A Trio Too Far (2 x Mk XII's, Mk 21 - 1/72)

[giemme]

Looking great, Cookie! Can't wait for the RFI pics

Ciao

[PlaStix]

She looks superb in the Gallery Cookie! Very well done!

Kind regards,

Stix

[Giorgio N]

Great model, very glad to see this in the gallery

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks everybody, I'm happy with it, even though the RFI pics revealed some problem areas that I hadn't noticed. Isn't that always the way?

I finally got the canopies attached to the XII's, and primered them with Stynylrez.

Inspired by some conversations and recommendations in Canada Moe's Spitfire build, I primered the CMR XII in black. I'll try the black basing technique. It's pretty low risk - if I mess up, I'll just paint it 'normally'.

 

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Grey primer for the Brigade/Sword.

 

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I sprayed a little Alclad Semi-Matt Aluminum for future chipping.

 

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[PlaStix]

Two more beautiful looking Spitfires - you are a machine!

[rob85]

How did I miss the 21 getting finished, she looks beautiful mate! You should be proud of that!

The other two look like some very smooth work with the primer on.... Black primer on a spitfire make them look very cool! I need to do the night fight spitfire I feel!!

Rob

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks Stix and Rob!

The CMR spinner is nicely molded while the Brigade required some clean up and I punched out a backing disk from plasticard as it was a bit shorter than the CMR. Sorry for the picture quality.

Step 1 for the black base technique on the CMR XII was a patchy coat of Tamiya Medium Sea grey.

 

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And then blended with a thinned and lightened coat of Lifecolor MSG.

I may have wiped out the effect too much with the final coat, but I just wanted something to break up the solid underside color

And here is the Sword painted 'conventionally'.

It's actually multi-tone as well, but it's so subtle that the camera didn't really pick it up.

Suggestions welcome.

[giemme]

Great progress overall, Cookie! I like the idea of the black basing, I saw that on another Spitfire build here on BM and meant to try it ever since, but didn't get the chance as of yet.

I guess you'd want to keep it subtle, otherwise it would look too "heavy"; so yours is just spot on, IMO.

Ciao

[CedB]

+1 for the black basing Cookie - that looks great! Another Cookie tip I have to try...

[Procopius]

The CMR underbelly is a thing of beauty, Cookie.

[Learstang]

Very nice indeed! However, a Spitfire underbelly just isn't a proper one unless it's covered in huge oil streaks. Brilliant work on the F.21!

Regards,

Jason

[rob85]

Looks like the black basing has worked a treat cookie, really breaks up the one tone colour but doesn't look too heavy. It will be good to see how it turns out after weathering.

Rob

[Cookenbacher]

Let's consider the black basing a success so far, but now it's time to try it with camo.

First I gave it a blast of Tamiya Ocean grey - which revealed the fuselage seam. Looked good under primer, phooey.

Again with lightened Lifecolor Ocean grey.

 

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The Brigade/Sword XII, painted 'conventionally' with Lifecolor and then post-shaded.

 

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Paper masks for the Brigade/Sword and blu-tack noodles for the CMR.

The CMR unmasked, and the bits that broke off in the process.

 

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And the Brigade/Sword.

 

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Sorry for the picture quality, the light was fading fast.

[Stew Dapple]

Broken off rudder and tailplane indicates someone un-masking in too much of a hurry?

Interesting demonstration Cookie, thanks - the black basing seems to me to work better on the monocolour undersides than the bi-colour upper surfaces (much I think like pre-shading would) - it could be the poor light accentuating the effect, how does it look in real life?

Cheers,

Stew

[CedB]

Thanks from me as well Cookie for the demonstration of an interesting technique and bad luck with the broken bits...

Could we have some more shots in the light please?

I'm not sure my airbrushing skills match yours - I need to practice with multi-coats and thinned paint - but they both look good to me

[giemme]

Great job Cookie, I like the black basing effect on the top side too, but the other Spit is looking great too, with the post-shading.

Overall, I just love the Lifecolor finish effect

Ciao

[Biggles87]

Another Lifecolor fan here too, although I have trouble brush painting large areas with it.

You are a machine! You are going to finish three in the time it takes me to make one.

Cheers

John

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good afternoon Cookie

Very good job on the Mk XII

Patrice

[Cookenbacher]

Time for a Stew Dapple style multi-quote post. Hey, look who the first quote is from!

Broken off rudder and tailplane indicates someone un-masking in too much of a hurry?

Interesting demonstration Cookie, thanks - the black basing seems to me to work better on the monocolour undersides than the bi-colour upper surfaces (much I think like pre-shading would) - it could be the poor light accentuating the effect, how does it look in real life?

Cheers Stew. The blu-tack stuck to the kit parts better than the kit parts stuck to each other. I'd rather have used paper masks, but I didn't do a good enough job with the free hand portion of the camo to get them to match up!

I also think that the black basing works better with lighter colors. The Ocean grey went fine, but the Dark green just looked like darker green over the black rather than having a shadowed depth. Part of the problem was also that much of the black base was covered in oversprayed Ocean grey at that point. I think the technique would work best on something like a modern 'low-viz' US Navy jet, but may still work on a Spitfire DFS if lightened Ocean grey and Dark green are used for the top surfaces.

Thanks from me as well Cookie for the demonstration of an interesting technique and bad luck with the broken bits...

Could we have some more shots in the light please?

I'm not sure my airbrushing skills match yours - I need to practice with multi-coats and thinned paint - but they both look good to me

I'll try and get some better pics in the daylight, Ced, but I think that the 'conventionally' painted Brigade/Sword camo turned out better, not least because the paper masks provide a much better demarcation than my blu-tack 'worms'.

I'd encourage you to give post shading a try sometime Ced. It's very easy: just add a few drops of light grey or white to the airbrush paint cup after you finish spraying your base coat and pick out a panel or two and give them a shot.

Great job Cookie, I like the black basing effect on the top side too, but the other Spit is looking great too, with the post-shading.

Overall, I just love the Lifecolor finish effect

Lifecolor does dry so smooth, like an expensive lacquer without the fumes. My main problem is that it is getting very hot here in the desert, and I had to add flow retarder in portions similar to thinner in order to be able to spray for more than 2 or 3 seconds between wiping off the needle. Even then, the low flow rates required for careful post shading were impossible, so it's all a bit 'patchier' than I'd like. I may need to switch over to enamels for the summer.

Another Lifecolor fan here too, although I have trouble brush painting large areas with it.
You are a machine! You are going to finish three in the time it takes me to make one.

Thanks John, I don't think I can keep this pace much longer. My next build will be one model - I hope.

Good afternoon Cookie

Very good job on the Mk XII

Patrice

Thank you Patrice!

[giemme]

Lifecolor does dry so smooth, like an expensive lacquer without the fumes. My main problem is that it is getting very hot here in the desert, and I had to add flow retarder in portions similar to thinner in order to be able to spray for more than 2 or 3 seconds between wiping off the needle. Even then, the low flow rates required for careful post shading were impossible, so it's all a bit 'patchier' than I'd like. I may need to switch over to enamels for the summer.

Try thinning them with WindeX and a few drops of Future, or Future only if you fancy a satin effect; it really helps in spraying at low pressure. HTH

Ciao

[Cookenbacher]

I've been thinning with a concoction of Future, water, flow improver and retarder. I keep adding more retarder to the mix!

The decals are on the Brigade/Sword. The stencils are from the Brigade set, the roundels are from the Sword kit, and the squadron codes and serials are from the CMR kit.

Here is the promised pic of the CMR XII in better light.

 

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I think I'll add the transfers before attaching the broken bits.

[Learstang]

It's Alive!!!

Regards,

Jason

[Stew Dapple]

They're both looking pretty sweet now Cookie

Cheers,

Stew

[CedB]

Very nice Cookie, lovely job

Can I ask what are your thoughts now you've done those decals - transfers or templates, or a bit of both in the future?

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks Jason, Stew and Ced!

Yes, another Frankenspit is almost ready to join the collection.

Ced, I think that masking and painting markings looks the best, but it's so easy to get things a tiny bit off-center in 1/72 even with careful placement of the masks. I think I'll continue using masks as often as possible, so that I can get better at it. Decals/transfers are much easier and quicker - that was sort of the rule of the day with five on the go for this GB - painting the roundels on all six Spitfires would have turned into a chore. Both methods are very satisfying when finished, so it's a win, win.

I used the puddle of Future method with these, and it's definitely becoming my preferred way of applying decals. The Future was still drying when I took the above pics, but just checked on it, and the decals have snuggled down into the panel lines as if by magic as the Future has dried.