Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 Prof ... for a 1st try at scratching something thats good keep up the work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 Hi All Just a quick Helloo! I've not stalled this, just kept being squeezed out by other life stuff. I got the seat and the floor boards stickied in And I've managed to get the sides together Hoping to get the lower wing on and the filled sometime next week... Comments, suggestions, and a 6th day between Monday and Friday would be just great, thanks. Cheers Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 All that work on the scratching of detail will really stand out on the finished piece Steve. That's looking really smart now. Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I've just caught up with this. What a great project ! Superb first scratchbuilding on a tiny component I also think that the little pots of paint can be useful; very well thinned. Some of the metallics are particularly useful e.g. for 1/72 aircraft exhausts. A little tip that I've mentioned elsewhere before; snip the lid 'hinge' off. It makes them topple over and spill. Snip it right off and just pop the lids off and plop them back on as required. Great stuff! Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 That's a fine effort with the gun! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) Hi All After much deliberation, I glued the lower wing on However, now I've committed, I suspect it would be easier to have drilled the rigging holes in it before attaching Never mind. And also, after trying to sort images into chronological order on Village Photos and being thwarted for weeks, I'm going to give postimage a try. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 You should find Postimage pretty straightforward. After all, I managed it! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 12 hours ago, Martian Hale said: You should find Postimage pretty straightforward. After all, I managed it! Martian I've seen some of the other things you've managed to do Martian, and frankly I'm gobsmacked! Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 (edited) I have always felt the Airfix Pup was one of their more successful kits. Easy to build, easy to modify and make better and such a wonderful historical example. Yours is shaping up nicely. Well done on the Lewis gun! Edited July 25, 2017 by John D.C. Masters slpeling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) Hi All Slight progress! The cut out behind the engine is slightly blocked with the new floor so that was shaved back and a couple of slices of plastic card glued in. Just a quick shout out to the thick gloopy glue as supplied with some sets, makes a good join filler when the edges are less than optimal These were then trimmed back (looks more like gnawed off by a rabid Yak at this magnification) flush with the lower surface. Always looks so neat when you guys do it, perhaps I should get my Yak's teeth sharpened? Anyhoo, it was smothered with Plastic Putty And I'll have at it with a moist cotton bud when time permits. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) Hi All The Plastic Putty came off with a damp cotton bud, some of it required a second application as I was slightly gruff, but on the whole I don't think it's too bad. Spent some time drilling loads of tiny holes all over the place too. I'd like to try this fishing line for rigging lark, but if it all does go South then the holes won't be too bad to disguise I plan to rig from the top down, as I doubt I can convincingly hide where it passes through the upper wing surface. Most of the ends will be accessible, but I drilled through the engine mounting bulkhead to get to the front ones They shouldn't be seen once the front is on, but I can always blank over them if needed. Not sure if I'm going to do anything about that engine detail. It's a bit 'soft', but probably beyond me to clean up and rebuild, and most of it is hidden anyway, so I'll most likely just paint and hide What I will do though, is that lump on the starboard strut Anyhoo, an exciting delivery at The Lab, a flagon of Winsor & Newton Galeria Flow Improver! It directs you to dilute one part to twenty parts water, then add it to the paint. However, it doesn't say how much of the resulting solution to add to the paint. I was too curious and just added a drop to the Vallejo primer mix I was using (I know, I know...). Result! Nice and smooth, and demonstrated how thin a mix I had been using. Also shows a couple of places where more attention is needed with the putty. I can feel another round of experiments coming on Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Nice progress Steve I just add a couple of drops of flow improver to the airbrush cup, or a single drop in the paint lid if I'm hairy brushing. As you say, great stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I've somehow missed this one, nice job so far! I've attacked quite a few of the old Airfix WWI subjects and this was by far the worst, and yes that included the RE8! The wings are really unsalvageable since if you remove all the spurious underside detail, then try to improve the upper surfaces, they end up too thin! Good luck! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Hi All Not having much luck with removing that join line from the front engine cowling. Four rounds of fill'n'sand later, and it doesn't look much different to the first round Never mind, this isn't a competition build, I'll just live with it and not look at the front. Into the Aluminium 56 spray it goes with the body. I put some on that engine while I was at it Looks a bit pants, so I put a thin wash of Black 33 over it Slightly better. The pipes look like they should be Copper, but the nearest in the kit is Antique Bronze 171, so on it goes How much Antique Bronze would one find on Naval aircraft over the past 100 years? Enough to include a pot of it in the set ? Anyhoo, not looking quite so naff now (from a distance), so I pick out the ?pushrods? in Silver 11 and that will be that Thankfully, the cowling dried with a benevolent finish I'll see if I can fix the prop in a position to mask the worst of it. Comments, suggestions, and an Antique Bronze camouflage scheme welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Hi All The Aluminium 56 came out smooth, but still dried textured again, even after the addition of the Flow Improver Easier to spray so I'll keep adding it. Masked it anyway in preparation for the Cream 103 And that it for tonight. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Very nice Steve. It's a shame that some metal paints (like this one) are grainy... I've settled on AK True Metal as my chosen stuff as it goes on very well with a brush, you can buff it where required and it's easy to get varied finishes by rubbing it out while brushing. The engine looks nice - good job! What are you using for filler on the cowling? Lots of choices, horses for courses, but PPP seems to be a favourite. Or Milliput (a bit of a dark art but easy when you get used to it). Good to see some Lego appearing too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaron Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 You're doing just fine Steve. It looks like you are relishing the challenges that this kit throws up. Keep it up! Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 3, 2017 Author Share Posted August 3, 2017 (edited) Hi All On 8/2/2017 at 11:43 PM, CedB said: Very nice Steve. It's a shame that some metal paints (like this one) are grainy... I've settled on AK True Metal as my chosen stuff as it goes on very well with a brush, you can buff it where required and it's easy to get varied finishes by rubbing it out while brushing. The engine looks nice - good job! What are you using for filler on the cowling? Lots of choices, horses for courses, but PPP seems to be a favourite. Or Milliput (a bit of a dark art but easy when you get used to it). Good to see some Lego appearing too Thanks Ced, AK seem to have a good reputation, one of many I shall investigate! I'm using Vallejo Plastic putty on the gaps, perhaps I'm sanding it too soon after application? 24 hours to let it harden? (There you go...) "A house without Lego is like a day without music or a meal without wine" On 8/3/2017 at 9:01 AM, TheBaron said: You're doing just fine Steve. It looks like you are relishing the challenges that this kit throws up. Keep it up! Tony Thanks Tony, there are more challenges than I suspected, even without addressing the well known ones! This has only 26 parts, whereas the Lynx and Harrier each have over 100 parts. How challenging are they going to be ? Anyhoo, on to the latest developments. While the oatmeal Cream is drying I had a go at some other bits. The Pup has a distinctive landing gear arrangement that Airfix have decided to "simplify" From this It can be seen that there is a distinctive "T" shape to the end of the wheel strut, like this So the bottom of the kit part was sliced off, and a short length of wire (the inside of a Tie Wrap?) was glued in. A narrow piece of plastic card will be used as the lower cross section, with the supplied axel bent in the middle like this So. One down, careful not to... OH DEAR! (I'm obviously paraphrasing, but you get the gist ) Out with the Blu-Tac and glue again then I'll let that have a word with itself over night, see how it is in the morning. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Nice work Steve and good recovery on the 'oops' with the undercart... it's a nice piece of scratching and I'm sure you'll master it Vallejo putty has been relegated in my mind to very narrow gaps as it shrinks. That said, the small applicator is ideal for this and it does react well to rubbing over with a damp cotton bud (at right angles to the join) after it's just dried. Or, like PPP (which is similar IMHO but handles slightly bigger gaps), wet sanding. Milliput is getting my vote of late - the standard stuff for general filling and 'fine' for small areas. HTH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 (edited) Hi All Thanks Ced, I'd got some Milliput but it looked a bit big and clumsy to go into the small gaps. I'll look out for PPP. Yesterday's calamity was nearly augmented this morning when I discovered I'd glued the undercarriage to the mat... Eventually it came off with a little gentle persuasion, and thankfully maintained it's repair. Anyhoo, got the body sprayed the Cream 103, then masked again for the Olive Drab 155. Don't know if it's just the smaller frame of the Pup, or perhaps these paints are past their 'Use By' date (do paints have one?), but the pebbling looks more pronounced? The surface 'detailing' isn't helping either. It depends on the lighting as to how rough the surface appears, I'm hoping it'll flatten off with repeated applications of Pledge. On the photo, that lower right wing looks like it has been repaired at some point, but it's been left (I'm presuming) unpainted? I did the wood in straight clear orange, without going through a dark middle coat. It could probably do with something just to take the edge off Time to get back on the cockpit. Out comes the foam plug Well, most of it. A clean down of the furry bits, and in goes the dashboard. Or rather it doesn't, as I've put in that interior. So, a smaller version is filed down from a card off cut, and done in the fake wood. I'll be needing some dials, but none are supplied with kit (for any of them ) Fortunatly Fortuneatly Luckily I don't throw much out Thanks to you Ford Focus etc, the cockpit shall go to the ball! I cut out three 'O's and the copyright symbol, and painted them in black. They are solid black, it's just the crinkling from Micro Sol. Is it me, or does it look like the saddest Pokemon ever? Never mind, will Pledge them tomorrow, make them look all shiny. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 (edited) Hi All Finally got that darned dashboard in. It's probably in the wrong place, at the wrong angle, but I've used up all today's swearing and I'm not allowed any more Added the kit seat with a Blu Tack cushion, and a control column from some bent wire. I might add seatbelts at some point when I get my profanity quota back. Started on the decals. They're quite thick and take a considerable amount of Micro Sol to get them to conform, but they settle down over the craggy finish eventually. The tail ones need trimming and painting in, as even the Sol can't get them to fold over the edges. How do you make sure the red dot goes exactly in the middle? Just by looking ? Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 I always gauge my "red dot" by the standard Mark 1 eyeball. Unless you want to make an x or 8 point target crosshair to help you aim it. You can take a small flexible ruler and cross the decal. At its widest point from edge to edge. Then take a pencil place a tiny dot in the center. Repeat one to three times to triangulate and confirm pencil dot. You then center your red dot and place it over pencil mark. Much easier to eyeball it. Unless someone carries a ruler with them youre very unlikely to be challenged. At that scale its not easy to see or prove the offset is incorrect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Nice work Steve I think the orange will tone down with the matt coat? As for the pebbling 'the experts' usually comment that it's the paint drying before it hits the surface (I think). Did you use some flow enhancer / thinner? Dark art to me... Good work on the instrument panel - clever solution. Red dots? I always pool something on the main decal and then prod the dot around gently... suddenly my eye says 'middle' and I roll it down with a cotton bud, very carefully. If it does shift I use a damp flat brush to lift the edge and try again. If it looks right, it's right! HTH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 This is coming along superbly Steve I had to do a double take and go back to check but: You're using Humbrol acrylics with an airbrush ? Is this true? If so, you're an alchemist. A genius . In March of this year I spent an (undocumented) entire day trying every lotion, potion, mix, eye dropper, thinner, flow improver, base, water, fountain and horse trough water mix I could find to try to get it to airbrush nicely for me. No. It just wouldn't behave Please would it be possible to know your pressure setting, needle size, thinner and ratio etc? You've done very well indeed. I really would like to get it to work as Humbrol gave a railway colour that is actually almost perfect for 1950's Spanish blue painted aircraft (Garter blue). I like your cockpit, the wood effect and the Pokemon/World Rally instrument panel. It works and looks superb. Good luck with the red spots Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackem01 Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 That's amazing considering it's 72nd. I could barely see the kit never mind scratch build in that scale! Hat's off to you Sir. Now press on and keep us entertained please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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