russ c

Great looking Spitfire there Roger, beautiful job

Cheers Gary, I forgot to answer your other question: it`s going to be a grey one ( Deuce )

Ah I see, I wondered what you were Tolkien about. I`ll get my coat.......................... Cheers Russ

Thanks Pete for the kind words, but I`m afraid the `short man` thing went straight over my head?

Excellent `Jack` there Nanond, great job with the chipping. Really nice work

Great looking Sycamore there Tony. Really good work with the dayglo orange too.

Hi Gary. If it`s any consolation, I struggle with an air brush. In a nutshell: thinning is a matter of trial and error, I aim for consistency of single cream but some colours work better a little thicker ie white, yellow, light greys and blues. If it`s a big colour step from plastic to paint or silver I use an undercoat of satin mid/light grey ( no particular shade ). So after painting the model in the base colours or camouflage I draw the panel lines in with a mechanical pencil ( the ones where the lead comes out when you push the button at the top ). Then gloss varnish, then decals, then a matt coat ,then draw the panel lines in over the decals . Next I dry brush over the panel lines with an olive drab or dark grey using a small stiff cut off brush to knock them back a bit. If it looks too stark I rub it about with my thumb to blend it in. I that doesn`t work I use a pencil eraser, rub it off and try again. I apply it heavier around control surfaces, access panels, wing roots trying to work lighter as I move away from the centre. Next I damp brush ( like dry brush but with more paint left in the brush ) leading edges, panel centres and areas prone to scuffing in a lighter shade of the base colour, rubbing it about with thumb if it`s too stark. When this is dried I add exhaust stains, then aluminium chips both using a stippling action with a cut off short stiffish brush. Then knock the chipping back with a bit of dry brushed olive drab. Then a matt coat ( or Gloss or Satin depending on final finish ) or two to bring it all together. Feathered edges I do by stippling with a short stiff brush and thumb using the darker of the two colours. With the Avenger I couldn`t do this as the Xtracolour paint was gloss and dried a lot quicker than matt enamels, so I stippled it and then went over it with a soft brush soaked in white spirit. Nerve wracking but I think it worked! Took a couple of attempts and I let the base paint dry for over a week before trying it. I usually use Humbrol Enamels except for the matt and gloss coats. For the matt I use Windsor and Newton Acrylic matt varnish and for gloss I normally use Future/Klear or Humbrol Acrylic gloss coat. Hope I haven`t bored you to death, but you did ask Hope this helps, Cheers Russ

Thanks Martin, actually I`ve a Monogram Deuce just started and am impatiently waiting for ICM`s Bronco and Counter Invader. Also waiting for their Beaufort too I`ve also a Beechcraft something or other I intend to do as a QU-22 drone and a B-57. Always something to do but too many doors, door frames and skirting boards to do too.

Cheers Gary, I`m flattered that you`re so enthusiastic about my models but there`s nothing amazing going on here. Most of it is just dry/damp brushing and trial and error. If it doesn`t work out I just swab it off with white spirit or rub it off with a pencil eraser and try again. Sorry but I`ve neither the time or inclination to do such a thing. If anyone needs help or wants to know about how I did a specific thing then I`ll gladly help them. Also, as I use Enamels most of the time is waiting for it to dry and I`m sure no one wants to watch a video of paint drying Thanks again, Cheers Russ

Really nice `100 there, great job

Thanks Etienne I`m sorry to say that the auto setting on the camera is responsible for the photo`s. It`s a Samsung ES70, pretty much point and shoot. I took a lot of photo`s and deleted most of them, what you see are the best that came out. Glad you like them though. Cheers Russ

Great looking Tempest there, looks quite big in the photo`s

Great looking Vulcans there Adam, I see your doing the `Thunderball` thing on the table

Yeah that would be cool , glad you like it Cheers Russ

Sorry to have corrupted you Mike , yeah I never did get the hang of the airbrush, too much time ( for me ) cleaning it and masking too. Maybe one day.......................... Cheers Russ

Thanks Rog, having built both over the years I think the AM kit is a bit easier apart from the turret, esp as you haven`t got the wing folds to worry about. They`re about the same otherwise. Oh and I added a gunsight from the spares box I forgot to mention in my original post. Look forward to seeing yours when it`s done Cheers Russ

Superb Starfighter there, Really nice work

Howdy All, Thought you wouldn`t mind me showing some photo`s of my latest effort, hot off the kitchen table My second attempt at HobbyBoss`s 1/48 Avenger kit Completed to represent a New Zealand Air Force TBF-1C Built almost completely from the box contents, only additions being brake pipes, seat belts and radio antenna wire The previous HB kit I did with the wings folded and I expected a bit of hassle doing them open but in the end it was no trouble at all Decals came from Ventura Decals set V48101 and I was torn between this and the Donald Duck option....... ........but in the end opted for the indigenous artwork Paints were Xtracolour enamels and my first attempt at brushing a feathered edge with them just hoping it looks OK to your discerning eyes Hope you enjoy the pic`s, thanks for looking Cheers Russ

Superb Shackleton, really nice work

Really nicely done, bags of character. great job

Beautiful job, really nice work

Fantastic job on what I`ve heard is a very hard kit, really nice work

Great looking Tiger there, really nice work

Really nice `109 there, love the camo`

Fantastic Wellesley there Tony, love the desert theme too, really nice work