My First Proper Model - Airfix Fairey Battle Mk1 1:72

[dhdove]

Welcome back to the hobby and well done with your first build which is a credit to you. I'm also a returnee and finding my way with a new airbrush and attempting to emulate some of the fantastic builds on here.

Maybe you should think about a theme for your builds, it cuts down the choices which are so vast as to be mind boggling. I've gone for US Navy Cold War jets. Also a scale, I've gone for 1/48.

Re Humbrol filler I really haven't been impressed, two tubes down the road it doesn't seem to be very well mixed and oozes runny grunge now and then. I gave up on it and bought some Tamiya filler from Japan (couldn't find it in the UK). It seems far superior, finer and of a consistent consistency!

I really look forward to seeing your next build, well done!

TonyS

[DAG058]

Thanks again everyone for comments and tips!

dhdove I finds that humbrol filler is similar to how you describes it. I've been putting a piece onto on old magazine cover and then mixing it thoroughly with a cocktail stick. It dries out quite quickly but if I just use small amounts at a time it is workable.

I've decided to try a bit if armour next. I've gona for the Tamiya 1:35 Cheiftain. I know it's massively inaccurate however I'm going to just keep it as an OOB build for now. I fancy trying my hand at a diorama so might use this to learn the skills required.

[Natter]

To add to the comments above, and agree with them:

Don't airbrush canopies. Assuming you are using the old Klear either dip the canopies in and wick off the excess on a piece of kitchen roll and then leave it to dry under a cover of some sort so it doesn't get dust on. I have never brushed Klear on to a canopy but many who post here do and get great results.

Windsor and Newton Galleria matt varnish is the bees knees, as already posted. I mix 50/50 with screen wash and their flow improver and mist on very finely with the airbrush. I haven't tried isopropyl alcohol before, but may do so now. The gloss is also very nice to use.

I use the same Sellotape (Scotch tape) technique as Eric Mc above. It takes a little practice but it looks really good when you get it right. Don't forget the Klear around the edge to seal and stick it solidly, as described above.

To get a slightly 'feathered' edge to my camouflage demarcations I use thin rolled sausages of blu-tack and mask in between to get the desired result. With this technique or the slightly raised paper masks, try not to spray over the vertical as the spray will go under the raised area and give a less feathered edge. I have read somewhere that British camouflage was applied using mats laid on the surface as masks, so maybe the feathered edges are inaccurate even if it does look 'right'!

Finding what paint you like can be a bit hit and miss. Try different makes and see how you go. I can't give advice here as I use all sorts and have had success with most of them, it will all end up as a matter of personal choice.

Halfords or other auto plastic primer is miles better than Vallejo's. Vallejo's stays 'soft' and is difficult to sand to a smooth finish, as both you and I have found. Decant it in to a small container (check here: http://www.scaleworkshop.com/workshop/video47bg_1.htm and video #48) and allow to de-gas, thin with cellulose thinners (it 'bites' in to the plastic) and spray with your airbrush. It is a great primer and sands perfectly or can be polished to a shiny finish as you desire.

Whatever the accuracy or not of the Airfix model, I would be proud to have produced an end result with a finish like yours. Very nice indeed.

[JOCKNEY]

Really great job

I have to say the choice of an old Airfix kit rather than an tamagawa one was very brave as was the airbrush.

Some of us have never graduated past the hairy stick !

So what do we have to look forward to next ?

Cheers Pat

[DAG058]

Really great job

I have to say the choice of an old Airfix kit rather than an tamagawa one was very brave as was the airbrush.

Some of us have never graduated past the hairy stick !

So what do we have to look forward to next ?

Cheers Pat

I'd recommend getting an airbrush, I struggle with a real brush and it's a lot more fun!

Up next is a Tamiya 1:35 Cheiftain, It's about 95% complete. Just need to add a few details. I'm making diorama/terrain for it. So may be another week or so until it's done. Until then catch up with my new Work in Progress on a Fairey Firefly 5 here ->

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234966552-fairey-firefly-5-172-airfix-my-first-wip/

[Trenton guy]

Alcohol, the active ingredient in many decal softeners, will remove Klear without damaging what lies beneath. Ask me how I know. My unfortunate experience involved the no longer available Polly-S decal softener which I used on really difficult decals such as those included by Hasegawa. I would not try it with the canopy on the model. One little drip on another surface and you'll end up stripping the whole model with copious amounts of decal softener. That's why I'm now looking for a replacement for my long hoarded Polly-S. Your Batlle is such a nice model for a returning effort with a difficult kit. I would leave it well enough alone. I thought that you (and others) might profit from my experience when ou absolutely have to remove some wayward Klear. By the way, I have had great success applying it with a micro-brush ( the green handled fuzzy one. Again, a great effort. Here's hoping that Airfix remolds their Battle some day soon.

[robvulcan]

Lovely result its great. I would say just keep on doing what your doing as your obviously doing fine.

[Smudge]

Nice model, good work, and airbrushing.

Constructive comment: Old Airfix kits, I would give the whole thing a rub over with a very fine piece wet n dry cloth to reduce those rivets, during the filling and priming stage.

Cheers.

[DAG058]

Nice model, good work, and airbrushing.

Constructive comment: Old Airfix kits, I would give the whole thing a rub over with a very fine piece wet n dry cloth to reduce those rivets, during the filling and priming stage.

Cheers.

Would you flatten them completely? I'm making a Fairey FireFly 5 now and it's got very similar detailing.

I would also like to try scribing the panel lines, any recommendations on how to do do it? Do you use anything to kept the lines straight? What tools do you use? Anything else that you would suggest?

[Eric Mc]

I would get rid of them completely. If you stand back from a real aircraft - even one festooned with dome head rivets (like a Sea King, for example), they pretty much disappear from about 20 feet or so.

I would not even bother rescribing to any great extent - maybe just a few key panel lines only. Try and make any tonal changes using varying shades of paint or very restrained pre or post shading.

[Smudge]

I only mentioned the rivets as I am currently doing an old Airfix 1/72 F6F Hellcat, and that is covered in rivets. I am just rubbing them back until they are barely visible. Its not quite 'right' for a Hellcat, but it's just for my own bit of fun.

You can buy special tools for re-scribing. I have one from Bare Metal Foil, and can recommend it. But you can make do with a pin/sewing machine needle or similar, stuck in a hobby knife handle or pin vice. Try using Dymo Tape to guide the tool and give a straight edge, or you can buy etch brass templates for hatches and circles etc.

I am just learning all this myself. I just do a bit here and there as I feel confident with.

Looking forward to seeing the Firefly.

[goggsy]

Great work, I'd be happy with that. As you said, it's not the best of kits but you've made a very respectable job of it. Not sure if you said whether you used acrylic or enamel, but if it wa acrylic the best thing to do is ditch them. As you noticed they are totally crap for airbrushing and frankly not much better with a hairy stick. If you can get them Tamiya acrylics are pretty top, as are Vallejo air.

[DAG058]

Great work, I'd be happy with that. As you said, it's not the best of kits but you've made a very respectable job of it. Not sure if you said whether you used acrylic or enamel, but if it wa acrylic the best thing to do is ditch them. As you noticed they are totally crap for airbrushing and frankly not much better with a hairy stick. If you can get them Tamiya acrylics are pretty top, as are Vallejo air.

I've moved onto Vallejo Colour! Tamiya seem to do a great range of colours however Vallejo is working well for me.