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High Planes Beaufighter Mk 1c with early canopy 1/72nd ***FINISHED***24/08/2018


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19 minutes ago, Beard said:

Nice smooth paint finish there, I assume it was applied by brush.

 

Many thanks Beard.

If you meant of the Hairy-stick variety, no.  Applied, and repeatedly clogged, by Airbrush. I only use a brush for details, etc. 

Since coming back into modelling a few years ago, I never thought I would use an airbrush to do things like interiors, but it's so much quicker and smoother since water-based Acrylics have come to the fore.  Of course you have to be super-neat with your joins (which I'm sometimes not!) as airbrushing shows up any flaws.

 

Davey.

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She's looking very nice Davey, I've not used Xtracrylic paints before. I think there is a secret sweet spot for each brand of paint, that us mear mortals will never fully know. Only by trial and error do we find what works best.

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1 hour ago, Beard said:

My incorrect assumption was based on failing to notice the masking of the interior in one of the earlier posts. Still, it's a nice finish nonetheless.

Thanks Beard, I had a devil of a job with clogging with these paints. I've had good results with Vallejo ModelAir and even better with MRP (solvent based Acrylics I think, a bit more involved clean-up and smelly!) using a NEO for Iwata CN airbrush. I have a Harder and Steenbeck which was twice the price and I just can't get away with it, need more practice I think!

 

38 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

She's looking very nice Davey, I've not used Xtracrylic paints before. I think there is a secret sweet spot for each brand of paint, that us mear mortals will never fully know. Only by trial and error do we find what works best.

Cheers Ozzy.  I think you're right, and what may work for some might not be right for others, as I have found out looking on the 'net and trying different things. Sometimes I just put the paint in and it sprays fine straight away, and other times using exactly the same paint and Airbrush and pressure etc, it just doesn't seem the same. I always use 'Ultimate' primer, mainly grey, which works great for me.  I've even a couple of times chucked in some thinner into Humbrol Acrylics you get with the starter sets and its sprayed beautifully!

 

15 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

WOW, that is looking super, the finished item is going to be a real eye catcher. :) 

Sieve

 

 

Cheers Steve, I think it certainly captures the look of the aircraft. I could have spent a lot more time on joins, and particularly alignment of the engine nacelles, but I want to finish this for the end of the GB.  I like the colour of the Xtracrylics but will have to experiment with the mix for spraying, even with flow improver (Vallejo) it kept clogging the brush, I should maybe ask them at Hannants if they have any advice.

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On ‎8‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 3:13 PM, tonyot said:

Great choice and looking superb so far,.....keep up the good work.

 

Cheers

           Tony

Cheers Tony, if she turns out as nice as your builds I'll be more than happy!

 

Right, here's where we're at with a week to go (and visiting relatives next weekend!).

 

I wasn't sure how to approach the canopies, my usual process is to glue them into place then mask by using Tamiya Tape fine strips and cutting into the corners with a sharp blade, but didn't want to do that with vac-formed canopies, so did the painting with them left off.  I then had the idea of using masking tape and drawing into the framing with a sharp pencil, cutting them into shape with scissors.  Just as laborious but worked OK.  The front cockpit canopy isn't quite a flush fit but I got fed up of scraping and shaping!

The wheels have been assembled, drilled and test fitted before cleaning up and painted, also the props have been assembled and given a coat of Black Ultimate Primer (Had to spend some time getting the prop covers to fit, lots of scraping and filing!)

I did a little experimenting on how to get the dis-colouration of the exhaust collector ring, as can be seen on the starboard engine.

 

Just all the fiddly bits now, aerials and such like, undercarriage assembly etc... and, I know these got really weathered in the desert, but I may just keep it toned down a bit, we'll see how I get on.

 

DSC_0004DSC_0003DSC_0002DSC_0005

 

Thanks for looking in,

 

Davey.

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Bit more done today.  Did a bit of weathering by applying and wiping off MIG AMMO 'Dust', just to lighten the Dark Earth and get some in the panel lines, also a bit of dirtying around the engine cowls/nacelles.  

 

 

On removing the masking tape found some particles clinging to the inside 😡, not much I can do now!

 

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On applying a light coating of Matt varnish, this revealed some 'silvering' of the codes and serials, both sides. 😡

 

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Here's how she stands at the minute,  ready for props, undercart and aerials and stuff.

 

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Looking good Davey, pity about the silvering, this appears to be mainly around the rear of the wing fillet, you could try some Klear/Future or an equivalent, make some pricks )pin, needle, very sharp scalpel/craft knife tip) in the silvered area of the decal carrier film & dab the Klear onto this area, with luck capillary action will take the Klear under the decal & eliminate the silvering. it might take a couple of applications.

Steve.

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  • DaveyGair changed the title to High Planes Beaufighter Mk 1c with early canopy 1/72nd ***FINISHED***24/08/2018

A few evenings work and finally done and dusted.  

 

Could I heck get the rear canopy to fit satisfactorily (using both provided), so ended up having it open.  I can't see clearly in photo's if there is some sort of stay to hold the canopy open, the Datafile I have doesn't indicate anything either. If anyone can help please let me know.

 

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Have added FOD guards on the oil cooler intakes and cowling 'stays' (?), note the painted on intake openings 🙄. Also, a first for me, added landing lights from clear sprue.

 

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Scratch Pitot tube. Note the ailerons (and elevators) were left in Sky on this aircraft. Cannon ejector chutes are just painted on, again 🙄

 

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Just need a scratched aerial mast and wire adding and that was it. 

Although lots of work, and I've made a lot of errors (nacelles slightly turning inboard and cowlings that look as if they've been bashed out by an Orc work party in Mordor!, undercarriage legs slightly bowed out, and others!), it's been actually quite enjoyable and I think the finished model looks like a Beaufighter, it compares well with drawings and dimensions.

 

Thanks to the Hosts and all the kind comments and encouragement during the build.

 

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