John Masters Posted October 7, 2017 Share Posted October 7, 2017 OK! And I am off... I am just waiting to hear back from Martian regarding colour schemes since we are both building the same very pretty little bird. I would like to build the aircraft from Wheeler Field in Hawaii, 31-246, but I am easy to change and it is still early. We both have the wonderful set of aftermarket decals from Starfighter and there are four options, all of which are really cool. At this point I have just primed the plastic and will begun some interior scratch building of the cockpit. There are excellent photos on-line for reference and some wonderful in-flight shots too! What a neat little plane she was... I will be using rattle can paints for the fuselage (see below) and the wings too. Humbrol Light Olive for the fuselage and Trainer Yellow for the wings. The rigging will be .005 stainless and I might try to make a new and thinner windscreen. Here are my opening images... I tested out several different 'greens' and even mixed a few up. I don't have the exact OD from the 1930s, and in the end I chose the rattle can Light Olive from Humbrol. The other examples are assorted Vallejo tints and a bit of Humbrol 159...too brown. The others were too green and the IDF Green is really nice, it was too grey/blue. ...and here are my sprue, primed. The grey primer is really grey, not so blue, so I apologize for the poor white balance. I think the trainer yellow will turn out just fine for this. If I need to brighten it up I'll do a quick scary of Humbrol Yellow from the can to do so, but so far this yellow has grown on me. Yes..it looks a bit 'mustard-y' but remember the white balance is off and I couldn't fix it for some reason. It really is more yellow, and deeper than the plain yellow flavour. ...and away I go... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 A quick update...the cockpit. The kit itself has little to offer here so I have decided to do a little bit, just to offset the emptiness which exists. I have smoothed off the right angles on the seat and added some texture for the cushions using bits of band-aids, i.e. sticking plaster...is that right English term? I am not entirely happy with the result and can fix this, but perhaps once I paint it it will look better. It'll be a basic reddish-brown leather colour with some black to highlight it. Seatbelts are from Tamiya tape, but I might try to find some Eduard WW1 belts that look good and substitute them...probably not. The instrument panel is from evergreen stock and is teeny tiny. the rod on the back will attach it to the interior of the fuselage and I will trim that down to fit. I have to make a control stick, but that should not be a problem. Some pedals too, I think. The kit already has a floor on which to glue these things so I won't construct a new one. I have seen build references on line that boggle the mind...take a look here and be dumbfounded... http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=13284&page=2 I have painted the cylinder heads with Vallejo Aluminum and touched it up with a black grime oil pin wash. That's it for now. I'll handle some more persnickety bits tonight... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 Great start and welcome to the GB. Cheers, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 (edited) Some more cockpit and motor work...I have painted and finished the seat, instrument panel and motor. I have made a small control stick and some pedals. I have used the existing 'floor' and found that the best way to add the pedals (one on each side) and have glued the stick as close to the middle as I can. After it was all dry, I brushed on some aluminum, let that dry, then oil washed some darker grime to highlight. I'll close up the fuselage today and let that dry this afternoon. Once that has set up I'll polish up the seams, protect the cockpit with some cotton wool and spray the Light Olive on the fuselage. All the other green bits (struts, oil pan, etc...) are already painted and awaiting assembly... I reversed my actions and sprayed the motor with Tamiya Yellow. When dry I went back over with a black/smoke colour on the cylinder heads, then highlighted them with a touch of aluminum. I'm happy with that. I'll add some oil wash to bring out the detail later. The cockpit is as described above... --tally ho! Edited October 10, 2017 by John D.C. Masters 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Nice start! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 16, 2017 Author Share Posted October 16, 2017 Here it is so far...I head to Athens for a couple of days tomorrow and I wanted to get this done first...decals. Due to the lovely and ornate paint job on this, one cannot build the thing without adhering the decals mid-way through the build. So I have. The Straighter decals are superb! Thin, exact and they suck down just like paint with a little Micro Set/Sol. Yes...I'll see what I can do about that mould sink when I get back. I think I can just gently scrape it off...it's more of a circular ridge rather than a well. Have a great week! John 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 John, This P-12 is looking very smart and quite tempting. Looking forward to seeing this one finished and displayed in the gallery. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 (edited) Great work John. Can't wait to see it all together. Cheers, Edited October 17, 2017 by Arniec 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Arnold, you have credited a ‘Dave’ for this and SteveJ’s 1/32 Spitfire build. Although I’d love to have both WIP’s on my workbench, Mr. John Masters is responsible for this great little build. All good. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 I have been called many things...'Dave ' has never been one of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 53 minutes ago, John D.C. Masters said: I have been called many things...'Dave ' has never been one of them! It's not hard to get used to John..... (sorry - I mean Dave!!) Hope your enjoying Athens. Cheers... Dave (or should that be John - I'm too confused). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 1 hour ago, John D.C. Masters said: I have been called many things...'Dave ' has never been one of them! Sorry John, Corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 No worries at all Arniec! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Those colors are looking great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 Thanks guys...Friday evening I'll carefully drill the mounting holes for the stainless wire. Since I will just be popping them in, I won't need to drill all the way through the wings of the cabane struts. Then I'll take care of the tail feathers, tail wheel, windscreen, gun sight...some other details before I join up the wings to the fuselage. I think I might be done by early next week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Thats looking smart! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 Ok laddies.... I have scratched a better scaled gun sight, a thinner piece of clear plastic for the windscreen (out of packaging for CA glue, appropriately), attached the stabilizers and the lower wing and have also drilled out the mounting holes for the rigging. The cowling for the motor was just a little too small for the engine so instead of attaching it and having to fill with putty, sand, etc...I just filed down the cylinder heads a bit. It fit fine then and you can't see the heads anyway once the cowling is on. Onwards and upwards! --John 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Wow, that's looking wonderful John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 Thanks all..I have been lax as of late so I'll do some tomorrow before I head off for the weekend and a mountain bike race on a neighbouring island... I have some bits to glue on, dab with a bit of paint and photograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 Here's a bit of an update... The top wing is on; the landing gear is on (Evergreen for the inner struts. The supplied 'V' piece was too short); the stabilizing struts for the tail are on (Evergreen--the supplied pieces looked a little thick); gunsight and windscreen painted; bomb racks mounted; motor/cowling unit decaled and glued in place. One funny note...I went to attach the radiator 'Y' tube and discovered that I could not find it! I had snipped it off the sprue last week and set it in a small dish for later assembly. Gone! Egads! So I contemplated scratch building it after searching the bench...joyless contemplation. Then I thought, "Hmmm...have I swept the floor since last week?" Down on hands and knees I went with a light and, miracle of miracles, found it! "Holy smokes...that's a lucky break", I said. Deprived the carpet monster of a snack once again! Anything else? The primary struts were a little off in fitting, but they worked in the end. It's coming together. I'll rig it in a couple of days, attach the wheels and prop...then it'll be ready for the gallery. Colourful little thing, isn't it? --John 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Great work sofar John. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 She's looking superb John! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Thanks boys... Off to the gym this morning, then some shopping, then home to rig with .005 stainless. I didn't drill through anything but instead drilled little 'divots' for the wire to snap into. Let's hope it works! It's a matter of measuring...and I cannot forget the rigging for the tail assembly! I might use EZ-Line for that. Then wheels, prop, bombs...done! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 Done...and on display in the Matchbox GB Gallery... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 Look's great in the gallery John,superb job all round! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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