BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 53 minutes ago, badger said: Hi Steve Try this for the motorcycle - comes with a couple of half decent figures too https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/zvezda-military-1-72-6142-german-motorcycle-r-12 All in all these are a pretty decent range of inexpensive figures in 1/72, shame the tanks are 1/100. Hope this helps All the best Ben Thanks for the link Ben - it set me off googling - here's the Zvezda... really nice figures as you say - then I found these from Italeri... I'll have to see what's on Amazon - as I have some credit floating around. I like the fact you get 2 motorcycles in the Italeri kit and the spoked wheels aren't solid. Still there is a long way to go before I get this far. 33 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Here's a site with some techniques that might interest you.. http://dioramas-and-models.com/bodenplatte.html Thanks for the link Beema - a bit 'advanced' for me but something to aspire to. I am off to raid Madame X's makeup supplies though - to see if she has some cotton wool I can play with 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 The italeri ones do look rather good to be honest - great find! As a quick tip - if you go for these dont use the peaked "baseball" type hats as these came into service about 1943, as did the ankle boots. All the best Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 24 minutes ago, BIG X said: Thanks for the link Beema - a bit 'advanced' for me but something to aspire to. I am off to raid Madame X's makeup supplies though - to see if she has some cotton wool I can play with I think you are quite capable of that. Replace bits of the airframe with pieces of aluminium take away containers or force yourself to drink a couple of cans of beer for your raw material and Robert is you mothers brother... As for the LEDs, I did an experiment using micro LEDs powered by an old phone charger as the light at the end of a rocket for a Typhoon diorama is was considering. It's actually quite straight forward to do and quite effective... As you say though start with cotton wool and a wireframe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 20 minutes ago, badger said: The italeri ones do look rather good to be honest - great find! As a quick tip - if you go for these dont use the peaked "baseball" type hats as these came into service about 1943, as did the ankle boots. All the best Ben I was considering chopping and swapping heads - plus I've got a couple of sets of German troops floating around that I haven't touched yet - a few of them could easily fall victim to my new razor saws. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 18 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Robert is you mothers brother... How on earth did you know that... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 OK - The spirit is upon me - so I've just taken a perfectly good Spitfire... ...a couple of very fine toothed razor saws... ...and a few deep breaths later... ...I could see the 'basic' effect I will be after... Now I can see just how thick the plastic is - so it will have to be some thinning and tin foil or maybe a 'cotton wool fire'. I removed the canopy and left the front windshield in place... I reckon I could pull this off after all - but 4 weeks might be a bit tight - we will have to see. I'm enjoying this - Steve 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 (edited) 21 hours ago, BIG X said: I hadn't considered that You can reduce the thickness from the inside ,try a 1/4" (6.4 mm) twist drill and chamfer the inner skin using just your hand to turn it . Don't go mad with it or for your own peace of mind try it out on a test piece first . Might get away with a 3/16" (4.8 mm) or down to 5/32" (4.1mm) again by hand power . That's for shell/bullet holes BTW . A broken open Fuse is another can o worms Edited March 2, 2019 by bzn20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 I have been 'having a play' - with the edge of a scalpel to see if this would work for thinning down the fuselage... That's a 'before and after'. on the real job I would reinstate the struts with 0.5mm evergreen and have them 'poking out' a bit. Also I would install the oxygen cylinders after chopping and again have them 'hanging out' a bit. As an idea it is beginning to come together. I have added some of the 'lightning' holes to the back of the seat frame I'm going to use... But I need to get back to the actual builds - rather than 'fannying' around. So I got the final intakes onto the underside... I also got the starboard top wings on... ...and got the props together... I've got to chose one for bending - but if I beggar it up another one needs the props clipping off anyway - to simulate an 'inflight' prop - so I guess I've got two chances to get it right or wrong. Lots to do - Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 A quick question - do we agree this is camo pattern B... I am going off the dark flash on the tail and hopefully because it has an 'even' serial number. I know the serial isn't a 100 percent guarantee - so I'm hoping the tail marking will confirm it. Thanks in advance - Steve 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 YIPPEE... Another search of the decals box brought up some better Z's... They are actually a better size / the right shade of grey and more 'skinny' - which match the kit decals much closer. Even better I actually have 2 sheets - so 8 in total and I only need 6 - sorry Hannants - I won't need to order more - just yet... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 3 hours ago, BIG X said: nother one needs the props clipping off anyway - to simulate an 'inflight' prop - so I guess I've got two chances to get it right or wrong. Lots to do - Steve And it looks like you're doing it just fine - Keep digging. This is how I do in-flight scenes. That prop-disc was the lid from a coleslaw pot in its former life. Good Luck! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Looking forward to seeing these develop! I often find the Hannants codes are nearly-but-not-quite right. It makes you realise how many variations there were, particularly early on in the war. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 1 hour ago, AdrianMF said: Looking forward to seeing these develop! I often find the Hannants codes are nearly-but-not-quite right. It makes you realise how many variations there were, particularly early on in the war. Regards, Adrian I know what you mean Adrian. Luckily as it is only the Z on the other side of the roundel to the kit letters a 0.5 to1mm difference on the height won't be too obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Today I'm going to start priming lots of bits and pieces, such as the exhausts, wheels, cockpit sides, cockpit framework and the tail wheels etc. I also have a 'usual question' for the Spitfire experts... The flare ejector on the Airfix kit - MAY 1940??? - would be here or not??? I never know whether to fill it in or not - any opinions??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Happy Sunday Folks - I didn't get an answer to my questions about whether this is Camo B or whether to use the flare ejector - but hey - maybe I'm just not doing anything of interest to Spitfire fans - no worries... For anyone who is interested - I dropped the kit pilot for my 'in flight' version as he is a little soft - in favour of this guy from the Defiant... ...a handsome looking chap - with much more detail. It looks like he will fit pretty well too - his feet nearly reach the pedals - which is a first for Airfix... There is a bit of sanding to do - but I reckon he will fit the bill. BTW - have you noticed how all Airfix pilots now have a scary resemblance to James May - ever since he built that 1/1 Spitfire - spooky. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 I 'bent' a prop too... ...which I reckon will do the job for the crashed version. WTF is that pilot doing - a number 2 by the looks of it... 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 With the 'bent prop' sorted to my satisfaction - I decided it was time to chop the 'in flight' version... time for a bit of PPP... ..time to dry and then a sand - but onwards and upwards to that priming I mentioned. I hope it's not too boring - Steve 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Great progress so far Steve Sadly I can't answer your questions as know very little about Spitfires - although I have now learned that they have a flare ejector port Good swop on the pilot - much nicer. Does seem to bear more than a passing resemblance to James May. Also read somewhere that the face of the pilot in the instructions is one of the design team from Airfix. All the best Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 18 minutes ago, badger said: Great progress so far Steve Sadly I can't answer your questions as know very little about Spitfires - although I have now learned that they have a flare ejector port Good swop on the pilot - much nicer. Does seem to bear more than a passing resemblance to James May. Also read somewhere that the face of the pilot in the instructions is one of the design team from Airfix. All the best Ben Hi Ben - Yeh- they vary the face from build to build and even offer it as a competition prize from time to time - thank God Johnny Vegas hasn't won yet... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 So - back to the Sunday progress.... Preparing for priming as promised - exhausts - I think I'm going to do them bronze - with a blue wash... Tail wheels - dark silver and tyre black of course... The cockpit framework - cockpit green - obviously - haven't used that in a while - then 'rusty red' for the seat - a bit of black - more dark silver and a decal for the IP - this bit could take a week on it's own... You'll notice I got the control columns fitted. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Before all this though - I made an EXCUTIVE DECISION - there was no one in the room to stop me - so I decided to 'go for it'... Rather than 'chop' my third Spit later in the build - I decided to do it now - as it could get a bit 'messy' with loads of dust - so here is where I wanted to chop... ...on both sides of this strut... as previously discussed this leaves bodywork at about 2mm thick - or 6 inches in full scale... So I spent the afternoon very carefully paring this down to about 0.1mm on the very edge - still around 7mm at full size - but good enough to 'get away with'... here is another before and after... not in focus - but you get the gist. Overall I'm happy with it - but I must press on. Everton 0-0 Liverpool - RESULT 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Time to get the second side done... I'm loving these new razor saws. Here is the latest before and after... It looks a bit rough at about 4 to 1 - but at 1 to 1 and with really ropey eyesight it looks great - trust me - just squint a bit/ The outer edges are now very thin - but far too neat for an airframe that has ripped apart on a crash landing - so time for a little 'distressing' - quire restrained though... Time to replace the sanded out struts... I'll trim them back when they are fully set - I'm quite pleased with them - but I'm easily pleased 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 A fair bit of priming has been done... I reckon that's it for this weekend - thanks for popping by for a look - Steve. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Excellent progress and a cracking job on the crash damage. All the best Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 12 minutes ago, badger said: Excellent progress and a cracking job on the crash damage. All the best Ben It's been very therapeutic actually. I really should spend more time thinning the mud guards on my armour - once you get into the swing of it - it really doesn't take that long. That's not to say it won't end up looking like a pig's ear 3 days down - 25 to go - no pressure eh Cheers mate - Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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