give a great contrast to the orange tint....

 

she's a flip flop of weathering beside clean panels.........she is not a wash on weathering to the whole model/ let dry/ wipe off,...........like you see on Youtube, she's more deliberate and defined, patchy, the fueselage is almost two separate colours, this is probably a photo taken at Sunset and thus a semi trick of the light, even so, it does give an alternate way to weathering it.

 

lets try something different later on...............i'm going to take her into the back garden and rinse over her from the watering can with very muddy water and take a look tomorrow

 

this model is now for fun and practice only............lets see if i can tart her up. 

 

 

BLOODY HELL LOL, but let's see what's left when she's cleaned off with a dry brush tomorrow, it might look brilliant..........but i doubt it LOL 

 

i've remudded it with a 12'' ceiling brush, because the stones might stick to it, she'll probably be to gritty lets wait and see. 

Edited January 19, 2017 by MalX

[MalX]

 

 

IT'S WORKED, it looks stunning and it's dead easy to clean up and redo, that needs fine tuning later, new OD panels put back in and it's there 

 

the wing needs much more removing/ reworking but the fueselage looks great as is, sealing it in will be interesting, this started off as a joke but it actually looks like real weathering, i'm really fired up now 

 

it'll have to be sealed in well, because it needs rewashing, the interior is full of mud 

 

20 mins later:-

 

the wing is cleaned up now and some of fueselage panels too, it's dead easy with a wide flat brush, the dirt comes off with one stroke, next big job tomorrow is to mask the windows and spray her.

Edited January 19, 2017 by MalX

[MalX]

 

it didn't work, the Acrylic lacquer killed the chalky finish,  but i manages to get a perfectly smooth satin finish, so along with the extra OD Panels i did this morning, she definitely looks far better than before.....but she had quite an amazing finish before i sprayed her, it's also amazing how clean she looks now considering how chalky she was before......................WINDOWS NEXT 

 

 

[mike romeo]

Great perseverance, Mal!  I really hope this turns out well for you, given the amount of work you've put in.

 

We're all rooting for you!

 

Regards

 

Martin