USAAF 4th Fighter Group Spitfire (Tamiya 1/48 Mk Vb) * FINISHED 30 NOV (+ few extra photo’s)*

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

On 10/16/2021 at 11:39 PM, Fritag said:

…the multitude of sins and c*ck ups so far I’ve  carefully avoided photographing

You lawyers are supposed to be precise with your wordificatory expertise.  Shouldn’t that be c*cks up?

[giemme]

Interesting preparatory phase, Steve  Looking forward to the actual painting and chipping

 

Ciao

[Terry1954]

On 10/16/2021 at 11:39 PM, Fritag said:

Not sellotape - it’s some clear tape marketed IIRC ‘specially for scribing.  I’ve got some that is 3mm wide and some 6mm wide:

 

I think I managed to find that stuff thanks Steve:

 

https://www.premiumhobbies.co.uk/scribers/hiq-parts-scribing-guide-tape-bundle-3mm-amp-6mm

 

Have ordered a pack of course!

 

Terry

[Fritag]

On 10/19/2021 at 9:52 AM, Terry1954 said:

I think I managed to find that stuff thanks Steve:

 

https://www.premiumhobbies.co.uk/scribers/hiq-parts-scribing-guide-tape-bundle-3mm-amp-6mm

 

Have ordered a pack of course!

 

Terry

 

That looks just like the stuff to me Terry   I find it intermittently useful.  And I haven't had to go out and buy anymore Dymo tape....

 

On 10/19/2021 at 8:40 AM, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

You lawyers are supposed to be precise with your wordificatory expertise.  Shouldn’t that be c*cks up?

 

Even it that is more wordificatory correct (as to which I reserve my position m'lud) it just sounds so vile that I don't think I can even bring myself to think about it  

 

On 10/19/2021 at 9:37 AM, giemme said:

Interesting preparatory phase, Steve  Looking forward to the actual painting and chipping

 

More preparatory phase first G  

 

Added some more colours - various well-thinned tamiya browns and greys:

 

 

Mostly applied through random stencils - as also used on occasion I believe by our notable Naval Brother, not to mention a certain senior brown job.

 

 

Until.  Endex.

 

 

And then knocked it back/blended it together with a light dusting of well thinned Tamiya Sky Grey prior to painting.  So that the final post preperation/pre-painting look was this:

 

 

 

And (finally G), I began painting proper on the underneath with a first session with colourcoats medium sea grey.

 

Again well thinned; and applied with a random 'marbling' type technique; looking to keep some variation in tone/shade/hue to avoid bland uniformity and simulate variable fading/reflectivity/shadow - but without it being too stark:

 

 

 

 

It's basically a matter of taste of course; but I think I'm pretty satisfied with that.

 

Post shading tbd if required.

 

Chipping, washes and filters tbd too (obvs.)

 

Fun eh?

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Fritag
typo

[Terry1954]

You see, having not yet tried this chipping malarky, I still wonder in disbelief at the number of coats and differing types of paints that are used in the process.  So you started with good old (to some questionable) Alclad primer, to which Alclad aluminium is then applied, followed by said chipping fluid itself, then we have various light coats of Tamiya acrylics, only to be lightly overcoated with Colourcoats (enamel I think?). All these different mediums all living happily together ........... usually on other people models! 

 

Admiration, mixed with bafflement (probably not a real word), that this process actually works. And towards the end, my understanding is that water is to be used to activate the deeply (by now) applied chipping fluid itself, by wearing away the top layers.

 

It's all looking so very good so far, I'm hoping this will give me courage to try this myself!

 

Terry

[giemme]

Not too bad, I suppose....

 

 Kidding, looking very interesting,  Steve  

 

Ciao 

[Fritag]

10 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

my understanding is that water is to be used to activate the deeply (by now) applied chipping fluid itself, by wearing away the top layers.

 

As I understand it the chipping bit of the process works best when (just) acrylics are used over the chipping fluid,  and then the water softening and scrubbing away of the surface is done pretty quickly after.  That’s certainly the only way I’ve done it before.

 

So there has to be considerable doubt that the chipping fluid will do it’s stuff under all these coats and after the delay.  But hey - if it does it does; and if not then nothing lost by trying.  

[hendie]

Now if only the same degree of loving care and attention could be applied to an old 'awk or two...

 

We can but wish 

 

 

Wonderful stuff Steve. I really hope the chipping works out

[Fritag]

9 hours ago, hendie said:

Now if only the same degree of loving care and attention could be applied to an old 'awk or two...

 

 

Think of it as practice for the Chivenor TWU 'awk if you like Alan   they tended to end up with a modestly variegated look.

 

 

[81-er]

I'm really the effect of all those mottled colours under the "final" colour coat. Definitely worth all the effort

 

James

[Terry1954]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:26 AM, Fritag said:

 

Lovely picture there Steve, taking off towards the west judging by the general angle I reckon?

 

Spent a few holidays walking along Saunton Sands watching Hawks and before that Hunters departing Chivenor many moons ago.

 

Terry

[Fritag]

V quick progress report.

 

Like Terry @Terry1954 I've been masking.  Spent all Friday evening on it.  (slight hyperbole - did stop to eat, drink wine, chat with Mrs F and watch a bit of TV; still it felt like all evening….)

 

But have stopped short of masking the whole of the underside  (p'raps not as paranoid as Terry? - p'raps foolish? - p’raps lower boredom threshold?)

 

 

 

 

Topsides paint later hopefully.

 

Random thought.  If any paint lift on de-masking it might just show the alclad ‘chipping’ coat.  Might then be able to claim it as a designed part  of the weathering process.  In which case I’ll come back and edit this post to delete this remark……

 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by Fritag
furthers remarks

[Fritag]

Deleted duplicate post

Edited October 23, 2021 by Fritag

[hendie]

7 hours ago, Fritag said:

 

Topsides paint later hopefully.

 

Now you've got Giorgio in a frenzy.

 

I think that this paint job will be nothing less than spectacular based on the carefully measured approach so far.

[Fritag]

2 hours ago, hendie said:

I think that this paint job will be nothing less than spectacular based on the carefully measured approach so far.

 

Ha.  I’m definitely no Johnny @The Spadgent when it comes to painting  Hence the “carefully measured approach”.

 

Still, moving forward slowly….

 

Blu Tack time.

 

 

On the cusp of it all going to worms.  I feels it in me waters..

Edited October 23, 2021 by Fritag

[Hamden]

 

Really coming together now, not far to the line now!

 

    Stay safe        Roger

[perdu]

1 hour ago, Fritag said:

On the cusp of it all going to worms.  I feels it in me waters..

What you feels in yer waters me dear lad is an excess of chamomile teas in Yorkshire's tearooms, fortunately for us I feels in mine that we are in for more of this treat.

 

 

Worms.

 

Why do my 'worms' never look so controlled environmental?

 

 

I can never get straight, even lines of blutak.

[TheBaron]

High time I actually said something sensible for once on this thread Steve out of respect to the care you're taking with this paintwork; I absolutely love the accumulation of colour and tone going onto that airframe.

 

The end result is going to be something very special indeed.

[Fritag]

Ok so. 

 

Basic coat of Dark Green on.  Blu Tack and masking tape off and time to take stock:

 

 

 

Not bad.

 

I need to tidy up some of the areas where the grey and green meet; principally on the top of the nose and behind the canopy.  Somehow I’ve left a bit of a gap with neither enough green nor enough grey in a couple of places  

 

Also the blu tack has left a residue in a few places that’ll have to be either wiped off (if possible) or over-sprayed 

 

On the plus side I reckon I’ve got just about the degree of softness between the camouflage colours I was after.  And the masking tape came away cleanly all over, save for a little bit of paint that came away on the wing leading edge and looks just like purposely done chipping to show the alclad underneath 

 

More importantly I like the degree of colour modulation/variation, particularly in the Dark Green.  Not too in your face but definitely there.  The Ocean Grey on the port wing  is maybe a bit solid - can’t make up my mind - and that may need a bit of post shading.

 

Either way - a decent enough canvas to continue to work on I think.

 

  

[giemme]

That is one spectacular camo paint job, Steve!    

 

As for blu tack residuals: I normally don't mind them, a gloss coat will make them disappear (or drastically attenuate, anyway)

 

Ciao 

[Terry1954]

Camo definitely looking very good, and as Giorgio suggests, I also have had similar "staining" from blu tack and it seems to disappear under varnish, so should be good.

 

Terry

[perdu]

The differentials between coats looks right to me Steve, yes a few spots to adjust but overall colour me jealous.

 

It takes me a lot of goes to get the finish that good, you? About twenty minutes it seems.

 

A movie maestro might say "save the lights" I say save the green* as it is when you liven up the Ocean Grey bits that went awry.

 

The green combined with the salting,chipping, whatever resurfacing that is going on under there will make the upper areas pop.

 

Decalcomanies, soon be time for decalcomanies, decalcomania is about to hit us soon.

 

"Yipppeee ki yay ............"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I am NO Maestro

[The Spadgent]

That pre shading and final colouration looks fabulous. The only thing though which I found out long after I had finished a few builds is that the chipping has to really be done as soon as the top coat is dry. Preferably the same day/ few hours after. I used to leave it days before scrubbing and scratching and it was quite tough work. Just after and the work is very easy and can be a gentle process. The beading always happens. Give it a go on a mule after a few days and straight away to see the differences.  Sorry for leaving it till now to comment but work was tough last week and now we’re on holiday.

will be catching up with you fine lot over the next few relaxing days.  Beautiful work though. Just didn’t want you to spoil the ace paint by having to scrub at it is all.

 

Johnny.

[Fritag]

9 hours ago, giemme said:

As for blu tack residuals: I normally don't mind them, a gloss coat will make them disappear (or drastically attenuate, anyway)

 

8 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

as Giorgio suggests, I also have had similar "staining" from blu tack and it seems to disappear under varnish

 

Cheers chaps, you comfort me.

 

4 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

The only thing though which I found out long after I had finished a few builds is that the chipping has to really be done as soon as the top coat is dry. Preferably the same day/ few hours after. I used to leave it days before scrubbing and scratching and it was quite tough work. Just after and the work is very easy and can be a gentle process. The beading always happens.

 

Thanks Johnny; your experience accords with what I thought was probably the case (and glad to hear the beading isn’t just me) Leaves a dilemma tho’. if you want to build up a few layers of colour/preshading as well as using the chipping fluid.

 

Anyroad up.  I’ve started cautiously seeing if the chipping fluid will still do it’s stuff in my case under a few layers of Tamiya acrylic and a layer of colourcoats enamel.  And the answer is yes - albeit with a little effort as Johnny say - although not too bad.

 

 

I need to check at some more reference piccies before going too much further - but I’m keen to get this done so I can get a protective gloss coat on the paint.  I don’t like handling it too much without a clear coat. (p’raps this one is my paranoia Terry?)

[giemme]

Very promising chipping effect, Steve

 

Ciao