Courageous Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Looking very nice with the primer on. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 That glacier has shifted a bit further downhill again. The model has been given a couple of coats of silver (aerosol Humbrol Polished Aluminium) and it feels like it's starting to look like a Snipe. The fin has been painted yellow and pinned to the rear fuselage, and the rudder is white in preparation for striping: The prop is being given a vaguely wooden effect, as that's what I want for the hub section, before the majority of each blade gets another coat of grey primer for the final finish: I had intended to add the centre-section struts while the model was still in primer, as superglue can really mess up a silver finish, but I completely forgot. Oh well. That will be the next job (using the carved-'n-sanded cocktail stick in the previous photo), and I want to represent the undercarriage bungees somehow. Perhaps I could use some EZ-Line... I should also have thought sooner about adding the prominent Vickers guns, but I'm sure I'll work something out: I've decided to finish it as the RAF Museum's E6655, as the scheme is straightforward and smart, and reference photos are plentiful. I'm quite pleased with the result so far, and I'll certainly be quite happy to tackle another vacform in the future. Jon 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 Centre-section struts in place: In this close-up photo they don't look even remotely aerofoil-shaped, as I thought they were! On the model they actually look okay, but I'll look again with fresh eyes tomorrow. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 You have made this remarkably quickly, but with no loss of quality. I suspect that those cabane struts lok better from a distance but a little sanding/filing of the edges will solve that problem. Lovely finish BTW. P 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Keep at it, you are doing really well. Martian 👽 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share Posted February 26, 2019 (edited) More slowly-but-surely progress squeezed in between the priorities of real life. I printed off some serials and code letters onto clear decal sheet in as close to the correct font as I could manage. A quick lick of Humbrol Gloss Cote sealed them before they were applied onto wet Johnson's Klear: Roundels came from the spare decals file. The blue of the upper wing roundels should be slightly narrower but this was the closest I could find - blue/white from a 1/48 Spitfire 16 and the red centres from an old 1/72 Aeroclub Gamecock sheet. Waste not, want not... I'm still scratching my head about the lower wing roundels; I have some in an appropriate size, but the blue is far too dark. Hmmm. The nose of a Snipe has (had?) a number of apertures, such as cartridge ejection chutes. I've already apllued tiny black decal rectangles to represent these, and I'll probably do the same with black circles for the other apertures: The prop is painted and I'm trying to convince myself to leave it off the model until everything else is fitted: The wheels are being painted (building up thin layers of enamel yellow), and I have yet to fit the pilot's seat. I had left it out while I thought about how to represent the wicker of the original, but I now realise that 1) you would have to look really closely to see the seat at all, never mind what it looks like, and 2) with the upper wing firmly in place it won't fit through the gap into the cockpit. Genius. I see that the RAF Museum's Snipe has underwing flare brackets, so that's something else for me to consider. Onward, ever onward... Jon Edited February 27, 2019 by Jonners 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share Posted February 26, 2019 I failed to convince myself, but only dry-fitted the prop to see what it looks like on the airframe: It certainly won't win any prizes, but I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out. Rigging is also obviously still to be added; I might use EZ-Line on this one and save my ultra-fine wire for my 1/144 scratchbuilds. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomoshenko Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Stunning build. That prop looks excellent, love the wood effect. On 2/23/2019 at 11:26 PM, Jonners said: In this close-up photo they don't look even remotely aerofoil-shaped, as I thought they were! On the model they actually look okay, but I'll look again with fresh eyes tomorrow. You can't notice, anyroad I would turn the proverbial "Nelson's eye" to it. As for the roundels, given the serial numbers came out so well, I'd have a stab at printing your own off. That way you'll get the correct shade of blue, dimensions ... and ... you'll have some left over for future vac-form biplanes 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 (edited) Rudder painted and mounted; it still needs its serial decals adding: There wasn't a particularly well-defined demarcation between the Salamander wheels and tyres that I've robbed for this build, so I decided to try turning them in my Dremel while holding a loaded paintbrush against them to get a steady black circle for the tyres: The result isn't perfect, but it's better than I could have managed freehand: By the way, aren't wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks an amazing invention? Quite the most useful modelling item next to plastic milk bottle tops! Nearly finished! Jon Edited February 27, 2019 by Jonners 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Great idea using the Dremel to aid tyres painting! AW 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomoshenko Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 19 minutes ago, Jonners said: T By the way, aren't wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks an amazing invention? Quite the most useful modelling item next to plastic milk bottle tops! Those wheels look excellent, as good if not better than I've managed to do punching out my own fancy masks. And yes plastic milk bottle tops, great for mixing paint etc, and looking at your middle cap, conceptual art 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 She's looking lovely. Great work on the wheels. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 Well, it's finally standing on its own two feet, so to speak: It still needs a few details adding (windscreen, gunsight, centre section grab handle, rigging) but that shouldn't take too long: Having said that, another real-life commitment has reared its ugly head for the next few days! Oh well. Now, I can't help thinking that a scratchbuilt Hucks starter would go nicely with the Snipe... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 Beautiful. Rigging? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Courageous said: Beautiful. Rigging? Stuart On its way, when I get round to it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 Looking excellent. I'll waitvpatientlt to see her rigged. Btw I use a similar method for the wheels, but without the dremmel. I just turn the toothpick between my fingers. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted February 28, 2019 Author Share Posted February 28, 2019 (edited) 14 minutes ago, limeypilot said: Btw I use a similar method for the wheels, but without the dremmel. I just turn the toothpick between my fingers. Ian I used to do that, but with the Dremel* it obviously rotates around a fixed axis rather than rolling along your finger. It requires the wheel to be perpendicular to the cocktail stick, though, otherwise the wheel will be wobbly! *Other makes of rotary power tool are available! Edited February 28, 2019 by Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 This has really blossomed and is way better than the thirteen year old Martian's attempt all those years ago. Martian 👽 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 That is looking lovely and belying its vac form origins! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventora3300 Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 18 hours ago, Jonners said: There wasn't a particularly well-defined demarcation between the Salamander wheels and tyres that I've robbed for this build, so I decided to try turning them in my Dremel while holding a loaded paintbrush against them to get a steady black circle for the tyres: The result isn't perfect, but it's better than I could have managed freehand: By the way, aren't wooden cocktail sticks/toothpicks an amazing invention? Quite the most useful modelling item next to plastic milk bottle tops! Nearly finished! Jon 18 hours ago, Andwil said: Great idea using the Dremel to aid tyres painting! AW I agree with you both - I use a cocktail stick with the wheel on the point and the stick 'rolled' between index finger and thumb as the static small brush, held still in the other hand, touches the tyres - not perfect results but a better alternative to shaky hands! First class build of a this tiny Snipe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 Well, after a few days spent working on the other side of the country the rigging is halfway complete: I'll need to do some minor touching-up once rigging is finished as the superglue gel marks the aluminium/silver finish. I decided to use EZ Line on this one, but it's a very fiddly and time-consuming process. Jon 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 EZ Line rigging completed, with the exception of the aileron control horns and lines, and sanity (almost) restored: Other than the aileron lines, it needs a few paint touch-ups here and there and a windscreen and gunsight adding: It definitely won't win any prizes, but as a first vacform I have to say I'm quite pleased with how it's looking. Just for fun, here it is with last year's 1:144 scratchbuilds: Jon 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Very nicely done, she's turned out great. Definitely a good first vac. I hope to see more! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pheonix Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Completely agree with Ian: an excellent replica and a worthy exhibit to go with the scratch builds. P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Nothing wrong with that, looks lovely. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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