F154 Hawker Sea Fury fighter *** FINISHED! ***

[Rob S]

19 hours ago, Johnson said:

Do they do a Sabre nose? (fastest Sea Fury), quite fancy that.

 

Well the short answer is "Yes it has been done" but there is a longer explanation yet to come but hopefully there might be at least a couple for sale.  

 

[Rob S]

Hello Charlie : 

 

PM sent re Nose/s.  

 

[Johnson]

'evening folks,

 

I've just about finished painting the Sea Fury and looking up I thought that the EDSG on the Sea Fury looked lighter than EDSG on the Airfix Phantom I made a few months back (still needs final varnish, can't decide on matt or satin, so there it sits!).

 

I started to get obsessed about it - should I repaint the Sea Fury?? . Probably do more harm than good! I thought I'd better do some tests and not rush in to something I'm bound to regret. So took some photographs (they never lie! ).

 

 

The Xtracolor Gloss Enamel EDSG I used on the Sea Fury is probably about 30 years old, why I used that one I couldn't say, just happened to be the closest one in the box so opened the pot, it seemed fine, and sprayed it on. The Phantom's EDSG is a new pot (dries a lot quicker, they've probably changed the formula).

 

Analysing the images in Paint Shop Pro (I said I was getting obsessive ) There is a 3% difference between the old and the new.

 

Anyway, I'm going to leave it as it is (and my wife's started talking to me again).

 

Thanks for looking and bearing with me, those that haven't gone in search of a more interesting thread.

 

(And yes, I know that the Phantom would never have had dropped flaps and extended slats, I just couldn't resist it).

 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Johnson

Iam afraid I am no expert in these matters but, it looks great to me and so does the Phantom. Great work on both.

All the best

Chris

[Rabbit Leader]

Charlie, I have the easiest solution to your dilemma and one that will only take a second to do. Once the SF has been finished and photographed, placed the RN Phantom on a completely different cabinet shelf to the Sea Fury. There.. problem solved!! 

 

Honestly, seems like you are splitting hairs on this one, however I know where you’re coming from having faced similar issues whilst painting my Canberra. Just leave it and move on. A glossier (Satin) coat will reflect a little more light and I reckon you won’t even notice it after all the decals have been applied as your eyes will be drawn away from the EDSG paint. 

 

Cheers and she’s looking great.. Dave 

[Johnson]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

A glossier (Satin) coat will reflect a little more light

Thanks Dave, you're right of course. I can get dangerously obsessive over minute details. Best thing is to take a break and continue when I've calmed down.

 

The SF will have a satin finish. I found this excellent photo of the plane I'm modelling which shows, among other things (the rocket arrangement, position of stripes and stencils) that it looks to be finished in satin paint.

 

 

Most Sea Furies you see modelled seem to be matt finished. But according to one source I read, early SFs were originally painted satin and later ones gloss. Not surprising really considering the environment they operated in. The photo is also revealing in that it shows (again, unsurprisingly - they were well looked after below deck) how clean the airframe and paint is. So many models are overweathered in my opinion.

 

Cheers,

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Johnson
More info

[Graham Boak]

Beware of aircraft appearing gloss when they are really wet.  A gloss finish wouldn't last long in a maritime environment, however well looked after.  On an aircraft fresh from the factory (or just lightered across from an MU) ok, but operational with stripes and rockets fitted - satin at best, I feel.

[Rabbit Leader]

19 minutes ago, Johnson said:

So many models are overweathered in my opinion.

Ain’t that the truth! Looks good when done correctly, however ghastly when overdone. I tend to stay on the safer side of this equation, however that does mean I don’t practice weathering techniques often enough to have the confidence to do it. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Johnson]

21 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Beware of aircraft appearing gloss when they are really wet

I did wonder about that Graham, but the deck looks dry and sea conditions calm.

 

22 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

satin at best, I feel.

That's where I'm heading. From the photo, 105/VR943 looks fairly fresh. Appreciate your opinion, thanks!

 

5 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

I tend to stay on the safer side of this equation

👍

 

Thanks for your support everyone!

[Ventora3300]

11 hours ago, Johnson said:

I did wonder about that Graham, but the deck looks dry and sea conditions calm.

 

That's where I'm heading. From the photo, 105/VR943 looks fairly fresh. Appreciate your opinion, thanks!

 

👍

 

Thanks for your support everyone!

Charlie - satin finish looks good on this kit _ I did mine in Humbrol satin cote and it looks just right., always remembering to stir well before use!  Excellent build and best of luck. Mike 

[SafetyDad]

On 10/09/2019 at 19:29, Rabbit Leader said:

Thanks for the decal link, I completely forgot about this set, perhaps I should try to remove my decals and order a set of these? I have used a few decal setting solutions to bed them down however haven’t cleared over the top as yet. They also do ‘114’ which was my preferred first choice (as everyone models 115?). I’m sure the quality will good. Thanks, you’ve revitalised my interest in this S.O.D kit! 

 

Cheers.. Dave

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but I have a 1/48 Aussie decals sheet for the Sea Fury with both 114 and 115 on it. I'm not an expert so don't know if the font used is absolutely correct (but the decals are of an Australian aircraft and made in Australia...). The decals are yours gratis. If you're interested PM me.

 

SD

[Johnson]

2 hours ago, SafetyDad said:

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but I have a 1/48 Aussie decals sheet for the Sea Fury with both 114 and 115 on it.

No problem SD.

 

I've bought a set of fündekals and won't be using the 114/115 part, which I'm going to send to Dave. He could be inundated with decals at this rate! 

 

When we've established which are best, Maybe Dave can decide which he'd like?

 

Cheers,

Edited September 16, 2019 by Johnson
SNAFU

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks @SafetyDad and @Johnson, appreciate both of you coming to my aid. I’ve had quite a few Aussie Decal sheets and the quality is pretty good, although a number of sheets have been reproduced by an online trader named Novascale and things have deteriorated somewhat. If I have the choice (which is always nice to have) I think the Fundecals set would probably be newest and best. I do appreciate all this and it’ll give me a boost to get this kit finally finished. 

 

Cheers and thanks.. Dave 

[Rob S]

On 9/13/2019 at 10:04 PM, Rob S said:

Hello Charlie : 

 

PM sent re Nose/s.  

 

I haven't seen these yet but the word from where I got them sent is they (Fury Griffon and Sabre VII Noses, and Tempest Annular) are pretty good so if anyone is interested just PM Charlie or myself (I may not be on here much in the next three weeks so Charlie may be the best option) and we can point you to where I got them.  

 

[Johnson]

The Sea Fury continues to make progress, not quite as fast as I'd like, but the end of the tunnel is in sight!

 

 

Tonight it's rockets. 3" 60lb HE rockets, 8 of them, double stacked on two rails (the third was empty as the photo shows). The rockets that came with the kit (top right) won't do, one of the areas that FROG relied more on imagination rather than actual examples. But in the 'bits that might come in useful' box are some rockets that I suspect came from a long gone FROG Wyvern, not quite right (the fins are vertical and too small, besides being 3" thick if scaled up). So more plastic surgery... what else to do while listening to Genesis?

 

The model itself is mostly done and painted now. The canopy proved a bit troublesome. the original FROG canopy wasn't one of their best efforts, so fall back on Vac Form. I'd intended to use a Rob Taurus Tempest canopy. Beautifully made but, when fitted, just too small. A Squadron vac form for the Tempest was much better. There are significant differences between the Sea Fury and Tempest canopies, but for now this will have to do. Falcon do a set of 'Clear-Vax Canopies' (set 19 for FAA) which I probably should have bought that includes a Sea Fury FB.11 canopy for the PM and Pioneer kits. But it's not cheap - has anyone tried the set?

 

I'm hoping to get the decals on in the next couple of days.

 

Thanks for looking,

[Rabbit Leader]

No way! I'm just not going to accept that this 'object of beauty' above has been built out of the parts Frog provided way back in 1963. I think you've been duping us a little Charlie, either that or you have the masterful hands of a magician (I'm sure there's a white fluffy rabbit hiding in that photo somewhere?). Fantastic progress mate, you deserve every praise that comes your way. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

[TonyW]

Very tidy work going on here. The stripes around the rear fuselage look especially neat.

 

The tail end of prop development has a bit of a hold on me. The Sea Fury and Wyvern look so overpowered to me, almost as if the engines are trying to pull the planes apart! The last of the Spitfires can be included here as well. Real brute force engineering. The first jets looked pale alongside these beasts.

[JOCKNEY]

Lovely work Charlie

Really looking forward to the next instalment 

cheers Pat

[Rob S]

15 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

No way! I'm just not going to accept that this 'object of beauty' above has been built out of the parts Frog provided way back in 1963. I think you've been duping us a little Charlie, either that or you have the masterful hands of a magician (I'm sure there's a white fluffy rabbit hiding in that photo somewhere?). Fantastic progress mate, you deserve every praise that comes your way. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

 

Are you thinking Aki Products Sea Fury?  It certainly looks as good as one!  Well done Charlie.  

 

 

[Johnson]

Thanks Chaps! I've been at this bloomin' kit so long it's difficult to be objective about it. I think it's going well, but sometimes all I can see are the bits that could be better! Your support and encouragement are most welcome!

 

2 hours ago, Rob S said:

Are you thinking Aki Products Sea Fury?

 

Rob's found me out! I'll come clean, I swapped the FROG Sea Fury for the Aki one 

 

You've just got to spot where in the build thread I did it! 

[bigbadbadge]

Ooooo this looks absolutely stunning Charlie, great work indeed. What a cracker.

All the best

Chris

[Johnson]

Decals! At last.

 

 

The home made decals (R, 105, VR943, ROYAL NAVY, etc) all worked very well. Composed in MS Word using the fonts Pete sent me or in Paint Shop Pro (the fuselage 105 with the non-standard '5'). These were printed from a Word document on Mr Decal Paper using our bog standard Epson ink jet and then coated with 3 thin layers of acrylic satin varnish to seal them. I'd never tried home-made before and I'm very pleased with the result. I'd been worried that if they failed the whole build would have crashed. They did suffer a little from silvering which Microsol mostly cured.

 

The roundels are Hannants Xtradecals which were excellent. (The FROG ones were a little old and tatty and the Airfix ones too small).

 

The fly in the ointment was the Airfix Sea Fury decals I'd bought on eBay, I had high hopes for them but someone must have got hold of some rejects. They looked fine, but when cut out had a thin continuous film of carrier, and they didn't want to adhere that well either. I guess something went wrong in the process. So for most of the stencils I'll have to do some more home made ones.

 

Back soon, but reality has struck and I'm away for a few days - and time's running out! Eeek!

 

Thanks for looking.

[Rabbit Leader]

Awwww... how good does that look! I’m in loooove.. We’re in for a big finish I think, this GB is unearthing some real gems and this will be up there with the best of them. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Jinxman]

That looks fantastic - really hope you get the time to finish her off.

[Olten]

The model is gorgeous! The work of the Master is visible