A Cast of Hawks - well, 2 to be precise - first go at a tandem build!*** COMPLETED ***

[Tomoshenko]

Not my subject matter personally; can't seem to take to the Curtiss Hawk. That said a good build is a good build. I do like the extra detailing you've added, and it all looks very good. As for the pre-shading, I've been experimenting with it myself. I wouldn't worry about it being too precise, in fact a hodge-podge application in my mind gives it a more natural effect. Anil and the other posters are right - avoid permanent marker pre-shading like the plague, as the link demonstrates. I've seen a few YouTube videos of the pencil / crayon method, and it looks pretty good. You can also try post shading it (after a coat of varnish) using ground pencils (grey, not black), and they also give a good effect. Anyroad keep up the good work.

[clive_t]

On 1/29/2019 at 9:27 PM, azureglo said:

Looking good Clive, pre-shading is a pain but its really just practise: I diligently did everything right on my FW190D and obliterated the whole lot by blasting too much paint, the more we do the better we get,

 

Cheers

 

Anil

 

 

Cheers Anil, knowing that someone with your abilities occasionally gets it wrong gives me hope - well, a little at least

 

On 1/30/2019 at 9:33 PM, Tomoshenko said:

Not my subject matter personally; can't seem to take to the Curtiss Hawk. That said a good build is a good build. I do like the extra detailing you've added, and it all looks very good. As for the pre-shading, I've been experimenting with it myself. I wouldn't worry about it being too precise, in fact a hodge-podge application in my mind gives it a more natural effect. Anil and the other posters are right - avoid permanent marker pre-shading like the plague, as the link demonstrates. I've seen a few YouTube videos of the pencil / crayon method, and it looks pretty good. You can also try post shading it (after a coat of varnish) using ground pencils (grey, not black), and they also give a good effect. Anyroad keep up the good work.

Thanks Mr Tomo, much appreciated.

 

As it happens at the same time as the pencils, I also appropriated some black and dark brown oil pastel sticks. I have seen something on Y-T whereby these were used to provide a 'sludge wash' effect which to my uneducated eye looked fairly half decent once done. I might, if I am feeling brave enough, give that a whack when the time comes.

 

Anyway, some more progress reports from Camp MisterCraft - last night the spinner was united with the prop, to reasonable effect:

 

 

Then this morning, after hours removal of old  masking and re-application of new masking, I made a start on spraying the top side. From the diagram I have that came with the decal sheet, the 'snakes head' plane had banding in Olive drab towards the tail, and part of the tail and the areas under the rear canopy glass were similarly coloured. I can only presume that olive drab was the factory finish before being camo'd up as appropriate out in the field - I am guessing the bands were left un-camo'd for identifying markings, bands and the like. Anyway, that's my theory! So, a quick waft of an airbrush with some Tamiya Olive Drab (XF-62) over the desired areas left it looking like this:

 

 

I will let that dry before masking the bands, the tail and the canopy bits. Then on to the top camo proper, hopefully.

 

Thanks for watching!

 

[clive_t]

Big step forwards this afternoon - MisterCraft got her warpaint on

 

First off, something approximating to Dark Earth - Tamiya Flat Earth XF-52:

 

 

Then I had a rush of blood to the head, and decided to free-hand the green on top. So I pencilled in some lines to follow:

 

 

Then, shock-horror, I went for the air-brush and some JA Green (XF-13). After a bit of experimentation with limiting the pull-back on the trigger, and finding a way of supporting my wrist, I was able to do this:

 

 

Actually, although it looks a bit ropey compared to masking, I think it doesn't look too bad!

 

There's a bit of a 'blob' on the starboard wing to take care of, but I'll do that in due course.

 

Happy with that!

 

Thanks for dropping in!

 

[azureglo]

8 hours ago, clive_t said:

Cheers Anil, knowing that someone with your abilities

😭 Yes, abilities...

[Courageous]

Someone needs a filter change/ clean .

Hawk looking better with paint on.

 

Stuart

[clive_t]

The MisterCraft, minus blob, minus masking tape and with a coating of Kleer so set it up ready for the next phase:

 

 

Whilst that was drying, I set to masking and spraying the underside of the Airfix with Tamiya Deck Tan (XF-55):

 

 

Sadly, the acrylic pencil lines went the same way as my previous attempts at 'pre-pencilling'

 

Ah well, as an erstwhile colleague of mine was once given to telling me quite often: "Don't keep blaming yourself - blame yourself once and move on."

 

Thanks as ever for watching!

[SA80A2AR]

very nice

[clive_t]

More progress yesterday and today. Firstly in Camp Airfix, it was full-on catch-up mode. Yesterday, on with the main colour - same as for the MisterCraft:

 

 

Then today, a marathon masking session as I wanted to see if sharper delineations between the camo colours were more appealing (to me!). Followed by another outing for the XF-13 as  before:

 

 

Finally, off with all the masking:

 

 

Hawk-eyes will also have spotted that I have also remembered to spray the spinner and both sets of canopy glass sections that go behind the sliding section!

 

Meanwhile, over in Camp MisterCraft, there has been some decal action:

 

 

Slight mishap with the viper's head decal on the starboard side, my impetuousness caused me to tear it slightly by the wing root, but I should be able to paint that in and once weathered should be all but unnoticeable.

 

Thanks for watching!

 

[clive_t]

Today has been decal day for the Airfix - in the guise of Boyington's aircraft (no 21) of the 1st Pursuit Squadron of the AVG - aka the 'Adam and Eves':

 

 

A ton of very small stencils still to go, on both models!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Definitely a good looking tiger. 👍 Someday i will do a Boyington p-40

Edited February 9, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[azureglo]

15 hours ago, clive_t said:

Today has been decal day for the Airfix - in the guise of Boyington's aircraft (no 21) of the 1st Pursuit Squadron of the AVG - aka the 'Adam and Eves':

 

 

A ton of very small stencils still to go, on both models!

Luvverly! You could "mislay" the stencils, I frequently do...BTW is the Magic Toybox  in Drayton open again? Last time I saw Colin ( and hound!) he was closing for an unspecified time to have his ceiling done.

 

Cheers

 

Anil

[clive_t]

4 hours ago, azureglo said:

Luvverly! You could "mislay" the stencils, I frequently do...BTW is the Magic Toybox  in Drayton open again? Last time I saw Colin ( and hound!) he was closing for an unspecified time to have his ceiling done.

 

Cheers

 

Anil

I think I'll give it a try this time round, seeing as I splashed out a couple of quid on some P-40K stencils for the MisterCarp. Re Magic Toybox, last time I was up there was before Christmas, and as far as I could tell the shop had been gutted. Not sure why, but I was convinced I saw the guy in there fixing up some light fittings so possibly he was in the middle of a shop renovation. I hope so, anyway, he always had a great selection of kits.

[azureglo]

15 minutes ago, clive_t said:

, he always had a great selection of kits.

Including many , many MeisterCack that he got cheap and you should avoid henceforth. I'm in Pomper Pompey tomorrow and Monday so will pop in and report back. BTW have you seen any of his Pocher car builds? The man was a serious mastre modeller before his health issues.

[clive_t]

3 minutes ago, azureglo said:

Including many , many MeisterCack that he got cheap and you should avoid henceforth. I'm in Pomper tomorrow and Monday so will pop in and report back. BTW have you seen any of his Pocher car builds? The man was a serious mastre modeller before his health issues.

Not seen them myself, but I know several of the lads from the club I go to know him from way back and have remarked on his modelling abilities. There was a time a year or so ago he was thinking of giving up the business, to the extent of offering some good discounts (on larger orders, obviously!) but he then seemed to have a change of heart. Not sure if he would open Sundays anyway (although I could be wrong), but if you are down this way then I know for a fact Fratton Model Centre (Fratton Bargain Shop, as was) is still going, and they definitely open on Sundays! They've got a lot of good second hand stuff in right now, from what I saw in there today.

[clive_t]

More progress reported from Camp MisterCraft today - most of the stencils are now on, but the most visible progress is I have managed to knock together a sliding canopy section to replace the one that my ham fists effectively destroyed. This is a bent bit of thin acetate from a blister pack, with the framework courtesy of some very thin strips of Tamiya flexible masking tape, painted the same green as the top camo colour and cut to size:

 

 

It needed a bit of fettling to get to exactly the right shape, but we got there eventually:

 

 

Soon be time for weathering, on this beast!

[Tomoshenko]

On ‎2‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 9:20 PM, clive_t said:

That looks well impressive, really like that scheme. The other is looking good too. I'm beginning to "eat my words" in respect of what I said about Hawks earlier.

 

On ‎2‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 5:01 PM, clive_t said:

 

[clive_t]

On 2/9/2019 at 12:42 AM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Definitely a good looking tiger. 👍 Someday i will do a Boyington p-40

Thanks, Mr CorsairF4U, my apologies for overlooking your most kind comment earlier

19 hours ago, Tomoshenko said:

That looks well impressive, really like that scheme. The other is looking good too. I'm beginning to "eat my words" in respect of what I said about Hawks earlier.

 

 

Thanks Mr Tomo, I have to say that until very recently I was of the same mind - I believe they are starting to grow on me, though. As much as anything else I am enjoying researching the various versions, and the men who flew them in anger. Boyington, in particular, was a very interesting character. His interview with Aviation History Magazine, not long before his death in January 1988, is worth a read:

 

https://www.historynet.com/pappy-boyington-interview-with-the-us-world-war-ii-ace.htm

 

Anyway, today's progress was mainly around sealing the decals in on the MisterCraft, followed by another attempt at catching up on the part of the Airfix. Stencils now all done, the open sliding canopy section is done in the same manner as before, oh and I have push fitted the exhausts. I trimmed their bases beforehand so that they pushed in to the recesses further, thereby achieving the same sort of look as in several reference photos:

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

[azureglo]

Slik purse job my friend., missed Magic Toybox/Fratton , too busy emptying wallet at waterlooville models

[clive_t]

13 hours ago, azureglo said:

Slik purse job my friend., missed Magic Toybox/Fratton , too busy emptying wallet at waterlooville models

Cheers Anil, much appreciated.

 

I was out and about this morning so I stopped by Magic Toybox to see what's what. It would appear that he is still there, but in a very much cut down form - both in stock on show and opening hours. He now opens Mondays and Fridays ONLY 10am to 5pm (ie closed Tues-Thurs), and Saturdays 9.30 to 1pm. Closed Sundays. From peering in the half of the shop that wasn't shuttered up, the stock had a very generic toy look about it - I could make out a few boxes that looked like model kits, but it seemed there was a heavier emphasis on train sets. There was also evidence of paints and tools being sold, but as he was closed today I couldn't get in for a better look around.

 

The other shop I should have mentioned is what used to be called Collector's Corner back in the day, they've now relocated to Kingston Road, North End, and are now calling themselves the Model Shop. It's certainly better than the last place they had, which was a pokey little corner shop on two levels with some steep stairs down to the railway/scenery bit. Oh, and they do open Sundays! For your future reference and enjoyment http://modelshop-portsmouth.co.uk/

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by clive_t
Rubbish geography

[clive_t]

Latest from MisterCraft corner - sludge wash (from black water-mixable oil paint) applied and buffed off again:

 

 

Underside:

 

 

I appear to have been somewhat lax in my wiping off on the underside. No matter, I think once I am done applying a light weathering over the top of that, it hopefully won't look too bad.

[clive_t]

Not enough time to sludge wash the Airfix, so instead I had a go at fitting the drop tank to the MisterCraft, using some styrene rod:

 

 

Not too shabby all in all!

 

[clive_t]

More progress on the Airfix today, namely the sludge wash:

 

 

[clive_t]

This evening I tried my hand at this filtering lark so ably demonstrated by Mr @Tomoshenko in his recent - and very excellent - Lancaster WIP (here) :

 

 

Plainly, the sorcerer's apprentice has yet again come up short! Still, it at least serves to mask some of the over-zealous 'chipping' I applied to the upper surfaces.

 

I think my problem might be that I only did dots of yellow and white, as I read somewhere that the terrain around where the AVG base was located was something akin to yellow dust. I was also influenced by Boyington's account of the standards of maintenance on the AVG's aircraft, about which he was somewhat disparaging!

[clive_t]

Today the underside of the Airfix received a similar treatment:

 

 

I then attempted to repeat the exercise with the MisterCraft:

 

 

 

I think I'll let that all dry off for a day or so before going any further, during which time I hope the results grow on me

[Tomoshenko]

Like many weathering techniques a lot comes down to personal preference, so I wouldn't be too hard on yourself as it looks good. It's also difficult to capture in the lighting. What I would say - and again it comes down to personal preference i.e. mine in this instance - is that the effect tends to work better when you use little dots of a lighter shade, for example such as a lighter green, lighter brown on green and brown camo, interspersed by the odd white and yellow dot. I find they tend to blend in to give a natural worn or faded effect. Of course it is a matter of the best way to plant spuds or the best spaghetti bolognaise recipe - a million billion different versions, all produce good results and all have their own merits.