+++++ Phantom FG1 +++++ Finished

[825]

I started this in the Matchbox Group Build but it stalled for a number of reasons. I've restarted and thought it's worth putting on here now. 

 

 

The work so far can be found here. 

 

I got the airframe finished, some metallic around the tail and the underside painted. I put on multiple coats of citadel white then a couple of coats of Revell Aquacolour Gloss White. It didn't look great, was streaky, rush marks and multiple bits. So was sanded back to the matt white, polished, recoated with citadel and a couple of coats of Kleer. Here it is masked ready for the ESDG. 

 

 

First coat of Xtracrylix ESDG thinned with Flow Improver 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by 825

[71chally]

Always nice to see a Matchbox kit get the modern build treatment, especially a Phantom in Navy colours.

Edited May 12, 2018 by 71chally

[Martian]

I don't know why but this kit is holding a fascination for me, even though I have the new Airfix kit.

 

Martian👽

[825]

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

Always nice to see a Matchbox kit get the modern build treatment, especially a Phantom in Navy colours.

Don't forget though, it's an FG.1

Thanks, though I wouldn't go as far as emphasise the 'modern build' too much. All I've added so far are seat belts. I've changed the title. 

 

23 minutes ago, Martian Hale said:

I don't know why but this kit is holding a fascination for me, even though I have the new Airfix kit.

 

Martian👽

I started this before the Airfix version was released. I've now got one in the stash and although it looks great there are a lot of parts. It's taken me 6 months to get this fairly simple MB kit to here. Goodness knows how long the Airfix kit will take me. Roll on 2020!

[Nikolay Polyakov]

6 hours ago, 825 said:

I love these boxes from my childhood! 🤗

[Azgaron]

Nice with an old Matchbox kit! Nice start!

 

Håkan

 

[825]

Top coat of paint on. 

 

 

Masking off of the underside. A little bit of touching up needed. Nothing an hour on Saturday morning won't fix. I've been laying on coats in a 10-15 minute window before leaving for work in the morning but I'll need a bit more time and patience. 

 

 

I'm not 100% convinced on the wing joint. There may be a need for some filler. I'll also also need to bring in some contrasting panels and some further metallic panels around the back end. 

 

[Nikolay Polyakov]

Very good start @825, I like to see a hand brushed works. It would be interesting to read a few words about your paint techniques 😉

 

Cheers!

[Azgaron]

Looking good!

 

Håkan

 

[brianthemodeller]

Very nice - would the stencils from the Airfix kit be any use to you? I didn’t use 95% of them in my build so they are going spare if you want them.

[825]

On 5/18/2018 at 11:36 AM, brianthemodeller said:

Very nice - would the stencils from the Airfix kit be any use to you? I didn’t use 95% of them in my build so they are going spare if you want them.

That would be very kind. If the offer is still valid, I'll PM my address.  The plan is to use the kit transfers for the main markings. They must be 20+ years old so there's some trepidation. If it goes pear shaped I do have some suitable aftermarket. Though I would like to  keep to the original Matchbox for sentimental reasons. 

 

 

[825]

Underside complete, although white is unforgiving. Hopefully the imperfections will not be seen once the transfers and load are on. 

 

[825]

On 5/18/2018 at 6:58 AM, Nikolay Polyakov said:

Very good start @825, I like to see a hand brushed works. It would be interesting to read a few words about your paint techniques 😉

 

Cheers!

 

Nikolay, I use acrylics well thinned with Flow Improver, then thinly spread on with a broad flat brush for large areas, such as the Phantom. The Flow Improver also retards the drying of the acrylic paint so you can brush it out. I tend to brush along the direction ofte airflow. It takes a few coats and the first few look absolutely awful. For the Phantom, the Extra Dark Sea Grey is Xtracrylix, the white is Citadel's Ceramite White with a coat of Kleer to gloss it up, while the metallic around the tail is one of Alan's brilliant metallics. They (Akan) are a bit difficult to get in the UK, I got mine from someone in Finland, which makes postage and money transfer expensive. The nose is Humbrol Satin Black.

 

Hope that's helpful

 

Edited May 26, 2018 by 825

[825]

Fortunately the transfers went on well. Not too bad for the elderly. Although there is a bit of film around them. I'll leave that overnight to bed in and see if they tone down. Also their matt and the paint finish is glossy, but some gloss varnish or Kleer should help that. 

 

 

The underside serials backing film is film is a bit yellowed but hopefully that may tone down with exposure to sunlight and a couple of coats of varnish. I should maybe have left the transfer sheet on the windowsill for a bit. Anyway let's see what happens by tomorrow. 

 

 

[AdrianMF]

Looks very nice, especially the brush painting. The Matchbox kit seems to be much more convincing and more detailed than the old Airfix kit. A bit of a brown/grey wash overall might help the underside decals to blend in. Fortunately the weapons carriers will break up the flat surface a bit and hide the slight yellowing.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[brianthemodeller]

3 hours ago, 825 said:

That would be very kind. If the offer is still valid, I'll PM my address.  The plan is to use the kit transfers for the main markings. They must be 20+ years old so there's some trepidation. If it goes pear shaped I do have some suitable aftermarket. Though I would like to  keep to the original Matchbox for sentimental reasons. 

 

 

Sorry - never thought to mention that all of the main RN decals were also still on the sheet as I did a Raspberry Ripple FG1. 

 

Let me have your address and I’ll get them in the post.

 

As another thought, do you want the weapons from the Airfix kit as well?

Edited May 26, 2018 by brianthemodeller

[Nikolay Polyakov]

9 hours ago, 825 said:

Nikolay, I use acrylics well thinned with Flow Improver, then thinly spread on with a broad flat brush for large areas, such as the Phantom. The Flow Improver also retards the drying of the acrylic paint so you can brush it out. I tend to brush along the direction ofte airflow. It takes a few coats and the first few look absolutely awful. For the Phantom, the Extra Dark Sea Grey is Xtracrylix, the white is Citadel's Ceramite White with a coat of Kleer to gloss it up, while the metallic around the tail is one of Alan's brilliant metallics. They (Akan) are a bit difficult to get in the UK, I got mine from someone in Finland, which makes postage and money transfer expensive. The nose is Humbrol Satin Black.

Thanks for an explanation and very interesting nuances! Nice progress on this build 🙂

[825]

On 5/26/2018 at 1:04 PM, AdrianMF said:

Looks very nice, especially the brush painting. The Matchbox kit seems to be much more convincing and more detailed than the old Airfix kit. A bit of a brown/grey wash overall might help the underside decals to blend in. Fortunately the weapons carriers will break up the flat surface a bit and hide the slight yellowing.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

Thanks for the ideas. I have some Profi Modeller (I think) washes in amongst so paint so I'll give it a go. 

[825]

I have added the jet exhausts, painted with Akan Dull Steel, overcoated with Akan Burnet Metal. 

 

 

I have been beavering away at all the sticky out/hanging off bits, but all I seem to do is put on another layer of white paint.  The designer at Matchbox who thought black and brown plastic for bits that were going be white (or light grey for a RAF machine) certainly had a perverse sense of humour. There will be more photos when presentable. And if removed the transparencies from the sprue and dipped them in Kleer. Not much to see there either as they've come up nice and sparkly. 

[825]

Apologies as these are not great photos. But the tanks joined up, left overnight to dry and the joints sanded. The large ventral tank (centre line ?) has some moulding flaws in the pylon section that needed filled and duly done with Delux Perfect Putty which was sanded down. 

 

 

The large large tank also had a slot in so you could display the aircraft ion a stand. A backing piece of plastic strip,was added before closing up and again Perfect Putty used to fill. Sanded smooth and can hardly be seen. 

 

 

And good news! I was leafing through my Warpaint book to check the FAA weapons loads and noticed the wing tanks are not white but Extra Dark Sea Grey. This will reduce the layers of paint over the black plastic exponentially. A little triumph on the route to completion. 

[825]

The brand of wash is Pro Modeller. A little bit worried that the light wash will be too light and the dark one too dark. Their Lordships didn't like their planes dirty, and I presume they were also kept clean to prevent salty water corroding them. So we'll see what happens. 

 

 

A mix of both washes washes with a lot of the dark one wiped off hasn't made much difference. Lifted the panels a little and relieved the white monotony. But not really covered the faded transfer. Undercarriage also on and given a first coat of paint after cleaning up. 

 

 

i also masked off the tailplane panel and given it a coat of Gunmetal to give a slightly different colour which seems to appear in photos.

[825]

Undercarriage and doors on. 

 

 

Just the tanks and weapons along with the canopies to go. 

[Azgaron]

Looking good!

 

Håkan

 

[Sturmovik]

How close are you to the finish line with this model?

[825]

3 hours ago, Azgaron said:

Looking good!

 

Håkan

 

Thanks, it's taking time but no it looks like a proper plane

 

3 hours ago, Sturmovik said:

How close are you to the finish line with this model?

Not much to go. I've still to finish painting the external tanks but everything else is painted and ready go.  The canopy also has to be masked, painted and affixed. Brianthemodeller is kindly donating stencils from the new Airfix kit and I'll add a number of them. So getting close to the line.