Taking the war to the Reich- Airfix B-17 style

[Antb]

Evening all, 

 

Have been progressing with painting over the past few days and have now got the decals on. 

 

The red hasn't gone on quite as well as I had wanted it to and when I glued the rear access door into the fuselage I dropped some glue onto the tail by accident and didn't notice until it had dried, which has caused an issue but I can live with it. 

 

Ive gone for some chipping which I'm hoping looks ok. I wanted the silver to show through where the red was wearing away, I hope I have got this looking ok and not too much. 

 

For some reason, the silver didn't like the gloss coat going on , it didn't sit properly and seemed to spread as plastic does when it hasn't been washed but it's painted... if that makes sense? So I braved it and didn't gloss ready for the decals apart from the red and the olive drab where it went on fine. 

 

Im pretty happy overall, so here are the pics. Weathering to be done once the decals have settled properly and I've put some gloss on the decals to seal them in. 

 

Waist guns, engines and landing gear to be built and then we're about done. 

 

Here's the pics 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

just noticed the red looks very orange, it isn't it's definitely red 

 

Edited January 28, 2017 by Antb

[Beard]

It's looking rather splendid.

[Antb]

1 minute ago, Beard said:

It's looking rather splendid.

 

Thank you 

[Thom216]

Awesome sauce!

 

Someone should name a bomber that. Really!

[stever219]

Thanks for the warning about the paint: I'm going to acquire thevHumbrol acrylic aluminium for a couple of big projects where brush painting won't cut the mustard.  From a discussion in our local model shop today spraying warmed paint in a cool room may be the solution.

 

 You look to have done really well with this, and I wish I'd made such good progress as you have.  Unfortunately Airfix released the Victor just after the B-17 and, as my favorite V-bomber, that had to take precedence.

[Antb]

9 hours ago, stever219 said:

Thanks for the warning about the paint: I'm going to acquire thevHumbrol acrylic aluminium for a couple of big projects where brush painting won't cut the mustard.  From a discussion in our local model shop today spraying warmed paint in a cool room may be the solution.

 

 You look to have done really well with this, and I wish I'd made such good progress as you have.  Unfortunately Airfix released the Victor just after the B-17 and, as my favorite V-bomber, that had to take precedence.

 

Thats interesting re warming the paint, certainly something to bear in mind. 

 

Good luck with the Victor, have heard it's a biggie even at 1/72

 

cheers 

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Hey Ant

Well I must say that looks rather splendid! I'm starting mine later on today so I'll be using your post as a reference if you don't mind old chap?

Keep at it she's gonna be a stunner 

Cheers

Iain

[stever219]

Apparently warming the paint reduces its viscosity so it sprays more easily, the trick is not to overdo it (It works for household paints to be applied by brush or roller too: guess how I know).  Dunk your can(s) in a bowl of hot, but not boiling, water for about 10 minutes and you should be OK but you might need to experiment first.

 

Spraying in conditions that are too warm gets the paint drying between nozzle and model, unless you can spray at a comparatively low pressure, giving the paint a lower velocity and reducing the evaporation rate of the carrier medium.  It's a bit of a balancing act.

 

Thanks for your good wishes: the Victor is 19" long (only slightly shorter than my daughter when she was born) and 20" wingspan (slightly longer than her).  It's a splendid beast of a model though and it's remarkably easy to build (so far).  It looks like Airfix have provisioned for a "straight" B. 2, an SR. 2 and a K. 2 from this kit, so there'll be even more fun to be had.  The biggest problem so far has been getting the wing centre section saddle to fit neatly into the upper fuselage but around. 30 minutes' work carefully filing, sanding and fiddling has sorted that out.  The intakes are a quantum leap from the old a matchbox/Revell K. 2 (as they should be 40 years later).  The next problem really is going to be where to park the finished monster!

Edited January 29, 2017 by stever219
Extra bits

[Antb]

5 hours ago, (ex)Sgtrafman said:

Hey Ant

Well I must say that looks rather splendid! I'm starting mine later on today so I'll be using your post as a reference if you don't mind old chap?

Keep at it she's gonna be a stunner 

Cheers

Iain

 

Absolutely iain, of any of my build can help then that's great. 

 

looking forward to seeing your progress. And thanks for the kind comments

 

4 hours ago, stever219 said:

Apparently warming the paint reduces its viscosity so it sprays more easily, the trick is not to overdo it (It works for household paints to be applied by brush or roller too: guess how I know).  Dunk your can(s) in a bowl of hot, but not boiling, water for about 10 minutes and you should be OK but you might need to experiment first.

 

Spraying in conditions that are too warm gets the paint drying between nozzle and model, unless you can spray at a comparatively low pressure, giving the paint a lower velocity and reducing the evaporation rate of the carrier medium.  It's a bit of a balancing act.

 

Thanks for your good wishes: the Victor is 19" long (only slightly shorter than my daughter when she was born) and 20" wingspan (slightly longer than her).  It's a splendid beast of a model though and it's remarkably easy to build (so far).  It looks like Airfix have provisioned for a "straight" B. 2, an SR. 2 and a K. 2 from this kit, so there'll be even more fun to be had.  The biggest problem so far has been getting the wing centre section saddle to fit neatly into the upper fuselage but around. 30 minutes' work carefully filing, sanding and fiddling has sorted that out.  The intakes are a quantum leap from the old a matchbox/Revell K. 2 (as they should be 40 years later).  The next problem really is going to be where to park the finished monster!

 

Thanks for the tips. I might not need to worry about spray cans for much longer. This should be my last build without an airbrush.

 

Saw Paul today and my word airbrushing is the future I'm certain. Just need to decide which brush and compressor I want. 

 

My next build will be a German aircraft so might have chance for a mottled scheme 

 

Storage certainly is an issue. The B-17 will only just fit in my cabinet so don't envy having to find space for a bird as big as the Victor! 

 

Out of interest, have you posted your build on the forum as don't recall seeing anything? 

 

[stever219]

My pleasure.  You lucky chap: I have nowhere in which to use an airbrush so hairy sticks and surreptitious spray cans in the back garden on sunny days (whatever they are) will be my painting future for now.

 

Paul' a splendid fellow and he'll always take the time to help you get the right equipment, and provide the necessary support (spares, consumables, etc.).

 

ideal for a bit of airbrush practice: did I see an Airfix '109 in your stash earlier?

 

Tell me!  I presently don't have a shelf wide enough to get her on without too large a proportion protruding (oo-er missus!).  Once finished she's been offered a temporary home in a display cabinet or the window of our local model & ironmongery shop.

 

I've not posted the build because I have no idea how to post images!  In my last job I was reputed to be able to break IT kit just by being on the same planet.  I opened a Photobucket account, but the problems that others have had with PB really have put me off.  Now I'm not working I might find time to learn how to "do" pictures too, when I've finished all of the "little" jobs that the present Mrs Steve has lined up for me.

 

i hope you enjoyed the show today: any chance you' ll get to Peterborough or Milton Keynes?  I'd love to see your Fortress in the plastic when she's done.

[Antb]

1 hour ago, stever219 said:

My pleasure.  You lucky chap: I have nowhere in which to use an airbrush so hairy sticks and surreptitious spray cans in the back garden on sunny days (whatever they are) will be my painting future for now.

 

Paul' a splendid fellow and he'll always take the time to help you get the right equipment, and provide the necessary support (spares, consumables, etc.).

 

ideal for a bit of airbrush practice: did I see an Airfix '109 in your stash earlier?

 

Tell me!  I presently don't have a shelf wide enough to get her on without too large a proportion protruding (oo-er missus!).  Once finished she's been offered a temporary home in a display cabinet or the window of our local model & ironmongery shop.

 

I've not posted the build because I have no idea how to post images!  In my last job I was reputed to be able to break IT kit just by being on the same planet.  I opened a Photobucket account, but the problems that others have had with PB really have put me off.  Now I'm not working I might find time to learn how to "do" pictures too, when I've finished all of the "little" jobs that the present Mrs Steve has lined up for me.

 

i hope you enjoyed the show today: any chance you' ll get to Peterborough or Milton Keynes?  I'd love to see your Fortress in the plastic when she's done.

 

Yep I've recently got myself an airfix 109 in 1/48. My plan is for that and the 110 to be the first aircraft to be airbrushed with the typhoon following down the line. After trying the airbrush I think a mottled scheme might be on the cards which I couldn't dream of with a brush. 

 

I use photobucket and haven't had any issues with it. Yet. I'm sure I will do but for now it works ok. I had never used anything like that before and it was new to me but once you get rolling it's relatively straight forward, even on the iPad I use. 

 

The show was good, there were so many kits and I could have spent a fortune but the airbrush was my main reason for the visit and I managed to keep my wallet in my pocket. I had the Mrs and my young son with me so that always helps with the non spending. Although my son did end up with a corgi car that he's been playing with and hasn't put down all day. My wife did say when we left that if I had seen a kit I wanted she would have bought it me, wish I had had a proper look, I could have found something. Ha ha. 

 

Have to admit, I don't know about Milton Keynes or Peterborough, assuming they are shows? Depending when they are I might see if I'm free and come down. More than happy to bring the B17 for you to have a look at, but it's really nothing special. 

 

Getting the victor in the LMS will be great! What scheme are you going for? 

[Antb]

Hey guys, 

 

the build continues to progress at a steady a steady rate and I have some more pictures to share with you. 

 

The bomb bay bay doors come in one piece so this got razor sawn in half. I haven't attached this as yet as I have enough on with constantly knocking the rear guns off and didn't need anything else to knock off! These have been placed to one side ready for a coat of silver just before attaching. 

 

 

 

 

The wheels got a coat of aluminium which have actually since been painted fully and placed in the wheel wells in the UP position. This bird is going to fly. 

The wheels are quite nice actually, they are bulged and would look nice with the undercarriage down and the clean up wasn't too bad on them. Nice and simple. 

 

 

Then came the fun bit. The entire model was given a very liberal coat of flory dark dirt. As you can see it didn't want to sit properly (as the gloss coat didn't) but it actually dried really well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here she is after the flory had dried and had been removed. One thing I have noticed is that it's knocked the silver right back but I like the effect that it's left. 

 

 

So,e light weathering to the tail 

 

 

Deliberately left more underneath 

 

 

This photo shows the patchy effect that has been left

 

 

And the effect of the weathering on the top. 

 

 

And the last one

 

 

i do have a confession to make though. I only applied the stencils to the top of the aircraft, the rest were so small that I decided not to add them on. I don't think I will regret not adding them as they are hardly noticeable really. I think if it was a bigger scale then I would have added them. 

 

Lazy modelling, in truth. 

 

Waist guns, bomb bay doors, engines and props to engines to sort and then done. 

 

Grateful as ever for any feedback, both bad and good. 

 

EDIT: almost forgot, I've started taking the paint masks off...... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2017 by Antb

[stever219]

Sorry Ant, this was my reply to your post of 6.50 yesterday evening.  for some reason it didn't go when I hit "send".

 

The '109's a nice kit, easy to build and generally accurate.  If you have the version with markings for Adolfo Galland's aeroplane you can start practicing your mottling on that.

 

i think there are two versions of Photobucket and the more expensive(?) option seems to be the better.  I'll have to get one of our club members to give me a tutorial.

 

Shows and spending money go hand n hand, but it's good that you found your son something that he obviously enjoys.  I think my wife only came to one show with me and vowed never again.  Now all I have to do is sneak my show purchases past her......

 

Yes Peterborough and Milton Keynes are shows; the former is on March 5th this year and MK is sometime in April.  I've just looked at your avatar and Chesterfield may well be a bit of a flog for you, especially if you're bringing a B-17 with you.

 

The plan for the Victor is to finish her as XL231 in the Dark Green and Medium Sea Grey camouflage with White undersides and Wittering Wng lion on the fin, typical of the last Victor QRA aircraft.  There's a picture of her in that scheme in the Osprey "Victor Units of the Cold War" just after take off as the undercarriage is starting to retract.

 

Your dirt wash seems to have worked a treat: it's taken the silver down without making the model look like a refugee from the station fire dump.  I hope I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs here but don't  forget, if you're going to do the streaks on the top surfaces, they start between the intercooler exhausts, not from them.  (The exhausts are the four sets of four slots behind each engine and the staining starts at the three ribs that separate them.). 

 

Knocking off gun barrels is going to be an occupational hazard 'til you can get her in your display cabinet though.

Edited January 30, 2017 by stever219

[bbudde]

That looks very convincing so far!!!! 

[Val]

Fantastic work, really looking the part!

[Antb]

6 hours ago, Val said:

Fantastic work, really looking the part!

 

17 hours ago, bbudde said:

That looks very convincing so far!!!! 

 

Thanks as always chaps 

 

hi Steve, 

 

thanks for the comments and the info. I might try and make Milton Keynes and/or Peterborough. It's only an hour and a half-2 hours on a good run so easily do-able. I couldn't try and bring the b-17 but with my record of knocking things off it's going to take some thinking about! 

 

The 109 scheme doesn't appear to be one of gallands, sadly, and to be frank I don't really like th box versions. I've been looking around and have found some nice decal sheets for 109's with some great schemes on for the E. Tempted but at £9 for one set of decals from an entire sheet, I'm not sure. Whatever happens I would like the 109 to have a mottled effect as I really like that on German aircraft and if it goes well the 110 will get a mottle too. 

 

To be honest the streaks weren't intentional and I need to clean the wash off a little more. But thanks for the pointer. Honestly, no egg sucking here, I love my aircraft, always have, but never been a rivet counter. I just like looking at them standing and flying, and painting and building too, of course. 

 

I knocked the rear guns off again last night, that's twice now.... I don't think I will do anything with four engines and tons of sticky out bits for a long time, I couldn't cope with the stress. It's a relaxing hobby, isn't it? 

 

The victor sounds great, fingers crossed it all goes to plan for you. 

 

All the best 

Ant 

[clive_t]

Looking very nice!

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

I like it!

[Antb]

22 hours ago, clive_t said:

Looking very nice!

 

19 hours ago, (ex)Sgtrafman said:

I like it!

 

Cheers guys. 

 

No progress made since the last update. Maybe will get around to finishing it in the next week or so. 

 

[Cookenbacher]

Wonderful weathering and a very convincing NMF.

[Antb]

On 02/02/2017 at 20:41, Cookenbacher said:

Wonderful weathering and a very convincing NMF.

 

Thank you Cookie, very kind of you. 

 

I have done a little bit more this week, we're edging ever closer to being done. 

 

Heres where we are at as of this evening: 

 

 

The masking came off quite well but I have a problem with primer leakage on the upper turret that I haven't been able to remove so far. Going to keep trying but the rest of the glazing is ok

 

 

Fitting the engines was a bit of a pain but I got there with some pushing and pulling and some choice language. The fronts have since been painted silver and shaded. 

 

 

A close up of the aircrafts name, front glazing and the inner engine. The nose is clear, the lights just reflecting off making it look as though it's clouded. 

 

 

 

And finally a view down the length of the aircraft from the rear. 

 

 

Hope you enjoy the small update

 

cheers guys 

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Yep I like that,great job mate 

 

Iain

[AdrianMF]

I love all the chipping and weathering! Looking really good.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[bbudde]

That looks more than something  good  (Das sieht mehr als gut aus!)

Edited February 3, 2017 by bbudde

[Blitz23]

Beautiful build, I'll have to get one for the stash!