KB78

Absolutely wonderful! I've an Eduard 1/48th Scale P51D that I'm also going to build into "Contrary Mary" (in her current "TF" twin Seater form), can I ask which shades/types/names of Alclad that you used, the type/name of Clear coat & the Drab Green just ahead of the Canopy also? I would really like to use the same ones & (try) to replicate your outstanding build. Beautiful work & thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, Many thanks for your replies, I had another Chat with Zero this morning & they have very kindly sent me another Jar of Blue and their own brand of Lacquer to try. I'm hoping that the Zero Lacquer doesn't react with the Halfords, given that I've already dusted my FW15C with a Coat of the Halfords stuff. I also asked if they had an old Jar of the Blue laying around but unfortunately they don't (I was clutching at straws), so whilst I'll try the Blue and Lacquer they've so very kindly sent, I'll also persue the avenue of trying to track down an old Jar of the Blue also. So if anyone has any, even just a little I would be very, very grateful indeed! Many, MANY thanks, KB. P.S. that Renault R23 looks great! Is it a Resin kit?

Hi all, A bit of an update and a plea for help. Over the past Month or so I contacted both Zero and Halfords, (both extremely helpful) and both confirmed that the formula for their products was unchanged. So I experimented, ALOT! Many plastic Spoons and other forms of plastic were tested in as many different ways as I could think of, Different Zero colours (all unaffected), temperatures, materials, Four different cans of two different kinds of Lacquer, everything, anything in any combination that I could think of was tested. The outcome was the same, Halfords Lacquer fogging, washing out and even cracking Zero's Rothmans Blue, but oddly none of the other colours. My final test was yesterday, and may be the "smoking Gun" I found an old-ish Can of Halfords Lacquer that still contained about a third of a Cans worth that I had successfully used (with no problem at all) with my old Bottle of "Rothmans blue" on a studio 27 Williams FW12 and an FW17. I tried the remnants of this can in combination with my new Bottle of "Rothmans blue" and the result was identical, fogging, washing out. So I'm now "almost" certain that (for whatever odd reason) it's the Blue not the Lacquer. I'm here to ask a favour, does anyone have any of the "old" Label Rothmans Blue (Chequered Flag motif on the label) that they would be willing to sell me? It doesn't have to be full, even half a Bottle will prove or dis-prove my theory & hopefully allow me to finish my S27 Williams FW15C , my favourite Car of all time and a model I've waited 25 years to buy and build. I really love using Zero's stuff as it's always brilliant but am completely stumped by this problem and the only thing I haven't tried is getting hold of some older "Rothmans Blue" & trying that. Any help much appreciated & greatly received.

Hi, Thankyou for getting back to me, it's just so strange to have never had a single hint of a problem & then suddenly nothing but! I have already coated an expensive Studio 27 FW15C (A model I've wanted/waited for 25 years!) with a light coat of clear Lacquer in order to apply the Decals (thankfully all OK so far). Any idea if the Premium Lacquer is compatible with the standard (already applied) variety? Either way, thank you! At least I have "some" slight idea of what may be happening now. MUCH appreciated.

Hi everyone, For the last 8 or so years whenever building/ Painting F1 Cars I have used Halfords (rattle Can) Primer, white basecoat then a coat of Zero paint all lacquered with Halfords clear lacquer. The finish was always beautiful & both products were absolutely superb. Recently however, whenever I coat Zero's "Rothmans blue" with Halfords Lacquer the Blue badly cracks, bleaches or (usually) both! This hasn't happened on any other Zero colour. I have spoken to Zero who have confirmed that their Paint formula hasn't changed at all, I am still waiting for Halfords to get back to me regarding any changes to their Lacquer. I've recently painted then completely stripped a pair of white Metal, Rear wing end Plates 6!! times & the problem keeps reoccurring! I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced any other problems of a similar nature as until now I've had no problem at all & I'm running out of idea's/ solutions. Help!! Many thanks, KB.

Hi all, Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm glad that you like it. There were certainly times when I thought "Uh oh, oh no, WHAT have I done!!??" Like having to thin down the Fuselage so much that in places it was translucent, or chopping off the entire Resin Tail section to replace it entirely with the Eduard Plastic version (thankfully the point of the cut/joint was cross sectionally almost identical in both size & profile). BUT your kind comments prove that it's all been worth it. Your collective seal of approval on this really has been the "Cherry on the Cake" of a very special day when I had a Dream come true. As for Doug Rogers living near Goodwood & frequently seeing her, it never stops being special does it!? I know how much I miss the Grace (ML407) since it moved away to Northampton in '15. Anyway, once again MANY thanks for your comments, inspiration & Tutoring. This aeronautical stuff is Nothing like Shiny, Carbon, immaculate F1 at ALL!

I can see your point of view & beauty is very much in the Eye of the beholder. But, that rear Cockpit has made an awful lot of dreams come true, if that isn't beautiful, what is? I've become very fond of it (P.s Thanks for replying, was a bit nervous about putting this out for all the World to see).

Hi all, I'm a long time admirer of the work displayed here & have taken ALOT of inspiration from the astonishing work posted. I've only ever built 1:20 F1 Cars & "thought" that an Aircraft would be pretty similar........I was wrong! Pre-shading, Post-shading, Weathering all things I'd never had to deal with before, so I'm very grateful to have had your work to refer to. I'd wanted to build a Spitfire for a while & thought that G-ILDA would make a good subject. I started by using the 1:48 Brigade TR-9 Resin kit but felt that the Hasegawa Kit it was designed for seemed a little, basic. So I complicated things by using the beautiful Eduard 1:48 Spitfire & having to file, Sand & fill just about every joint & mating surface in order to make it all fit. As if that Wasn't enough I was determined to add the stunning Eduard Merlin too. This caused Headache after Headache & although the Bodywork/Cowl still need work it's vastly better than it was! The Forward Cockpit is the Brassin upgrade set & the Rear is the "original" standard Cockpit chopped around. Eduard three spoke Wheels were also added. Nothing about this is standard & although it still needs work, it's pretty much completed. Weathering has been kept to an absolute minimum simply because SM520 is so beautifully maintained, if anything the Exhaust Soot I've added is a little on the heavy side. I used Windsor & Acrylic Varnish mixed to my own taste (the Matt was TOO Matt, the Satin TOO Glossy, so it was a suck it & see approach). Anyway it's taken about 18 Months (on & off) hope that you enjoy. Thanks for looking.

Superb!

Hi, Many thanks for the advice, I like the idea of a "Mule". I don't have one but I can find something similar. I'll just have to play & see what shakes out. A great many thanks for you help, KB

Hi, I'm new here although I've gained a huge amount of inspiration from the Builds here. I've spent the last 4-5 Months building an Eduard 1:48 Spitfire combined with the Brigade Twin-Seater Resin conversion. Painted with Tamiya Acrylics. After applying the Decals I want to apply a Matt/Satin finish but I REALLY want to maintain the surface detail. What I'm asking is can I apply the Clear Coat directly over the Decals?? I've read alot about applying a Gloss Coat then Decals, then Final finish. do I really need the Gloss Coat, won't this suffocate the detail? Secondly It seems as though Windsor & Newton Galleria Matt is the finish of choice but all the Spitfires I've seen have a "Satin" like finish. Does the Windsor & Newton Galleria Satin give the correct sort of look? I'm abit concerned about the Matt being TOO Matt. Finally, I'd like to add abit of a Wash to it afterwards, just to slightly highlight the surface detail, will this work the Satin finish? especially as the one I'm building is, in reality, immaculate (I'm trying to represent it as it is now). Sorry for asking quite so many questions, but I really don't want to screw this up. Many thanks, KB.