Iain Ogilvie

Argh... I used to be indecisive - now I'm not so sure... Well - this so called cure for AMS is stalling because of the colour of the swordfish: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=95540 Mutter, mutter, mutter... So - blue decal - or a new one in black?? Anyone got a time machine I can borrow? Iain

Hi Phil, Inspirational - will be following this one as I have a few RN ships (with family connections) that I'd like to model in 1:350 and suspect scratch is the way to go. I already have the Profile Morskie on the Ceres Class cruisers and would love to build my grandfathers ship - HMS Curlew... Just need the inspiration to start - and I think you're doing a good job of that! Iain

Yeah - was scratching my head for ages wondering which one to do - then I watched my copy of Das Boot again and decision made - although there do seem to be contradictory opinions on the colour of the swordfish - from black (as film), to green, to the blue on the Ulad sheet. Was torn between using these - or making new black one's on the ALPS - but probably go with the blue... 3 U-Boats together at the Nats would be fun! This project was started as a bit of relief from self inflicted AMS and it's doing it's job - I know bu**er all about U-Boats (although I do now have some books) and I'm aiming for 'essence of grey wolf' rather than 100% historical accuracy. This is the most FUN project I've done in a LONG time Right - Xtracrylix gloss varnish now on the conning tower - coats for the use of times two... Pre-shading looks stunning now a coat of varnish his evened everything up. Off to have a bath - may do the swordfish afterwards - then I can get the last handrails in position and paint details/weather the conning tower. Iain

Thanks both - if I get time I may add the Swordfish emblems to the conning tower later - then it will really start looking like Das Boot! Iain

Sub masked up and first coat of WEM Dunkelblaugrau is on. Plan is - once hardened, to add random patches of maskol and salt on the lower regions of the saddle tanks and then add more grey. Once masking removed this should replicate some of the peeling paint seen on U-Boats in dry dock. Pleased with the WEM paint - sprays nicely (thinning 50% white spirit) and works well in this application as it's very fine pigment and translucent - so works well with pre-shading/multiple layers. BTW - first time trying pre-shading. Always thought it can be too much on an aeroplane - but a U-Boat - well - it seems to do the trick! Oh - and repairs needed - have knocked off one of the railings and managed to lift some paint that will need touching in with the airbrush More tomorrow (perhaps!) Iain

Bu**er... Just been outside sanding down the MDF base plinth (again) and giving it another coat of Halfords Satin Black on the patio and it hailstones on the wet paint! Put back into the garage to let the paint - and the water dry... :shithappens: Ho hum Wanted the base to be simple and stark - hence satin black. Pedestals are alluminium tube set unto brass sleeves in the base - and in the model. These tubes will be polished when it all comes together - and should set of the weathered U-96 nicely Iain Edit - sun's out again - good old British weather!!

OK - Salt now washed away and some touch-ups on the Schlickgrau. Some chores to do while I let the paint harden and it's masking time ready to paint the bottom of the hull. Guess I was a little optomistic thinking I'd paint her overnight - but I've got used to using Acrylics for last few years and they are a lot quicker. Wanted to use the WEM paints on this one though - for the colour matches. She's starting to come to life now - looking forward to doing the weathering Iain

That's nice - shows that the classic liveries can look better than the modern stuff

Nice model! Good to see more GA types available - and being modelled! Iain

OK - I pre-shaded the deck and now the first grey is on - well thinned and built up gently. Hopefully you can see the pre-shading showing through. Need to let paint harden off now so that I can remove the salt, mask and paint the Dunkelblaugrau bottom of the hull. More tomorrow (perhaps!) Iain

Hi folks... Thanks for the comments - just waiting for the water I sprayed on to 'hold' the salt to dry before I pre-shade the deck and then do the Schlickgrau - WEM Colourcoats - heavily thinned and built up very gradually. Toothbrush handy earlier for quick clearing of slots and vents - all of which have been opened up, including the deck... If I can get the water to dry I'll post some more updates... Iain

2am update... Wood deck colour and pre-shading on. Wood colour will be 'salted' ready for greys then post paint washed to remove and show chips through paint to wood (that's the theory!) Iain

Just started painting my U-Boat and on a roll... All vents and drains in the hull have been opened up - including the decks which where thinned with a scalpel from the reverse side until the holes were open. Deck is paper thin in places. For any that missed some pix from another thread this is where I was prior to today - more pix overnight!

Thanks for the link - really useful as I'm just about to start painting the U Boat tonight... Already using the salt method - works well - but there's a whole load of new stuff to me in there! STUNNING results he's getting - makes me want to have a go at sci-fi!

Hi all - thanks once again for all the kind words - *really* appreciated... Was actually an exercise to beat the AMS that had stopped me from finishing anything. The Trumpeter comp at the Nationals in '06 and '07 spurred the idea of building it straight from the box and spending time getting the finish right and I'm quite pleased with the results. I've concluded that rather than getting overly tied up with waiting for resin detail sets/corrections/etch sets/scratchbuilding there's a *lot* to be said for just building the bl**dy things and having some FUN! Iain

Hmmm... Not what I'd call stunning - in fact - very plain! Now - wouldn't it have looked good pre-war silver with Sqn. Commanders bands like on a Swordfish? Or WWII camouflage? Taranto raid markings... Or the post war grey/sky? RAF did it with their Hawk in early Spit colours and that did the trick! I'll get my coat... Iain

Hiya Jen - just found this - may be useful (I thought it was *really* cool!) http://www.vollto.de/html/flash/schleudersitz/mig-21.html

I'd go the Turquoise then - as per dswoofies pic... The early MiG 21s were the ones with the small intake/shock cone - and forward hinging canopies. The Bis is a far later bird - BTW Bis means 'modified', or upgraded... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...-21_cockpit.jpg HTH Iain

I need to dig out the box of bitz - I think there are a few good refs in there - but I do recall scratching my head a little on the dustbin... Any 'Tante Ju' experts out there?

Which model MiG 21 are you building? IIRC the earlier ones (F, PF) were light grey, later that distinctive turquoise colour... Take a look at http://vayu-sena-aux.tripod.com/pix/mig21fl-1171-1.jpg

Very nice Jen - just the right level of weathering IMHO...

How did I miss this one? Stunning! I'll second the 'more/bigger pix' request... Hmmm <scratches head> - think I've still got an ID Models 1:32 vac somewhere in the loft, or garage...

Now that is nice... Sadly missed from the UK airshow circuit Iain

Yeah - that makes the project so much easier! Actually - adds complication as I'll need to make the gunners 'dustbin' and bomb racks etc... Iain

Makes note to put something on my site - maybe at the w/e... Iain 32SIG http://www.skywriters.net