Mosquito NF Mk.II - Tamiya 1/72 * Now with added PR IV *

[The Spadgent]

Gloss coat first. Gloss coat first. Gloss coat first. 

She looks great Ced. If I were you I'd ........ gloss coat first. Not sure if you're putting the red wing cross things on but they're a bugger. I cut the middles out of mine and they twisted and turned like a twisty turny thing. silvered a bit too so erm. Gloss coat first. 

 

Johnny gloss coat.

[TheBaron]

A politician's answer to your question Ced would run thus: 'Taking all points of view into consideration and carefully sifting the resulting evidence, one is left with a clear conviction that the most propitious course of action in this instance is the one which most closely approximates the pathway congruent to a favourable outcome.'

 

Personally I'd splosh on the Klear...

Tony

[CedB]

Thanks Stew I've yet to develop a preferred method as I try one, it's fine, and then I get some silvering... I reckon it's the transfers but a bad workman... Thanks for the tip on the stencils - any avoidance of extra work appreciated!

Thanks Johnny - so you think I should gloss coat? Make your mind up

Thanks Tony - as I said at the Brighton conference I will, after consulting with my constituents, take the appropriate action when economic and ecological matters have been considered.

 

 

First let's paint the prop blades and try some variation:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

There! Look! You can see where I've sprayed the black bits black with some black... maybe.

 

Then I sprayed on some 50/50 thinned Klear, concentrating on the areas with transfers. It's also introduced some 'interesting weathering' which will probably settle. Or not.

 

 

I'm out for a pie and a pint (or three) with a mate for lunch so probably best if I avoid any modelling for the rest of the day.

[keefr22]

For what it's worth Ced, my S.O.P. for decals is - brush on an overall coat or three of Klear and let dry. Soak decals as normal, remove from water with Tamiya decal tweezers (probably one of the three tools I couldn't live without), then gently touch the decal onto a tissue to remove water. Lay decal onto a previously applied wet patch of Klear (not really a puddle) and then gently rollover decal with a cotton bud dipped in Klear (just dampened to make sure it doesn't leave fluff on the decal, but Tamiya buds are again best for this), and then immediately gently brush another coat of Klear over the top of the decal & leave it alone to dry. If there is any trace of silvering then (very unlikely) gently p r i c k * the decal with the tip of a scalpel blade & gently brush some  more klear onto the decal. Spray matt or satin coat to choice to finish.

 

It must be over 10 years since a club friend introduced me to this method, and (famous last words time) since then I've not had any silvering on any decals, kit or aftermarket, and my micrsol/set bottles haven't been touched! It works for me....

 

Enjoy your  and , I'm rather jealous as I shall be having a tin of vegetable soup (and no added sugar orange squash!).

 

Keith

 

* typed as p r i c k to stop the ridiculous forum software changing the word to 'gentleman's parts' - oh dear....!! 

 

Wonder what it does with knob...?

[The Spadgent]

Excelent choice Ced and the pie and pint for that matter. 

[rob85]

I am sorry to say I have forgotten to pop into this one Ced, looks like your doing a very nice job!

 

Rob

[philp]

There we go, all caught up, course the wings are on and you have been moulding pilots but that is how it goes.

[CedB]

Pie and a Pint (or more) had and enjoyed. It's great to catch up with old friends and 'chew the cud'. Of course another benefit of lunchtime sessions is that you get the hangover after the afternoon nap 

 

Thanks Keith for the detailed method - I have the Tamiya tweezers and buds and I'm using MicroSol/Set so all set... see below!

Thanks Johnny - let's hope the Klear works... perhaps I should have gone for Aqua Gloss but we'll see.

Hi Rob and Phil - welcome!

 

 

I fired up the water warmer (it's great - thanks Rob!) and started on the top as usual. Stew's right (of course) that the little red stencils get lost AND there's a risk they'll only be visible because they've silvered:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

Rolled and rolled, now blobbed with MicroSol. We shall see! Those BIG transfers for the wing fronts were, er interesting:

 

 

You can see that the transfers are those nice 'slightly wrinkly' ones that usually settle well so I rolled and rolled and rolled and cut a bit of carrier around the bigger lumps:

 

 

and started humming 'Rawhide' - showing my age. I had the same problems as Stew with silvering on the back of the tail flash:

 

 

Initially I pushed it in to the rudder join but then decided to push it forward a bit so that the carrier was on the main part of the rudder. I've now blobbed MicroSol on the ones that look, or might be a problem so I'll need to leave that for a while:

 

 

By the way, the little foam rubber I bought to roll down the transfers doesn't work. Thats 79p I won't see again.  

[PlaStix]

Hi Ced. Well it certainly looks good under paint and it's good to see the decals going on. I must admit that I'm thinking of masking and stippling the red box lines and cross rather than using the decal. There looks to be a large area to silver on those two!!

Hope yours settle down well.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Leonl]

On 3/27/2017 at 9:51 PM, Tim Moff said:

nice - what im building once im home, did the Xtadecal decals silver or kit?

 The kit decals decals (stencils), the Xtadecals performed really well.

[Guest]

Roll decals down?  Damp cotton bud works for me.

[CedB]

Thanks Stix - i think it depends what scheme you're doing; the decals are really good and probably won't be a problem on nice shiny camo?

Thanks Leon - so you had problems with the kit decals too?

Thanks Wooksta - I use a Tamiya cotton bud rolled across the surface to expel the excess fluid and (hopefully) air - the flat ones. Good stuff.

 

More or less at the end now. I've painted, chopped up and fitted the tailwheel.:

 

 

Can't really see from reference shots where it should be (they seem to vary) so this'll do.

Stew's idea of silvering the ident lights and putting clear colour on works nicely:

 

 

but you can see some slight silvering on the trestle decals (or is it just shininess, how can you tell?). There's also some white powdery stuff on the Sqn idents but it brushes off:

 

 

Another go over with the MicroSol (drying now)

 

 

and then it's matt coat, fit wingtip nav lights, props, remove masking and done!

[Biggles87]

If the silvering persists, try another gloss coat before the Matt coat, it's worked for me in the past.

John

[bbudde]

As above, if you don't bother of another coat over the decals, then I would try it. Looks splendid so far. Cheers

[CedB]

Thanks John and Benedikt - I think we're going to be OK:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

[TheBaron]

What is it about a NF-black Mosquito that seems so much more threatening than the daytime camo version? Nice decal work Ced.

Tony

[Stew Dapple]

Looking good Ced, nice work

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Procopius]

17 hours ago, CedB said:

By the way, the little foam rubber I bought to roll down the transfers doesn't work. Thats 79p I won't see again.  

 

I had a bit of a sixth sense about it, but you seemed so happy. Knowledge brings only pain. Also Tamiya decals are the worst, the worst.

[CedB]

Thanks Tony - black is the colour of evil and darkness!  

Thanks Stew, very kind

Thanks PC - I guess the roller was worth a try but hey, nothing ventured... I now appreciate your comment on Tamiya decals; I thought the wrinkling was a cunning Oriental method to ensure that they settled. In fact it seems to be a ploy to make you think you've got all the air out and then they dry and suck some under overnight...

 

Otherwise how did this:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

end up like this in the morning:

 

 

OK, it may be that I didn't leave them to dry for long enough before the matt coat, it may be that something has reacted, but I don't care, I just HATE them now, so there.

 

I've spent some time muttering with pastels and got them to this:

 

 

but it was a pain. Nasty transfers. Death's too good for them.

 

Carefully selected pictures in the gallery and on to the PR.

[Sabre_days]

5 hours ago, Procopius said:

Also Tamiya decals are the worst, the worst.

 

9 minutes ago, CedB said:

but it was a pain. Nasty transfers. Death's too good for them.

 

Ah, yes, Tamiya decals... Good work subduing them.

 

And, in a related story, I think my NF. II will probably end up finished as a machine from 410 "Cougar" Squadron, RCAF using Xtradecal generic roundel, code letter and serial number sheets...

[Beard]

Aside from the known problems with Tamiya decals, I always find it difficult to get big decals to settle properly because it's tricky getting enough settling agent under them.

 

It's too late now the matt coat is on but did you try the boiling water method on them? Although it doesn't always work with large decals.

 

I tried the white spirit method to remove the carrier film, on the fuselage decals, on my Spitfire the other day... it didn't seem to work but maybe I didn't use strong enough thinners or I haven't got the patience.

 

Anyway, decals aside, and your use of pastels has made the silvering less noticeable, it looks good

[giemme]

It looks a good save to me Ced , although confirming my hate for decals altogether

 

Looking forward to the next one

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Thanks Jordon - you're probably wise avoiding the Tamiya decals

Thanks Simon - I'm content with the state of the transfers I guess and will be more careful with the PR ones. I wasn't convinced, to be honest, that white spirit would move the carrier but the Tamiya enamel thinners sounds possible. I may get some and try it out, or just try Humbrol 

Thanks Giorgio, wait no longer...

 

PR started. This time I'm going to fit the wheel bay doors before I fit the nacelles:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

BluTak, don't forget the BluTak (thanks Giorgio!) 

[Beard]

3 minutes ago, CedB said:

[...] but the Tamiya thinners sounds possible. I may get some and try it out.

 

Remember, the ones with the blue lid. The blue lid.

[Guest]

Ced, should have mentioned this earlier as it's probably too late now - but that bulge just aft of the tailwheel bay needs sanding off.  It's the cover for something (can't remember what) on the later marks and not applicable to the NFII.  Bearing in mind the scheme is black, you may just get away with a quick sand and touch up with a hairy stick.  Those Special Night finishes got very patchy.

 

Good work though.