Roland Pulfrew

Messerschmitt Me-410A-1/U2 of 11 Zerstorergeschwader 26 based at Gardermoen, Norway in 1945. 1/72 from Airfix. Thanks to @81-er and @vppelt68 for hosting and the encouragement along the way. Also thanks to @Enzo the Magnificent for setting everything up.

Well it appears my optimism was well founded on this occasion and much to my surprise I’ve finished both kits 😃. Ahead of the deadline 😳! And with weeks to spare 😇. Thanks to the hosts @81-er and @vppelt68 for their encouragement and management of the GB, it’s been fun and I’ve enjoyed watching many of the other twin builds. Hope to see a few more for those still on the go. A couple of the finished 410 outside the hangar And a couple of the adversaries together Thanks again, now off to the NATO GB.

Well I’m almost there; soon to be two completed builds in the same GB - a record for me! Just some aerials, a bit more varnishing and a bit more weathering to go and I think all be able to call complete on this too. Need to dirty up the undersides a bit more, but I don’t think it looks to bad already I’ve really enjoyed building this kit. There are some quirks, there’s lots of decals, but it does build into a nice representation of the 410. I think Airfix has done a great job with this one, so well done Airfix.

If the dates work, I’d be happy to co-host. Got to love a Mossie, even if I have built 3 in the last year! Still got plenty of options to do though, only one of the ones in this but of the stash got completed! 🤦🏻‍♂️ As we are passed the magic 30, shouldn’t this GB proposal be in the Bunfight for 2025 @Enzo the Magnificent 😗🧐😇?

Managed to get quite a few decals on tonight. Still got lots to go though 😕 particularly lots of small ones. For a 1/72 aircraft there some 50 of them!

This topic would make a great group build idea. Anyone up for it?

And Saudi Air Force.

Good news, I do have some Tamiya LP gloss. Not sure why I bought it, but I did. Even better news, I found a bottle of Alclad gloss primer. I obviously just pulled the first bottle from the box, forgetting I had matt and gloss. No need for a run to the shops. Time to get the micromesh out 😕 !!

@SaminCam and @Planebuilder62 thanks for the links to your builds and the tips on using Alclad. I’d forgotten I really need gloss black primer to get properly shiny metal work. Annoyingly I do have some Vallejo gloss primer but it’s acrylic and therefore probably not suitable for Alclad paint. I’ll have a think, sanding back the matt primer is going to take ages, so maybe a quick browse of t’internet this morning to see where I can get some Alclad gloss primer. Also liked the top tips regarding wet paper masks. I was planning on trying some different shades on the fuselage and wings, but also knew of the risks of Alclad lifting under masking tape. That’s going to fun, and messy!

Well, the painting is complete (bar the dreaded mottling). Everything else now unmasked and ready for the decals and varnish. And all the small fiddly bits!

Simple bit of masking ready to redo the mottling Typically, the Luftwaffe paints I’d ordered arrived yesterday, not sure I need them now 😄

Decided to at least start the painting disassembled, I may live to regret it, but …. Still not sure I’ve got the hang of spraying Alclad’s primer. The bubbles from giving it a good shake actually started to set in the spray cup, causing lots of sludge. That said, I seem to have a nice smooth coverage ready for my first ever attempt at using Alclad paint. Any top tips gratefully welcomed!

I ordered some AG parts recently. Hadn’t heard anything in a couple of weeks, so emailed for an update. Got a response within a day or two to hear the owner had been on holiday, got an apology for the delay and my order arrived the next day. Don’t give up, just send another email.

Managed to get the nacelles fitted onto the wings and have to admit being very pleasantly surprised with the way they fitted together. No pins and holes, no panel lines showing where they fit, just fitted nicely with no gaps. I placed the nacelles onto the wing, used ultra thin liquid cement and capillary action did the rest. Just a little light sanding to clear up the excess glue and these are done. Now, do I attach the wings then paint, or paint then attach the wings?

Had a go at my first ever attempt at doing some mottling. Fortunately only called for on the fin and rudder on this aircraft. Not convinced. Think it will be out with the light blue again later and have another go. The blue tack sausages haven’t feathered in enough and I think I used the wrong part of the mottle mask. Back into the paint shop later. At least the grey has been patched up where the masking tape lifted the first coat, so that’s all recovered. Must remember to use primer. Must remember to use primer. Must remember to use primer. Must remember to use primer. ….

Time to get the Washington off the SofD and try and get on with completing No 4. Now that I’ve completed a couple of GB builds and whilst I wait for the paint to set on my Me410, I thought I should crack in with this. Today I decided it was time to start adding the nose glazing. All I can say is I’m so grateful to those companies that make canopy masks!! Makes life so much easier, particularly with some much glazing; here’s 5 minutes work and another and now with both installed Fit of the canopy parts is really good. Which is more than can be said for the nacelles Still, almost time to add them to the wings and the wings to the fuselage. Then it’s off to the paint shop!

I found some RLM paints in an old box of modelling stuff from a long forgotten project. Good news though is none of these had been opened, although it appears that some liquid has evaporated over time. Even better news, I had the right colours all along, which is lucky as the MRP paint I have on order still hasn’t arrived!! So, more progress with the 410 this morning; 1st coat (which I forgot to photograph) followed by a bit of masking and then the camouflage: And some unmasking Which was when I remembered why I’d stopped using Xtracrylix as my ‘go to’ paint. It really needs a primer to work properly. Unfortunately, the masking tape has lifted quite a few sections of the first coat 🤦🏻‍♂️. Oh well, you live and (re)learn!!

As I was allocated Sweden at the signing up stage, looks like I’m good to go. My offering is this: Id originally planned to do the SAAF version, but it’s the only bit of Swedish that I have that’s still in service (unless you include the aircraft in the RSwAF Historic Flight), so it looks like this kit will be Swedish. The kit looks pretty good in itself, but it comes with lots of extra goodies, firstly some nice reference photos: Lots of resin and photoetch Good reference drawings including some nice 1/48th scale drawings Then there’s the decals (with SAAF the one the only bit of colour 😢) and a certificate of authenticity. Oh and the kit parts themselves (still bagged for now): Looking forward to 4th April!

One down, one to go; finished my Allied twin. Mosquito XVII of the RAF’s Fighter Interception Unit.

Whilst I wait for the delivery of Luftwaffe paints I dug around in a pile of old paints. Much to my surprise I had some Xtracrylix RLM 76, so thought I’d give it a go. It was a bit thick, so out with the very old Xtracrylix thinner. Not sure how old it is, but all that happened was everything went thick and lumpy! So after 15 minutes wasted giving the airbrush a thorough clean, I tried thinning it with some Mr Color. Initial mix of about 5:1 paint to thinner, all it did was get thicker. Added more thinner, lots more thinner, and at about 5:1 thinner to paint, it was sprayable and we’ve got a bit of colour! Now I’m stuck though, really do need the other paints to arrive!

Managed to get the wing tips touched up and varnished, so I declare the Mossie complete. One down, one to go.

Cockpit interior unmasked But foolishly I rushed and forgot the matt varnish. Hopefully it won’t be too shiny once it’s installed on the aircraft!

Right, a bank holiday has allowed some ‘me time’. Managed to add the navigation lights, cut from some clear sprue, and give them a rough sanding without damaging the paint work too much: They just need polishing up a bit, masking and the paint touching up. Added a little weathering to the wheels, props and hub: Then it was time to do some work on the 410, in this case, gluing the cockpit glazing together and spraying the interior, here it is just testing the fit to the fuselage: Have to say I can really recommend the 3DLine Models canopy mask for this kit. Fit well and the numbering of the parts makes it sooooo much easier! Whilst the cockpit parts were setting, time to do the undercarriage. This goes together really well, although getting some parts into the quite small wheel well was a bit of a challenge. Bit of cleaning up to be done and I know I’m going to regret fitting these before painting the underside, but my paint still hasn’t arrived and the deadline is looming. Here she is on her wheels for the first time: Dry fit only at this stage as I will want to remove them for painting. Anyway, not a bad morning’s progress. Happy Easter Modelling all.

I think you’ve captured a war-weary Beau beautifully. One to be proud of.

That’s a fantastic job. Really nicely done!