Hapag-Lloyd Express 737-400 - Big Yellow Taxi *FINISHED*

[Skodadriver]

I hope to get the 734 into primer tomorrow.

 

I've been tied up with other builds and not actively working on D-AHLL for the last week but I've found time to experiment with yellow paint on a a scrap model.  I've decided to go with Halfords Ford Signal Yellow.  It's very close to the Humbrol 99 recommended by Turbofan.  

 

I'm still wondering about light grey for the lower fuselage and engines.  As I said earlier, Xtracolor X371 is a possibility but spraying some Humbrol 99 on the scrapper reminded me how much I dislike enamel paint! I doubt if there is anything light enough in the Halfords range and if I want to avoid Xtracolor I'll probably end up brewing my own.  Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

 

 

[Skodadriver]

As I hoped the 734 has now had its first coat of primer:

 

 

As usual there are some minor issues to be fixed - a little gap in the filler at one side of the windscreen, some ropey re-scribing on the undersides of the wings, the small gaps on the inner sides of the engine pylons which I completely forgot - but nothing show-stopping. To my slight surprise the engines don't need any more work - I must be improving.

 

I'll sort what's needed and re-prime before tackling the top coat.  Unfortunately our weather is forecast to turn much colder at the weekend and to remain very cold for the time of year so I don't know how it will be for airbrushing in the garage.

 

Next update when I have something to report!

[Skodadriver]

Just a quick update to prove I'm still alive and working intermittently on D-AHLL.

 

I've sorted the bits of scribing that were needing attention, a job I absolutely hate.  Does anybody else look at a job, think "What I'm going to do is likely to make that worse" do it anyway, think "I wish I'd left well alone" then start a descending spiral of re-filling, rescribing and so on? Eventually I got to the stage where further fiddling was pointless and I more or less gave up.  It's as good as it will ever be.

 

Next job was to mask the fuselage for spraying which involved much faffing about with cut up photocopies like so:

 

 

As I mentioned earlier I have decided to use the checks from a Drawdecal 737-800 sheet which are more accurate in size than the ones supplied by BOA. There will also be some very useful spares because I fully expect to end up applying checks individually around the wings and the tail bumper.  That will be fun but I'll worry about it when we get there.

 

Now that I have a nicely masked model the bottom has fallen out of the thermometer and the weather forecast is for a major freeze lasting at least until the weekend.  No spraying in the garage for the foreseeable future so D-AHLL is back on the shelf until the weather improves.

 

[halcyonjet]

9 minutes ago, Skodadriver said:

Does anybody else look at a job, think "What I'm going to do is likely to make that worse" do it anyway, think "I wish I'd left well alone" then start a descending spiral of re-filling, rescribing and so on? 

 

Erm....frequently!

 

Dave

[Spad]

Love this scheme - just makes me chuckle for some reason. Thanks for all the detail pics and step by step - it seems that all the fit and join stuff with the basic plastic is pretty consistent as both of mine have exactly the same issues (including that belly pan over the gear bay!)

[Viking]

On 2/26/2018 at 11:55 PM, Skodadriver said:

I've sorted the bits of scribing that were needing attention, a job I absolutely hate.  Does anybody else look at a job, think "What I'm going to do is likely to make that worse" do it anyway, think "I wish I'd left well alone" then start a descending spiral of re-filling, rescribing and so on? 

Yep! Absolutely Dave. I hate scribing and have learned not to do it on fuselages, because like you say, I just make things worse!

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

When it comes to scribing I am the same, just can't get any consistency when I try it. Most of the time I end up filling what I did and leaving it be.

 

Has the weather improved to allow painting? It's a nice 27 degrees here today.

[Skodadriver]

Well, we're a long way short of 27 degrees here but since the thermometer is finally back into positive figures I have managed a coat of yellow.

 

After some more playing around with my scrap model I changed my mind about the paint and went with Turbofan's suggestion of Humbrol 99 after all. The main reason was that the Humbrol pigment seemed somehow denser than the Halfords Signal Yellow and the covering quality was better.  The downside, of course, is that the Humbrol is enamel with a longer drying time and a spectacular ability to attract dust.  It's also matt so I'll leave it for a couple of days before getting to work with Micromesh and, if necessary, Klear. 

 

[Jabba]

Oh yes that is bright. Where are my sunglasses?

[Turbofan]

4 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

went with Turbofan's suggestion of Humbrol 99 after all.

And a mighty fine suggestion it was too! I think it looks spot on!

Soon be decal time Dave!

Cheers,

Ian

[stringbag]

Looks juicy.  With a bit of polishing that's going to look very good indeed Dave.

 

Chris.

[Skodadriver]

With the masking removed it's possible to see the livery starting to emerge.  I had to make a few slight adjustments to the demarcation below the tail which showed that using yellow masking tape and yellow paint isn't easy!

 

 

The next major painting jobs are the lower fuselage and engines in Xtracolor X371 and wings and tailplanes in Halfords Racking Grey.  

 

I'll be back when I have something to report.

[Grandboof]

Looks like you nailed the yellow 

Martin H

[Skodadriver]

1 hour ago, Grandboof said:

Looks like you nailed the yellow 

Martin H

All thanks to Turbofan!

[armored76]

Looks fantastic, so far!

[Viking]

That yellow is spot on! Looking very good Dave, can't wait for more progress on this.

[Skodadriver]

I have now sprayed the greys, Halfords Racking Grey on the wings and tailplanes and Xtracolor KLM Pale Grey X371 on the lower fuselage and engines. The engine cowling rings were sprayed with Tamiya TS-17 and masked off before I applied the Xtracolor. The exhaust cones were painted with a Revell Aqua mixture of rust, iron and black.

 

Apart from a little touching up around the nose and the removal of a couple of slight ridges along the demarcation that’s really the basic painting done.  

 

 

 

Leading edge decals can sometimes be more trouble than they’re worth but the DACO ones actually work quite well so I will be using them along with the coroguard wing decals.

 

I don’t trust Xtracolor paint so I’m going to give it several days to see if it dries properly before I do anything else.  If everything is OK I’ll touch up the areas needed, give the yellow a final polish, apply Klear and get the model on its undercarriage before I start the decals.  I don’t really know why I do it this way but it’s been my SOP for as long as I can remember and it works for me.  If nothing else it reduces the risk of damaging the decals with supergluey fingers, an important consideration if your standards are down to my level.

 

Back soon

[stringbag]

That's a lovely finish Dave. I'm looking forward to watching the decals applied.

 

Chris.

[nimrod54]

On ‎26‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 23:55, Skodadriver said:

I've sorted the bits of scribing that were needing attention, a job I absolutely hate.  Does anybody else look at a job, think "What I'm going to do is likely to make that worse" do it anyway, think "I wish I'd left well alone" then start a descending spiral of re-filling, rescribing and so on?  Eventually I got to the stage where further fiddling was pointless and I more or less gave up.  It's as good as it will ever be.

 

I hate rescribing and usually end up overdoing it, I often think would I want to fly on an aircraft with a panel gap that big when scaled up to full size. This is looking good though.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

On 3/14/2018 at 12:03 PM, stringbag said:

That's a lovely finish Dave. I'm looking forward to watching the decals applied.

 

Chris.

Agree with Chris, that is a nice finish Dave

[Viking]

 

On 3/14/2018 at 12:07 AM, Skodadriver said:

.. get the model on its undercarriage before I start the decals.  I don’t really know why I do it this way but it’s been my SOP for as long as I can remember and it works for me.  If nothing else it reduces the risk of damaging the decals with supergluey fingers

100% with you on this Dave. Decals on at the last possible moment, otherwise superglue will get on. And in the most prominent place too!

Any progress to show this weekend?

[Skodadriver]

1 hour ago, Viking said:

 

100% with you on this Dave. Decals on at the last possible moment, otherwise superglue will get on. And in the most prominent place too!

Any progress to show this weekend?

Not much I'm afraid. Weekends tend to be devoted to my other spare-time activity as organist and director of music at our local parish church!

 

The Xtracolor appears to have dried OK but I know from previous bad experiences (yes, plural) that this can be deceptive so it won't do any harm to leave it a bit longer.  I have touched up round the nose and if I get time tomorrow evening I'll make a start with the Klear.

 

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

As far a Xtracolor not drying, I have been told it is all down to the thinners used. I use GP thinners and I have no issues with it drying in a reasonable time (overnight/24 hours).

[Skodadriver]

 

9 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

As far a Xtracolor not drying, I have been told it is all down to the thinners used. I use GP thinners and I have no issues with it drying in a reasonable time (overnight/24 hours).

I’ve heard that too. I always thin Xtracolor with its own brand thinner and 80% of the time there’s no problem. The trouble is that the other 20% is completely unpredictable. Sometimes it’s obvious the stuff hasn’t dried but I’ve twice had the experience of applying Klear over apparently dry Xtracolor only to have it craze and ruin the model. This time I’ve played safe and kept the Klear to the yellow and things are looking OK. I hope to get the model on its undercarriage later today then I’ll post some more photos.

[Skodadriver]

I must have built the Daco 737 a dozen times but I've never found a way of fitting the main undercarriage without resorting to skulduggery. Unless there is something far wrong with my modelling skills (stop sniggering at the back) It's impossible to assemble it according to the instructions i.e. attaching the wheels and doors to the legs before fitting the legs to the wings. I always attach the wheels, then fit the legs to the wings, add the side struts, remove the top 1mm or so from the doors and glue them to the wings as close to the undercarriage legs as I can get them.  From a normal viewing distance, and without picking the model up, it's just about acceptable but if anybody has a better way of going at things I'll be delighted to learn it for future models.

 

Anyhow, having got that out of my system, it's always a good moment when a model stands on its own feet, so to speak:

 

 

 

I should manage to make a start on the decals in the next few days.