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Thanks Ced! You're right about your approach being easier but I had to paint the blades with alclad gunmetal first because alclad should not be applied over acrylics. Cheers Jaime

Hi again, I've been slowly working on this build in the last few weekends, but didn't have the time to update the thread. As I'm now in Brussels for a few days for a conference, I'll use some free time before sleeping to try and update this. I had a few colours to apply to the smaller parts before moving to closing the fuselage. The first things to paint were the propellers, which had yellow blade tips and white hubs. I determined the length of the blades to paint yellow from this picture (This is a different machine, with blue propeller hubs, already with Russian instead of Soviet markings. It seems there are no pictures of the one I'm building): I used pieces of tape with the right length (to scale) as templates for marking the yellow tips: IMAG6577 Then, I masked the propeller blades, to protect the dark part, and exposed the tips: IMAG6578 Here are the propellers ready for painting: IMAG6579 The end result: IMAG6586 The antenna assembly was also painted (light grey support - mask - medium grey radome - unmask): IMAG6587 Before going further, I noticed, in pictures of the real thing, that there were two auxiliary intakes near the nose, below the main intakes: These are simulated by decals in the kit (just like the fuselage windows). So, I decided to drill these openings. I used a PE template with circles and ovals over the said decals to determine their dimensions. Next I cut pieces of masking tape, using a nº 11 blade and the oval template, which were applied on the fuselage halves: IMAG6588 A manual mini-drill was used to partially open these intakes: IMAG6589 Next, I masked the metallic areas of the fuselage, the backs of the fuselage windows and some surface details that should be black in the final scheme (there are also black decals for these, but the black primer should provide a better looking end-result): IMAG6590 The back grids of the air intakes were glued in place: IMAG6591 The back grids were masked, for protection during the paint phase: IMAG6592 And the intakes were glued to the fuselage: IMAG6593 Here's how they look with the fuselage halves closed (not yet glued together): IMAG6595 I also glued in place the main undercarriage part: IMAG6596 and the propeller engine internal parts: IMAG6597 Finally, I glued the two fuselage halves together. This was done by, first, applying regular Tamiya liquid glue along the mating surfaces. Then, I joined the halves together, and, finally, applied Tamiya Extra Thin glue along the join, in small sections. The fuselage was left clamped: IMAG6598 That's all for now, and the thread is updated. Thanks for looking. Jaime

Thanks very much, Chris! Since the aircraft is light grey overall, I hope the black base technique will be more effective this time. Cheers Jaime

Dear All, The sixteenth finished build is Jerzy-Wojtek's ( @JWM ) Beriev Be-2 (KOR-1)! Cheers Jaime

If you're using Alclad Aluminium (ALC-101) you shouldn't have problems with masking over it. It seems that only Alclad high-shine colours are problematic with masking tape (e.g.: airframe aluminium, chrome). Cheers Jaime

Dear All, The fifteenth completed build is now in the Gallery! It's John's ( @John D.C. Masters ) SOC-3 Seagull! Cheers Jaime

Looking excellent!

Dear All, We've reached fourteen completed builds! Erwin's ( @Erwin ) Beriev Be-6 has just been uploaded to the Gallery! Cheers Jaime

Thanks for your interest, Cliff. I think white, grey or black primer show defects equally effectively. My idea is to use black primer as a shading layer under the camouflage paint. It's being used frequently in modelling magazines (e.g.: Model Aircraft Magazine) and it is explained here (the author calls it "black basing"). It can be combined with a technique called "colour variation" or "marbling", where a kind of mottling with different shades of other colours (greys or tonalities related to the camouflage colours) are applied within the panels (also mentioned in the same link). This will be my third attempt at the technique. My previous two attempts (Do-24 flyingboat and Defiant) were not entirely successful. I must use thinner layers of paint. Cheers Jaime

Dear All, Here are the statistics after the fourteenth full week of the GB. Between brackets I show the difference compared to the last report. There are only 2 weeks and 2 days left in this GB. Time to concentrate on those builds! This week we've had three additional models finished but there are no new entries. Total number of entries: 75 (+0) 1. Build status Started -------------------- 53 (-1) Finished ------------------- 13 (+3) Not started --------------- 9 (-2) 2. Per type Float planes -------------- 40 (+0) Flying boats -------------- 30 (+0) Amphibian helicopters --- 3 (+0) Ekranoplanes ------------- 1 (+0) Helicopters on floats ----- 1 (+0) 2.1. Types finished Flying boats ---------------- 9 (+3) Float planes ---------------- 4 (+0) Amphibian helicopters ---- 0 (+0) Ekranoplanes -------------- 0 (+0) Helicopters on floats ------ 0 (+0) 3. Per usage Military ---------------------- 62 (+0) Civilian ---------------------- 12 (+1) Undecided ------------------ 1 (-1) 4. Per Scale 1:72 ------------------------- 47 (+0) 1:48 ------------------------- 17 (+0) 1:144 ----------------------- 9 (+0) 1:200 ----------------------- 1 (+0) Unidentified --------------- 1 (+0) 5. Kit makers Airfix ------------------------ 10 (+0) Hasegawa ------------------ 5 (+0) No makers ----------------- 4 (+0) Revell ---------------------- 4 (+0) Smer ------------------------ 4 (+0) Anigrand ------------------- 3 (+0) Frog ------------------------ 3 (+0) Special Hobby ------------- 3 (+0) Sweet ---------------------- 3 (+0) Azur ------------------------ 2 (+0) Eastern Express ------------ 2 (+0) Matchbox ------------------ 2 (+0) ABM ------------------------ 1 (+0) Amodel --------------------- 1 (+0) Aviation USK --------------- 1 (+0) AZ Model ------------------ 1 (+0) Brengun ------------------- 1 (+0) Contrail -------------------- 1 (+0) Delta 2 --------------------- 1 (+0) Great Wall Hobby --------- 1 (+0) Hobby Boss ---------------- 1 (+0) Italeri ----------------------- 1 (+0) Karaya ---------------------- 1 (+0) Lindberg ------------------- 1 (+0) Marivox -------------------- 1 (+0) Mirage Models ------------ 1 (+0) Monogram ----------------- 1 (+0) Pavla Models --------------- 1 (+0) Pegasus -------------------- 1 (+0) Planet Models ------------- 1 (+0) Roden ---------------------- 1 (+0) RPM ------------------------ 1 (+0) Scaleworx ------------------ 1 (+0) Supermodel ---------------- 1 (+0) Sword ---------------------- 1 (+0) T.C.Models ----------------- 1 (+0) Tamiya ---------------------- 1 (+0) Testors ---------------------- 1 (+0) Trumpeter ------------------ 1 (+0) VEB Plasticart --------------- 1 (+0) Zvezda ---------------------- 1 (+0) Unidentified ----------------- 1 (+0) 6. Main medium Injection moulded styrene -------------- 62 (+0) Resin kit ----------------------------------- 8 (+0) Scratch built (wood, plastic, metal) ------- 4 (+0) Vacform kit -------------------------------- 1 (+0) 7. Country of operation UK ----------------------------- 21 (+0) USA ---------------------------- 8 (+1) Italy ---------------------------- 6 (+0) Japan -------------------------- 6 (+0) Soviet Union ------------------ 6 (+2) Australia ----------------------- 4 (+0) Germany ----------------------- 4 (+0) Russia -------------------------- 4 (+0) Undecided -------------------- 3 (-1) Canada ------------------------ 3 (+0) Sweden ----------------------- 2 (+0) Austria-Hungary -------------- 1 (+0) Belgian ------------------------ 1 (+0) France ------------------------- 1 (+0) Ireland ------------------------ 1 (+0) Malaysia ---------------------- 1 (+0) Maldives ---------------------- 1 (+0) New Zealand ----------------- 1 (+0) Poland ------------------------ 1 (+0) 7. Period of operation WWII ------------------------- 25 (+0) Modern (post-WWII) -------- 23 (+1) Between wars ---------------- 15 (+0) Undecided ------------------- 8 (-1) WWI ------------------------- 4 (+0) Pre-WWI --------------------- 0 (+0) I hope you find this information interesting. You can also find a complete build list here. Cheers Jaime

Thanks for the kind words and interest, Andrew! @SeaPlane Indeed it's rather big compared to the 1/72 WWII aircraft I've been mostly building. I agree with you that the kit is not bad but it's just lacking some refinement. However, I believe it'll end up looking good (if I manage to get the kind of finish I'm aiming to achieve). I've been slowly working on it since the last update but haven't managed to post updates. I'm now ready to glue the main engine intakes, which seem to be a problematic area of this kit. Cheers Jaime

Dear All, We've reached thirteen completed builds! The latest is Andrew's ( @SeaPlane ) Martin Marlin Cyclops! Cheers Jaime

not really, building small aircraft models is already daunting enough for me... I'm just refreshing and updating my knowledge of Physics. Thanks for another great pointer to a book: On Politics. It's now in my wishlist. Cheers Jaime

Great colours!

Dear All, We have now twelve completed builds in the gallery. This time it's Peter's ( @PeterB ) Blohm und Voss Bv 138! Cheers Jaime

Dear All, The eleventh completed build is now in the gallery! It's Julian's ( @zebra ) Beriev Be-200! Cheers Jaime

Dear All, Here are the statistics after the thirteenth full week of the GB. Between brackets I show the difference compared to the last report. The GB is fast approaching the end: there are only 3 weeks and 2 days left. Time to concentrate on those builds! This week we've had no additional models finished but there are three new entries. Total number of entries: 75 (+3) 1. Build status Started -------------------- 54 (+5) Not started --------------- 11 (-2) Finished ------------------- 10 (+0) 2. Per type Float planes -------------- 40 (+2) Flying boats -------------- 30 (+1) Amphibian helicopters --- 3 (+0) Ekranoplanes ------------- 1 (+0) Helicopters on floats ----- 1 (+0) 2.1. Types finished Flying boats ---------------- 6 (+0) Float planes ---------------- 4 (+0) Amphibian helicopters ---- 0 (+0) Ekranoplanes -------------- 0 (+0) Helicopters on floats ------ 0 (+0) 3. Per usage Military ---------------------- 62 (+2) Civilian ---------------------- 11 (+1) Undecided ------------------ 2 (+0) 4. Per Scale 1:72 ------------------------- 47 (+3) 1:48 ------------------------- 17 (+0) 1:144 ----------------------- 9 (+0) 1:200 ----------------------- 1 (+0) Unidentified --------------- 1 (+0) 5. Kit makers Airfix ------------------------ 10 (+0) Hasegawa ------------------ 5 (+0) No makers ----------------- 4 (+0) Revell ---------------------- 4 (+1) Smer ------------------------ 4 (+0) Anigrand ------------------- 3 (+0) Frog ------------------------ 3 (+0) Special Hobby ------------- 3 (+0) Sweet ---------------------- 3 (+0) Azur ------------------------ 2 (+0) Eastern Express ------------ 2 (+0) Matchbox ------------------ 2 (+0) ABM ------------------------ 1 (+0) Amodel --------------------- 1 (+1) Aviation USK --------------- 1 (+0) AZ Model ------------------ 1 (+0) Brengun ------------------- 1 (+0) Contrail -------------------- 1 (+0) Delta 2 --------------------- 1 (+0) Great Wall Hobby --------- 1 (+0) Hobby Boss ---------------- 1 (+0) Italeri ----------------------- 1 (+0) Karaya ---------------------- 1 (+0) Lindberg ------------------- 1 (+0) Marivox -------------------- 1 (+0) Mirage Models ------------ 1 (+0) Monogram ----------------- 1 (+0) Pavla Models --------------- 1 (+0) Pegasus -------------------- 1 (+0) Planet Models ------------- 1 (+0) Roden ---------------------- 1 (+0) RPM ------------------------ 1 (+1) Scaleworx ------------------ 1 (+0) Supermodel ---------------- 1 (+0) Sword ---------------------- 1 (+0) T.C.Models ----------------- 1 (+0) Tamiya ---------------------- 1 (+0) Testors ---------------------- 1 (+0) Trumpeter ------------------ 1 (+0) VEB Plasticart --------------- 1 (+0) Zvezda ---------------------- 1 (+0) Unidentified ----------------- 1 (+0) 6. Main medium Injection moulded styrene -------------- 62 (+3) Resin kit ----------------------------------- 8 (+0) Scratch built (wood, plastic, metal) ------- 4 (+0) Vacform kit -------------------------------- 1 (+0) 7. Country of operation UK ----------------------------- 21 (+0) USA ---------------------------- 7 (+0) Italy ---------------------------- 6 (+0) Japan -------------------------- 6 (+0) Soviet Union ------------------ 6 (+2) Australia ----------------------- 4 (+0) Germany ----------------------- 4 (+0) Russia -------------------------- 4 (+0) Undecided -------------------- 4 (+0) Canada ------------------------ 3 (+1) Sweden ----------------------- 2 (+0) Austria-Hungary -------------- 1 (+0) Belgian ------------------------ 1 (+0) France ------------------------- 1 (+0) Ireland ------------------------ 1 (+0) Malaysia ---------------------- 1 (+0) Maldives ---------------------- 1 (+0) New Zealand ----------------- 1 (+0) Poland ------------------------ 1 (+0) 7. Period of operation WWII ------------------------- 25 (+2) Modern (post-WWII) -------- 22 (+1) Between wars ---------------- 15 (+0) Undecided ------------------- 9 (+0) WWI ------------------------- 4 (+0) Pre-WWI --------------------- 0 (+0) I hope you find this information interesting. You can also find a complete build list here. Cheers Jaime

Sorry to hear about the family health problems, Alan. I hope everything sorts out well Best wishes. Jaime

Looks very impressive! Great work!

Good to see this one come alive again and complete with a diorama Very interested to see it progressing. I find dioramas fascinating but haven't ventured to do one yet. Cheers Jaime

Beautiful paint job!

Nice and fast progress! Cheers Jaime

Hi Peter! I welcome your second entry to the GB! Another Otter is always a good choice! I wish you luck! Cheers Jaime

Hi Jerzy! Nice to see your two additional entries! Interesting types, good luck with the builds! Cheers Jaime

That's in my wish list. I still have his book about the Ardennes to read. Cheers Jaime