Ray_W

Finished up completing smaller bits and pieces. I made those wheel retraction locks. I did this by using some 0.3 mm card stock, punching a 1.0 mm hole, then trimming to the desired size using a scalpel blade. Stuck in some 0.2 mm stretched sprue for the rods. You can spend more time using the tip of the blade to square out the bottom but frankly they are so tiny and you do break them. Ask me how I know. The word for today was "ping!" Overall, they turned out surprisingly close to the required dimensions. And I think achieve the desired effect A pleasing result. I have just pushed the cannons in for the photo-op. I think I can spend more time fiddling around to straighten them. Master provided nicely opened up muzzles, which I admired, and then promptly filled to paint "guns ready" with their covers in place. And, of course, I did the usual .... bumped the pitot tube. Excellent cockpit Arma. Nicely busy. I made and added the dorsal ID light ahead of the radio mast and went with a mast stripped of paint. Next time, I will do more work on that mast - thinner, taller, pointier. Anyway, I'll call that complete. Great kit and a wonderful subject. Thank you Arma and I look forward to your future releases in this range. I do plan to build another Arma Mk. IIC later in the year. This time in desert camo. Red Roo's boxing with the 451 Squadron decals is waiting for me back in Australia. Thank you @Ed Russell. There are a few things I will do differently. 1. Lightly sand the rivet details. Not too much because I do not want to broaden the diameter of the rivets. However, they are pointy and great lint catchers. Very light sand and I think it will preserve the effect and make it easier to work with. 2. Paint the wing roundels. I found the decals quite OK when not impacted greatly by the positive rivet detail. 3. Thin the front section to replace the spinner oil splash guard before the fuselage halves are joined. I think the effect I achieved was quite OK but next time will do it before. 4. Spend more time thinning the trailing edges. Again I think the effect achieved was OK. I can do better work on the mating faces being carful not to introduce a step at the wing root trailing edge. 5. I am going to hollow out the wing framing and go full landing light detail. Just for fun. 6. Give the radio mast a little love. 7. I do not know if you noticed. I did thin the sliding canopy leading and trailing edges since the last post to give more of a scale effect. I'll do this earlier in the build next time and also do the windscreen. The above are not a criticism of the kit. Just stuff I like to do. Build it out of the box, if you choose, and you'll be happy. Once complete, it does have great presence. Tomorrow I'll post some pictures in RFI hopefully in some better light conditions. I'll try and capture how it really looks. Here is an image taken in natural late afternoon light. Ready for an evening sortie over France Summer 1942. Thanks for following along. Link to RFI Images follow: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235130290-148-arma-hobby-hurricane-mk-iic-night-duty-87-squadron-raf-summer-1942/ Ray

I think you're right 😁

Thanks Charlie. Yes, hand painted. No.1 Kolinsky Sable with a good point. Body of the brush holds the paint and the tip does the work. I go along for the ride. My job is cursing. My lines finished up a bit thicker and I could not bring myself to do a small "NIGH", then a space, followed by a large "T . DUTY". It probably had some meaning at the time. For me? I was just happy to escape with the result I got A case of ... "in 1/48, it'll do". 👍 Ray

The two stressful jobs, where so much can go wrong, are done - exhaust stains and the "NIGHT DUTY" banner. I am pleased to report no issues at all. The banner was hand painted with Vallejo Model Color and the exhaust staining was an airbrushed, very thin mix, of Tamiya NATO Black and Flat Brown. You might notice I have started some subtle weathering such as chipping and dirtying the panels that are typically walked on. I still have a number of details to do. However, I'm getting my monies worth out of this kit and worth every cent. Ray

Stix, I think it is one kit made especially for you. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-32604-us-howitzer-motor-carriage-m8--1451177

I think you will thoroughly enjoy it. As mentioned in my thread, next time I will paint the wing roundels. Nothing really wrong with the Techmod decals as supplied in the kit. I just think painted roundels will look better with the positive rivet detail. Real test is coming up when I apply a flat coat. I like my models to have a variation in sheen. I think it looks more realistic. Over the roundels though, this time, it will be dead flat. Ray

Excellent work Craig. You know how much I like planning and eliminating gaps without the need for fillers. It was a pleasure seeing your solution. In fact the AMT kit joints look quite good with this correction. If the correct dihedral is maintained then it is a wonderful result. Ray

Good to see you have broadened the Stuart range and it's a fair STGB call. Otherwise, I thought it's like a Spitfire STGB where you're only allowed Spitfire Mk. VBs. I was looking at Steve Zaloga's New Vanguard Book No. 33 on the Stuart and thinking that all variants could reasonably be included. Great list from Dennis @Corsairfoxfouruncle by the way. I've been wanting to do an Australian M3 in a Buna setting and this gives me the excuse. Be it that fitting the Tamiya 20mm Flak 38 for a Yugoslav Partisan mod would be a cool project. Inspiration here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235036761-m3a3-with-flakvierling/ Hopefully someone has the 1/76 Milicast kit in their stash and joins. That is, if the kit exists. I've never seen one built. Ray

Hi Kent, Glad you're finding it of some value. You certainly have a nice collection in "Recently Completed". Ray

Into some final assembly - undercarriage, exhausts, wing tanks. It felt weird painting the exhaust stack in a red lead colour. Very retro modelling. Slight sink marks on the door should disappear under the final flat clear coat. The kit's undercarriage is lovely. You'll note that some weathering with oils has commenced. The following image is maybe clearer in showing what is going on. Also, no wash is used. There is plenty of texture in the surface as is and useful variation can be brought in with the oil paints. I also mixed up a black with tint of blue for some areas. More to come. Ray

I expect locally designed and installed armour somewhat different to what was the standard installation we have come to expect.

I have to agree. I think you could spend more time on paint shading to try to make the faces appear more gaunt, although those small helmets stuck on top of big heads are hard to hide. They seem substantially well fed compared to the kit-supplied Tamiya figures. Looks like the Pack from the First 15 got the ride. The Tamiya Commander and Gunner arms are positively emaciated. Hopefully, the replacement heads are better.

Hi Bob, As you say, quite visible, be it that the original framing, I assume supporting the light bulb with wiring, was quite fine per the Finnish example. Great images of the original here. Restored aircraft seem to make the framing heavier: Having said that, it is a nice detail that I did not reproduce, just opting for the kit's version. Maybe next time I'll be crazy enough to open up the inside to replicate the wing structure, move the light forward, punch a clear lens, paint the wiring/framing, and plunge mold a new clear cover or thin the Arma offering. With a thin cover, it all would be very visible. Quite seriously, I'll give it a go. Ray

Thanks James, there is more weathering to come after the main colours go on the superstructure. I will be trying to match the images so we'll see what I achieve.

I thought the same and then noticed the short timber fore end and no visible trigger or pistol grip. It became obvious when I took a look at the image from the opposite side. I have since weakened and ordered the Real Model resin. It's a unique weapon variation that is too good to miss. Thanks Gordon, all coming together nicely. I have ordered some heads to save work removing the chin straps. We'll see whether I opt for kit heads or purchased heads when the order arrives. Ray

Stix, Count me in. Ray

Thanks James, simple process. Just a bit messy.

Hi Mark, It will follow the P-47 that I'm planning to start end of the month when the STGB kicks off. Ray

Hi Zac and Mick, Really enjoying this build. All going well I should have this one finished this week. I've purchased another two of the Arma kits. It's such a nice kit of a type I particularly like, with so many interesting schemes available. The next one will be in an Aussie desert scheme. Ray

Thanks Craig, as always, for the very kind words. I've started planning the figures. As mentioned previously, I would prefer a boarding scene to reduce the number of figures to be painted. My subject "RESPONDS"s image: "HOOD" would be crazy. How do you camouflage a tank in the desert? Cover it with troops. I forgot that I already had the MiniArt British Desert Tank Rider set 35071 in the stash when I ordered 35299. The latter set has the same figures with a couple of extra frets from their British Infantry Weapons & Equipment set 35361. So I now have 10 MiniArt figures, 2 Tamiya and a stack of weapons and kit to play with. These two frets are common to both sets. I do intend to portray the Black Watch troops. This will mean removal of the moulded helmet chin straps and giving them Tam o' Shanter caps. I am still tossing up whether I buy heads or correct the chin straps. And here are the extra weapons & equipment frets offered in 35299. Nicely detailed and giving some additional kit if required. The fret with the Thompson SMG's was not included by MiniArt, that's a shame. Interestingly, the Black Watch guy on the front left hand fender looks like he is holding a captured Beretta MAB38. A very nice 9x19 mm weapon, indeed. Royal Model di R. Reale make a 1/35 resin version. Expensive for one when 6 come in the set. Unlikely, I'll need another 5 in my lifetime. Still it is tempting. Ray

Made up the link & length tracks per the Tamiya instruction. Of course they fit very nicely. Then removed them for painting. Tracks were painted in the usual way - undercoated with a Tamiya XF mix of NATO Black / Flat Brown and then used pigments to achieve the desired effect. Pigments in this case were AK "North Africa Dust" with some MIG "Airfield Dust" and sparingly AK "Dark Earth". As a setting agent I used AK "Africa Dust Effects" enamel and clean white spirit. For a change, here is an image of the opposite side showing the assembled tracks. The top tracks appears quite stark in the image. I stopped doing further work on them as they will be hidden under the guards and side curtains. Bottom tracks are blending in better. More weathering to come. Now I can start closing it up and work on the superstructure/turret/guards/side skirts. Ray

Cockpit looks great. Super clear close-ups.

Blink and miss. Great progress. Ray

Hi Paul, My expectation is that adding water is not necessary. I recall the MSDS for X-20A shows that the composition is already more than 50% water: 3-methyl-3-methoxy Butanol: 10% Secondary Butanol: 20% Normal Propyl Alcohol: 15% Water: 55% I add a small amount of additional water to create a premix to extend the life of the X-20A bottle and further dilute the retarder. I also expect (although I haven't tested it) that a combination of just retarder and water will probably work as well. What I do is more of a habit than anything else. Tamiya remains one of the best paints for retaining color in super-thin mixes while drying with a very flat finish, provided you can eliminate spattering and tip dry. Ray

I think you accidently dropped the "1". Gunze's C125 is their Japanese cowling colour with the slight bluish tinge some like for Night finishes. Interestingly. I'll be adding a slight bluish filter to some of the metal areas to break it up an add a little variety. Should be fun to see what can be achieved.