The T’riffic Tale has Ended.

[arfa1983]

2 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

You may be wondering, 'Why the rush?'

 

I've noticed that lately, I've been doing a little less work each day on this Phantom and missing some days entirely. This is because I've fallen out of love with her and she's beginning to bore me. Since I use this hobby to stave off boredom, you'll appreciate the danger of becoming seriously bored by it. (I say 'seriously' because there are always going to be boring bits in any hobby, but that's different.) So, to raise the interest level a little and provide a fixed point beyond which I know I'll be doing something more interesting, I'm blitz-finishing this pos. On Monday night, I'll be free to start on my Nordic II GB project for a change of scenery (it's a diorama. 😁).

 

I have a family visitor for most of the daylight hours of Sunday so time is a little tighter than you may have thought, but on Monday morning I'll either be taking my camera to a finished moddel or taking a hammer to it. 😱

This is how I finish almost  every build ! 

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

I got this far before stopping to let the multiple thin coats of paintdry properly overnight. Very pleased with today's progress.  

[MicTroy23]

You can't fail from a set like this! )))

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

A satisfying masking and painting session after breakfast took me this far.

[Bertie McBoatface]

4 hours ago, MicTroy23 said:

You can't fail from a set like this! )))

 

I think I'll make it. 🤞

[DaveJL]

Very nice indeed mate!

 

Regarding the Humbrol varnishes, does the gloss spray to a high sheen?

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

Masking removed after the big painting session, and about two thirds of the tape ready for a second use. I think it's better the second time around, not so fiercely sticky. It's also very handy for me to have it in this format as I tend to use a lot of small pieces for the masked line and fill in with big bits further out, that's why you don't see much paint on these, they were merely insurance against overspray. Next time they will be cut on the board into little pieces and used for the fiddly bits.

 

 

 

 

@DaveJL Is this glossy enough? That's two rushed coats. Better to let it fully cure but I'm in a hurry today. Also better for decalling, I've had a couple of places where the decal water has been absorbed by the still slightly soft varnish causing white patches. Usually this disappears when you apply the next coat after the decals, fingers crossed!

 

 

 

 

 

Cartograph decals transfers. Vert thin, strong, opaque and seem to be responding well to Microset and -sol.

 

 

 

 

I have to admit, it's now rekindled my enthusiasm. I'm about halfway through the transfers. I'm using limited stencilling underneath and hardly any on top, just the emergency and the interesting stuff.

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

All decals now on. Stabilators on and the wood glue I used needs to dry overnight. (No danger to paint, gap-filling and strong.)

 

I need to satin varnish over the decals, paint the undercarriage bays and gear and a few little details, then final assembly and perhaps a tiny bit of weathering. Only a tiny bit because this scheme was applied for the NATO Tiger Meet of 1988 - the aircraft will have been cleaned up before the special scheme was applied and probably again after. Theoretically that's tomorrow's program, but to be honest, having drawn back from the brink of abandoning this model, I'll extend the deadline by a day or two anyway. I'm delighted with what I've achieved in the last day and a half, once I'd put myself under a little pressure. 

 

Now, I'd better clean the flat before my relatives arrive or they will be thinking I've lost the plot entirely. 🙆‍♂️

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

"Now, I'd better clean the flat before my relatives arrive or they will be thinking I've lost the plot entirely."

 

That turned out to be a lie. I poured myself a proper drink, broke open a packet of biscuits and put my feet up while I look at the Phantom. I may be in love againg. Or theses drink might bee strong! Hehe1

[coneheadff]

Na...you probably really fell in love. 

That Phantom looks phantastic!!!

[Ghostbase]

I can't believe the progress that you have made on this Phantom, last time I looked you were deciding how to overcome the very well known issue of the canopy-that-does-not-fit!

 

The Italeri 2008 version of this kit also offered vanilla RAF 74 Sqn decals - ZE363 'C'.

 

At this stage I tend to sit and gaze at the nearly completed model too!

 

Michael

[Bertie McBoatface]

7 hours ago, Ghostbase said:

The Italeri 2008 version of this kit also offered vanilla RAF 74 Sqn decals - ZE363 'C'.

I think I’d have preferred that. This is not one of the more spectacular Tiger Specials. However, I see why Italeri chose it. It’s comparable in brightness to the three American schemes included, appeals to Brits and takes up little space on the decal sheet. It’s only the fourth alternative. 

[Bertie McBoatface]

8 hours ago, coneheadff said:

Na...you probably really fell in love. 

That Phantom looks phantastic!!!

thanks 🙏 

 

7 hours ago, Ghostbase said:

can't believe the progress that you have made on this Phantom

I have discovered that a deadline, even a self proclaimed one, is a powerful antidote to my perfectionist leanings. 

[Alan P]

On 9/12/2021 at 6:54 AM, Bertie Psmith said:

I have discovered that a deadline, even a self proclaimed one, is a powerful antidote to my perfectionist leanings. 

Still, fast work maintaining such high quality is impressive!

 

Alan

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

I don't often work this way round, painting the wheel bays last. It has some advantages though. The masking is very easy.

 

 

 

 

Ew, far too clean even for a special occasion like a Tiger Meet. Aeroplanes are always dirty. 

 

 

 

 

That's much better.

 

 

 

 

I sprayed the wells with white mixed with a drop of black and a little blue. Compare it with the paper in the picture above. You didn't see it without the paper though, did you? I do this for scale effect. White doesn't look white from a distance. Painting a model white makes it look - odd. IMHO.

 

 

 

 

A little oil on the u/c bays also helps.

 

 

 

 

I finished painting these. 

 

 

 

 

And started attaching the fiddly bits underneath which both ruin and perfect the look of a Phantom.

 

Almost done. I've had to stop because there are too many things held on by soft glue for me to touch it anymore today. Tomorrow, assuming that I don't drop it on the floor or something daft, I'll finish....

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

It's a bit of a dull scheme but was easy for me to do which was a great help. (It's very shiny because it's been sprayed with PX-24 for the Tiger Meet)

 

 

The Firestreak, and the Sparrows, came from the spares box already painted which was handy.

 

 

Ew! Look at that sloppy painting on the nosewheels. I thought I'd get away with it, but no.

 

 

I'm pleased with the metalwork despite not quite getting the effects I was after.

 

 

The F-4 is an impressive, hulking monster of an aeroplane. Look at those hips! I love it.

 

 

Cartograph decals were excellent. The tiger design, not so much. I think it looks like a rug on a badly drawn red star.

 

 

The old kit (40+ years since first moulding) came out surprisingly well. I certainly broke my Phantom Jinx and feel confident about building the Tamiya kit in the new year.

 

 

Missile from Airfix

 

 

I highlighted the spine and 'shoulders' at the primer stage. I used white ink sprayed at the apex of the curves where the fuselage catches the light, and the effect has been to emphasise those sexy curves.

 

 

The poor old nav is buried in there almost as deep as on a Sea Vixen.

 

 

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

I was pleased with the gentle weathering. I don't like totally clean models of machinery - you see drip-trays even under museum exhibits.

 

 

Just for the sake of completeness, the underneath. Sometimes I like the things they carried and sometimes I find it clutters up the picture.

 

 

What a beautiful aircraft!

 

 

I managed not to break off the fuel dump! Hoorah for me!

 

 

There was no provision for canopy hinging in the kit and it was well worth improvising something rather than just sticking the pieces edge to edge.

 

 

"See you, Pal!"

 

 

And that really is all folks.

 

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

I enjoyed this GB a lot. I put myself under a bit of pressure, setting out to post a daily update but it worked, I only missed a couple of days and more importantly, I finished both kits. It's been about two months since I joined Britmodeller and in that time I've finished three challenging models. Clearly I work best with encouragement, for which I thank all of you, posters, likers and lurkers. You all helped me keep returning to the bench even when mojo was lolo.

 

I've finished a Phantom (and then another one) despite my feeling that the type has some sort of jinx for me. I now think that was the flamin' intake and nose joins which on these old kits can be a bit of a struggle to get right. I've now discovered ways to deal with these areas, just as Tamiya render it easy. Lol.

 

I've finished a 1/72 scale aircraft for the first time in ages. And found the result pleasing. However, I'll be sticking to 1/48 for most of my future builds. For me, and this is a personal preference thing, 1/72 is just too small to allow me to weather and detail. There are exceptions of course. I have a B-17 in the smaller scale waiting for me, for example. I'm also intrigued by the idea of making a whole squadron or a representative selection of schemes of one simple small aircraft, so that the project would depend on numbers for its effect. 

 

I've improved my typing a lot and my photography a bit. 

 

Yeah, I got a lot out of this groupwork and I will be doing others. I'm now signed up to the Nordic AND the French GBs, starting this week, but I don't think I'll be posting every day anymore - once a week will be fine.

 

Right then, my taxi is waiting, 

 

 

Au revoir!

 

Bertie, X 

[arfa1983]

Phantastic! You have time to build another one though! 

 

As I understand,  that tiger/deflated bear decal is a correct representation of the real thing. What were the painters thinking!? 

[Bertie McBoatface]

34 minutes ago, arfa1983 said:

Phantastic! You have time to build another one though! 

 

As I understand,  that tiger/deflated bear decal is a correct representation of the real thing. What were the painters thinking!? 

In my time in the RAF these things were designed by whoever on the squadron had a bit of artistic flair. This was usually a lowly erk with real talent. I think this one was done by the Wing Commander’s auntie!

[Alan P]

It was a real rush job done by the det support crew when they arrived at Cameri to find all the other squadrons had done some really special Tiger schemes on their aircraft.

 

Probably would have been better not to have bothered 🤔

[DaveJL]

You flew through those mate! Very nice work.

[Dansk]

Very nice Bertie. Love the metal work at the rear end.

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, Alan P said:

It was a real rush job done by the det support crew when they arrived at Cameri to find all the other squadrons had done some really special Tiger schemes on their aircraft.

 

Probably would have been better not to have bothered 🤔

 

So it WAS a FLM with a sketchbook! In those circumstances, well done lads!

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, DaveJL said:

You flew through those mate! Very nice work.

 

Thanks Dave.

 

1 hour ago, Dansk said:

Very nice Bertie. Love the metal work at the rear end.

 

Thansk Dansk.