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Tomahawk IIb (Airfix 1/72)


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This is my first ever participation in a GB, and although four months is a long time, I'm a slow builder and the time frame coincides with peak work period, some planned holiday, and a probable job search, so spare time is likely to be very limited on occasions. Plus, it's summer! So, bearing that in mind, I've opted for this kit as my initial contribution. It's the relatively new Airfix moulding, packaged with VVS decals in the Airfix Club kit from a few years back. I built the Flying Tigers P-40 last year for my son's ceiling display, and I don't recall any major issues with the kit, so it should be a straightforward OOB build. The challenge for me will be to do the winter whitewash. It's not something I've tried before and I'm a wielder of hairy sticks, so I'm not feeling too confident.

The kit decals depict White 58 of 20 GvIAP, with a scheme absolutely plastered in whitewash. The info on Massimo Tessitori's site (http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/lendlease/p-40/tapani/p-40b-c/58khlobystov.htm) has the whitewashing rather more restrained, and on balance I prefer that both aesthetically and as I can at least see the research underlying that scheme with my own eyes.

I believe box and sprue photos are traditional at this stage, if only I could get photobucket to work properly, I would post. Maybe tomorrow it'll behave...

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Thanks, Robert, I hope I can make it interesting, given the simple build...

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Photobucket behaving a little better, though I had to upload the sprue shot three times to get it to show (and of course there are now three copies...)

I'm not sure whether to do this wheels-up (to fly over my son's bed) or wheels-down (to sit in the cabinet), but I'm leaning towards the up option. Not sure whether the pilot would pass for Lt Khlobystov

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I'll sit in, if you don't mind :)

That will be a difficult scheme to replicate with a brush, the best I can suggest is to softly dry-brush the white on and not to try to do it all in one go, I think three or four light dry-brushes will produce a better effect than one heavy one...

Cheers,

Stew

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Thanks, Stew. Yes, trying it it one go will produce interesting results! I'm thinking of two approaches. One is to use white pigment dissolved in varnish. the other to use Lifecolour Tensocrom white. Or a combination of the two. The photos show it only covering the dark earth area, so at least the amount to be done will be limited.

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Thanks, Sgt.

Initial painting is underway on the cockpit and prop. Nothing worth photography; I'm using Lifecolor RAF Interior Green and it's pretty thin even applied neat from the jar so it'll take a few coats before I can start weathering/detailing. Maybe not quite up and running, but we're off.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK, a break of two weeks for holiday and the inevitable catch-up on work that accumulated while I was away, but back to the cutting board last night. Mainly touch-up work and test fitting but it's progress. I decided to do the bare minimum on the interior as it's virtually invisible once built, and that was a wise decision as it transpired that I'd put the IP decal on the back of the IP before I went on holiday!

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Airframe now fundamentally done, just the fiddly bits to go on. I must have skewed the lower wings when I attached them to the fuselage, as the upper wings both had a substantial gap to fill at the root (one at the front, the other at the back). Hopefully not noticeable. I also managed to get the first coat on the canopy framing. Good progress by my standards, though this is a blameless kit other than the soft Airfix material and the large sprue gates.

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That's looking very nice indeed mate B)

Looks like you achieved a neater fit on the upper cowling part than I did on the last one I built, but I'm pleased to see it can be done as I've still got a couple in the stash:D

Cheers,

Stew

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Very good idea for the build. Also very fast work!

One is to use white pigment dissolved in varnish. the other to use Lifecolour Tensocrom white. Or a combination of the two. The photos show it only covering the dark earth area, so at least the amount to be done will be limited.

If you do use the Tensocrom white, be sure to stir it really well, preferably with a mechanical stirrer - it seems to separate into a particularly stubborn gloop that sticks to the bottom of the pot!

Al

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This is looking great Chris. I'm pretty excited about the Soviet scheme. It's similar to one that was 're-popped' many times by Eastern European manufacturers with what I think was basically a very aged Frog mould.
Here it can be done justice with the new Airfix mould.
Looking very nice - and quickly :)

Best regards
Tony

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Thanks, Tony. It's a very easy kit to build (OK, this is only the second one, but neither have presented any significant problems), certainly compared to your Polikarpovs. Progress is slowing right up as year-end workload builds, though - nothing done at all this week, sadly.

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No photos until it's looking more presentable, but in the last few days I can report the application of paint. In accordance with Tessitori, I'm going for British colours rather than US. Lower surfaces have had their Humbrol Sky, which is one of my favourite paints: I can brush neat from the pot and get excellent thin coverage with a single coat (why don't I own more Humbrol paints?) Upper surfaces are providing a trial for Lifecolor DE/DG, which need three coats minimum to get coverage.

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Hi Chris. Good to hear there's been more progress on your project. I know exactly what you mean about Humbrol's Sky - I use it but I do thin it with water - it covers beautifully. Most of the newer Humbrol paints do go on really well when thinned with water, especially with flat brushes, although some of the older satin colours can be a bit awkward. I also find Revell's acrylics apply really well when thinned with water.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Well, there's never a good reason not to get more paints! I have a couple of Revell's acrylics (in those silly square pots with angled lids) but they didn't excite me too much. The only other Humbrol acrylics I have are Luftwaffe colours, so until I build a suitable subject, they won't get tried. Most of my paints are Vallejo, with a scattering of MIG, Lifecolor, and some Alclad for when I want to sniff the good stuff.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Intermittent activity over the past few weeks has got me to the point where the base camo is 90% done. Sorry, struggling to get decent photos after sunset; I might try tomorrow with the help of natural light.

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Thanks, Stew & TPReggie. Better photos this morning, which also show clearly the thin coverage of the Lifecolor (this is after 3 or 4 coats of both DE & DG). I think that after decalling, winter camo, and weathering, this will appear to be more natural variation or fading than poor brushwork. The interior green is a pig for translucency, and I'm not wholly convinced by the shade (too dark to my eyes), so in future that pot may well become used only as a shader colour for a lighter basecoat.

Where there is definitely poor brushwork is on the demarcation lines. I am a) lazy, and B) lazy, and so I didn't mask off the sky, but then didn't take enough care when painting the topsides, so some touch-up to be done.

The landing gear is ready to go on; some trial fitting yesterday showed that the fit is very tight. So tight in fact that I thought I was going to break one leg when getting it back out, and when I test fit the wheel, I couldn't get it off again. Guess who hadn't painted the tyre before test fitting.

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