Extra Cheese

Darryl and dnl - thank you both for such a lot of info. I am still trying to take it all on board. I have been using a range of cyano's (very thin, thick, gel) plus one supposedly very good for flexible etch/plastic joint (aka "Flexy 5K) plus (where its useful) "Zip Kicker" fluid to instantly set the cyano. (1 drop applied with a piece of wire). I have tended to use a long sewing machine needle as the glue applicator, with a little nest of ready-use glue squeezed out into a tea-light (mini wax candle). I have been using Q tips/Acetone to clean up my usual overspill - but learned to my cost that acetone can be very abusive towards some plastic materials! I believe you have a very good point about using PVA glue as appropriate - I shall give it a go. I must try different methods as you say Darryl - I think I tend to rush it a bit - must take it slower and enjoy it more. I am reluctant to display my Skua on here - I saw a really beautiful example of one on this board (I cannot find it quickly now) done by a member - weathering/paintwork a delight. It makes mine look like a load of rubbish. That builder must be a genius. I would be very embarrassed to show mine to such an august body. In my defence, among the model's fitting problems were the lower wing centre section (huge gaps either side), the cockpit floor and sub assembly (no way of seeing where it should go properly and getting the fuselage to close up without a dreadful seam/gap), the main part of the cockpit canopy (a truly awful bit of blow moulded goop) and overall - a complete lack of location pips to aid part placement. The instructions/diagram was pretty awful too - impossible to follow vague arrows for placement of parts. I suppose you should look on all Special Hobby kits as "challenging". I had earlier bought their kit of the Roc (turret fighter) - this actually went together a little bit better, but I found it totally impossible to assemble the turret gun barrels and the turret ring would not fit the fuselage at all. After several hours of trying, I got a bit angry in the end and used a hammer on what I'd tried to make! That's a shame - I feel that the FAA planes of that era need better representation model-wise. Anyway - thanks for listening and your very kind help. Peter

Hi Darryl. Thanks for the advice - I guess I will give that a go. I was not sure if cyano would "take" to previously etch primer painted surface - so best to "stick it" first? Peter

Paul, How very kind of you to take the trouble to dig out so much information and suggestions. I really appreciate the help - thank you. Overall, at first glance, the squaddie guy on the right in the upper photograph, has almost identical putties and peaked cap - flat-a-back - as the model. The bloke with his foot up on the running board has an identical greatcoat and jacket as the model. I assumed initially that outer clothing would be Navy blue - faded/stained appropriately. Now you give me much thought as to khaki - an overall fascinating topic. Bless you sir for your help and encouragement. Peter

I am a newbie at some of this - so apologies if this is a silly/basic question - and I am not sure if this is the correct forum to post it - is there a forum for "basic building techniques"? I have treated myself to the Copper State Models Lanchester armoured car, plus the additional (extra) CSM photo-etch brass sheet of bits and pieces (mud guards, tool boxes, enhancements to panels etc.) as a reward for completing the Special Hobby 1/48 kit of the Blackburn Skua. (It was a horror of a kit in many horrible ways ). From what I have read over many years of modelling, and from much earlier experience of making model locos and steam engines, I am well aware of the need to etch-prime brass before any painting is attempted. At the moment, for the photo-etch brass extras, I would intend to use a rattle spray can of dark grey etch-primer (Autotech etch primer) - I have used this in the past on model engineering projects with good result. My question is :- should I go ahead straight away and spray etch primer on the whole sheet of photo-etch brass bits (both sides) - on the trees, before removing them individually and mounting them with cyano on the plastic kit? A first step - Quick and easy to do in one go. or Mount each clean etch brass item individually on the build, and (somehow) spray or brush paint the item with etch primer before painting with acrylics etc. or Just not bother with etch primer! Spraying the whole sheet first seems logical and simple - but am I making for problems later down the line? I would appreciate some advice - thanks.

I am just starting the Lanchester armoured car kit by CSM and have also treated myself to their Petty Officer miniature to go with it. (I intend to make a modest/simple "roadside" diorama to display them). The Petty Officer moulding is absolutely beautiful - crisp, clean and with great "presence". For those who have not seen the CSM website, the model depicts a somewhat middle aged and corpulent figure wearing a huge (open) greatcoat,waistcoat and puttees. Pickwickian almost? Anyway, I have no data available as to appropriate colours to finish. There is no information supplied with the model. This would be my first miniature - I am a somewhat newbie at this and a bit of an old crock physically. I would intend to airbrush the fellow first with a diluted grey primer, but from then on I'm flying blind. I have read some old articles on painting figures, shading them etc. etc. and there is much to find on Yu Tube/internet etc. but - so far - nothing regarding RNAS WW1 uniforms. I am reluctant to begin this opus - looking for excuses not to start yet! Can anybody offer help or advice - or even better - has anybody done this particular figure?

Thanks to you all for your kind advice. I finally had another go with Vallejo grey "Surface Primer" - unthinned from eyedropper squeeze bottle. I got a reasonably good result - building up several "misted" layers. Its now hardening to a very acceptable smooth finish. I also purchased a "family size" bottle of Vallejo grey Primer (no word "Surface" before the word "Primer"). After much shaking/mixing I tried a little (neat) on some of the smaller underwing components (fuel tank etc.) - using a brush. The results are dreadful - the paint will not adhere or flow evenly. I didn't try airbrushing with it - just paint brush. I don't know if this "Primer" paint is different to the "Surface Primer" - it was certainly cheaper weight for weight. Its label carries pretty much the same info as the eye dropper.

This is a fantastic discussion - started by the colour of a 500lb general purpose bomb!! I am really enjoying learning something new from a historical perspective about the shortcomings and developments of British aircraft and their deployment. Respects and thanks to your knowledge and friendly/balanced discussion. I wish I could add something factually useful - except I read (cannot find the reference/book) a wardroom song about the Barracuda to the tune of "Any Old Iron" and it "resembled parts of the Fourth Bridge flying in close formation". Quite a number of Barracuda "unexplained fatal crashes" when the plane was introduced - during conversion/operational training courses. In Kilbracken's book - "Bring Back My Stringbag" he unfortunately (but luck was with him) illustrated a possible cause :- the soldered/brazed joint between the pipe to the hydraulic pressure gauge and the gauge itself - low down in the cockpit - could break loose for no reason. The hydraulic fluid contained Ether (as an anti freeze). This spewed out everywhere very rapidly in a closed cockpit and thus night night and goodnight all - permanently. Fortunately for him, he was able to pull the cockpit canopy open and "float down" onto a field before succumbing to the anaesthetic gas. He hated that plane - even though he was an instructor on it (this was 1945). I think, as you said earlier, its reputation was more its downfall than its flying performance (which was pretty poor). Wikepedia has a good account with some excellent photos of Blackburn aircraft since the first world war. My wish list would be a kit manufacturer specialising in the most ugly/pathetic aircraft in use between the wars. Pride of place must be the "Blackburn R1 Blackburn" naval fleet spotter and the "T4 Cubaroo" torpedo bomber. Even the 1950's Beverly deserves a lookin? Anyway - please do carry on - its a fascinating discussion. Thank you all Peter

Thanks Graham - I agree with you about the lack of modern monoplane naval aircraft. Evidently the "Admirals" were pretty keen on the Seafire - even though it was structurallly weak (undercart especially) and the prop. was much too close to the deck for safety. An awful lot of flying accidents on deck. Notwithstanding what you say, the squadron songs about the Barracuda and the accounts I have read of flying/training accidents - fatalities make for sobering reading. There was a constant general feeling of mistrust by the pilots of this plane. I liked a reference to the Observer "living downstairs" in the Barra. Didn't the Firefly end up being up-dated with a different engine and radiator configuration to make it more powerful?

Work in Progress - that's really interesting. As I said earlier, the kit bombs include what seems to be (thanks to your picture) the safety pin.

Thank you Dogsbody for taking the time and trouble to post the photo. It also shows some interesting detail of the undercart leg and the business ends of the 50 cal machine guns from the folded wing. (the guns are lacking in the kit but the undercart main struts are very nicely replicated). You can just see the bomb's yellow band - I would love to do freehand (painted) writing of a suitable slogan like the one you have shown.

Thank you all for the advice and tips. From what you have said, I think part of my problem is the thinner I am using with the surface primer - I hate to admit it but I made some up from info. on YouTube (make your own acrylic thinner and airbrush cleaner!) - mainly IPA/Distilled water and a few drops of flow improver. I have seen videos on Youtube of airbrushing Acrylic with very good results using just plain IPA. as the thinner. Anyway - I'll get some "proper" thinner - and use just IPA for now whilst waiting for it to arrive - and see what happens. Yes - it looks like the plastic surface is still oily? The kit is the HobbyBoss Grumman Hellcat - Fleet Air Arm version. It is the Vallejo grey surface primer that's the real problem - the Air" paint seems ok, unthinned. I tried thinning it - not so good - again like the plastic surface was oily. Thanks to you all for the kindly replies. Peter

I am still a makelearnee airbrush apprentice, but getting there slowly. (Iwata Eclipse, Timbertec compressor/tank). I was seduced by the good reports about acrylic Vallejo Air paints, I invested in a few, plus their grey primer. I had carefully washed the component parts of the aircraft I was building - warm water/washing up liquid plus a few drops of vinegar - and then wiped them again with tissue/ IPA before spraying with primer. The result was terrible (using pressures of 15 and 20 psi)- the paint would not "take" - it kept clumping into pools (the best I can describe it). I had really shaken up the bottle of primer (with a couple of ball bearings chucked in) before spraying. I sprayed it (the primer) thinned with varying amounts of thinner - from 10% to 40% thinner - still no good result. I tried brush painting too - just as bad. In the end, I went back to good old Tamiya acrylic - no problems. The Vallejo Air paints (green/brown camo.) seem to airbrush reasonably well if unthinned - but it goes clumpy/wishywashy if thinned. (The coloured paint seems to pull into little pools) Does anyone else have the same problem? Peter

Wow, how very kind of you all to provide so much useful stuff - and so quickly. Work in progress :- Ok re the fuel tank. I think i will just go with the two bombs - the kit bombs actually include tiny ?fusing loops? or ?fuse vanes? in the nose of each bomb. Cool or what? This is probably the first "modern era kit I've built - my previous experience goes back to Airfix 2/6 plastic bags on a rotating rack and glue in squidgy pewter tubes that was all stringy (but sent you high as a kite with pretty colours. Humbrol enamels were good though - my old tins have gone rusty. Mark - I've just read a new account of the Tirpitz ("Target Tirpitz" - Patrick bishop - paperback)- what a lot of planes we lost and bombs failed to explode over so many years of trying to put her down. Makes you weep for the bravery and lives lost. Even more culpable, in my view would be nearly all of the Admirals in the 1930's who knew little or nothing about flying/air combat - but once they got their own Naval air force back insisted in sticking their oars in when specifications for new aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm were being made. We had some excellent new fleet carriers, but questionable aircraft to fly from them. Then the regular navy officers generally had no love for the air arm/carriers. Hence the monstrous products of Blackburn (an admiral's favourite firm), and the loathed 6 years late and out of date Fairey Barracuda. Then the Admirals' insistance that each and every type of plane needed an "Observer" (an extra seat) who would be "in command!! Thankfully they did not touch the design of the Swordfish - one of my favourites of all British aircraft. I suppose we were lucky to get the Fulmar just in time as a carrier born make-weight fighter, but little else any good (British made) until, maybe, the Firefly at the end of the war. Sorry to go off topic, but I get carried away about the FAA - it does not seem to get the respect it really deserved during WW2. Anyway, Mark, Werdna, Work in Progress and Seahawk - thank you all for your kind advice. Werdna - I'll go to that thread you kindly suggested - I know Cardigan well - I used to go regularly to stay with relatives in Aberporth - they worked at the Radar there. (My wife, bless her, peed herself when a Bloodhound missile took off from there unexpectedly - she was only 9!) Peter

As a very very newbie (my first post) - Sorry if this is a topic covered before (can't find a reference to this) - I am struggling to complete the Hobby Boss 1/48 model of the Fleet Air Arm Grumman F6 Hellcat. (I found a really good deal for this on e-bay, sourced in Belgium I think)! Overall the kit is a bit of a Curate's egg - but with perseverance I'm getting there. The kit itself is very good - a great pity that the superbly detailed radial engine cannot be seen! (I assume one can cut away part of the cowling to show it off). Unfortunately the painting instructions are Zero/Zip/Not At Home. No information about what colours for the external bits and pieces. The diagrams are ok but some of the left/right captions are a bit cockeyed. It appears that Hobbyboss made a great kit and then got a bit tired with it and added the "build instructions" as an afterthought. As supplied the kit offers two underwing ?500lb.? bombs plus six underwing rockets and the usual underbelly fuel tank. What colours should these be? (As Fleet air arm munitions - not US colours). Rockets/bandings on them/tail fins - the same with the bombs. Also - should the fuel tank be the same as the under-plane surface colour (grey or some-such?) Many thanks to anyone who can help. I have another problem with Vallejo paints - but I don't know what bit of the forum to post it on. With all respects to members Peter