Another Restoration Project -1/72 Matchbox/Revell Beaufighter X

[bigbadbadge]

Looking good fella,  it's going to look wonderful with the decals on .  

Chris

[Brigbeale]

Just a minor update.....

I gave the model two coats of my usual floor polish.

I cannot find the Pledge/Kleer polish anywhere locally. I purchased the Astonish floor polish from a local discount store to see what it would do. To my surprise it works very well. One coat dries to a semi-gloss finish and a second coat give more of a gloss finish - ideal for decalling. 
I’ll let that dry and then start decalling.

Also, I was watching a YouTube video yesterday - somebody building an Airfix 1/72 Nimrod. (Damn - that’s a big model!!!). 
Santa! Can I change my order please?

He said that for panel lines, he runs a pencil along them and when the lacquer coat goes on, it disperses and highlights at the same time. I gave it a go and it worked.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Brigbeale

[Brigbeale]

It’s getting there

Tonight was a milestone night - decalling - yay! What there are of them!

It took me about an hour to decal the Beaufighter. I used Micro Set and Micro Sol on the decals. They’ve pulled down nicely at the moment but I’ll leave them to cure overnight.

The replacement rockets are being printed as I type. I’ve decided to replace all 8 as I’ve only got 4 of the originals.

Left to do list....

Fit observer/gunner canopy

Paint propeller tips.

Paint and fit replacement rockets.

Do some light chipping and staining and then lacquer the model again. 

Unmask canopy.

Make and fit an aerial which I’ve just discovered is missing.

And finally take some photos and post them up in the RFI section.

 

Four of the 3D printed rockets - which need cleaning up and painting

 

A photo of the Beaufighter with my Airfix Mosquito also rocket armed.

[opus999]

That looks beautiful already, and it's not done!  Especially considering how it started.  I've rebuilt a couple of my own models this way, but never thought to buy old finished models.  Perhaps I missed it, but where did you get this one from?  It seems like it would be very rewarding.

[bigbadbadge]

Great tip re the Astonish floor polish i am still using klear and then have the newer version  after this bottle ends  but might have to look at that too.  

Great to see the decals on.  If you wasnt to complete decslling in an evening and coat either varnish you can dilute Klear about 40% i think, with water and paint it onto the area to be decalled (when you have soaked the decal) and then place it in the right area and press down then coat again with the klear it is done really quickly.  I managed to decal and varnish a kit in an evening session (quite simple decals) might work with the astonish ??? The good thing with this is the model did not have to be too glossy .

Looks lovely next to the Mossie. 

Chris

[Brigbeale]

1 hour ago, opus999 said:

That looks beautiful already, and it's not done!  Especially considering how it started.  I've rebuilt a couple of my own models this way, but never thought to buy old finished models.  Perhaps I missed it, but where did you get this one from?  It seems like it would be very rewarding.

Thanks very much for your kind words.

This project is a voyage of discovery as I’m trying out weathering for the first time. Each step is a moment of trepidation which I seem to manage to get somewhere in the ball park of where I want to be. I was a bit fearful of doing something and getting it just right and then ruining it on the next step, but so far it’s on track.

I purchased it from eBay along with a couple of others.

 

[Brigbeale]

Tonight, I started by painting the propeller tips.

I decided to have a go at staining. My choice of ‘pigment’ was an eyeshadow pack which was picked up in Poundland (you know - the one where it’s getting to be most things in there cost more than a pound!). I got a funny look from the woman behind the counter though!

I started with the exhaust staining as that would be a fairly large ‘stain’ from each exhaust. That went well, so I decided to stain the rocket areas from where the rockets leave their racks. I also did the four fuselage cannon stains - that was a little over the top but acceptable. I also added some staining around the nacelles on the wings.
I decided to leave the rockets for now as I’d like to depict the Beaufighter as just having returned from an operation, hence the open cannon ports as opposed to them being covered in red doped fabric.

I did some chipping along the leading edges.

Once I was satisfied with that, I gave the whole model a coat of Humbrol Matt Clear - well shaken!
I was amazed at the result as it matted down the semi-gloss of the floor polish and highlighted the weathering as it dries.

I couldn’t put it off any longer - I unmasked the canopy! 

Once the Matt coat is fully dry, I can fit the observer/gunner canopy - now here did I put it??

Edited December 24, 2020 by Brigbeale

[Brigbeale]

Good evening to all and an almost belated Merry Christmas to you all. 
I hope Santa bought you the models you’ve been longing for....

 

I’m calling this re-build done. The observer/gunner canopy is fitted. I lost the original within the past couple of days. It’s a good job I had the Falcon set. The rear gunner was jus sitting there enjoying the view backwards so I gave him something to do and issued him with a gun (a leftover from the Halifax build - although it looks more like a Browning rather than the usual Vickers K).

 

The RFI log is here

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235085509-another-restored-model-172-matchboxrevell-bristol-beaufighter/&tab=comments#comment-3932799

 

[opus999]

This has been a lot of fun to watch and the end result is fantastic!  It looks light years apart from how it started!

[marvinneko]

Wow, wow, wow. So great to see another restoration. I am hooked on these.

 

Truly shows the potential of any situation given patience and skill.