Fairey Firefly Mk V - Airfix 1/72

[CedB]

7 hours ago, bbudde said:

She looks really nice with a coat of paint. No I don't think the gaps are too prominent. After another coat of paint, they will be more than ok. If you are not satisfied with them then, you could put some thin glue into it, but the filler in the paint will normally fix it mostly. Cheers

 

Thanks Benedikt - I think they're looking OK too

 

7 hours ago, 71chally said:

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't worry about the flaps gap, the wing fold lines look good to.

 

Shaping up rather nicely, and might also have to purchase one on the back of this.  Would like to do a RAN Firefly T.5.

 

Thanks James - not a bad kit now that it's done, if you don't mind the rivets.

 

7 hours ago, perdu said:

I liked it years ago when I made one,but beggar me I like it even more seeing how nicely it's coming out now

 

Very much prettier than the other Post war naval Fairey, the Gumbarrel

 

I mean Gannet  Doh

 

(Not as I dislike the Gannet, I don't. There's two on my Naviation list)

 

Thanks Bill - I have a Gannet on my wishist - I think it's those twin props and the fat belly that does it for me!

 

6 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

Oooh, that's already looking like a menacing Firefly Ced.

 

Thanks Cookie! It's the cannons isn't it?

 

6 hours ago, Hewy said:

Going together really well ced, you won't  fail to fit  the bombs and tanks  with those er, locating noggins on ,good stuff ,

Glynn

 

Thanks Glynn.

 

5 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

Looking good Ced, as we come to  expect now.

Waiting for the next update.

 

Simon.

 

Thanks Simon - very kind. I hope to get the first coat on tomorrow.

 

4 hours ago, giemme said:

I turn my head for a moment and the painting has already started!   Ced the Modelling Machine!     

 

Ciao

 

Thanks Giorgio! Mrs B has been trying to distract me with chores today. What chores? Very kind, pint of bitter... actually hanging a blind, cleaning shoes, maintenance on the Dyson and coffee machine... good job the primer was drying.

 

4 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Very swift modelling Ced. This kit looks quite a pleasure to build.

 

I agree with you regarding the 'wheels up' option, it should be a basic requirement of all new tool model aircraft kits (with retractable undercarriage designs, of course).

 

Looking forward to the colours .

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

Thanks TT - colours tomorrow!

 

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Ced, could you slow down a bit please, I can't keep up...!!

 

Looking v. good in primer once again!

 

Keith

 

Sorry Keith - Actually these bits went together with little pain.

 

3 hours ago, Christer A said:

Yeeeez....What ever happened till the B-71?

Already finished?

Dang, I need to quit my day job so I can keep up the reading atleast! 

In one week you're already at the primer stage, that's ludicrous speed! (with the Lord Helmer att the side, waving)

And an old old Airfix kit too, you're made of stern stuff!

I think it looks great! 

Keep at it!

(Maybe I should just send my Special Hobby Firefly Mk1 over to you, so it will be finished instead of rotting away in the stash)

 

Hi Christer! Thanks for the kind comments.

 

3 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

It's amazing what you've done with this old kit (even if you didn't fold the wings!)  

 

Do I see a sinkhole near the rear edge of the port wing stub? And maybe a smaller one in the same place on the starboard side? I hope not, and that it's just an issue with the lighting or the primer drying. That's right in the middle of a bunch of rivets, innit? 

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

Thanks Bill - you're right of course. Now blobbed with some PPP, carefully cleaned around the rivets. There were matching ones on the bottom too.

 

1 hour ago, The Spadgent said:

Looking great Ced. Quick question, what would it take to make you do one wheels down? Just saying. 

johnny up

 

Wheels down? Can you do that? Just kidding. 

It needs something special and pressure from the BMers. My first Eduard IX is in the 'display cabinet'. It may not be the last, but I've still an awful lot of ceiling to cover.

[perdu]

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CedB]

Sorry Boss, you were too quick! I multi-quoted the posts and suddenly thought 'what if they go over the page' so I saved just in case.

Now edited!

[perdu]

Boss?

 

Whodaheck he?  

 

I watch and enjoy your stuff

 

And learn lots from it so I could call you boss 

 

But I'd rather be chum, mate or even

 

Bill

 

Muiltiquote?

 

That by the way is way above my pay grade

 

I never get things like that right

 

 

 

 

Boss

 

 

[CedB]

It's your signature, and possibly that Albert jockey that started that but meant with affection of course  

Bill it is mate! 

[perdu]

Some mates are great, you are welcome in my club

 

And in the bar at the old inn 

[CedB]

Thanks Bill - first one's one me!

 

I've been fretting about the canopy fit - now is the time to sort them out. The rear one is snagging on the PE (of course) so I tried gentle filing, scraping the inside of the clear part with a chisel and various other tools:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

but then I took Giorgio's advice and got out the grinders and the Dremel and just attacked the damn stuff. You can also see the repair and 'weathering' around the sink holes Bill (Navy Bird) pointed out. I'm happy with the fit now and will get a chance to use my BluFix to blend and glue these in:

 

 

I've also replaced the foam masking which was also a worry:

 

 

Held in with a little latex glue, this time carefully applied so it didn't go onto the paintwork! 

Time to start the painting...

[CedB]

Who said "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"? Not me, and I'm an old dog.

When I started airbrushing I watched the videos and read the posts on BM and thought "Got it, mist coat then even passes until you get a wet coat, then let it self-level". I've been doing that for ages.

Then people started talking about black-basing and pre-shading and all sorts of ways to NOT get an even finish - weird.

Then I looked at my results and those achieved by Stew and Cookie and others and thought "Hmmm, there's something there".

Then Cookie (thanks Cookie!) mentioned in one of my posts that I was 'applying the top coat like a primer' and I got it - for the top coats I don't want an even coat, I want some variation.

So this morning I set my 0.2 (not 0.4 as usual) nozzle up, set the pressure to 10(ish) and, for the first time, used that knob on the back of the airbrush to stop accidental blobs.

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

Pleased with that.

Yes, it took much longer than my old method but it's nice to see the finish building up and to 'zoom in' on details, rather than 'standing back' and looking at the whole thing.

No, I didn't do a panel at a time - this is my first attempt after all and old habits die hard.

No, I haven't varied the paint mix - just Mr Hobby aqueous Sky thinned 50/50 with Tamiya X-20A (Jaime's suggestion) on top of the grey Stynylrez.

 

Still like it though and lesson learnt - thanks again Cookie. Woof woof. 

[HAMP man]

Smoove!

 

Box on

 

Strickers

[andymoore]

Ced my airbrush is spitting horribly at the moment, I take it you screw the thing at the back clockwise to reduce the distance the needle moves back to reduce spitting? I reckon my nozzle is slightly off centre & paint is collecting in the cap...

 

[CedB]

Thanks Strickers  

Hi Andy - yep, the screw stops you pulling back the nozzle and therefore reduces the 'maximum' flow. I'm no expert but if yours is spitting (and you've stripped and cleaned it) I would have a look at the nozzle to see if it's had a ding; I bought a cheap jewellers' loope for this job. I assume you've tried more than one paint and thinned it?

 

 

While the Sky is drying I've painted the bombs. The instructions say H85 and the box art also shows that. It also shows two red rings, not supplied.

Anyone know if these should be there or not?

[giemme]

Way to go, Ced, way to go      

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Thanks Giorgio

 

Mithering over the bomb rings and spent ages searching for this post where Jockney is having the same thoughts. I might try the 'Filmoplast' tape I bought some time ago. Hmmm.

[Biggles87]

I think the bombs should have bronze green bodies, not black and the ring colour depends on the filling. I'm sure there's a thread on WW II Discussion by Era.

 

John

 

PS. The sky's not drying here, it's chuckin' it down!

Edited March 5, 2017 by Biggles87

[CedB]

Thanks John - I think you're right too; I wonder why Airfix thought they were 'Coal Black'? Oh well, they're done now (see below).

 

 

I finally got a prop I'm happy with:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

White primer, Tamiya XF-3 sprayed, masked with Tamiya tape (I tried the cheap stuff but it pulled the paint off) and then Vallejo Air NATO black. I'll remember that.

 

So, Filmoplast. Mark ( @Kiwikitbasher ) used this for canopy framing so I bought some to try. It's tricky stuff but very thin, designed for invisible repairs on books. Mark found it best to stick it to some glass so I got out my old Dad's paperweight and stuck a strip on:

 

 

Couple of coats of H60:

 

 

I then had the same trouble I'd had before - the paint seems to effect the glue and it de-laminates:

 

 

Should have read Mark's post properly - cut the tape on the backing, THEN paint it. Not to give in too soon, I scraped it off with a scalpel blade:

 

 

and then wrapped it around the bomb. Surprisingly hard to get it to go on 'straight' and line up at the end, I used a straw as a guide:

 

 

and ended up with these:

 

 

Not perfect but a good lesson and fine for the ceiling.

[Martian]

Nice tip for the bombs!

 

Martian

[bbudde]

Coming up well. I like how the rivets turned out. The prop looks also fine. Good idea with the bombs ( I hate painting those stripes on round surfaces) I think you can also paint a clear decal sheet with the colours you need and cut it out with scissors. Cheers

[keefr22]

Cracked it with the prop tips Ced!! And the bombs. And the Sky.....!!

 

Great stuff!

 

Keith

[rob85]

Nice bombs Ced, coal black is a nice hew I rather like it and it levels rather nicely when brushed! Even if it might be wrong.... it looks cool.

 

rob

[Cookenbacher]

Brilliant tip about the filmoplast and a straw guide for bomb rings - they look really great, so thanks for that. The Sky undersides look fantastic too.

[jean]

Hi Stew,

one never stops learning and your thread is turning to be a mine of information. Except when it comes down to the intricacies of air brush painting, as here I am still in the dark ages and paint brushes are all the rage!

As the joke goes in this country I live in: what did people use before the candle was invented? Electricity...

Sadly true.

 

Brilliant progress and fascinating technique.

JR

[TheBaron]

10 hours ago, CedB said:

While the Sky is drying I've painted the bombs. 

Pure psychedelia man! The unanticipated poetry on this forum sometimes is a deep pleasure....

 

Reece told me to say that. He said you weren't answering and now all the Stella's gone...

 

Tony

[CedB]

Thanks Gents. 

No masking mojo today so she's sat idle - hopefully tomorrow.

 

In the meantime I've been pondering the next build and I think I might build the Special Hobby Hornet for the DH GB. Probably. If so I'll post a link here.

 

(Tony you're wicked. And I don't like Stella!)

[The Spadgent]

No one likes Stella,  even Reece, I think he drinks it to be one of the boys. He actually prefers a nice white wine or possibly a Bold Red. He's such a cad.

By the by some excellent paint work there Ced and nice bomb tip. 

 

Johnny stripes.

 

[keefr22]

8 minutes ago, CedB said:

In the meantime I've been pondering the next build and I think I might build the Special Hobby Hornet

 

Nice choice! And funnily enough I was thinking of digging one of mine out earlier tonight after someone mentioned they were building a Frog one on Adey's 'Nostalgia' thread in RFI. But I really must finish some of the thirty odd "w.i.p.'s" hanging around the place first!!

 

Keith