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Airfix Dambuster - 1/72 Avro Lancaster B.III


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I'd not forgotten how good this was and By Gawd it's great to see the progress you've been making with her Tomo.

 

No-one rocks a bullet-belt quite like you - except perhaps Mr.Kilminster (and he'd've had trouble with that bass in the Frazer-Nash...)

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Just fine, fine work mate. 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Happy New Year everyone. Have managed to get some stuff done, including painting, over the festive period in between food and drink consumption. What seemed like an eternity, I finished off the masking. This is a “one I did earlier” midway through shot where I’m just beginning to mask the side windows.

 

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I then got the front turret settled in after giving it a coat of black. The cowl did not fit right and was a proper faff requiring me to add a slim piece of strip below to close the gap.

 

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It took a lot of persuasion to hold it in place while the glue set.

 

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Finished article. One casualty I busted off the front guns, stuck em back together then busted em off again sigh! They will remain off until completed. I should’ve known better really. My advice would be to go for the brass aftermarket jobs. They look much better and as you most likely glue them on at the end, won’t get busted off.

 

Another obvious addition is that I gave the canopy a coat of cockpit green. This is Colourcoats RAF interior green and the stuff went on like a dream, so step by step I will be replacing my Humbrol enamels with Colourcoats enamels. The new formula HU 78 is in the bin with all the other festive detritus awaiting collection and deposit to the local incinerator, Birmingham bin strike permitting.

 

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With that done it got a coat of primer – Tamiya Fine out the rattle can:

 

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Well pleased with the outcome thus far. I had to do a little more sanding on the fuselage spine which I re-primed with Alclad grey primer. Dark Earth and Dark Green at the ready. The Dark Green is Humbrol old school so no grief anticipated. Anyroad just about to have a big greasy full English fry up then it’s off up the pub for my customary New Year lunch time brandy…

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NOW its Christmas

 

 

 

 

Then it's gone

 

Happy lunchtime buddy, see ya in three weeks

 

 

By the way, Lanc looking very very lovely now

 

 

Furtherly, bloody nice paints aren't they

Best enamels now available

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I don’t know which was hardest to recover from – Christmas and New Year excess or the first day back at work! Pleased to say I survived all. Anyroad I’ve made a start on the paint. First up was some pre-shading. It’s the first time I’ve tried this proper. I appreciate folk have mixed views on it. Like many things it’s a matter of preference and what works for you. I’ve seen it used to very good effect, and other instances where the aircraft in question looks like a zebra. The latter not being to my taste. New year, time for a bit of experimentation with new techniques.

 

The logic of pre-shading the underside is that I intend to paint it in NATO black. My attempts on the tail showed that it does have a subtle effect…we shall see.

 

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Here is the top and I put a coat of Dark Earth on the tail and masked it ready for the Dark Green Piccie looks a bit fuzzy.

 

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I wasn’t that fussed about the neatness of the lines. Plus my arm did get tired after a while. Next time I shall choose a 1/144 Gnat.

 

This evening I got the dark earth on the fuselage and finished off the dark green on the tail.

 

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Depending upon which angle you view it from, the pre-shading looks more or less pronounced. In the most oblique lighting it is a little too strong form my tastes to be honest. That said once you get the dark green on (and I only gave it a light coat), the pre-shading is almost obliterated.

 

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However, I will be using pastels for weathering and tonal variation (not OTT, but even the Dambusters did scuff up quickly following the training), so I’d say I’m satisfied with the result. Not exactly over the moon just having one millions on the lottery euphoric type of happy, but happy nevertheless.

 

Next up is yet more masking ready for the dark green and even more masking for the black. Mask mask mask and no rest.

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Nice work Tomo. The preshading looks nice on the Brown bits maybe a little strong, but I do like it that way. 😃 I’ve found that to do camo with preshading it’s best to mask then spray the first colour then mask again for the second. Long winded but you keep the integrity. 

Happy new year kid. Glad you’re back at it.

 

Johnny.

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9 minutes ago, The Spadgent said:

Nice work Tomo. The preshading looks nice on the Brown bits maybe a little strong, but I do like it that way. 😃 I’ve found that to do camo with preshading it’s best to mask then spray the first colour then mask again for the second. Long winded but you keep the integrity. 

Happy new year kid. Glad you’re back at it.

 

Johnny.

Sorry i dont want to hijack this thread tomoshenko! The build looks amazing!

but johnny i get that you’ll get the same level of preshading everywhere when you preshade then mask and paint the brown first and remask and paint green - 

but when you then mask the brown and paint the green how do you get the mask in exactly the same place?

Edited by Dansk
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If it's not too late already, you might try the black-basing technique for the undersides. I found it to work quite well even on an overall black aircraft (SR-71 Blackbird). 

Edited by billn53
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Tom I get the pre painting thing for this but it seems to me that when you have masked for the second colour that the first thing you'll need to do is re-prepaint those dirty lines over the unmasked areas but under the top coat

 

Does have a subtle effect in proper hands, your'n not mine. 😱

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On 1/3/2019 at 10:22 PM, Dansk said:

Sorry i dont want to hijack this thread tomoshenko! The build looks amazing!

but johnny i get that you’ll get the same level of preshading everywhere when you preshade then mask and paint the brown first and remask and paint green - 

but when you then mask the brown and paint the green how do you get the mask in exactly the same place?

There is a little over spray. Thinking back to my Lanc build I think. (I’ll have a look in a sec) that I did the pre shade. Hand airbrushed the lighter colour then masked and sprayed the darker colour. In fact I’m pretty sure that’s what I did.

🤔

 

Ok just looked. if you go to my Lanc build and look at page 28 you can see what I did. I’m not saying it’s the best thing to do by all means but it worked for me. 

Sorry Tomo. Back to your wonderful bird. 😘

 

Johnny

 

Edited by The Spadgent
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On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 3:31 AM, billn53 said:

If it's not too late already, you might try the black-basing technique for the undersides. I found it to work quite well even on an overall black aircraft (SR-71 Blackbird). 

It is unfortunately and probably would have been more effective. I've seen the technique used to good effect (including your Blackbird), so it is something I intend to have a crack at.

 

On ‎1‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 10:42 AM, perdu said:

Tom I get the pre painting thing for this but it seems to me that when you have masked for the second colour that the first thing you'll need to do is re-prepaint those dirty lines over the unmasked areas but under the top coat

 

Does have a subtle effect in proper hands, your'n not mine. 😱

Mmmmm :hmmm:

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Right then I thought I’d put Bill’s suggestion to the test. Masked off a couple of sample areas and a pre-coated.

 

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In real lighting the pre-shading looks much more pronounced than it does in the photos. I didn’t lay down too thick a coat of the green because I wanted to avoid a ridge where I’d masked. Well the synopsis is thus – pro: no ridge and not a pronounced difference where the original pre-shading meets the masked, re-pre-shaded and green. That probably sounds a bit convoluted. To visualise what I’m trying to express, imagine the pre-shading having an uneven width, a little like how a straw appears in a glass of water where the submerged part of the straw is distorted by the refracted light and looks thicker; con: the pre-shading is darker than it is on the dark earth and too strong for my taste.

 

I definitely think Bill’s modus operandi is a goer though. Some refinement is needed. I will re-mask the above area (I saved the masking tape so no problem getting an exact match) and give it another, but very light coat of green along the panel lines. I will finish off the masking and re-pre-shade, but it will be much lighter, or I may even use a dark grey or NATO black.

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On 5/2/2017 at 10:25 PM, Tomoshenko said:

 

Looking at reference piccies the windows (lights) are flush. You probably can’t see it that well in the piccie below but flush they aint. I’ve circled them (or should that be ellipsed) in red to give you some idea.

 

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Quote

 

Not that it makes that much difference but with a deep recess they just didn’t look right especially when you compare them to library pictures of the real machine.

 

Hey Tom, little tip I picked up for flush fitting windows, bearing in mind the finesse you're bringing to the rest of the kit ( a bit late as I know your boring non Homer/Christmas tree camo is on.. but for the future). Glue in the clear part with lots of odourless (non-fogging) cyano. sand, micromesh and future 'em down, then apply ye Eduard masks (that should be scaled to fit only to the clear bit). I tried it yonks ago on this hideous hokeyboss and it worked well (if I'd could been bothered to re scribe the panel lines)

 

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The chap who showed me how to do this would then cut 10% oversized masks and build up primer to simulate raised fitting frames, something I fear life is way too short for...

 

Cheers

 

Anil

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On ‎1‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 6:01 PM, azureglo said:

 

 

The chap who showed me how to do this would then cut 10% oversized masks and build up primer to simulate raised fitting frames, something I fear life is way too short for...

A good technique Anil. Yes life is too short for it perhaps, but I'm daft enough to try it on future builds.

 

Right up then. I masked up the camo ready for the dark green (I resisted the urge to apply Anil's whatif Homer/Christmas tree camo scheme).

 

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I then pre-shaded. Okay it aint the neatest of jobs but I am beginning to suffer from masking and pre-shading fatigue.

 

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I then got a couple of coats of the dark green on. The pre-shading bled through so I left it overnight and got another coat on. Sadly my vintage HU30 has lumpy little bits in (it dates back to the 70s) which kept blocking up my airbrush. Anyroad I persevered and here is the result:

 

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Yes I am pleased. That said this is what I mean by the pre-shading bleeding through. I will be able to mute this as I have a good range of pastels. I will blend it in (what could possibly go wrong…)

 

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That said there is always a sting in the tail and I noticed I missed a bit of masking around the front turret. The green should go all the way to the turret….grrr. Never mind it won’t be too onerous. Once done I will have to consign my 70s HU30 to the great paint box in the sky where it will be in good company with the all the Humbrol Authentic colour range and the Airfix home brand enamel ranges.

 

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Overall pleased with the result. There is a tonal range to the green which I’ll be able to accentuate with pastels without going too over the top on the weathering.

 

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Will Mr Perdu’s wise advice paid off in the end. Lest it not be said Bill, you aint just a pretty face :winkgrin:

 

 

 

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Someone's gotta say it and it might as well be me (I have had wine) - why pre-shade and not use panel line washes?

Just asking, like :) 

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51 minutes ago, CedB said:

Someone's gotta say it and it might as well be me (I have had wine) - why pre-shade and not use panel line washes?

Just asking, like :) 

Some do both Ced. For me I like to have full control over effects to

produce them myself. Pre sahding I would not have that freedom.

Also gives me the ability to experiment.

 

Not a criticism of any method just putting matters from my point

of view. Every man (& women) to their own.

 

Laurie

 

Nice progress on the Lancaster.

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Hey Tom at the risk of temporarily hijacking your thread, I got a bit confused abut the masking being applied twice: this is how I do it, hows what you/Spadgent do differ from this? 

 

1st preshade on primer

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Lighter colour applied over wet preshade*

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2nd preshade after masking

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Darker colour applied over wet preshade to blend better and prevent hard lines bleeding through*, 

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Cheers and apologies for the diversion, but this was beginning to bug me as I couldn't understand what I was missing...BTW now this I call camouflage, Doh!

 

Anil

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That is how I  did it Anil. Although not as neat and ... erm … in a slightly different camo scheme.

 

17 hours ago, CedB said:

Someone's gotta say it and it might as well be me (I have had wine) - why pre-shade and not use panel line washes?

Just asking, like :) 

 

16 hours ago, LaurieS said:

Some do both Ced. For me I like to have full control over effects to

produce them myself. Pre sahding I would not have that freedom.

Also gives me the ability to experiment.

 

Not a criticism of any method just putting matters from my point

of view. Every man (& women) to their own.

 

Laurie

 

Nice progress on the Lancaster.

As per Laurie's comment Ced some do both. The reason being is that a panel line wash just accentuates the panel line, whereas a pre-shade darkens the immediate area each side of the line as per Anil's Homer Simpson splinter scheme above. This is my first attempt at pre-shading proper. To be honest I should have attempted it on a single colour scheme first, but hey nothing ventured nothing gained. My usual modus operandi is to panel line wash and then post shade either side of the panel line using pastels. I will probably do this anyway.

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40 minutes ago, Tomoshenko said:

That is how I  did it Anil. Although not as neat and ... erm … in a slightly different camo scheme.

 

 

 

 

Excellent, I shall now follow the Way Of Tomoshenko , even if his shapes be not Homerlicious...

 

Bart Simpson

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13 hours ago, Tomoshenko said:

The reason being is that a panel line wash just accentuates the panel line, whereas a pre-shade darkens the immediate area each side of the line…

Ah, thanks Tomo :) 

 

Now Anil's got me thinking about doughnuts (Mmmmm, doughnuts) and I'm on a diet! Doh!

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