Revell Douglas X-3 Flying Stiletto and Tractor - Finished

[hendie]

you made a nice job of cleaning up all that tractor on the filler!

[Tim T]

Loving your work Mr Heath.

[Nigel Heath]

Before primer I tidied up the wing roots with Deluxe Plastic Putty:

Then smoothed out with a damp cotton bud:

I gave the joint at the base of the tail the same treatment:

I had done a bit more sanding inside the intakes so I gave them another coat of Revell Anthracite:

Finally I masked them with a combination of tape, foam and liquid masking:

I used white aerosol primer on the upper surface first:

It looks OK doesn't it?

But no it is a disaster, the primer has a finish like pebble dashing:

I will have to let it harden up and then sand all the affected surfaces. I am slightly fed up about that.

Normally I would have used Tamiya white primer but I could not get hold of any of that and instead bought this stuff from a model shop on the Isle of Man:

I strongly suggest you don't buy this product.

[Space Ranger]

I see the problem immediately; you used Army paint on an Air Force aircraft!

[Nigel Heath]

As it continued to harden up this strange crazing started to appear:

So I started to slog away at the sanding, fortunately it did respond reasonably well to sanding sticks. Here the LH wing is just about done:

I will also have to go over all the scribing.

Several hours later it is almost done but I am still left with these fine craters:

I think these need some sort of filler - anyone got any ideas?

With all this extra work the delicate nose got broken off:

It can stay off until this mess is sorted out.

[Space Ranger]

That's strange behavior for a spray paint marketed for models; I'm betting it's a lacquer intended mainly for metal miniatures and has crazed the plastic. I'd suggest Mr. Surfacer to try to even everything out.

Sorry about the broken nose.

[kev67]

Hi Nigel

I thought this might help

[Bordfunker]

That's a real bummer.

I know you can work your magic and pull it around but it's always a bit gutting when something like that happens.

Karl

[JOCKNEY]

Hi Nigel

Really sorry about that dodgy paint, you said earlier on in the build that this aircraft was underpowered, looks like it might have been the wind resistance on that paint that was the problem.

I was really impressed by the first photo with all the filler types etc I thought that's turned out really well.

It wouldn't be one of your builds without a little drama, you have just made us wait a while for it this time !

Cheers Pat

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks chaps, Mike that's a good idea about Mr Surfacer. I was starting to think along similar lines. I will apply some to an area as a test and see how it goes.

[JamesP]

It looks like the paint has gone on rather thick. Did you spray it all in one go or build up a few light layers at a time? As white primer and paint is such a poor coverer of varitions due to filler etc I really have to fight hard not to make them all go away in one session. The alternative is to provide a uniform base first with grey primer and then the white stuff.

[Bengalensis]

Well that was a misery one don't need... Hard to tell exactly what went wrong from the pics but it looks like it was half dry before hitting the surface, and possibly attacking the plastic as well. If it can't be stripped I would sand it all off down to as much bare plastic as ever possible, much further than your second last picture, before adding anything else.

I like the work on the little tractor.

[bentwaters81tfw]

I have some of that Army Painter matt varnish. It has caused wrinkles on my colour coats. Not impressed with it.

[infofrog]

sorry for the faulty primer Nigel . I hope you get it fix..

Rick

[Nigel Heath]

I painted some Mr Surfacer 500 on the worst areas of crazing:

Following Jorgen's advice I also did a lot more sanding and got it to look like this:

I am now thinking maybe a few coats of Alclad white primer and microfiller might be enough to smooth out the remaining problem areas. Probably best to leave it alone for tonight and come back to it fresh again tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice, it is appreciated.

[hendie]

ouch - I feel your pain Nigel.

I think I would be tempted to try and strip back as opposed to trying to get a decent finish on that pebble dash. Of course, if it has attacked the plastic, then that's another issue.

[infofrog]

If i lived closest too you yea , I'll treat you to big cold one .

Rick

[georgeusa]

Sorry for the primer issue. With a new paint brand it's hard to tell what went wrong. I'm kinda in the strip it all off and start over again guy as you really don't know what kind of base this will provide for the rest of the painting process. It might not play well with your top color paints and the crazing return. Not enough small animal sacrifices and/or incorrect incantations. I'd be curious as to how it haas reacted with your filler material. You may have a wonderful chemical reaction just waiting to begin again and just needing a new supply of energy in the form of new paint to begin the process anew.

[hendie]

Nigel, if all else fails, you can cut the wings off and use it as a loofah

[albertross]

Hi Nigel,

This is too late to help now, but I had a similar crazing issue on a airship model I was working on for a local company. This was attributed,after discussion with a painter to the gasses in the aerosol primer not having been fully released before another coat of paint went over the top. Never happened before or since.

Good luck.

David

[Martian]

Well that was a misery one don't need... Hard to tell exactly what went wrong from the pics but it looks like it was half dry before hitting the surface, and possibly attacking the plastic as well. If it can't be stripped I would sand it all off down to as much bare plastic as ever possible, much further than your second last picture, before adding anything else.

I like the work on the little tractor.

I agree best to play safe and get rid of the stuff altogether. You never know how it might react with the top coat of paint.

Martin

[Low flyer]

Wow, such a shame, after seeing this in the flesh on Saturday I thought it was shaping up nicely. Best of luck with the repair Nigel

[Pete in Lincs]

Ouch!

I'd be rattling the oven cleaner by now.

Good luck with the recovery, Nigel.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

That damned Army Painter rubbish did exactly the same to most of a platoon of my Shermans.....Fortunately I always prime the bottom of the models first so after a couple of days sanding and picking, I got them cleaned up sufficiently that what remained would pass for mud, but that's not really an option for your Stiletto sadly. The good news is that I doubt it will have attacked the plastic, I suspect if you give it a rub with a coarse cloth it should start falling away, after that it's likely to be wet and dry time.

Gutted for you mate!

[Duncan B]

I'm with George, Martin and Pete and would strip the stuff off completely as it might react with the top coat then you are in a whole world of pain.

Nigel, I would especially follow G's advice.

Duncan B

Edit: don't want to get on the wrong side of G-USA, he's Texan and a Lawyer!