Bertie McBoatface Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 You know I wrote about sticking the wings on? Well, I was getting a little ahead of myself there. I realised overnight that there's still a lot to do that will be easier to do with the kite in smaller pieces. And today had been largely taken up doing some of those things. First, paint your fuselage. I'm masking over green so the latex should be OK, yes? Obviously I don't want to slip up and stain my brown bits ever again. Maybe this will stop me repeating the error. Masked and sprayed. Revealed! And with no problems with the latex. It must be the Humbrol Dk Earth in particular. No wonder really, it's a horrible mixture and sprays really badly too. Maybe they use real dark earth as pigment. Anyway, while that was drying I turned to the wings again. Fabric covered control surfaces were sprayed with a very thin filter of beige. Pre-shading would have been better, I feel, but you have to do what you can with what you got wherever you find yourself! The underneath of the wings and tail were dry-brushed with a medium grey to bring out the texture. I'm not sure that I captured it in the photo but it really helps the black surface retain interest. I'm not sure how much will be visible when it's on the base though. Biggest dry-brush I ever used! Usually it's reserved for dusting. Still on the wings, I nearly forgot the walkways. This was my trial run using Tamiya masking and then patchy brush painting. This isn't black, but it's still unfortunately dark, I now think. It looked OK at the time though! There are a lot of lines. All that taping near drove me crazy, CRAZY I tell you!! It came out like this. Too dark! Still, there's a lot of weathering to go on yet. The bin at lunchtime. I've used quite a bit of tape today and it still wasn't over. Black lines done it was time to turn red. That looks a lot scruffier here than on the model! There are a lot of Australian walkway markings on the underneath. Trestle location markings really. I like the contrast with the black. I had to apply a lot of these little circular black spots. I have no idea what they are but getting them uniform was easy with a cocktail stick printer. Those things are so useful that I always maintain a supply to hand. Cotton buds and sprue sticks are the other must haves at the front of the tool drawer. Sprue sticks are very versatile But their main use for me is paint stirring/decanting when small quantities are being used. I NEVER put a cocktail stick in a paint pot. Splinters are not the airbrush's friend. After all those straight lines I needed something with bends. Remember those wheel covers the plumbers will 'lower' the bombs onto? I was going to make them from tissue or something but I found these tarps in a Tamiya figues set. I wanted a pile of them but they ate designed to lie on flat surfaces. No problem. Softened by the side of a candle flame (not over a candle flame) and then pressed into place with bare hands and much screaming. Painted and dry-brushed they look quite effective, I think. I slung a spare tarp over the tailgate of the Tilly and added a mysterious red girder for the plumbers to play with. You might be wondering about the fire bucket? Well, those armourers aren't daft. They know that dropping seven tons of explosive, twenty feet onto concrete might be dangerous and if anything goes wrong they want to be prepared! I finished painting their climbing frame too. Time to make my little men so they can play with their toys. I think this guy's a Yank so the hat has to go. Now he looks like a refugee from Showaddywaddy, but that mess on his head might be a RAF forage cap one day. I had a lot of fun playing with the blokes. "Bloody hell! Look what's happened to Charlie!" This is my provisional arrangement for the four ground crew. I have a clear idea of how the conversation is going but before I tell you what's in my mind, what do you imagine they are all saying. Let the guy on the staging be 'A' and then 'B', 'C', and 'D' going clockwise. Who is talking to whom and what might they be saying. If you get any ideas without forcing it, then I know my arrangement looks natural enough. And that was Saturday and I still haven't done the ironing (or eating or drinking)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Whoa Don! Just how many hours are there in your days? What a fantastic output rate - I'm dead jealous Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Don, Looking great. A: you want us to do what! B: you heard, you release the bombs and dave and bob will catch them in the tarp. C & D: (aka dave and bob) stunned silence Anywhere close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I'm getting really interested in the idea of indicating structure by shading. I have post shaded with this in mind. Take a look at Ian's Ki84 on the Pacific War GB for the pre-shading equivalent. That's the way I'll be going next, I think (even if he's picked a really ugly aeroplane to work with. lol.). Dont think I didn't notice that, Don ! Just when I thought I got the measure of where you were ultimately headed with this build, you bowl the mother of all googlies' and scratch-build a service stand in a spare five minutes.... Just incredible, simply incredible. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Whoa Don! Just how many hours are there in your days? What a fantastic output rate - I'm dead jealous Cliff I'm usually up at seven and go to bed at 11.30 and I'm on holiday! (I work in a school) Don, Looking great. A: you want us to do what! B: you heard, you release the bombs and dave and bob will catch them in the tarp. C & D: (aka dave and bob) stunned silence Anywhere close? I like that script. My son came up with another good one. Neither of them are even close to my thoughts but you both havve picked up the same thing from the body language of the figures; there's an argument going on. Since that was my intention, I'm very happy. you ... scratch-build a service stand in a spare five minutes.... Just incredible, simply incredible.Ian Five minutes, five hours, something like that! I imagine it's like doing doll's house furniture. Great fun! I was playing with the toys earlier and dry-fitted it all together. What do you think? A better view of the argument. D: Listen Corporal, just bloody push that bloody staging under that bloody bomb-bay like I bloody said. B: With the greatest of respect Flight Sergeant, the flamin' fing don't flamin' well fit under there! A: (Mouthing silently) I said we should get a ladder. C: (giggles helplessly) Pick that rifle up! An overview. (The DVD represents the information label for the model show punters.) I'm quite pleased really but there's a lot more to do yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeley Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Hi Don, I've realied that I jumped into this thread and started quacking about mystery decals, and haven't said what a great build this is. Seeing it mocked up on the base makes me look forward to the finished product even more! As others have said, your WIP has been informative AND entertaining. More power to your elbow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) Hi Don, ... As others have said, your WIP has been informative AND entertaining. More power to your elbow! Thank you Cheeley. You know, it's working both ways. Doing it in public (Ooooh, Matron!) has made me raise my game such a lot. It's added a constructive pressure which is a very interesting phenomenon. In fact, now I think about it, the generous support and praise received here on Britmodeller has brought out far more than the previous best in my modelling creativity. That's a lesson I will take back to work in September - The Constructive Pressure of Praise. My school, (well, the whole world actually) tends not to give very much encouragement to the kind of kids I work with. However, they are freely given punishments. I admit that they do many unhelpful things to 'win' those punishments, but perhaps that's because they are simply unfamiliar with the feeling of being valued? Intellectually, I've always known that praise works better than criticism and that there is always something praiseworthy in everyone and everything if we only look hard enough. My experience here in the last few weeks has really demonstrated the emotional power of positive comments to me. As a result I'm 'working' incredibly long hours at the bench and at the PC to deliver these articles to you all and enjoying every moment of it. Curiously, in the absence of criticism here, I've applied my own judgement to the Lanc in order to improve. For example, I've tried many techniques in this build that I've never even attempted before. Based on all of this, I am determined to redouble the amount of positivity I apply to the kids and staff that I work with. No, make that all the people I encounter. I have become quite a grumpy old dude in the past few years almost without noticing. How brilliant that the old model aeroplane hobby, my 'refuge' for forty years should be instrumental in such a personal insight. I've also realised how little positive support I get from my management team! I don't expect any change there though. LOLIASBW! (Laughs out loud in a slightly bitter way.) So thanks again to you, to all of the generous posters on this thread and to the Britmodeller community as a whole. Mike and the Mods, you should be very proud of what you have created here! We really do take care of each other don't we? Edited August 7, 2011 by per ardua ad ostentationem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Now he looks like a refugee from Showaddywaddy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 I've been taking a bit of a break today, out visiting and watching a movie, so I don't seem to have done a great deal. I stuck the tail on permanently. I think it looks like a whale! With the extra weight of the tail I can't put the fuselage down safely anymore but fortunately it fits this. My all purpose (but mostly fighter) trestle. It's ever so handy and easily modified with a sharp knife to take almost anything you want to flip over without damaging. I want to move the base along now, but forgot it's a Sunday and the craft shops are shut. (I really am enjoying this Summer holiday.) I did have some felt feet from Ikea which take the strain off the furniture. [That reminds me, did you hear about the man who bought his girlfriend a felt hat, a pair of felt gloves and a pair of felt slippers for her birthday. He said he liked to make his presents felt! Boom, boom!] Then I stuck the flaps on. Liquid polly on the edge didnt seem evry secure so I've reinforced later with an infusion of CA. The bit of foam is supposed to make sure both sides are equally drooped. The end product. For a first go with plasticard scratching I think it will do. Plenty of room for improvement next time. I'm going to need chocks. Only two as Lancs were rarely double chocked according to my research. I started making individual planks as I did with the staging but it was so fiddley that I used the scored sheet which I'd rejected for that earlier job. First coat of paint. I'm picking up lots of tips from other people's photos. Probably things they take for granted and never mention in text. For example today on "One Mitchell or Two?" I spotted a quick way to mask off radial engines with paper cones. Thanks Rams. Here's something I noticed I do when putting paint away after use. I flick it inverted so the paint seals the lid and stops drying out. I realise that most of you do that already but I just thought I'd mention it. The chocks painted up and awaiting their filthy ropes. This dio is set in the Lincolnshire winter and there will be a lot of snow and things freezing up. Chock-ice anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Sorry no updates lately. I have been unable to spend much time at the bench. I've applied a few decals and that's about it. Unfortunately I have encountered a lot of silvering so I'll have to sort that out some way. Very discouraging really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 [That reminds me, did you hear about the man who bought his girlfriend a felt hat, a pair of felt gloves and a pair of felt slippers for her birthday. He said he liked to make his presents felt! Boom, boom!] OK, that's enough.... no really it is Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jephcott Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Incredible work. Just incredible. I cannot wait to see this completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 OK, that's enough.... no really it is Ian I once bought the wife a wooden car! It had a wooden engine, wooden wheel and wooden seats, only trouble was it wooden go. Sorry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 OK, that's enough.... no really it is Ian Some people just have no sense of humour. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 I got a little bored. This little board, in fact. hoho! It needed texture so wood glue and model railway style scatter were employed... ...followed by a sprayed on coat of primer. This is close enough to concrete for me. I'll be spraying it patchy green as Woodhall Spa and most other RAF stations were camouflaged in this way during the war. Most of it will be under snow anyway. My little erks have been getting dressed and ready for parade. And I stuck the wings on! And bombs and turrets etc. It's now more or less in one piece. This is the silvered decal problem. I've pierced the film and induced Future to flow under it. It seems to have improved things but I'll still be doing some touch ups in the morning. A couple of areas needed some last minute damage applied. A little paint will hopefully make this more convincing. This is that mysterious decal. Some progress made there. It's felt like work today. I've been struggling to maintain interest and have consequently made a few mistakes. Interest is fading fast now and I hope that it lasts long enough for me to actually finish the thing. The final stages of a big project are always the worst for me. Maybe I should have stuck to fighters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Keep 'er coming mate, looks fantastic! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar2 Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Don't lose heart now as you're on the final straight to a great ending. Fantastic bit of modelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Hope you get your mojo back soon Don - I'm sure you will. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Catching up here after a week offline having moved into the new house (very glad I left London when I did when I recognised the streets in Hackney from the helicopter footage of riots!) and just have to add to the astonished wonderment of the progress. Love the chocks and the tarps, staging, tips and humour of your posts. Keep up the fantastic work, you really are an excellent educator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Incredible work. Just incredible. I cannot wait to see this completed. Thanks for the support Chris. Keep 'er coming mate, looks fantastic!Dave Thank you Dave, I will keep on keeping on. Don't lose heart now as you're on the final straight to a great ending. Fantastic bit of modelling. Hello Shar2, I once ran a marathon. The last 3 miles are twice as far as the first 20. This has been feeling like that but the finish is now in sight so it will soon be over. Thanks for cheering me on. Hope you get your mojo back soon Don - I'm sure you will. Cliff Thanks Cliff, nearly there now! I got my mojo workin'... Love the chocks and the tarps, staging, tips and humour of your posts.Keep up the fantastic work, you really are an excellent educator Cheers Kallisti, I'm very close to finishing now. Britmodeller has the same functions as the early BBC for me "to educate, inform and entertain". The BM guys and gals do all three for me and it's nice to be able to participate. Good update to follow in a short while - keep watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamond9 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Keep it coming Don. What the bloomin' ell is that decal for ? Nose art ? Gary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Hello folks, after a couple of dog days, and much help from you all, I took the masking off the canopy and regained my enthusiasm. 'Revealing' always gives me a big kick. Anyway I got going again and now I'm here. Nearly finished! Here's what's been happening. Bernard Matthews Turkey Escalopes come packaged in painting palettes! Note the dozens of separate cells for mixing. What a bargain, and they don't taste too bad either. So painting continued. Toothpick scratches on the cowling fasteners. Yes, I know they look too bright right now. Patience! I've attached all of the little odds and ends like this, so they needed paint. Gave me a chance to restore full colour to the trim tabs which are not fabric covered of course. I'll need to go round these parts again with a drybrush to bring out the shapes better than this. You can see the difference between the rod and crank assembly and the aileron hinge, I hope. Sorry about the flash flare. This is a little battle damage repair patch. Easy and interesting. Remember that anti-icing grease? It got flung all over the place. I don't think this came off too well. I'd have preferred smaller droplet sizes but made life difficult for myself by doing this after the wings were on. If I'd had room to work I could have used the airbrush for this. Oh well, live and learn. Grease applied to the leading edges. Obviously not right behind the exhausts though. I like the way it brings out the dihedral, what a sweeping wing shape! Mid-upper turret in place. Flipped upside down by the explosion. Shame about the windows though. Overall view. I'm fairly happy with this now. There's been a lot of chipping, staining, etc going on but I didn't stop to take many photos - sorry folks! This lot arrived today. A couple of quid from eBay for a couple of pounds weight of scrap electronics components. A lifetime supply of little bits and pieces for scratch-building machinery. You will be seeing these bits and pieces again soon - somewhere in Alaska!. Exhaust staining. A Lancaster model lives or dies at this stage in the painting in my opinion. I used four different greys working from dark to light. I think my Lanc lives. Staining on the cowlings. I used to think that the exhaust shrouds were only open at the front and back but in fact there's a slit all the way round so the gasses came out all round. When it's dried, I'll be going back in with the chipping and scratching techniques and removing some of the staining from the shrouds themselves. Bomb sight revealed and a view underneath the wing. The exhaust goes under as well as over the wing. Note the irregular grease application. Sutton Coldfield will love that! You will note that the exhaust staining is almost absent on the outboard side of the outboard engines. It's the effect of the dihedral of the outer wing panels. And that's it. Tomorrow I'll concentrate on the figures, the snow on the base and minor touches on the Lanc. I'm aiming to be totally finished by the weekend. And Gary, I've just noticed your 6:30 post. Go to the top of the class, It is in fact my attempt to reproduce some nose art. Based on an element from The Queen Mother's personal coat of arms as I don't have a photo of whatever was really applied to the aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Séan Pádraig Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 That is simply mad.... great, but mad. I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Still sprechenloss over here ! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybee Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Hi Per Excellent, that staining is spot on. Some people put the outer staining on, some miss it all together but you've hit the nail on the head. For the rest they're all similar but slightly different in length or width and I see yours matches this, brilliant. Keep up the great work, Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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