ProfSparks Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Hi All Ages ago, while experimenting on the Airfix Victoria Cross Icons Gift Set, I got hold of a set of the Vallejo "Battle Of Britain" paints to try out against the included Humbrol pots, but instead just decided to concentrate on getting used to the processes of airbrushing. Then I sort of lost my way a little with the "100 Years" detour, but now I can safely say I'm back on track with the grown-up paints plan. The Auction Site Specials 📲 for these experiments are an Airfix Hurricane A02042 (as one's pictured on the paints box), an Airfix Spitfire MkIa A55100 starter set that had been started (as I'd like to see the difference between the Dark Green/Earth and the BS Dark Green/Earth), and a Frog Sea Hurricane because it also had been started. This is in the Frog Sea Hurricane, anyone recognise it? Anyhoo, slowly getting them ready in the Lab Not all the parts are there for all of them, so these will be cursory builds for testing. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 I'm in Steve Looking forward to seeing how you get on with the Vallejo - I like it! Is it this set? I hope so... my first set (the old RAF one) had some 'dubious colour matching' but I think Vallejo have fixed this now. If you like it I suggest you try some of their cleaner too; Paul at Modelling Tools told me to get the proprietary cleaners as they're formulated for the paint and work much better - cleaning the airbrush is not one of my favourite tasks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 Hi Ced, welcome Yes that's the set, and I've also acquired a fair number of other VA shades (and a couple of pots of Tamiya) through various late night bidding sessions too 😬. I've got some of their Airbrush Cleaner, along with some Airbrush Thinners and some 'special' Vallejo products, such as Chipping Medium, Crinkle Medium, Liquid Mask, Metallic Medium etc that I hope to be experimenting with on upcoming builds. I bought a new 0.3mm needle and nozzle (as my regular ones are twisted), but I still had the same spluttering as with the Humbrol, so I put a new 0.5mm nozzle back on with the 0.3mm needle, and everything was hunky dory again! Could be something up with my £60 airbrush and compressor combo? Anyhoo, I've started spraying them all onto the backs of plastic spoons, and I must admit to being very impressed with the results so far! Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Good stuff Prof! I do like the Model air stuff and have lots in the rack. I've only really been distracted by Lifecolor which is really nice, but Colourcoats are now my preferred paints I think; even though they're enamels they don't smell that much and they spray and brush beautifully. They do take a bit longer to dry but they STICK! Looks like you might be 'having fun' with the cheap airbrush. From what I know (postage stamps at the ready) the 'size' of the needle is something to do with the taper rather than the diameter but this, I know from nothing. Once you've got the hang of airbrushing (which IMHO was months ago) will you be investing in a new one? That should start the fight... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 5, 2018 Author Share Posted May 5, 2018 Hi All Guess who won't be airbrushing Humbrol paints again in a hurry? I used "Sky Type S" 71.302 on all the undersides, six drops at a time mixed in the cup, with two drops of their Vallejo Airbrush Thinners. This was enough to do a coat of one aircraft. The grey plastic Spitfire and Hurricane took two coats, straight on, no primer And the black plastic Sea Hurricane only took one more Bang, job done! A number of things immediately occurred to me. There was no pre-mixing in a hope to get the diluted consistency right, put it straight into the cup No guessing how much paint/thinners went in, as the dropper bottles did just that, one drop at a time No need to make up too much paint and feel I had to use it all as the mix was easily replicated No messing with too much/too little paint, keep doing the 6+2 until everything's done I'm amazed at the paint's ability to stick and cover without any dramatics, no runs or pooling (are they even paint terms?) I suspect I'm still putting it on too thick, and still need to work on restraint. On 5/3/2018 at 5:15 PM, CedB said: From what I know (postage stamps at the ready) the 'size' of the needle is something to do with the taper rather than the diameter but this, I know from nothing. You are right as far as I know (ie nothing...) in my Victoria Cross experiments, now sadly devoured by PhotoTucket, the 0.3mm needle had a much more slender taper as opposed to the 0.5mm that had quite an abrupt point. I'm using the 0.3mm needle in the 0.5mm nozzle, one light lit on the compressor thing, six drops of paint and two drops of thinners, it's a whole new world. On 5/3/2018 at 5:15 PM, CedB said: Once you've got the hang of airbrushing (which IMHO was months ago) will you be investing in a new one? That should start the fight... Thanks Ced, possibly a purchase fight in the future, but for now I forsee plenty of fun with this cheap one! Too many 'Bay Bargains in my (somewhat surprisingly grown out of nowhere ) mini stash, that I need to play with. Will Pledge them this week, and see how they take to masking. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Nice paint job! Love Vallejo too for their ease of use. Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Lovely paints aren't they? I don't usually bother to thin them, but as I'm learning more 'subtle' techniques I'm told that it's easier to get variation in the finish (allegedly more realistic) with thinned paint and lower pressures... harder to get right than weathering though, for me. Nice smooth finish Steve, good job 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LotusArenco Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 8 hours ago, ProfSparks said: no primer ... I'm amazed at the paint's ability to stick ... see how they take to masking. Be very very careful. I love me Vallejos, I really do, but I’ve been bitten more than once by my masking lifting off the paint. Mart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 Good point Mart - I vaguely remember having that problem too, especially when I hadn't cleaned the parts first (naughty, but I'm lazy). Steve I'm using Stynylrez primers for acrylics - great stuff; sprays well(ish), dries quickly and sticks really well. It used to be tricky to get hold of but is now available from multiple shops including the re-badged 'Ultimate' stuff. You can buy a three-pack (grey, black, white) for about £13 to try and it'll last a long time. Recommended 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 6, 2018 Author Share Posted May 6, 2018 Hi All 8 hours ago, CedB said: It used to be tricky to get hold of but is now available from multiple shops including the re-badged 'Ultimate' stuff. You can buy a three-pack (grey, black, white) for about £13 to try and it'll last a long time. Thanks Ced, I've ordered a three pack I'm also going to get some micromesh and I need recommendations for a decent acrylic putty as mine never seems to set. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 (edited) On 5/5/2018 at 6:35 PM, ProfSparks said: Will Pledge them this week, and see how they take to masking Yes thats what i do after i made the mistake of masking raw paint. On 5/6/2018 at 3:16 AM, LotusArenco said: I love me Vallejos, I really do, but I’ve been bitten more than once by my masking lifting off the paint. After my mossie incident 🤬 Ive always clear coated between colors to prevent. I usually off gas the paint for a while about an hour. I then clear coat and mask the following day. Havent had a problem since. Dennis Edited May 8, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted May 6, 2018 Share Posted May 6, 2018 24 minutes ago, ProfSparks said: I need recommendations for a decent acrylic putty FWIW, I use Perfect Plastic Putty which is good for getting rid of fine gaps bit nothing, in my opinion, beats Humbrol or Milliput. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Squadron Green, PPP & Milliput for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 I think you'll like the Stynylrez Steve - sprays well (higher pressure), self levels and dries pretty quickly to a nice smooth, rugged finish. I use the black stuff for 'black basing' too, sometimes. Various fillers for me... Humbrol for larger gaps and where you need some strength. Applied with a small spatula it starts to go off and can be shaped and scraped before it cures and then it sands and feathers really well. Vallejo Plastic Putty for small gaps like wing roots - the thin nozzle lets you squish the stuff into small gaps and then clean it off by swiping a dampened cotton bud across the join (I just suck mine, fnaar!!) Citadel Liquid Green Stuff to paint down seams with a damp brush to expose unseen gaps. It does shrink (a lot) into the gaps but you can apply multiple layers and wet sand to get a nice clean finish. Those are the three I 'go to' regularly. I also have... Milliput for those (hopefully) rare occasions when you need to build 'something new' before sanding to shape. I'd get the 'standard' stuff to start with and see how you get on. Sprue soup (small bits of sprue melted in Tamiya Extra Thin or Humbrol Liquid Poly) for nasty gaps where you need strength and know you're going to be doing lots of sanding. It's a bit tricky to get the mix right but, once you get the hang of it, it's great and sands well (obviously). I'd wait until your TET or Liquid Poly gets about half way down the jar then have a go. I'm assuming you have some of this - if not get some TET soon; it's great for using capillary effect on seams and it also 'sucks' small parts into position well. PPP 'cos everyone recommends it on BM. It does shrink back a bit on larger holes but can also be cleaned off with a damp cotton bud. Bill (perdu) recommends wet sanding and this does 'reactivate' the stuff so it 'levels' itself and gives a nice smooth finish. Squadron green recommended by Nigel 'cos you can thin it and it sands well, although I've not that much experience with it. I also bought some of the (more expensive) Mr Surfacer and Mr Dissolved Putty but I don't get on with them - they always seem to shrink a lot for me. Of course once you start using different coloured fillers you'll need to prime to get an even finish but you've got that covered eh? HTH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 8, 2018 Author Share Posted May 8, 2018 Hi All Managed to squeeze in a small Lab session to do some masking and spraying Just the standard Black, masked with DIY masking tape. I didn't go overboard with the coats for fear of the Black creeping under the tape and it seems to have come out slightly uneven (more so in the photo), but I'm happy with that . Thanks to all for your filler pointers , I've ordered Milliput Standard (and Superfine 'cos you never know) and PPP. I have been using Vallejo Plastic Putty, but it must be an old phial because it never seems to go completely "off". A moist cotton bud dissolves it away, and with a file or sanding stick simply crumbles. I've what looks like half a jar of "Mr Surfacer 500" that came with some paints , so that will be getting an airing in another experiment, along with a left field suggestion that intrigues me... Anyhoo, baby steps with this Model Air lark are encouraging, more playtime needed. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 15, 2018 Author Share Posted May 15, 2018 Hi All Upper base coats on Here we have a Hurricane in Vallejo 71.323 BS Dark Earth BS450, a Spitfire in the original Vallejo 71.029 Dark Earth FS30118, and the Sea Hurricane in Xtracrylix XA1005 RAF Extra Dark Sea BS640 (as I've a tub of that and their Slate Grey). The glaring sun on the bright white background doesn't do the colours any favours, but the BS Earth is more "coffee" and the standard earth more "chocolate". I'll see what they're like with their respective greens and try to get some overcast shots. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 Hi All Got a little Lab Time and started on the Sea Huricane I mixed up a batch of Xtracrylix XA1025 RAF Dark Slate Grey with some Tamiya X-20A Thinners, about 50/50 I think as my hand slipped And it turned out ok! Off with it's undersides More tacky masking, including the canopy of the Spitfire as it's curvy and rounded And here's the Greens added. Original Vallejo 71.012 Dark Green on the left, new 71.324 BS Dark Green on the right A couple of small fragments lifted, but nothing serious Again a couple of splinters came away, probably due to no undercoat, plus my ham fisted/sausage fingered/pigs ear technique. Anyhoo, back together Here's where I am now, all three Pledged and shiny awaiting a decal frenzy Don't know what was going on with the old Vallejo colours, might have to rename them now. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Very nice paint job! Love to see decals on! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 (edited) I don't know if it's my phone's screen but the colours on the Spitfire's top-sides don't look right, I think they should look like the Hurricane Mk1's do. Of course, that doesn't rule out: 1) the Hurricane being wrong 2) my colour perception being rubbish 3) me talking out of my backside Edited May 18, 2018 by Beard 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 Hi All 1 hour ago, Beard said: I don't know if it's my phone's screen but the colours on the Spitfire's top-sides don't look right, I think they should look like the Hurricane Mk1's do. Of course, that doesn't rule out: 1) the Hurricane being wrong 2) my colour perception being rubbish 3) me talking out of my backside Hi Beard, you are quite correct in flagging up the odd colours on the Spitfire. They are the Vallejo Dark Earth and Dark Green before the BS versions came out. They look almost purple and grey to me sometimes, might do them over in the updated numbers. Either that, or they were for 3D viewing? Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 You're right Steve, the original Vallejo colours were, er, wrong... Glad to see they've corrected them now, but no help for those of us who have bottles of the old stuff! I did an analysis of the old RAF set here. That post says that the DG should be 71.012 but we can see now even that was wrong... nice paints though, when they get the colours right! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted May 21, 2018 Author Share Posted May 21, 2018 Hi All Just a quick couple of pics to show them as finished as they're going to be Hurricane BS colours came out well, bit of a dust magnet Decals like crepe paper but some settled nicely The Sea Hurricane done in Xtracrylix Decals looked like they were printed onto old finger nail, apart from those that shattered on contact with water. An odd colour combination? And finally that oddly coloured Spitfire (Masking! tsk) Decent decals (with a bit more application of Micro Sol) But the most important lesson learned from this project is DON'T TAKE THE MASKING OFF THE CANOPY UNTIL AFTER THE MATT COAT Never mind, every day's a school day. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 Nice work on all three! A pity the decals on two of them didn't turn out so well! Perhaps some pledge/future or other clear cote would help the canopies look better. Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey-1980 Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 All look great! Loving the Sea Hurricane there too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 Great work on all three ... The Sea hurricane roundels have an odd look to them. Must be the contrast with the paint ? Again great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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