Torbjorn

...and uppers. Decided to use the decals for the roundels after all. I will add some irregularity to them with oils. Touchups, missing sticking out bits and some weathering to go. Maybe one more update - this is the point where i start loosing unterest and start thinking about what to build next

Getting closer. Painting done, stripes were masked and painted, and the cowl received a blueblack mix. Applying underside decals to see whether I should paint the upper wing suns or take the easy way out with the decals. I must say I find the greygreen undersurface colour pleasing to the eye: Microsol applied: Hmm, those flaps needs a face lift. The only «missing» decal is the ‘B’ in the fin code. I cut one out of a spare hinomaru decal (kit contains two sets). Not perfect certainly, but after touch ups it’ll be fine. Just a bit of overspray on the horisontal stabiliser to fix. I have to learn to be patient while masking and more generous with tape.

Stunningly beautiful! Can’t see anything that could’ve been done better!

It’s the patchy look I’m after: there weren’t much fading at this time. There’s a bit of liberty involved since the photos that probably existed went down with the ship at Midway. In fact I’m intending to depict Nagai’s plane, which *may* have had the code BI-311 (and likely not, but it’s just too tempting since I have the decals...) Nagai hit the cruiser Helena for which - whether he mistook it for a battleship or intentionally selected it as a legitimate secondary target - he received quite some flak from some of his fellow pilots. Anyhow I went over the model with the greygreen again, but gently to avoid overdoing it. Next stripes - one blue ID band around the fuselage and 3 command stripes on the fin.

Ah, pitty. Especially that they have not included that pesky little water pump the Roden engines have up front on top. I found it a pain in the backside to scratchbuild. Can’t have everything I guess

She *is* big. The Fokker D.VII I’m toying with can fit on one wing. Got the green coat on. I’m contemplating whether I made a too thick cover and if I should make some mottling with the under coat. Otherwise it’s on to painting the black cowl and ID and command bands. The photo reveals two things: I’ve located the tail wheel but knocked off the torpedo sight in the process. It’s written off, which is maybe a postiviw thing since the PE piece looked quite flat. Will make one out of wire instead.

Clever solution and a neat result - the sharp demarkation of the underlying paint is lovely. Have to make a mental note of the method.

Not having much to contribute to that discussion due to lack of knowledge, I’ll just thank you for taking the time to share. Happy to read the last paragraph: that is the remedy I just took with the Roden lower wings (although the reason is that I found that to be the easiest solution rather than anything else). For the N-shaped outer struts I just merely nibbled away a good part of a mm of the lower end of the aft strut: that changes the angle to conform with Roden’s drawing in the instructions (they are 1/72, I wish other manufacturers did that too). How does the Eduard engine look? Roden’s is beautiful («are» to be specific, I see both a little BMW and Merc here); better than the one Eduard supplied with the D.V kits at least.

Any update on the way? I have the same kit lying around, and this got me tempted to start it. Would it be awfully rude of me to enter the GB with the same model? I’ll do the other scheme!

You guys should have left some for the rest of us! (Hannants sold out )

Kate camo over PH was an olive green applied over a grey-green undercoat. The undercoat was apparently quite glossy while the green was flat. Therefore I dosed the entire airframe with a satin coat (cause gloss makes it too shiny) over which a flat green will be applied. This means the decals will not go on top of a gloss coat, but there aren’t awfully many of them anyway. Weathering will be light so I’ll try to apply that directly on the paint. A bit experimental, might have to abandon the plan if it doesn’t work out. Coat drying; on makeshift tricarriage to allow a coat all over at once:

Ohh, missed this. I’ve got two sharks from aussie-land in the box-o-kits: one AZ model P-40 Darwin defender and the Eduard Aussie Eight pack. Now the itch in the fingers came back again. Hope it isn’t too late to join the fray.

Mine are not. On the way that is - I had a couple on backorder but decided to adhere to my strict build-3-buy-1 diet. The thread made me dig out that Roden kit in anticipation though - so far my impression is terrific detail, terrible fit. I’d love to hear your opinion how Eduard compares (with the detail I mean, the fit is surely incomparable). And please someone do start a GB

Sprayed the whole thing with the gray-green that will cover the underside and be seen through the mottled green oversprayed green on the upperside. Since I tend to forget (which is annoying when repainting something), the mix was 1 part 71.119 grey white 1 part 71.023 Hemp 2 parts 71.044 RLM02 ...and I’ve misplaced the tail wheel

I doubt Cold War prejudice has much to do with it, at least nowadays, where a good many modellers grew up without any USSR. It’s more about who has the money, where they are and what movies, books or history they are exposed to. Most model-money is in Western Europe/North America/Downunder. Many tend to build models of «their» side AND of the side of «their» enemies - thereof all the 109s and Zeroes alongside Spitfires and Mustangs*. I believe Russian subjects are more popular in e.g. Finland for the same reason as 109s are popular in Western Europe. Although I’m sure some have issues with making bad-guy models - or «loser models» as mentioned - that is obviously not a plausible reason considering the amount of models of Nazi planes. *) Germany is a special case: de-Nazification has made them feel the Western allies are “their” mental side And finally let’s not forget the morbid fascination with Nazis that exist in the West, and the endless plethora of different camoflague schemes the Germans produced.