SimonL Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 (edited) I haven't done build thread for awhile, and seeing as its a long weekend here (Australia Day), thought I would start this year with something (hopefully) straight forward. 'I've had this in my stash for awhile. I'm going to do a quick out of the box build - see how far I get over the weekend. This kit is well known, so I won't do any sprue shots. I am going to finish it as this aircraft: I am going to make do with what paints I have in my stash. Italeri Acrylic's for the main camouflage, Tamiya acrylic for the cockpit. And here is where I have got to by Saturday evening. Putting the undercarriage together was a bit fiddly, but otherwise all very straight forward. The Tamiya acrylic is a bit glossy, which helped with the decals and will help with a dirty wash tomorrow, it will need some flat coat before I close the fuselage up. Edited February 9, 2019 by SimonL 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 Progress today. First, my least favourite task - masking the transparencies. Better to get it done early. The cockpit was a very tight fit Sealed up, wings on! Actually a bit of a struggle, didn't have it quite lined ip properly I think so a bit of filler needed. A coat Tamiya XF-19 Sky Grey as a primer (I have found the Italeri Acrylics to be a bit prone to "fish eye" no matter what I do to clean the surface up). Just a couple of places that need a bit of work, and describing of detail. All coming along rather nicely. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTheBear Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Very nice so far. I wish I could be enjoying this Australia Day weekend in the same way (dreaming of finishing thst early P-51D), but alas moving, in-laws (good people my in-laws) and some torrential rain have scotched that. DennisTheBear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Coombs Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Nice work so far! I've got one of these on the go at the moment and have just wrestled the undercarriage into submission, having gone off-piste from the instructions by installing the cockpit first. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Great job on the little cat ! Sincerely. CC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 15 hours ago, DennisTheBear said: Very nice so far. I wish I could be enjoying this Australia Day weekend in the same way (dreaming of finishing thst early P-51D), but alas moving, in-laws (good people my in-laws) and some torrential rain have scotched that. DennisTheBear No rain here in Perth! Typically its the really hot days which slow me down - paint dries too fast! 13 hours ago, Steve Coombs said: Nice work so far! I've got one of these on the go at the moment and have just wrestled the undercarriage into submission, having gone off-piste from the instructions by installing the cockpit first. Its a nice little kit - but the undercarriage is a bit of trial. 12 hours ago, corsaircorp said: Great job on the little cat ! Sincerely. CC Thank you! Managed to get the main colours on over night and this morning. Looking very smart. While a bit different to handle than my usual Tamiya Acrylics, these Italeri Acrylics brush paint nicely with a bit of water to thin them. Propeller and engine completed. Gave the engine a thin coat of Tamiya smoke as well. Props given a coat of Tamiya Flat Clear (XF-86). Canopies painted as well. Really happy how this is coming along. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, SimonL said: Really happy how this is coming along. You should be, that's very nice work and especially given the amount of time taken so far Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Looks like it goes together well. Nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 4 hours ago, Stew Dapple said: You should be, that's very nice work and especially given the amount of time taken so far Cheers, Stew Thank you! Progress will now slow - back to work tomorrow. Too warm today to get much painting done - got to almost 40 C today. 4 hours ago, neil5208 said: Looks like it goes together well. Nice work Thank you! Here is where I am at at the end of today. Some paint touching up to do, and then on to the decals. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Very nice Simon, so this is all brush painted? Great technique, looks sprayed to me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 minute ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said: Very nice Simon, so this is all brush painted? Great technique, looks sprayed to me! You are very kind. Yes - all brush painted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 Hurrah! Its the weekend 🙂 Had a nice leisurely morning getting a gloss coat on (brushed on couple of coats of Italeri Acrylic Gloss Clear). Then on to decalling Just for once the decals went on nice and easily and settled down really well. The fuselage ones needed some convincing with the application of a hot wet flannel. A few little touch ups needed and then a gloss coat of Italeri Acrylic Gloss Clear to seal the decals in. Thats it for today, weathering tomorrow and then she will be almost done. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 3, 2019 Author Share Posted February 3, 2019 On to making her mucky with some oil paints. Always approach this step with some trepidation. I didn't want the panel lines to be too stark. I used a mix of Paynes Grey, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Titanium White. Didn't look too bad after it was wiped off with some tissue. Hopefully it will have the rather dusty, grimy look I'm after once the matt coat is on. First though there will little bits to do - which always take more time than expected. Here is where I am tonight. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 Looking good mate Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 Thanks Stew Managed to get time after work to spray a coat of Tamiya Matt Clear from a rattle can. Very happy with the result. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 And done. It's a bit grubbier than I intended - to cover up a bit of a mess getting the canopy on. Little accident with some thinner on the sliding part, which is also cracked. Really enjoyed this up to the last bit - but I know how to do it better next time! I'll take some pictures outside tomorrow to for an RFI. In the meantime - one grubby little kitty. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 Nice job Simon, sorry I seem to have come along late but I've read through the thread & like the way you've tackled it. The Italeri shades look good on this, they're paints I can get so I'll be looking into this for when I attempt my one. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonL Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 Thanks Steve. I've learnt a few things, and will approach my next one a little differently. For a start I would attached the front windscreen a lot earlier in the piece, it does need some fairing in to make it look less of an afterthought. Once again my canopy skills let me down - really need to work on that. The Italeri paints are easy to work with, as they can be thinned with distilled water, but they do need an undercoat and they are very fragile. Part of my problems with the canopy was that there was some creeping under the masks, and the Italeri Acrylics are not so easy to clean up as the Tamiya ones are. It looks like my local LHS is discontinuing them, however I gather they are similar (or the same) to Vallejo Acrylics, so I might try them in future.I did discover late in the piece that a thinned wash of oil paint over the top of a flat coat gives very nice faded/dusty sort of look the the finish - need to file that away for future reference. RFI photos are up now can can be seen here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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