Heller EC-121/WV-2 WarningStar 1/72

[hsr]

A quick update, so you know I haven't given up 🙂. The nose gave me a lot of trouble. Close inspection of the primed surface showed that there was a raised area around the canopy section. So I sanded it smooth and reprimed, only to see the same thing, so I sanded again and rereprimed. Same thing. After several more iterations during which I probably distorted the shape, I concluded that there must be some interaction between the primer and the material of the transparent part of the nose that was causing it to stand proud of the rest of the nose. I have seen this before so I should have recognized it earlier. My final solution was to give several light coats of primer and then lightly sand it so the parts were flush, but without sanding through the primer. I don't know if that made sense, but it is fixed.

 

Next I sprayed Alclad Steel on the engines, Dark Aluminum on the engine nacelle side panels and propeller blades and Aluminum on the propeller spinners.

 

You can see where I started to mask the nacelle side panels. Then I spayed the appropriate areas with black.

Tomorrow I will mask the black and give everything a coat of Humbrol 32 Engine/Seaplane Gray as recommended by the Caracal decals.

[Sabrejet]

On 04/03/2019 at 20:18, PLC1966 said:

Blimey how much did all that cost ? 

Looking forward to this,  the Connie was a lovely looking bird.

 

Saw this at Mildenhall Air Fete 1978.  Was fantastic in the flesh.

 

 

 

So did I! Brings back some memories of C-118s, C-121s and C-131s.

[rob Lyttle]

I know you're up close and dealing with the details here @hsr but the overall presence of the beautiful beast is there already.

 

Fantastic 👍

[hsr]

I am normally far sighted and can't focus on anything closer the 8-12 inches. As I have gotten older this has gotten worse so years ago I got one of those Opti-Visors which I use with its highest magnification, so now I can see every detail as I work,👍  but I also see  every defect 👎 that nobody else will ever see.  But it is getting along

 

Thanks

[rob Lyttle]

2 hours ago, hsr said:

I use with its highest magnification, so now I can see every detail as I work,👍  but I also see  every defect 

Ah... There's your problem....!! 

😊

[hsr]

18 minutes ago, rob Lyttle said:

Ah... There's your problem....!! 

Yes, there is such a thing as seeing too well😉

[f111guru]

We are our worst enemy. That has been said many times. Your doing a fantastic job! I'm enjoying this build so don't be so hard on yourself.

Took this at Tinker AFB Oklahoma City, OK many years ago. Also was at RAF Mildenhall AFB in 1978 was stationed at RAF Lakenheath from 77 to 80

Excellent build

 

Ron VanDerwarker

[hsr]

After spending the morning and part of the afternoon masking the black I was able to give it a coat of dark gray 

Tomorrow I will mask everything that isn't a wheel well or gear and then start on painting them white. It may table a few days

[busnproplinerfan]

I would’ve did the wheel wells first, then fought to mask them. This way might work better.

[hsr]

Given all the PE and little delicate bits in them I didn't think I could do a good masking of them without damaging things. This way will be easier, but it will take a lot of tape. I might wrap most of it with paper towl and just tape around the wells.

[Challenger350Pilot]

On 3/13/2019 at 4:17 PM, hsr said:

so now I can see every detail as I work,👍  but I also see  every defect 👎 that nobody else will ever see.  But it is getting along

Yeah, it sure is getting along nicely. I agree that sometimes we see too well. It can be very frustrating, but at the same time, very rewarding, as this model is showing. Its going to be beautiful. Your attention to detail, regardless of how well you see, is amazing. 

 

1 hour ago, hsr said:

Given all the PE and little delicate bits in them I didn't think I could do a good masking of them without damaging things. This way will be easier, but it will take a lot of tape. I might wrap most of it with paper town and just tape around the wells.

Try masking over the wheel wells, not "in" them. I used some paper towel wadded up and carefully inserted into the wells, which kept the spray from getting in there, then taped over the wells and carefully cut away the excess. Those plastic bags from the grocery store, you know the ones...that will litter the landfills for the next thousand years, come in handy for large areas of covering. They easily form around corners and complex curves, too. 

 

Looking really good! Great progress! Hang in there!

[hsr]

I think I have enough masking on it

 

I don't usually use blue painter's tape for masking because 

 

• It doesn't stick to itself so all overlap have to be reinforced with Tamiya tape and
• It stick to well to the model so taking it off risks breaking something

but it is a lot cheaper than the Tamiya tape and with such a large area to cover I didn't want to waste the Tamiya tape. It probably will take a couple days to get the white right, so back then.

[busnproplinerfan]

It's a christmas present, wonder what it is. I got ahold of some masking paper from a bodyshop. I was given the last bit on a roll which is a lot for models.

[hsr]

I find that removing all the tape and revealing all the colors to be one of the most fun parts of a build. 

[janneman36]

It looks more like a pinata at the moment so please don’t hit it with a stick...

Great job so far...

 

cheers, Jan

 

[Thom216]

A modern day mummy! I can't wait for the unwrapping.

[hsr]

Neither can I, but I have to be patient

[Challenger350Pilot]

👍👏🙌🙏👀

 

Let’s see....which do we hate more....masking or sanding?????? Looks great! Good masking job....spray away!

[hsr]

4 hours ago, Challenger350Pilot said:

Let’s see....which do we hate more....masking or sanding??????

Masking.

 

Thanks

[rob Lyttle]

Just remind me... Why not with a brush?😳

[hsr]

On 3/16/2019 at 2:03 PM, rob Lyttle said:

Just remind me... Why not with a brush?😳

If it had been zinc chromate I probably would have brushed it. But white is such a problem. It would have taken several coats, left brush strokes and obscured details. As it is I used the Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer from a jar, I gave it a light dry coat yesterday and another heavier one today and it is done.

 

Since it is a quick drying lacquer I probably could have done both coats yesterday. 

 

Now I just need to remove the mask, do and minor repairs tomorrow, give it 2 coats of gloss Monday and Tuesday, decal Wednesday and finish with a coat of Alclad Light Sheen Thursday and it is done.

[busnproplinerfan]

Just make sure your fingers don't have any white paint on them, it'll haunt you.

[hsr]

Another advantage of using quick drying lacquer 

[Challenger350Pilot]

26 minutes ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Just make sure your fingers don't have any white paint on them, it'll haunt you.

Might be time to start wearing gloves from here on in. Many a new curse word has been formed by modelers leaving unintended fingerprints that were unremovable in the most obvious places. Rubber gloves work well, providing a little anti skid so that chances of dropping the model are reduced somewhat. Yeah...i dropped my Connie more than once during the build process. The expressions I used are probably still floating out over Georigia somewhere. 

 

The wheel wells look great. Can’t wait to see how the Alclad sheen goes. Been wanting to experiment with that...be interesting to see what you think of it. 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Challenger350Pilot

[hsr]

So far in removing the masking I broke of 1 antenna, 1 pitot tube, and through simple clumsiness the rear tip of one of the tip tanks. But I haven't dropped it yet. 😌 All easily repairable. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

 

I have been using the Light Sheen for a few years now, and am happy with the results. The only issue I have is that it seems to remain slightly tacky forever.