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380 Everyone's favourite Aunt - the Ju52/3m


Heather Kay

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Decals look great! Did they go down on wet glosscoat or just on their own?

 

I've always wondered with decals on corrugations. Do the crosses start off as square on the backing paper? And when they have settled over the corrugations, are they narrower measured across the ridges?

 

Regards,

Adrian

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The KP decals seem to be working - I remember this being a big problem with both the old Heller and Italeri versions. In fact for my Italeri float plane version I ended up masking and painting them as not only would the Italeri decals not conform, they actually fell off when dry! 

 

Cheers

 

Colin

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23 minutes ago, AdrianMF said:

Decals look great! Did they go down on wet glosscoat or just on their own?

 

I've always wondered with decals on corrugations. Do the crosses start off as square on the backing paper? And when they have settled over the corrugations, are they narrower measured across the ridges?

Well, I laid a thin gloss coat which I let dry. I think the transfers are so thin they might just roll up in a wet layer of gloss. :frantic:
 

The corrugations are not really deep. I don’t think the designers worried about it making any noticeable difference. :like:
 

One thing I will need to be careful of is how the things adhere. I think a sealing coat will be sensible before turning the model over and working on the top surfaces to avoid accidentally sticking a transfer to a finger.

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Well, being careful (and a bit impatient) I got all the markings on without having to seal things as I went.

 

50533115111_062c8413c8_b.jpg

 

I guess the most difficult to tackle was the tail swastika. Some bright spark at the Reichsluftfahrtministerium thought it a good idea to put the marking right across the rudder hinges. I think, later on, they saw the error of their ways and the thing was moved to the main fin panels. Be that as it may, I got round the problem with a sharp scalpel blade and a steel rule, slicing each cross diagonally and subsequently attempting to align the halves on the model itself. I think I got away with it.

 

Some silvering was evident on my initial markings under the wings. I decided to paint Humbrol Decalfix on the surface prior to sliding the transfer on to it. Another coat of the stuff, with some gentle prodding here and there with the blunt end of a cotton bud, seems to have let things settle into the wrinkly bits without too much trauma. I’ll see later when they’ve dried more. If it looks bad, some stabbing with a sewing needle and a few drops of Clear should deal with the worst. 
 

Now, my hope is all this will dry soon so I can finish up and get a coat of matt varnish applied. Sadly, it might not be today after all. What a pity if the day job gets postponed again… :innocent:

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50533089838_28f13db032_b.jpg

 

Some silvering on the fuselage markings, which I will deal with after the initial coat of matt varnish has dried. Final details mostly done, save the upper gunner's position, and a little final paint detailing and a mild dose of weathering.

 

Nearly there, but mustn’t try to rush it. Which sounds like a good time for our evening meal!

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Well done with the decals Heather, that last photo shows they have settled into the wing corrugations well. The large areas of decal film around the codes are always a difficult area, though your plan sounds like a good in. Looking forward to the final reveal, it looks great so far.

Steve.

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50533790533_f4f8266088_b.jpg

 

Well, the silvering mitigation procedures haven’t worked quite as well as intended, but it’s going to have to be good enough. A little overspray has managed to encroach under the cockpit glazing, and that’s going to have to remain as I can’t get the glazing off now.

 

So, snake eyes and tongues, some retouching around the exhausts, plus a little weathering to grubby things up, antenna wiring, and this one will be in the gallery tomorrow.

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1 minute ago, AdrianMF said:

I have a colleague on hyper scale who swears by a light brush of Tamiya thin for really stubborn decals, although the management accepts no responsibility!

Hmm, interesting. I don’t have any Tamiya Thin here, so I’m not going to experiment with the solvents I do have. That way could lead to interesting times. I could try the remaining trick of Micro Sol on the really bad one. The others have sort of worked out okay - I pierced them with a needle, and dabbed the matt varnish into them hoping it would wick underneath. Anyway, I’ll see how it looks tomorrow in daylight.

 

Generally happy with the way it’s come out. It’s a decent two-footer. :laugh:

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Looks fab. I’d happily get a lot closer to it than that. 
 

You can always touch up over the silvering with the camo colour and do a little re-varnishing if chemical engineering doesn’t seem like it’s worth the risk. I had a Heinkel 111 like that once, just seemed to be the easiest way to go from where I was.

 

Regards,

Adrian

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7 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Well, being careful (and a bit impatient) I got all the markings on without having to seal things as I went.

 

50533115111_062c8413c8_b.jpg

 

Some bright spark at the Reichsluftfahrtministerium thought it a good idea to put the marking right across the rudder hinges.

Hi!

 

I suppose it heritaged this location as there was earlier their party flag over the fin and rudder.

 

Lovely built and painting btw!

 

Cheers,

 

AaCee 

Edited by AaCee26
Typo
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Just caught up after a weekend away and she's looking very smart Heather, especially those snakes - great job! :) 

 

I find that touching up Colourcoats with thinned, brushed paint works well on small areas without too much stress. You seem to have sorted it already though!

 

9 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Generally happy with the way it’s come out. It’s a decent two-footer.

You should be - looks stunning from here! :) 

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8 hours ago, AaCee26 said:

I suppose it heritaged this location as there was earlier their party flag over the fin and rudder.

 

That makes sense, of course. :like:

 

7 hours ago, mike romeo said:

Looking good, Heather.  Hope mine comes out as well.  Love the snake!


Thanks Mike! I’m still very much a tyro with the airbrush, but I’m getting more adept with each model. I still hate masking though. 
 

2 minutes ago, CedB said:

Just caught up after a weekend away and she's looking very smart Heather, especially those snakes - great job! :) I


Thanks Ced! They let you out for a weekend away? I hope little Otto and Mum are doing well. Just a few final details and Auntie will be complete and ready for her portraits.

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Just had a long catch up on this one Heather. All looking very nice indeed and I'm especially impressed with the masking and the way the paint jobbed has come out. Top job IMHO!

 

Looking forward to the end result.

 

Terry

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50535570678_ee285d8955_b.jpg

 

The snakes have eyes and tongues. The WT operator has an antenna wire. The mid-upper gunner has a gun and windshield. I don’t think there any other parts left to fit, I’ve done all I can to eliminate transfer silvering, and I just need to add a bit of exhaust staining and general dust around the nether regions.

 

I'm disappointed I couldn’t get the centre engine's exhaust system to fit properly. It’s on the squiff, and means various components don’t sit quite correctly compared to the real thing. Some gentle tweaking of the plastic has bent things to sort of fit, but I reckon the fitter responsible might be up before the squadron commander to explain himself later.

 

I will just do the weathering, then clear the bench for a photo session.

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And we're done.

 

50536433436_25bcd990e6_b.jpg

 

I will make up a gallery post shortly, once I’ve done a bit more background research. The unit markings (3U) are for ZG 26, a Bf110 squadron. We often don’t realise that during Blitzkrieg the need to move personnel and equipment forward to keep up with the fighters was intense. There may have been several Ju52s on each fighter and bomber squadron's strength throughout the spring and summer of 1940

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33 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

Now to choose between the Dragon Rapide and Mureaux 117... Choices, choices. :happy:

I would opt for the Rapide, but I'm a sucker for Classy lines. and An Outstanding job on  Auntie!

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That's become a wonderful model, Heather! I much enjoyed following your build. The scenary pictures are also very well done!

 

Nice background story about the 'Ju'.  On my fiftieth birthday I invited a score of friends to ride on one with me through the Swiss Alps (JuAir, a Swiss private venture, run three of them at that time before a fatal accident a couple of years ago). It was an unforgettable experience how she scratched the mountain peaks with her wings - and all that noise...!

 

Cheers, Michael

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