desmojen

Wow, you've certainly got that Navy blotchiness down pat! Beautiful work. Jen.

I'd say the Tamiya cockpit is definately a fair bit shorter than the Airfix one based on the fact that when I did my K5054 with Neils conversion (conversion is meant for Tamiya Mk1 but I used the Airfix Vb kit) I had to add a substantial sprue filler plug in the front part, because the windscreen didn't cover it. Other than that all the parts fit really well though, so there's not much in it. Jen.

They still use solvents, water based is just for the basecoats. You should be able to dispose of it at you local dump, just pour it in the waste oil thingy. Failing that, leave the lid offf and let it evaporate! Jen.

I have moved over to spraying it now because brushing it sometimes damages the finish of sprayed Vallejo acrylic. Before that I always brushed it and it does brush very well as Peebeep mentions. I clean the airbrush with Revell airbrush cleaner (the stuff in the half litre can) and it cleans through perfectly well, and doesn't stink of pee! Jen.

Wow! Thats a real honey Karl, you must be well pleased with it! Jen.

I sliced mine with no distortion, it's not so hard............ Jen.

I used a set on my single seater, which was for a single seater.......? Jen.

Last time I did any I used plasticene. I find profile gauges tricky too, since it's hard to define a centreline with them. I saw Pingu using Milliput on his Sea Vixen build and thought it was a good idea, but only if you are patient (which I'm not) so I used the same method but with plasticene - worked a treat! Just wodge a chunk of plasticene into the place where you want a bulkhead, close the plastic parts together over it, and then take them apart again, hey presto, a perfectly shaped mould! I then sliced this with a scalpel to the line I wanted and used it as a template. HTH Jen.

It's fixed! I ordered a new needle, fluid tip and an aircap (my other one had a dent in it) from www.airbrushes.com on monday night. I was slightly grumpy about the £5 postage fee but I'm less so now since the parts arrived this morning. I think the culprit was the fluid tip, comparing it to the new one the hole in the front is way bigger - visibly so. The needle looks ok, but I've replaced it anyway. All works fine now. Thanks for the help lads Jen.

I can't see any splits, but looking at it, the needle looks quite worn, and I'm suspicious of the fluid tip - the hole in the front looks too big I've found a place that sells spares and a new needle and fluid tip will cost me £15. I reckon I'll just order them for that price. Jen.

Guys, My much beloved Iwata revolution has developed a problem. When you switch on the air, a little itty bit of paint comes through even if the needle is closed. I first thought there must be a bit of cack in there causing the needle to unseat a little. I stripped and thoroughly cleaned it but the problem persists. Is it worn out or something? If it is, where's best to get a new needle and aircap? Jen.

You don't fancy pushing the boat out and doing a Seafire 47 then? :whistling: Jen.

Well not normally, no. But on this occasion the model is being built for a friend, and he wants it in 43 Sqn markings, so it can't help but be a bit whiffy...... Jen.

Whats the pirate sight for then? (scuse me for being a thicko!) I've wrestled my revell to the 'oh so nearly ready for paint ' stage, so I still have time to fit one. Jen. Awesome photos btw.

I'm glad you decided on the 12 Sqn bird, looks super cool Neil Jen.

I'm guessing you mean SEA Hawk Mike? (check your thread title) Looks sweet, sorry forgot we're not allowed to say that are we. But seriously, really nice finish, you must be pleased with it. Jen.

Hey Phil, looking sweet! Just curious, what number is the valejo barley grey equivalent please? I'm nearly ready to paint my Typhoon and the only Barley grey I currently have is Humbrol <spit> Jen.

I'd go with black Matt Edgar mentioned he has some interior diagrams too, there are a few differences from the Spitfire. Not sure if you're worried about that though. Jen.

Strange I know, but the thing that really pops out at me is the data placard on the undercarriage leg! Most all aircraft have stuff like that but they so rarely get modelled. I think the weathering is spot on too, just enough to look convincing without going into cartoon mode - again rarely seen! Nice one Ron Jen.

Ok, this years Trumpeter comp build is going to be a Mig. It's one of Trumpeters slightly earlier kits and the colour callouts in the instructions are pants! Anyone got any good ideas on the cockpit interior colour, bearing in mind that I use Gunze, Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics by choice. I can see that it's meant to be a bluey green but some clues would be nice (and I'm too lazy to mix it up special!) I wonder if airsickness was common amongst Russki pilots Jen.

That's about the long and short of it Mike. I tried it on the advice of Mikeew and I'm hooked, much quicker and no need to Klear the whole model! (I'm not lazy, honest ) Jen.

Er, ditto! Jen.

It might be more helpful to look at black and white photos of known Luftwaffe schemes to make a comparison. I was surprised that the yellow looks so bright on those pics because it was my understanding that yellow looks quite dark in B&W photos from a thread I read on ARC a while back. Jen.

Yes, that's about what I was thinking. I've re read one of Mikes previous posts and decided to completely change my mind One of the options mentioned was 70/75. Now, looking at the rear 3/4 view, with the wavy spine Mike has mentioned already 75 overall with 70 spine looks very plausible indeed. I really should read things twice before I reply! I still think the underside is blue though. Look at the pic taken from the left side. In the profile you'll note that the artist has rendered the panel under the tailplane in blue, yet, in the photo it sticks out like a sore thumb! I think it more likely, given the hue of the known yellow control surfaces that the underside is blue grey and the panel yellow. Oh, and I really like the way we're having this debate without any trace of BS too! Jen.

You would have to say, the underside of the colour picture Spitfire doesn't look yellow though wouldn't you? I found and read the Hyperscale article and my first thought was the same as yours, that the underside looks different than the tail. Trouble is, you can see that the exhaust staining goes all the way back, which clouds things a bit and I'd have to conclude that you could go either way. What I do think though is that none of those three photos looks to me like 74/75, and there is little evidence of mottling, to my eye at least. Is it fair to say that 74/75 was standard Luftwaffe camo by 1943? If it is, where does the idea of standard Luftwaffe dark green come in? And as a parting thought, I think that it is known/assumed that the yellow underside was a standard tool on captured aircraft and that that is why the profiles etc assume that the Spitfire has the yellow undersides. If it were me, I'd paint it in 70/71/65 with yellow nose and tail because I think it would look cooler that way <shrugs> Damned if you do, damned if you don't springs to mind Jen.