Wonker

I get what you mean now but my 6yr old insists on having the propeller turning so I would need to do it as per the instructions, which means I need to mask it when I prime the main body. Saying that, there's nothing stopping me attaching it unpainted then priming and painting at the same time as the body as it wouldn't be too fiddly unlike the cockpit aperture. Cheers Paul

Thanks for the reply. With regards to the cockpit, wheels, gear bays etc, you say 'build them up' then prime, I take it you then paint before adding to the plane; surely you don't paint the cockpit/pilot when it's enclosed/glued into the Fuselage? In my head I have the following process (and this only applies to the simple things I have done so far). 1. Remove main 'big' bits (sorry for the technical terms ) - fuselage, wings from the sprue leaving just the 'little bits' - pilot, wheels etc on the sprue. 2. Spray the sprue (complete with little bits) with primer - I would imagine this is easier than removing the little bits and priming individually? 3. Paint the little bits 4. Glue the Fuselage halves and wings - obviously including the painted cockpit/pilot and, in the case of the Kittyhawk I am doing, the propeller (I still can't see how I could add this last?). 5. Fill and sand as required. 6. Mask off the cockpit area, propeller, intakes and any other painted bits. 7. Prime the Fuselage and wings. 8. Paint the Fuselage and wings. 9. Add all the other 'small bits' - wheels, aerial, canopy etc 10. Add decals. That's probably a bit simplistic but does it sound ok (for a novice) or should I change it around a bit or I have missed out something obvious. The only thing I can think of is whem I remove the primied 'small bits' from the sprue and sand the flashing off they, obviously, won't be primed! Sorry for the Spanish Inquisition Cheers Paul

Thanks for the advice. I think I will pack the cockpit with paper as you suggested as the canopy thing is a whole different subject for me. I didn't paint the canopy on the Spitfire but I am going to do it on the Kittyhawk, I have bought Tamiya 6mm masking tape and the straight lines shouldn't be a problem but I don't know how to mask the curved bit at the front! As for the propeller, I have followed the instructions: http://www.johncooney.com.au/assets/resour...e-kittyhawk.pdf and I can't see how I could have attached the propeller last, unless there's a trick of the trade I am unaware of (well one of the million I am unaware of ) Many thanks Paul

Thanks for the replies and you've just confirmed my fears I thought it would just be a case of priming everything on the sprue but I didn't think of the fact that the glueing and filling 'ability' would be lessened! Obviously things like aerials, wheels etc can be added last so they are not a problem but In the 2 kits I have done I had to attach the propeller and the cockpit bits first so these would need masking and I'm afraid I would make a pig's ear of it, not so much the propeller as I'd imagine that's pretty straightforward to mask but I know I will make a mess of the cockpit meaning all my eye straining work (even with a magnifier) painting the details on The pilot will be ruined and almost impossible to fix as he'd be glued in! Still, I won't learn if I don't give it a go. Cheers Paul

Hello all, This is my first question in what's going to turn out to be a long list of questions. As I said in my introduction thread, http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...mp;#entry841705 I am a complete novice at this and I have only completed 2 models to date (both from the Airfix starter kit range). I did not use any primer before I painted (using a brush; airbrushing is a long, long way off). I have read a lot of posts regarding what primers to use etc so I take it from these that priming is an essential part of the process? I have a can of white primer from Halfords which I could use but when do you do it? Is it a case of just spraying the whole kit whilst still on the sprue before doing anything else or do you prime as the last step before painting, after filling and sanding etc? If it's the latter then how you manage with all the little bits? By this I mean (and I am referring to the process I used on the 2 I have recently done) things like the pilot, chair, propeller etc. I paint all these little bits whilst on the sprue? If I were to try to prime with these pieces attached I know I would make a complete mess, especially with the cockpit. So what's the general process for priming using a spray can? Many thanks Paul