Revell 1/48 Do 217E-4 project

[Greg Law]

Do 217E-4 project

This is my other current project a Do 217E-4 1/48. It has progressed along way. The cockpit is complete under the canopy. This is very detailed for out of the box. So it is a pity I can’t show it. I will be doing post weathering on this one as a test. I’m real happy about the way it went together for an old Revell kit. The only issue has been the canopy not fitting all that well. You will see I have stopped the painting progress on this model and gone back to deal properly with the canopy. There are two reasons for that. The first is I forgot to paint the top front of the cockpit. When I remembered I had had done most of the painting. So I had to remove the canopy to fix it. When I put it back on it was even a worse fit than before. Then I made the mistake of doing the decals to early. These are the Eagle Strike Deadly Dornier decal set. The scheme I chose was for Kg40 plane to go with my 1/48 Condor. I had a problem putting the white outline decal and had to remove them. Thankfully Rabbit Leader has come to my rescue by sending me same replacements. As a result I have decided to improve the model and gone back to sorting out the canopy joint.

What you are seeing here is Vallejo plastic putty with a coat of Mr.Surfacer 500. Mr.Surfacer was applied 5 minutes ago. 

I can tell you this is an amazing model. It looks way better than I had expected. It was going to be a practise model before I started my ICM Dorniers which will be for my main theme of the Battle of Britain, also the convoy PQ17 battle. I have all the kits in 1/48 I need for this. Just need the elusive Airfix Spifire Mk1 kit I keep going on about…… I always thought it wouldn’t be a hard kit to get. I have learnt that lesson……

The reason I have decided to share some of my not so perfect projects is because I have gain so much over the last year by reading threads of other modellers work and watching videos. I feel I would like to contribute. I believe even projects that are not totally perfect still can help others by showing a good model doesn’t have to have a professional finish. If it makes you happy it is a great model. So I will be showing the progress of my two current builds and see how it goes.

[bbudde]

Looking great so far! Cheers

[Mattlow]

Nice work.

 

This is an excellent kit and it's a shame Revell/Monogram never capitalised on the basic parts to bring some other versions... I suspect ICM won't be as hesitant.

 

Matt

[Greg Law]

I agree with you on that. I'm hoping they will bring out a 1/48 Do 217K. I have the 1/72 I built decades ago. 

[Greg Law]

Well after a break. I have started back on the Do 217 today. The cockpit joint is looking better now. By the end of the day I should

Have the nose area repainted. I will put up an image then. 

[Greg Law]

I can finally say the Do 217 is back on track. The cockpit joint is fixed. 

 

[Greg Law]

Finally I have finished the decals thanks to "Rabbit leader" For sending me the replacement decals for the outline "D". After a nervous few minutes they were on.

I can finally progress with the plane after a quick clear coat.

When I did the last clear coat I used Future. It has left a spotty effect on the finish. Is there a way to fix this? 

 

 

[franky boy]

Great work Greg.

 

I have this kit in the stash to build and it looks a beauty in the box so it's great to see what can be achieved.

 

What paints are those that you're using if you hadn't already said?

 

 Thanks 

 

James

[Rabbit Leader]

Looks great Greg and glad the decals worked well on this occasion. Regarding the spotty Future, perhaps try to pick a small spot (say lower side elevator?) and apply another coat of future with a flat brush. I think the trick with clear coats is that if the first is not good enough, just apply another coat. The other method is to polish it in circles with a jewellers cloth of perhaps a plain old T-shirt. 

 

Do do a little test and see how it goes. 

 

Cheers.. Dave . 

[Greg Law]

49 minutes ago, franky boy said:

Great work Greg.

 

I have this kit in the stash to build and it looks a beauty in the box so it's great to see what can be achieved.

 

What paints are those that you're using if you hadn't already said?

 

 Thanks 

 

James

James,

I use Mr Hobby Hobby colour Acrylic Paint. colour is H65, RLM70 Black Green and H64, RLM71 Dark Green.

Bottom colour is H67, RLM65 Light blue. Interior colour H416, RLM66 Black Gray,

Note the H67 is good for big german planes, but I feel it is too dark for the Bf 109E. I put it on my one and it looked odd, so I was happy when I had to repaint it.

 

Dave,

             I will give it an over coat on Sunday if the weather isn't too humid. 

I think the problem was caused by too much humidity or I shock the bottle a bit because

I haven't used it for a while. In the end if all else fails a Flory wash should hide it.

[Greg Law]

Well after giving the plane another coat of Future I ended up with a really bad orange peel effect. I totally panicked. After letting it dry I sanded all the surfaces which improved it a bit, but left a white look to the paint. So stupidly I decided to use Isopol to clean it. Why I don't know. I had white spirit right in front of me. All I can say is I was in a panic and not thinking straight. Well as you all will know the Isopol acted like a paint stripper and softed the paint right down to the plastic. I tried to stop the process and simply made it worse.

Next day when I had calmed down I started the repair. Fortunately only one wing was effected. The last week has been repainting and clear coating again. I had to replace the top wing decals, but I was lucky my decal sheet had ones I could use. The only problem is they had the black border which the original ones didn't. Still it looks good... Finally today I'm on to weathering with Flory dirt wash, as you can see by the image. I believe my problem was caused by spraying Future at too high a pressure and flooding the plane. 

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

I've never come across this before with Future Greg. Has it dried this way (as photographed) or has this image been taken whilst the future was is stil drying?

 

Cheers.. Dave.

[Greg Law]

56 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I've never come across this before with Future Greg. Has it dried this way (as photographed) or has this image been taken whilst the future was is stil drying?

 

Cheers.. Dave.

Sorry Dave. This is after the Future is complete and dry. What you are seeing is the Flory wash on the plane before I have wiped it off.

I was trying to show I have moved on. 

[Rabbit Leader]

Fair enough Greg, I use oils with minimal overwash so wasn’t quite sure what was happening there. Good to see you progressing on and looking forward to seeing the final glamour shots. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Greg Law]

Well it has all gone wrong. I had a small bit of paint work damage on one of the engines that I decided to sort out. I masked the area around it and put a mask over the fuselage Decals without sticking it to them. Unfortunately the mask had other ideas while I was spraying it must have drooped over them and stuck. That was it, the decals were badly damaged. Now I have to sort something out. My Do 217 is becoming a typical Greg Law battle of wills between me and the modelling gods.  

[Bell209]

I feel for you, Greg. It's most frustrating at this late stage of the build, too. My Spitfire Tr.9 had a disaster with the decals after I applied the Future top coat, too.

[Greg Law]

14 minutes ago, Bell209 said:

I feel for you, Greg. It's most frustrating at this late stage of the build, too. My Spitfire Tr.9 had a disaster with the decals after I applied the Future top coat, too.

Yes, I starting to think future isn't as strong as say Tamiya clear coat. Still a rescue is under way once again thanks to Rabbit Leader. If I mess it up this time I will shot myself in the foot. ( Been watching Black Ader)

[Greg Law]

It has been awhile since I worked on this project. Now it is back on the bench heading for the finishing post. I have installed the undercarriage so I can easily matt clear coat it. I have decided not to go to heavy with the weathering on this one. It does have some oils on it.  

I have had a little trouble getting the mudguards on, so I will have to scratch build the holding arms for them. I couldn't get the guard to sit right. The wheels will get some mud on them and the wings will get exhaust stains.

 

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by Greg Law

[Rabbit Leader]

She’s looking really nice Greg, the colours look spot on and the decals appear to have behaved themselves somewhat. 

 

Be good to see this one in the RFI section soon. 

 

Cheers.. Dave

[Twentecable]

The kit isnt that old, early 1990... I built it too and its a very nice kit of an elegant plane. Looking forward to see you finish her.

 

Gr TC

[Greg Law]

Yes this is the old kit. It has gone together very will for it's age. The only real issue in the kit is the canopy fit. I have been thinking I should have cut the access hatch out.

Hopefully if ICM do the plane they will give us a bombay. 

Dave

Yes, it has been awhile. The main landing gear went together well, but the mudguards have given me the expected trouble. Now I have to work out how to stretch sprue again. It used to be easy in the old days, but so far it hasn't worked for me. I'm not sure what the problem is, although it could be my tremor again.

[Greg Law]

I'm all excited. I took the risk and attacked the Dorniers access hatch and managed to cut it out with only one scratch on the fuselage.

That is really good for me. This will give the model just one more dimension and make it feel more alive.  I'm going to make a diorama base for 

these plane and add a crew boarding the plane. I think the base will be 600mmx600mm so I can do some of those photos that blend with the background.

I will get a friend to help with the photography as I just can't get a clear image. Also he has top line equipment. Well that's the plan anyway. It will take a while. 

Sorry no photos of the hatch as it will go on last thing. Now to make the ladder. 

 

[Greg Law]

My Dornier 217 is on final from today. It is finally matt coated and ready to add the bits and pieces over the next week, so look out for it in the Ready for inspection. The only thing that could hold it up is if the removal of the canopy masking reveals a mess which wouldn't surprise me as I did my old way and it has been on there far to long. 

[Greg Law]

Sorry guys. The Do 217 is going to take a backward step. When I took the mask off the masking was good, but the inside of the glass work has been damaged some how. I think it is the Dipped future. It is the only time I have done it and it looks like it was messed up by the last time I tried to reset the canopy. I didn't see it as it already had the mask on. I have tried to re-coat the inside of the glass with future and that seems to have helped a bit. I will let it dry over night and see what I end up with. Then decide if it needs major surgery once again. 

[Greg Law]

Ok, All fixed. Thanks to Rabbit leader suggesting getting another coat of future on the inside of the windows. After much mucking around I made a bendy brush from a odd little plastic brush I had in my never to be seen box. 

I just have to repaint the nose canopy joint as I decided it wasn't good enough and I managed to add a small finger print in that area. I suggest if you get thinner on your finger make sure to wash it off not just dry it off like I did.

I could almost feel the print going into the clear coat. Still it made me look at the canopy joint again. So barring anymore problems the plane should be done by the end of the week.