***RFI Posted*** "Strong and Faithful" - 233 Squadron, Their Dakotas and the Flying Nightingales.

[bigbadbadge]

Nice work onbthe decal design Mark

[mark.au]

 

Closing in on painting...  I attached the wings in stages; first I joined the forward upper seam, then the engine mount, then the fillet, and finally the trailing edge.  That worked well, practically no seam clean up was required.

 

Having read elsewhere on this fine site I learned the tail cone was not required so I used some plastic card to blank it off as the seam would have been a pain to clean up in there.  I’ve also finished the propellers, just decals and top coat left to do.

 

So the airframe is almost ready to paint, the only significant task remaining is are the clear parts.  I’m still really enjoying this one, I am seriously considering back to back builds to utilise the decals I’ve designed as well as those so kind

 sent b6 @obermartin.

 

Cheers;

Mark.

[Dunny]

Coming along nicely Mark. Love the decal work - is that done locally or o/s? Might have to tap you up for details,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[mark.au]

4 minutes ago, Dunny said:

Coming along nicely Mark. Love the decal work - is that done locally or o/s? Might have to tap you up for details,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

Local, getting them printed in Brisbane.  I’ll send you a set when I have them, PM me your address.

[bigbadbadge]

They're impressive once together in look and size, a lovely machine.  Great work on the wings and joining to the fuselage. Props look great too.

Chris

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Looks really nice!  You mastered the engine nacelles.

[mark.au]

I had just enough time before leaving on a three day trip to Canberra to get this done...

 

 

The real fun begins when I get back.

 

I encountered no real issues with the clear parts, a small gap to fill on the upper and lower edges of the windscreen.  The fuselage windows seemed to sit just nicely in the fuselage, not too deep, but painting will show whether I’m kidding myself there or not.  
 

I’ve also discovered a major flaw in my build vis a vis its accuracy but I think I’m going to have to live with it.  I’m quite sure someone will spot it in later posts, but if not I’ll come clean later.

 

Thanks for follow.

[Brad-M]

On 4/23/2021 at 8:51 PM, mark.au said:

Modelling update coming later but I've wanted to share this little side project...

 

 

...which is a template for a decal sheet for the 437 Squadron markings (and another airframe, the one pictured in the first post above).  The only thing I'm not certain of is the name "Fort Ellice" for FZ692 as there's no name on the visible on any photos, either contemporary or wartime, to show what it was named.  I do know that 437 named their aircraft after Hudson's Bay Company outposts, so I looked up the list and picked one I liked the sound of.

 

I've sent these off to a decal printer to check its viability, if it looks like it'll work I've got what I need to build both the 233 and 437 versions of FZ692.

Hi, Will you produce these by chance for sale?

[bigbadbadge]

Very nice Mark, enjoy your trip.

Chris

[Biggu]

5 hours ago, Brad-M said:

Hi, Will you produce these by chance for sale?

I was wondering the same thing...........

Jeff

[mark.au]

17 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Very nice Mark, enjoy your trip.

Chris

Thanks Chris, a good trip was had visiting my daughter.

 

21 hours ago, Brad-M said:

Hi, Will you produce these by chance for sale?

 

15 hours ago, Biggu said:

I was wondering the same thing...........

 

Yes, once I’ve tried them myself to make sure I’ve done the artwork well enough.

 

We’re back from the trip now, I hope to get painting tomorrow.

[mark.au]

I couldn’t wait to get started...

 

 

Oh, how I enjoy painting.  This is a first coat over the pre-shade.  I’ll check how it looks in daylight tomorrow morning before deciding if more texturing is needed.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Beautifully done!  You were, however, a little overzealous in making those seams disappear.  The flaps, of course, separate underneath the fuselage, and there should be a separation line straight across.  Ooops.  This is actually easy to fix, if you dare to do so.

[Brad-M]

4 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Beautifully done!  You were, however, a little overzealous in making those seams disappear.  The flaps, of course, separate underneath the fuselage, and there should be a separation line straight across.  Ooops.  This is actually easy to fix, if you dare to do so.

Seems are suppose to disappear. Maybe you meant panel lines?

[mark.au]

5 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Beautifully done!  You were, however, a little overzealous in making those seams disappear.  The flaps, of course, separate underneath the fuselage, and there should be a separation line straight across.  Ooops.  This is actually easy to fix, if you dare to do so.

They’re still there, just not very visible in that pic.  I typically don’t do too much panel line enhancement, but I do enhance control surfaces so the flaps will pop nicely later in the process.

 

A daylight inspection leaves me happy with how the basic paint work looks, so on to the upper surface next.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

2 hours ago, Brad-M said:

Maybe you meant panel lines?

Thanks...er...I meant flap separation lines.

[mark.au]

...and the topsides.

 

 

 

I’ll make another daylight check in the morning before deciding if the base paint work is done or not.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Looks great!

[bigbadbadge]

Yes it does look good 

[mark.au]

I’m fast approaching the point where the wait for decals will hold me up.  Here’s where I am now, gloss coat on and polished ready for the markings.

 

 

Before decals I have still to paint the D-Day stripes; I’ve decided this model will be marked up in FZ692’s 233 Squadron markings to commemorate the Flying Nightingales and their arrival in Normandy on 13 June as the first women the British ever sent to an active combat area.  That’s the focus of this piece.
 

 I will make another model in 437 Squadron markings as soon as the decals have been printed, and that model will be the focus of a separate article about this remarkable airframe’s career.

 

After the D-Day stripes, the only thing left will be the undercarriage.  Then I’m stalled, waiting on the decals @obermartin kindly sent me from Germany last week.  I may have to start something else to fill in the time...

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by mark.au

[mark.au]

D-Day stripes.  

 

I have to remember that the texturing I put into the paint job is still there, it's just hiding under the clear coat which amps up the base colour and swallows the subtly that was there before.  It'll come back with the flat coat.  It will.

 

 

 

There's still a couple of things to do before running out of tasks. I've noticed that I missed painting the black leading edges to the tail and fin so there's still that to do.  I can also apply all of the stencil decals.  The undercarriage will be finished in the next session.  Probably.  Then I'll check the post every day until the decals arrive!

 

I'm almost finished with the artwork for the RCAF No.437 Squadron decals.  If all goes well they'll be off to the printer in the back half of next week.  I've put the sheet together with options for three aircraft, all of which were part of the original cohort of Dakotas donated by the RAF when the squadron was formed in mid-September, 1944.  All three flew support at Arnham in 437's first operation.  I have sourced another Airfix Dakota III and am daily residing the temptation to buy it...

[bigbadbadge]

Oooooo this looks absolutely stunning,  and very impressive with the stripes on . 

Resist no more fella,  you have SWMBO,s blessing and all three machines  part of the story, go on, get it Mark!!! Just don't tell her I said so!!!

Chris

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Beautiful!  Did you paint those stripes, or are they decal?  Either way, they're sharp!

[mark.au]

On 5/3/2021 at 2:47 AM, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Beautiful!  Did you paint those stripes, or are they decal?  Either way, they're sharp!

 

Thanks! I painted them.

 

As I have some time to kill I tried a different way from my normal to paint and weather the undercarriage.  First I applied a coat of Vallejo Aluminium, then added a little flat clear to the mix and lightly misted that on, too.  That gave a flat consistent metallic finish rather than an overly shiny paint-like result.  Next I applied a wash directly onto that (instead of applying a gloss coat) to emphasis the structure before finally dry brushing some more aluminium to pop out the raised surface detail.  Last, I applied some Vallejo Chrome to the oleos.  This is the result...

 

 

 

I must say I'm quite happy with that.  The very bottom left pic shows I didn't quite clean up the moulding seam as well as I'd hope but that will be mostly hidden inside the wheel well anyway.  I've also been working on those sundry tasks that I usually leave until the end phase; the elevators, rudder and cargo door are finished (not much will be seen of the door as it will be posed open...)

 

 

In other news, I bought myself a new toy; this will forever solve the wheel hub masking challenge I face every model (because I'm somewhat inept with a knife to cut tape around the hub).  I'm quite sure I'll find many more uses for it, too.

 

 

Next task will be the stencil decals on the entire airframe.  That should take a couple more sessions and then I'll be writing the article to accompany the model.  With some luck, the decals will arrive by the end of the week and I'll be able to move on with the model.

 

Cheers, thanks for following along.

 

 

[Andwil]

If you are planning on building Lou IV, make sure you check out @mark.au’s build on here, he has done some very interesting and persuasive work on interpreting the actual colours of this plane.  Plus his model is terrific.

 

AW