1/72 Airfix Rotodyne

[Martian]

See Nigel all is coming up smelling of roses now!

Martin

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks Martin,

I am quite pleased. To some extent I have to accept this kit for what it is - very old and just not up to modern standards. I have done the best I can with it.

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

See Nigel all is coming up smelling of roses now!

Martin

I think I'm getting more pecorino than roses...

10/10 for perseverence, and it's really paying off now.

[GreenDragon]

Bravo Nigel! I would have given up long ago and what-ifed it in camo!

Paul harrison

Edited July 25, 2013 by GreenDragon

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks,

I too much prefer to work with darker, matt colours. Gloss finish + white has to be my least favourite colour combinations to work with, I suppose I could add Alclad to this list now. I have not told you about one of the other disasters I had earlier in the build. After I had applied the Tamiya gloss white, I masked for the blue and on removing the masking found that the white was covered in crazing. Apparently its a known effect if you mask gloss Tamiya paints too quickly after application but I was not aware of this until it happened to me. I had to rectify with lots of sanding and this is the reason why the panel lines got a bit filled in on the white. Its also one of the reasons for the protracted build, I left the white for months to fully harden.

[Pete in Lincs]

So Britcooking.com has spread from Four Word Story to here has it?

They'll all be at it soon. And you're to blame!

And why not, You've put up with a lot on this build.

Your first photo after wiping off the oil wash, I couldn't help thinking Thunderbirds!

Looking forward to the end (As are you, no doubt)

Pete

[garry]

Nice job look forward to following this build

[Nigel Heath]

I couldn't help thinking Thunderbirds!

I know what you mean, I had the same thought. I suppose they come from a similar era and I would not be surprised if there was some influence on the TB model designers.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[kev67]

I used to fear white, but since finding Tamiya white primer from the rattle can and micro mesh, its allot easier, but I think I will stay away from Alclad, the smell would make my misses kick me out of the house for one thing

[Nigel Heath]

I would not fear Alclad, its incredible stuff realy. I am developing the theory that it needs several days to fully cure and harden, dispite initially drying in seconds. Has anyone else had this thought?

[Nigel Heath]

While I am waiting for the Mr Muscle window cleaner to work its magic I might as well provide a status update.

I forgot to filter the Vallejo matt varnish and as a result had a stuttery airbrush and just this piece of visible dirt:

This is easily flicked off with a scalpel. The overall finish is slightly rough so I give an overall rub over with a damp Radio Times 3600 grit micromesh.

I then do some selective weathering with black pastel chalk and a selection of brushes:

Those things on the wings are fuel tank vents, I don't have any reference photos but I think some added staining is reasonable.

Here is the light exhaust staining on the engines:

The whole thing then gets a coat of Alclad's "Klear Kote Semi-Matte" varnish:

Its nice to be able to remove the masking and let the interior see daylight for the first time on months:

The masking tape has been on the cockpit glazing so long that it leaves behind a sticky residue:

I clean this off with white spirit. This is the result of some prelimenary clean up:

Its quite well apointed in there, you can just make out the green first aid kit and they also have a fire extinguisher:

Considering its age, the cockpit transparency is quite good and I think it would be very difficult to make a viable replacement.

I then start to remove the liquid masking from the side windows:

This proves to be a nightmare process involving a scalpel and a cocktail stick and lots of time, so for some light relief I fabricate the headlamp. I did have a part from the spares box that might have done the job but it got eaten by the carpet monster so I start from scratch with a piece of clear sprue from my special clear sprue spares box:

After polishing the front with micromesh I cut it off with one of my razor saws and manage to break the blade, these are stupidly brittle. Undoubtedly a way of generating increased replacement blade sales revenue. Its a shame as otherwise its a fine saw:

Looking for other things I can assemble I turn my attention to the exhausts:

I think they are too shiny so apply a coat of matt varnish:

That's all the photos I have uploeaded for now so will post here.

Bye for now,

Nigel

Edited July 30, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[triumphfan]

Great progress on the Rotodyne. Have you considered using thin strips of decal to finish the edges of the glazing, it would really sharpen the look, especially on these old kits where the edges are less defined on the moulding.

Steve.

[Nigel Heath]

I think I will just try to sharpen them up as best I can with a scalpel and some fettling.

[Nigel Heath]

I apply a very light smoke staining effect to the tips, looking at my references they look quite uniform in colour:

I follow this with another coat of matt varnish, filtered this time. I continue trying to unmask the windows but its heavy going, I have known weaker adesives than this masking product. After seeking advice from the wise Britmodeller comunity, I try Mike's suggestion of using ammonia, the only thing I have is this window cleaner which might contain ammonia but it claims to have "VINEGAR Cleaning Power" so the presence of ammonia seems unlikely, I am desperate so I try it anyway:

It does not smell of either ammonia or vinegar BTW.

I give it a good 15 minute soak and there is a colour change:

The milky effect looks promising. It does indeed seen to have a (slight) weakening effect of the masking / paint:

The unmasking process is still pretty brutal and the windows are badly scratched so I apply sucessive grades of Micromesh, some my own, some from Smudge. I use my paint stirrer to concentrate the sanding effet:

There is some internal CA fogging on one of the windows which I remove with this handsome, specially crafted tool dipped in some IPA:

Fed up with windows I glue on the exhausts, you can also see yet another application of Mr Muscle doing its work:

Well I had lots more adventures today but I don't want to bore my readership and its Nigey's bathtime now so will finish there for today.

Bye for now,

Nigel

Edited July 31, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[Wolfpack]

Excellent work. If that mask is Mr Neo, then it makes a good substitute for superglue and gets in every nook and cranny.

W

[Nigel Heath]

This is the offending Mr - and he's a very naughty boy! I can undesrtand liquid masking being a bit difficult to remove from matt surfaces but this was on highly polished plastic. With a slight nod to ballance, it had been on for 8 to 10 months but still feel well pi**ed off with this stuff:

Edited July 30, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[GreenDragon]

Bit late for the Rotodyne but for any white schemes I use Halfords Gloss Appliance White Acryllic spray cans.

Paul Harrison

[Nigel Heath]

Back to the windows. The scratches are even worse on the right hand side:

I discover that the excessive handling has caused the varnish on the rotor pylon to move around, it did have a slight tacky feel, after this I will only handle while wearing gloves. I should be able to remediate with a bit of light sanding:

For relief from the cursed windows I glue the head light in position using GS Hypo cement, I painted it silver on the back face. My new sticky pencil gets a look in:

This is exactly the sort of thing that makes excellent carpet monster fodder and seconds after this photo was taken he claimed another victim. Fortunately I saw a glint and was able to perform a rescue. Here it is securely locked into position:

I return to the windows and start the laborious sanding and polishing process with a skinny sanding stick:

Going through the various grades of micromesh this is what I end up with:

Its not a pretty sight is it? At least the doomsday scenario of a window popping out did not occur, I am quite pleased that I used super glue to fix them even with the fogging issues.

Thinking again about the headlight, I would have thought that there would be a glass cover over it though I can't make it out in my references. I search my small parts spares box for something suitable. I rediscover the workshy Horten 229 vacform canopy from Falcon and it is shocked to discover that it has a vital new role to play in life and is immediately pressed into service:

After a little measuring and cutting:

Again the carpet monster would love to get his hands on this and guess what...again I perform a sucessful recovery. I glue it into position with Krystal Klear:

Then this falls off again, taking the fin hinge with it this time:

The repair is trivial but I must remember to give the glue line an application of varnish. This joint also came appart but after an application of superglue just clicked back into place:

After some experimentation I decide to apply Klear to the side windows to improve their clarity. I leave to harden overnight under the protection of my patented dust deflection system:

Right that brings us up to date, now for Sunday.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[Nigel Heath]

After a bit more fettling and paint touch ups, the cockpit glazing is not looking too bad:

Look Daddy - I can stand on my new legs!:

Edited July 30, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[Nigel Heath]

Next installment. This strut detatched but is easily fixed:

In the wheel wells I created these little L shaped features to give something for the retraction strut and hydraulic lines to disappear into:

Its all pretty much falling together now. Next the hand rail. As anticipated I have to trim its height, these are one of my heavier duty modelling tools. Also used to cut up all the lead sheet that's packed under the floor:

It also proves to be too wide. Unusually I use thick superglue to attach - I can't see what's going on in there so its good to have some gap filling properties. I don't bother to retouch the paint as its so hidden:

Next the cargo bay doors (I always think of Star Trek when I write that down). These prove tricky to attach until I have the brainwave of using blu tack to jig. I will just have to be careful when I come to remove it. In the process I manage to snap off one of the braces, a little repair job for later:

I attatch the front probe, unsurprisingly it is easliy damaged:

Here is the handrail in profile, there is a little paint retouching to do:

This is how she looks from the front now, quite beautiful I think. At this point I am actually welling up, what a big old softie:

Side door and steps:

Well my little box of spare parts in now empty. All I have to do appart from the touch ups is make the whip ariel and the ravenous carpet monster has eaten one of the front undecarriage doors so I will either have to find it or make a new one.

Bye for now,

Nigel

Edited July 30, 2013 by Nigel Heath

[Harry Lime]

A truely epic struggle! Absolutely glued to this.

Mark.

[nirvanagr]

The most lovely this are the Porsche and Mercendes-Benz cars outside!

[Nigel Heath]

Hi Mark,

Glad you are enjoying this, I should finish her today. Its been an emotional rollercoaster for me but most chuffed on how she's turning out. More to follow shortly.

Nigel

[Nigel Heath]

The most lovely this are the Porsche and Mercendes-Benz cars outside!

Ehh?

[Max Headroom]

Your tribulations will make the end result sweeter! This is a masterclass in the Never Say Die attitude.

Trevor