Heather's Workbench - The Netherlands, 1940

[Gondor44]

On 4/18/2022 at 1:24 PM, Heather Kay said:

 

As is now traditional when I begin a limited/small run kit, I went through the sprues of both kits with a fine felt tip marker and numbered the parts. I do this to avoid having to keep referring back to the sprue maps in the instructions, which generally become harder to follow as parts are removed during the build.

 

I also went through the instructions marking up the colour call-outs, while familiarising myself a bit with the construction sequence.

 

 

That sounds like great advice and some that I will do my best to follow from now on

 

Gondor

[Heather Kay]

2 hours ago, Dave Slowbuild said:

Best wishes for the build, it’s a beautiful looking aircraft.

Thanks Dave! It is a beautiful plane, with an interesting albeit short history.

 

49 minutes ago, HAMP man said:

With your permission I would like to join in your obsession with the 'air war' such as it was during the sit-down and the flash.

Fill yer boots, as they say. My interest started with the Battle of Britain, as with so many others, only I suffered some extreme mission creep! Now, anything flying operationally in North-West Europe from 1 January to 31 December 1940. When I’ve done NWE, there’s the Med and North Africa for the same period. Should keep me going until I drop off my perch!

 

 

Not having Hu128 in my possession - and neither, it seems, does Humbrol - I’ve used Hu01, which is sold as a light grey primer. It may be a little light, but we must be honest and admit very little will be seen under the glazing in the end. This is the rear cockpit tub. It has been kitted out with the 3D printed radio gear, but I’ve opted for masking tape seat belts. I’m afraid the printed ones simply don’t bend or conform to the seat at all.

 

From the other direction, showing the navigator/radio operator's nice little laptop desk. If I’m honest, I’m not a fan of the 3D transfers. The set in this kit look (and feel!) great, but they’re ever so slightly off-register, which has left a white halo to the top and right sides. I would have preferred a more traditional PE approach to these items.

 

Here, you can see the printed belts. Note the second from the top. This is a lap belt I tried to apply. You can see the white misregistration. Disappointing, because I was quite keen to see how they worked out. I have to admit this tub looks quite rough in places, but this is a cruel enlargement, and it took ages to tidy up the fine styrene moulded frames as it was!

 

This is about half the internal detail done. The front cockpit tub and nose section are built up from this. I might save that for tomorrow, as my eyes are popping out of their sockets!

[Gondor44]

13 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

Not having Hu128 in my possession - and neither, it seems, does Humbrol - I’ve used Hu01, which is sold as a light grey primer. It may be a little light, but we must be honest and admit very little will be seen under the glazing in the end.

 

Have you tried using this site ?

 

https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/urbans-color-reference-charts-part-i/

 

I find it invaluable if a little confusing at times when I don't have the quoted colour.

 

Gondor

[Heather Kay]

23 minutes ago, Gondor44 said:

I find it invaluable if a little confusing

I see what you mean! 
 

My paint box contains mostly Humbrol enamel and acrylic, a select few Revell Aqua, some Xtracrylix (covering RAF, FAA and Luftwaffe), and ColourCoats enamels (which is now my go-to standard for all air forces under consideration). While I could find Hu128 in the enamels list on the IPMS SE page, and cross-reference to Revell enamel 341, I don’t know enough about the Revell ranges to know if the enamel and Aqua ranges use the same number reference.

 

What would have been useful would be a colour chip of Hu128 so I could see if any of the various greys in my box are close. I think sticking to Hu01 with some dark wash weathering here and there will have to suffice.

 

I just pulled the D.XXI off the shelf and peered into the cockpit. I seem to have used a mid- to light-grey in there. Perhaps I should read back through this thread and see what colour I actually used!
 

EDIT: It seems I opted for RLM02, or Hu240, for the 21.

[Gondor44]

Like this Heather?

 

http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=26320

 

I got the F.S. number from a Humbrol Enamal and Paint Conversion Chart which has the code P1158 above the bar code pn the back. It's a failry modern chart compaired to some others I have as it has links to Humbrol Twitter and Facebook accounts

 

Further investigation found this

 

Paint ahu128 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

The columns are, from left to right; Colour Name, Comment, Humbrol, Tamiya, Xtracolour, Polly S, Gunze Sangyo and Model Master.

 

Hope this helps

 

Gondor

[Heather Kay]

7 minutes ago, Gondor44 said:

Hope this helps

Thanks, but I’m not sure it does. References to paint lines I don’t have don’t really help, I’m afraid. Let me explain, so bear with…

 

When I started working my way beyond RAF and Luftwaffe colours, I spent a good while trying to settle on a paint brand that covered all my needs. While I am an old school enamel painter, I was happy to consider switching to acrylic. I tried to cross-match to the Humbrol range, with very limited success, using Heller colour call-outs as a guide - and finding many quoted colours unavailable in the Humbrol range any more. I used Xtracrylix for a spell, but stocks were often not available in the colours I needed - and I’m not sure they covered other European air forces all that well. Tamiya was considered, but having to mix my own shades felt a step too far. Mr Hobby and Co were similar. I got entirely befuddled trying to work out actual "official" colours from random alphanumeric strings from the likes of Gunze and Vallejo - even though both are recommended and used by many modellers. I was almost tempted by the colour sets from Hataka, but couldn’t work out which were "hot" or not. What I wanted was a single brand that did the job, and I’m happy to say ColourCoats has been the one. Even reverting to enamels hasn’t been the chore I’d expected. Rather, I’m back in my comfort zone! 
 

So, with outside camouflage colours in the bag, or the paint box in my case, from ColourCoats, I just need the occasional colour for interior work. More often than not, close enough is good enough, once the cockpit is locked away under transparencies. For example, for French planes I’ve settled on Humbrol 96 RAF blue-grey for typical fighter cockpits, and a light fawn for bombers. There are official names, but I use these colours across the board to be consistent. 
 

I hope I didn’t come across as ungrateful with all that blether. My aim has been to find a consistent standard of paints and colours, and not have racks of different paints from different manufacturers all using different thinners.

 

 

 

[Gondor44]

No problem at all Heather. Like you I was a dyed in the wool Enamal paint person, usually like yourself using Humbrol paint with the occasional foray to other supliers, in my case Xtracolour. I have now started to move to Acrylics and because of my prefered aircraft and time periods I am finding that the Hataka Blue, I don't have the time to faf around with air brushes, so they do me although I am not 100% sold on their bottles.

 

Gondor

[HAMP man]

I'm putting this out there and accept that I am placing a noose around my neck, whislt face planting a can of worms but I believe there is an effect that alters the perception of a colour the farther you are away from it, 'scale effect?'

So what shade of a colour is the right colour? As someone with slight blue-green colour blindness I have always trusted others description/mixes of any colour I am using, on the basis that they are right. 

Discuss.....

 

Box on

 

Strickers

 

[Heather Kay]

12 hours ago, HAMP man said:

Discuss.....

Oh my. Where’s that can of worms emoticon? 

[Brandy]

NOT THAT CAN! Those are the blue worms, we need the green ones!

 

Ian

[Heather Kay]

9 minutes ago, Brandy said:

NOT THAT CAN! Those are the blue worms, we need the green ones!

But WHICH green?

 

[HAMP man]

2 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

But WHICH green?

In the words of Miranda's mater

Such Fun!

[ckw]

8 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Where’s that can of worms emoticon? 

Due to health and safety regulations, worm cans have been discontinued. Nests of hornets have been suggested as a possible substitute.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[Heather Kay]

A steady plod through sections 11 to 22 saw the cockpit assembly sequence completed.

 

 

 

This is how I got there. For those of you hoping to learn from my experience, the front part of the cockpit tub is built up from floor frame (83) and side frames (75 and 107), plus a seat and instrument panel (72). The seats are PE parts, folded, with a styrene moulded cushion that glues in. I was sceptical at first, but it works well. The front seat attaches, as this photo shows, to the framework on the front of the centre tub. The instructions imply part 83 glues below it, but there’s nothing much to glue to. I decided to build up the framework with parts 75 and 105, suitably adorned with the PE panels, and held in register with the IP (72). Once the glue had hardened, the sub-assembly could be detailed with the control column, rudder pedals (yes, I bothered this time) and the 3D instrumentation. A coat of paint here and there, and it can be attached to the other sub-assembly. The stubs sticking out poke through slots in the fuselage sides, aligning the tub in the fuselage, and providing location points for the wings.

 

 

Attention then moves to the rear of the cockpit assembly. Remember, folks, if you have scoured through the grey styrene sprues and still can't find the part, check the transparent parts! I have no idea, save having run out of space on the grey plastic mould tool, why some parts have been moulded as clear. Anyway, nine parts build up the rear end, with all the rods and actuators, plus a PE grille. Not a clue what it represents. I’ve already pinged the cylinder off, which is now pinned with brass wire.

 

These two parts are fun. They’re the floor of the rear gunner's compartment. He didn’t have much fun, apparently having to spend his time in the air laying on his stomach. The PE part, which I’ve chemically blackened, is supposed to fit on the styrene part. The latter's slot is too small, so I simply filed it out all round. The PE was rolled using a bit of small diameter wooden dowel on an old mouse mat. The fun bit, though…

 

 

… is the magical thinking that assumes you know the angle the two parts sit at and that superglue is sufficient to hold two PE parts together via their very thin edges. I felt that was daft, and not having suitable sky hooks available to support the things while glue set, thought it would make much more sense to employ the fuselage sides as a template.

 

Incidentally, I took the image to show you all the tiddly bits that made up just the rear end. Nine styrene parts, some very small indeed. I didn’t lose one to the carpet monster.

 

 

Here we have the cockpit assembly in the starboard fuselage half. The rear floor can literally glue to the bottom of the fuselage, where it won’t come to any harm.

 

I mentioned, somewhere near the start of this segment, the kit includes pre-cut Oramask for the glazing. Literally the only colour call-out for interior work is mentioned in section 23, where it is suggested now is a good time to paint the interior light grey. However, there is no masking provided for this job, and there are lots of clear panels that really don’t want to be painted over. I’ve done a cursory brushed coat on obviously unglazed areas. I will spray a light grey on the outside once the masking is in place.

 

There's still some way to go on the fuselage assembly, but having the cockpit innards done feels like a milestone. If I can get the central pod buttoned up and masked ready for primer I shall be happy.

 

[Heather Kay]

Has anyone seen my Fokker?

[Heather Kay]

Well, the cold light of day. Ick.

 

Let me explain. The fuselage sides are transparency, split along the centreline in traditional fashion. Along the spine are inset panels, which have to be fitted to one side before the halves are mated. This is, despite best efforts, all but impossible. Being clear material throughout, you can’t see if things are level or square.

 

I applied the masks so I could get a witness coat of paint on things to see how it looked. Gaps on the side which didn’t have the panels attached. Amazingly, the belly panel was fine. It was just the bleedin' obvious ones on top that are the problem. I did a light pass with sanding stick, doing my best not to dislodge masking. I applied some Perfect Plastic Putty to the gaps, cleaned it back with a damp cotton bud, and applied more primer. This is what you see. I’m not best pleased.

 

I fear I may have to sacrifice the masking to get a smoother finish. I have a plan, as I own a Silhouette cutter and some Oramask. I can scan the kit sheet, which has clear gaps where masks have been removed, and if needed I can make some new masks for the spine panel. We shall see.

 

You know, some days you wake up and have a feeling things are not going to go well for the day. I had that feeling this morning.

 

Deinceps et transversa, as my family motto has it.

[Dave Slowbuild]

2 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Well, the cold light of day. Ick.

 

 

Patience and perseverance will win the day I am sure!
 

I sometimes use a length of HSS to fill gaps like these, it sands down easily and doesn’t crack or crumble like fillers 

[HAMP man]

transversa is just another way of looking at the problem, don't get angry get even. 🙂

 

Box  on 

 

Strickers

[Heather Kay]

1 hour ago, Dave Slowbuild said:

Patience and perseverance will win the day I am sure!

 

1 hour ago, HAMP man said:

don't get angry get even.

Exactly. I leave things alone, walk away and do something else, and come back and have another go.

 

One thing I can tell you is that Oramask is bulletproof. I’ve been sanding - carefully - around it, but it takes all kinds of punishment where the yellow tape will have been shredded. I’m not pushing my luck, though, and still have the recovery plan on standby.

 

 

Since my post this morning, the canopy glazing has been fitted and masked, the nose installed, and just now the tail cone was glued on. There’s a machine gun in there for the rear gunner to play with. I’ve been trying to understand how the cone worked, as it’s the same design as fitted to the T.V. Essentially, it’s an aerodynamic tail, but it has slim glazed door panels that open to allow the gun to fire through. I think I saw a photo inside a T.V tail where the doors weren’t aligned to the centre, so I have a notion the whole cone can be rotated, in the manner of the gun cupola on the nose of a Heinkel He111.

 

 

Everything is now fitted and masked, so I can set too with the grey paint again and fettle the upper panels some more. Back in the thread I was pointed to a Dutch IPMS review of this kit, and it had some helpful colour information. I have painted the inside of the bomb bay the dark brown used on the underside (and top side, as it happens) before gluing the doors in place. 
 

I think the glue will have hardened, so time for another coat of grey to see how things look.

 

[dogsbody]

The rear gun on a Fw189 had the same type of rotating canopy. 

 

 

 

Chris

[Gondor44]

That looks complex and fiddly.

 

I did some more digging with regard to your Hu 128 Heather. If you happen to have any Humbrol Authentic colours and have the USN4  DK. Compass Frey then its the same colour, or should be.

 

Gondor

 

P.S. The USN4 may have a different finish to the Hu 128. This would be due to the first digit of it's number being different but the first digit of an F.S. number relates to the finnish of the paint.

1) Gloss

2) Semi Gloss

3) Matt

So if you can find the right colour but the wrong finish simply add varnish on top.

[heloman1]

Coming together Heather, looks a little complicated!

 

Colin

[Heather Kay]

On 22/04/2022 at 18:44, Gondor44 said:

That looks complex and fiddly.

 

On 23/04/2022 at 08:47, heloman1 said:

Coming together Heather, looks a little complicated!

It is that. It is logical, though. Everything pretty much fits where it’s meant to, with one or two parts just needing a tiny bit of help here and there. While I applaud the inclusion of so much detail, when a good three-quarters or more of it will never be seen again I wonder if it’s worth the effort. It’s one of those kits where the journey of construction is as much a part of it as the finished model.

 

Yesterday I was a bit out of sorts. Today, domestic life came first. With the kitchen and bathroom now clean again, I sat down and contemplated the next steps of the build.

 

 

Undercarriage. Each one has 12 plastic parts. A pair of PE side walls need to be fitted, plus another styrene part, and that’s not counting the main wheels. It looks fiddly - again! - and is, particularly cleaning up the parts, but it does fit together with patience. The only major hiccup is a short shot stub axle, visible on the right hand unit. That’s a bother, but I think I can bodge round it.

 

The instructions think this lot should be light grey. The IPMS Dutch web site disagrees, saying the wheel bays and undercarriage was painted the same dark brown as the rest of the underside of the plane. To do that, I’m likely to need the spray booth set up, and that’s not likely to happen for a while. So, I’m afraid construction will halt on the T.V and G-1 while paying work takes precedence once more.

[HAMP man]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

It’s one of those kits where the journey of construction is as much a part of it as the finished model.

I think this is just a matter of degree, certainly for me, I seem to get more satifaction (dopamine) out of an overly complicated model, and feel cheated if the model designer did it for me.

Bread on the table first, but so close!

 

Box On

 

Strickers

 

[Heather Kay]

Oh, I definitely enjoy a well thought out kit interior. It’s when I get bogged down with lots of fiddly stuff and cease to enjoy the process I get a bit fed up with the whole thing.