torqueofthedevil

Thank you, that is another interesting idea I'll let you know what happens...unless it's a complete disaster in which case I will pretend I never asked!

Brilliant, both great ideas. The soil here in Shropshire is pretty regular in colour (unlike the stone which is distinctly reddish) but it could certainly be altered. Many thanks to you both for the quick replies!

Has anyone ever tried to crush the coarse WS turf to make a finer grade? If so, did it work? The reason for my enquiry is as follows: I am trying to make a 1:48 diorama of a Dakota at Dien Bien Phu, and the accounts I have read describe 'clouds of orange-ochre dust' which were thrown up by the first aircraft to land. Even once the airstrip had its PSP cover, there would still have been plenty of dust around and underneath, and WS Fall Rust is probably about the right colour - but the coarse texture won't look much like 1:48 dust! I'm new to building dioramas, so if anyone can help (or suggest an alternative material) I would be very grateful!

I have only just started building dioramas, and to avoid wasting money on quality bases, I am experimenting with cork noticeboards - very cheap! B & M charge only £2.49 for a 60x40cm one, and WHSmiths do a frameless (but stiffer) 40x30 for a meagre £1.50! So frankly, even if my clumsy attempts are a disaster, at least it won't have cost much...anyone else tried the same?

Again I'm both impressed by and grateful for all the information provided. Next time I'll make my post in the correct section of the forum!

I really like the sound of MRP - I will try to use up the Xtracolor stocks which I have left, but my results with it have been a bit variable even when new. I realize that this is probably my fault rather than the paint (ie perhaps wrong ratio of paint to thinner etc) but having a paint which comes ready to spray removes the chance of getting it wrong! And any excess paint left at the end of the job can go straight back in the jar. I take the point about the difficulty of brush painting details with MRP, but I could use the Xtracolor for that. Again my thanks to everyone for their contributions.

Thank you for all the replies - plenty to ponder! A variety of useful ideas and information, much appreciated

...would you recommend to someone who was starting out with an airbrush? I'm actually not new to this, but getting back into it after a break, and most of my Xtracolor enamels are quite old. Typical subjects are Luftwaffe or Japanese aircraft in 1/32 and 1/48, which is why I went for Xtracolor in the first place. Now I see that Humbrol also offer the main RLM colours as well, so do I (a) just buy new Xtracolor enamels (b) try the Humbrol ones or (c) go for something completely different? All opinions or guidance gratefully received!

Pretty good for the first one - as you say, getting the mix right takes some trial and error! Which paint are you using?

Very impressive all round. One tiny suggestion for the stretcher recovery: is there any scope to add the winchman? In the real case, the winchman would always accompany the stretcher, because it took both rearcrew to manhandle stretcher plus casualty into the aircraft (while the pilot operated the winch control - it took some coordination!).

Agree with all the above - engine and cowling are certainly a bit tricky! Is there any word on the forthcoming Trumpeter 1/24 Fw 190A? It's been listed on the Hannants website for ages as a Future Release, but still hasn't appeared. If/when it does, that will almost certainly be a big improvement on the Airfix kit - but in the meantime, the Airfix Fw 190 builds into an impressive model if you're patient with it. The Airfix Bf109E is better still (basic in places, but the fit is good and there are so many colourful aircraft to choose from); the only 1/24 Airfix kit I would steer clear of is the Spitfire...especially as there is already a Trumpeter alternative! Sure, there is no Trumpeter Mk I, but I would guess that converting a Trumpy Mk V into a Mk I would be both quicker and more enjoyable than trying to get the Airfix Mk I right... Couldn't agree more - it seems bizarre that 3 model manufacturers have released P-51s in 1/24, yet aircraft like the Corsair have been ignored.

Deleted - wrong area and 100 post rule.

I'm no P-51 expert, but having built one, the Airfix kit seems to be to be fine - crude by modern standards, but the fit of the main parts is okay and the shape appears fairly accurate (no doubt I'll be flamed for saying that!). The canopy is not great (rather thick) - but then you won't be needing that if you're converting it to a Reno racer. I would recommend the Airfix one simply because it's both easy to find and inexpensive (certainly compared to the Trumpeter one!). Enjoy!

Thank you to all who have replied, I feel a bit more confident about the whole thing...if it goes well, I might post some pics...!

Hi, I've been asked to paint a pewter model of a Hastings into a colour scheme as worn by 202 Sqn. I have a colour profile of the aircraft, and I have sourced appropriate decals etc. However, I have never sprayed anything other than plastic kits before now, and I don't want to ruin or spoil an expensive item! Please could someone with experience of doing this give me a few pointers on how to prepare the pewter and what kind of paints I should use. I was hoping to use Xtracolor enamels if appropriate, as these are what I normally use... Many thanks in advance for any comments received! TOTD