1/48 Boulton Paul Defiant- 410 RCAF Night Fighter Build- Finished

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Hi Ant

 

I have to say that your Defiant is looking awesome, I like the tonal variations you achieved with what is a very hard colour to paint and you’ve nailed it and as the others have said the riveting really adds to the visual impact of the build. I’m looking forward to see what you can do with your homemade masks, they certainly look very good and I imagine with your undoubted skills you will really do them justice. Here’s to your next instalment eh?
 

All the best buddy

Iain

[Antb]

Hi folks. 

 

Disastrous evening tonight. Started to apply the masks and they lifted the paint even though they're not that sticky. 

 

Repaired but I've got areas showing where multiple layers came off so I'm not happy. I even had a clear coat down 😥

 

I'm going to need to send it out and try again. 

 

I'll see if I can get some work done this weekend but I'm miffed off. 

 

 

10 hours ago, (ex)Sgtrafman said:

Hi Ant

 

I have to say that your Defiant is looking awesome, I like the tonal variations you achieved with what is a very hard colour to paint and you’ve nailed it and as the others have said the riveting really adds to the visual impact of the build. I’m looking forward to see what you can do with your homemade masks, they certainly look very good and I imagine with your undoubted skills you will really do them justice. Here’s to your next instalment eh?
 

All the best buddy

Iain

Thanks Iain you're really too kind. 

[dogsbody]

17 minutes ago, Antb said:

Hi folks. 

 

Disastrous evening tonight. Started to apply the masks and they lifted the paint even though they're not that sticky. 

 

Repaired but I've got areas showing where multiple layers came off so I'm not happy. I even had a clear coat down 😥

 

I'm going to need to send it out and try again. 

 

I'll see if I can get some work done this weekend but I'm miffed off. 

 

 

Thanks Iain you're really too kind. 

 

Oh  !

 

 

Chris

[Greg Law]

Shame. Just sleep on it and the rescue ideas will be clearer in the morning.  This is what I did after a disaster of equal proportions a few days ago and now I'm on the way to getting back on track. Just don't hurry it and all will come right.👍

[Antb]

Thanks @Greg Law. Actually, this was all of my own making. 

 

Ive got some pictures and in the middle of the repair work, but wanted to share. 

 

So, I usually have no problems masking over paint work that hasn't been clear coated- last time I did this was with the 32nd 109 I built when I used Mr Hobby Aqueuous paints that seem as tough as boots. This time as I used the mr finishing surfacer, then Mr H Aq. flat black, Mr H A blue and some Tamiya X20. I thought they would be really hard and tough once dried, enough for some masking film anyway. 

 

This was when I first noticed things going wrong:

 

 

Looks alright here but then when I lifted the mask for the centre massive paint lift- it had gone through 4 layers of paint plus the primer coat to bear plastic. Problem is, I didn't realise this until all the masks had been applied, even the letter codes along the sides of the fuselage. 

 

Off they all came. This photo isn't the actual paint lift this is after me sanding for a bit but you get the general idea:

 

 

 

 

Thought id got it pretty smoothed out so shot on some black:

 

 

Ouch. Just look how deep it is..... there was nothing for it so out with the filler:

 

 

Horrific. 

 

Ill just have to keep cracking off but ive never had this happen to me before, ever. I usually use tamiya masking tape to tape over paint with no problems but this time huge issues. I even stuck the masking film to my t shirt to remove tack before placing on the aircraft but this still happened. 

 

This is just one of those things I guess, but i'm puzzled and really disappointed with how it's gone. 

 

Anyway, there we are. See what I can work out during the course of today. 

[Antb]

Hi again folks, 

 

Ive been plodding along for another few hours since the last post, and here's where we are at. 

 

The filler was sanded smooth

 

 

 

 

And painted- you would never know the difference:

 

 

Only the tonal variation gives it away:

 

 

and gloss coated- ill leave this for the next 24 hours to harden- I used a lacquer spray varnish I had to see whether this hardens better than the Tamiya X22 I initially used and then we will give the masks another bash- I think this time I will seriously knock the tack off just to be on the safe side because if this happens again I think ill cry 🤣

 

On a serious note though, I clearly need a better clear coat, does anyone have any recommendations for something that dries bullet proof? I know this is a huge can of worms but I plan on masking a lot of my future builds and don't want this from happening again. Grateful for any pointers. 

 

I hope (fingers crossed) that things are on the up and I can get on with the build how I plan. 

 

Cheers for looking, any abuse as to how stupid ive been will be greatly received 🙂 

[Martian]

Good save!

 

Martian 👽

[Greg Law]

All I can say is good luck with the next test. I hope all goes well. It could be a case of needing extra time to cure between coats. 

[Antb]

3 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Good save!

 

Martian 👽

Thanks Martian 

 

15 minutes ago, Greg Law said:

All I can say is good luck with the next test. I hope all goes well. It could be a case of needing extra time to cure between coats. 

I think you're probably right. I'm leaving the clear coat to harden until tomorrow afternoon and will see where we are then. 

 

I think I rushed it a little and have paid the price. It's all experience though isn't it? 

[Greg Law]

You are right.  Experience helps for sure.  I rushed my build,  not letting the glue to cure properly, which is a problem for me with my tremor.  As a result parts got damaged resulting in miss alignment of the next part.  In the end the model wasn't up to standard, so I'm starting the fuselage again. Now I'm taking my time it is going much better.

I should know better, but sometimes I get impatient. 

By the way I'm not talking about the Heinkel or Dornier.  This is something small l was fitting in,. Hence the rush.

[dnl42]

I use Mr Surfacer as my standard primer and I've never had it lift. I wonder if the plastic had surface contaminants that needed cleaning? I give assemblies a wipe-down with 91% Isopropyl alcohol before painting to avoid such problems.

[Antb]

4 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

I use Mr Surfacer as my standard primer and I've never had it lift. I wonder if the plastic had surface contaminants that needed cleaning? I give assemblies a wipe-down with 91% Isopropyl alcohol before painting to avoid such problems.

I do think it was my fault to be honest- not quite sure I stirred the paint enough in the first place. lesson learned for the next build. 

 

Feeling much happier this afternoon and some real proper progress has been made. I'll share an image how she looks now and then explain how I got there: 

 

 

With some trepidation I started masking her up. I stuck the masking vinyl to the inside of my arm to get rid of the majority of the tack and placed the mask in position:

 

 

I originally started by spraying the red (Tamiya XF7 with a touch of flat black- no idea of the ratios just mixed until it looked about right- did say it wasn't for the purest 🤣) in the centre of the roundels which worked well but then changed tact later on as wasn't sure I would have a good meeting of the red and blue, and there may have been a slight black ring around the red if I didn't get the masks back again perfectly. 

 

Ill just share a few self explanatory photos of the next stages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And masks off: a touch of paint lift under the roundel on the LH side but the clear coat I put down didn't go underneath- nothing too taxing to sort out- obviously the middle of the 0 needs sorting too:

 

 

and the other side:

 

 

Heres the change in direction for the roundels- Tamiya XF8 wth a touch of black, again mixed by eye:

 

 

 

 

 

Pleased with that. 

 

Red sprayed again in the centres of the roundels and voila:

 

 

 

 

Im currently giving the fin flash some thought as to how to go about painting it to look decent- ill tackle it later this evening as need to nip out with SWMBO on errands. Oh, she's also dropped out that shes bought me another Defiant, because she's heard me cursing my mistakes and thought another one would mean I could have another go 🙂 Happy days

 

As always, any feedback is really appreciated, I know she doesn't look amazing, but once the clear coat is on and shes been weathered and flattened down im hoping she looks much better. Close up photos don't help either to be fair. 

 

 

[Antb]

Hi Again folks, 

 

Very productive day today it seems. Managed some more time after popping out earlier and got the fin flash painted up. Relatively simple in the end. 

 

I cut a mask removing the sections for the blue and red but keeping the middle which would be the white. This middle piece helped keep the shape rather than it being stretched out of shape- the masks were applied like so:

 

 

Red and blue sprayed: 

 

 

Masks removed left this:

 

 

Tape and the vinyl sections for the red and blue used to mask off for the white:

 

 

Sprayed and masks removed:

 

 

A view from the other side:

 

 

Im really quite pleased with the overall look- need to clear coat add the stencil decals and then weathering 

[AndyL]

I'm really enjoying your work. Excellent job mate.

[Antb]

1 hour ago, AndyL said:

I'm really enjoying your work. Excellent job mate.

Thanks Andy that's really kind of you to say so

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Great save there mate and the homemade masks have worked very well, I think I might consider them for future builds rather than buying Montex masks all the time.  
She is turning out to be a good looking model.

 

cheers

 

Iain

[Antb]

10 hours ago, (ex)Sgtrafman said:

Great save there mate and the homemade masks have worked very well, I think I might consider them for future builds rather than buying Montex masks all the time.  
She is turning out to be a good looking model.

 

cheers

 

Iain

Thanks Iain, very kind as always. 

 

The montex masks definitely have their place but you can beat making and using your own. Takes a little while to get the images up to scratch to cut out, it's amazing how poor images look close up with jagged edges etc. 

 

Definitely good fun though. If you don't pull paint off with them of course.... 

[Antb]

Hi Folks, 

 

Bit more of an update. Im not convinced im totally happy just yet so will keep working until im satisfied. its definitely a work in progress. 

 

Once the markings had dried it was time for some weathering. My usual go to is a flory wash, normally dark dirt, but this wouldn't show very well on the airframe so I went for grey. What ive got is a bit stark and as I say im not sure im totally happy. Heres the images:

 

 

 

 

Close up photos aren't the kindest and I will work on making the surface a lot better than it currently looks in the photos. 

 

One thing the wash has done is make the panel lines look like trenches!!! Ill work on removing some more wash and see what we end up with 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Antb

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

You see I like where this is going, yes some of the panel lines have been accentuated but you can knock them back and your riveting and painting looks superb. Good work there fella 😎👍 

 

Cheers

 

Iain

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Antb said:

My usual go to is a flory wash, normally dark dirt, but this wouldn't show very well on the airframe so I went for grey. What ive got is a bit stark and as I say im not sure im totally happy.

a test patch of some thinned dark wash, may tone this down? or mix some grey and dark wash? 

I presume that if you want you can just wash the lot off? (water based wash clay IIRC) 

[Antb]

2 hours ago, (ex)Sgtrafman said:

You see like where this is going, yes some of the panel lines have been accentuated but you can knock them back and your riveting and painting looks superb. Good work there fella 😎👍 

 

Cheers

 

Iain

Cheers mate 🙂

 

43 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

 (water based wash clay IIRC) 

Yes that's the stuff. Thanks for the pointers Troy ive actually spent a bit more time sorting the wash out and adding a grime and going for the dark dirt, which I should have done right from the start. 

 

Much happier, I think the gray has added something but will see where we are when this gets rubbed off. but that wont be this evening SWMBO calls! 

 

 

and the underside:

 

 

 

Ive also built up the turret, masked the glazing, built the undercarriage legs and wheels and getting them ready for a bit of paint. 

 

Not really much more to get done, seems to have flown along. 

 

Thanks for the interest again chaps. 

[Troy Smith]

Just had a catch up,  the markings and codes look really good, 

 

I was just looking at this Spitfire pic,

Spitfire Mk.V cockpit. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

and noticing the slightly uneven edges to the codes, as they were hand painted,  it's easy to forget they were usually 6 inches wide (15 cm) and hand painted.

 

Cheers

T

 

[Antb]

Thanks troy. 

 

 

[Greg Law]

Good to see you got past the problems. It looks like it will be a nice build. 

[Antb]

Hi Everyone, 

 

We are really making tracks with the build and she's not actually too far off being completed. Have to say im a bit frustrated with the build, there are a few niggly things that are my fault that's taking the fun out a little. However, its a learning experience isn't it and ive learned loads. 

 

There are a fair few photos so here we go:

 

Firstly, that gray wash was toned down using some dark dirt and grime giving me this:

 

 

Much better

 

 

 

Very shiny at the moment but this will all be toned down once the flat coat has been applied. I also decided to go over the walkway with some thinned black as I didn't like how stark it was. Looks alright. 

 

Last night consisted of building and masking the turret, the wheels, undercarriage, sorting out the exhaust stubs and wheel well covers etc. These all got a coat of flat black and ill weather them once they are in position. The turret looks nice, ive dry brushed the gins with some burnt iron and the turret with some nato black for a bit of effect. 

 

 

Fitting the turret into the fuselage is a bit of a pig. Its a super tight fit, so tight that it scrapes the paint off the turret ring and you need some serious pressure to push it down to where it needs to sit. I have to say that the turret in the kit appears to be wrong as it sits waaaay higher than it should on a real defiant. The turret on the real thing is much flatter but this is super high in comparison. Quite annoying actually. Never thought anything like that would bother me. 

 

 

 

 

Fitted the prop:

 

 

 

I don't know if im being too crtical (which I am very often) but Im not completely happy with how it looks so far. I might be happier once the flat coat has been applied. 

 

Anyway, there she is so far.