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Phantom Musings (Build #1) - Oceanic JASDF F-4EJ Kai


helios16v

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6 hours ago, Gidge said:

Looking good.  You've really nailed the subtle weathering of the well maintained Japanese aircraft.

 

Thanks.  I'm having a hell of a time with it...the painting that is.  Trying new techniques, and trying damn hard to get a little tonal variation in the paint "for interest", w/o it looking ratty or neglected.  Most of the pics I've seen in this scheme are usually almost immaculate (from normal viewing distances).  I probably spent 45 minutes just spaying the FS36375 on the tanks.  I also got my windscreen tinted, I'll try to grab a pic of that when I'm done with the rest of the canopy details.

 

 

Oh, and I almost painted one of the wing tanks blue.  I've forgotten why I changed my mind at the last minute, but what's done is done.  I'm happy enough w/ the finish I don't want to risk buggering it up.  I've got plenty of surface area left on the aircraft for that.  :rofl2:

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Got the HUD panels installed as well as the fiddley bits on the inside of the canopy.  Canopy has been fitted and just down to the various antennae & probes prior to priming.
51866796848_a101262780_c.jpg

 

51866720226_6388220f0e_c.jpg

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My modified variation to black baising.  I find using a black base makes for too stark of contrast and alteration top coat color for my personal liking.  So instead of black I tried using a dark grey (XF-63 German Grey in this case) on the experiment w/ the drop tanks.  I was pleased with the results there, so we'll try moving the experiment to the main airframe.  Fingers crossed I don't muck this up.  I do need to reattach the dorsal antennae, as I clipped the chair moving it from the desk and half dropped it.  A main landing gear and the antennae were miraculously the only damage...and the MLG strut was able to reattach w/ no issues.

 

51878254338_eabef03e40_c.jpg

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18 hours ago, helios16v said:

My modified variation to black baising.  I find using a black base makes for too stark of contrast and alteration top coat color for my personal liking.  So instead of black I tried using a dark grey (XF-63 German Grey in this case) on the experiment w/ the drop tanks.  I was pleased with the results there, so we'll try moving the experiment to the main airframe.  Fingers crossed I don't muck this up.  I do need to reattach the dorsal antennae, as I clipped the chair moving it from the desk and half dropped it.  A main landing gear and the antennae were miraculously the only damage...and the MLG strut was able to reattach w/ no issues.

 

51878254338_eabef03e40_c.jpg

Should make for nice subtle contrast. The JASDF panels are very well cared for so your shortish should provide a more realistic representation. The only part that really shows any serious wear is the face of the cannon shroud. 

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Color on the dorsal.  I'm hoping the color just looks a little off sitting next to the XF-63.  I guess we'll see in due course once I start laying down the lighter blue.

 

51880244281_ec0f8e50f4_c.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Another paint session down.  A couple more and I should be done w/ the main airframe.  Don't mind the cluttered bench...only 4 (or 5) builds going on the fly right now.  :whistle:

51924389729_1340b9d280_c.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
On 07/02/2022 at 11:51, helios16v said:

Got the HUD panels installed as well as the fiddley bits on the inside of the canopy.  Canopy has been fitted and just down to the various antennae & probes prior to priming.
51866796848_a101262780_c.jpg

 

51866720226_6388220f0e_c.jpg

 

@helios16vHor did you go about masking ant painting the HUD projector and tinting the armoured glass section of the canopy?

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3 hours ago, Gidge said:

 

@helios16vHor did you go about masking ant painting the HUD projector and tinting the armoured glass section of the canopy?

I use thinned Tamiya clears.  Green for the HUD, and blue for the front windscreen.  The HUD panels I just did by brush.  Windscreen I masked and used the airbrush (on the inside).  Keep a piece of white paper handy to you can get a good feel for how deep the tint is, without it it can be hard to gauge.  It's easy to go a little too far.  I personal preference is a subtle tint that may not be noticed by most people in a casual glance.  I may have gone a touch too far on this one, but w/ the overall blue scheme I think it will probably blend in ok. 

Forgot to mention I did the tinting before installing the canopy trim & mirrors.  I just used Tamiya/Gunze masking tape to mask off the canopy for tinting.

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5 hours ago, helios16v said:

I use thinned Tamiya clears.  Green for the HUD, and blue for the front windscreen.  The HUD panels I just did by brush.  Windscreen I masked and used the airbrush (on the inside).  Keep a piece of white paper handy to you can get a good feel for how deep the tint is, without it it can be hard to gauge.  It's easy to go a little too far.  I personal preference is a subtle tint that may not be noticed by most people in a casual glance.  I may have gone a touch too far on this one, but w/ the overall blue scheme I think it will probably blend in ok. 

Forgot to mention I did the tinting before installing the canopy trim & mirrors.  I just used Tamiya/Gunze masking tape to mask off the canopy for tinting.

 

 

Thanks mate. So you tinted the HUD glass, I didn't think of that. 

 

I'm trying to figure out how to mask and paint the glass on the HUD projector that sits underneath it like this Hornet one below

 

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18 hours ago, Gidge said:

 

I'm trying to figure out how to mask and paint the glass on the HUD projector that sits underneath it like this Hornet one below

 

 Ah.  If I recall, I just applied some Tamiya clear green (I think...I may have used blue, but pretty sure I used green) by brush over a black base.  So hopefully it'll just look like tinted glass against all the flat NATO Black around it.  Probably won't be able to see the color in it since it's so dark.  If you wanted something that stood out more like that pic above you could try one of the blue/green clears over an aluminum or gold base coat.  The clears would give you some depth over the metallic base to help look less like it's just a coat of paint.  Could always go a couple extra layers of clear of the base & tint for added depth.

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8 hours ago, helios16v said:

 Ah.  If I recall, I just applied some Tamiya clear green (I think...I may have used blue, but pretty sure I used green) by brush over a black base.  So hopefully it'll just look like tinted glass against all the flat NATO Black around it.  Probably won't be able to see the color in it since it's so dark.  If you wanted something that stood out more like that pic above you could try one of the blue/green clears over an aluminum or gold base coat.  The clears would give you some depth over the metallic base to help look less like it's just a coat of paint.  Could always go a couple extra layers of clear of the base & tint for added depth.

 

The one above I did a clear green over a silver base. I was contemplating trying to mask and spray it on the Phantom, just trying to figure out how to do that

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 07/02/2022 at 11:51, helios16v said:

Got the HUD panels installed as well as the fiddley bits on the inside of the canopy.  Canopy has been fitted and just down to the various antennae & probes prior to priming.
51866796848_a101262780_c.jpg

 

51866720226_6388220f0e_c.jpg

 

How did you go about gluing the mirrors into place?

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33 minutes ago, Gidge said:

How did you go about gluing the mirrors into place?

I just used a little bit PVA type glue (forget if it was the canopy or PE glue) with a toothpick.  Any type of white glue though is my usual go to for clear plastic.  Don't have to worry about crazing of the plastic, plus it tends to be a bit stickier so you don't have to hold things in place very long (or at all if it's light enough).

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Looking forward to being done w/ these 70 hour work weeks so I can get back to this.  I think I've had 1 day off since March 19th.  :wacko:

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2 hours ago, helios16v said:

Looking forward to being done w/ these 70 hour work weeks so I can get back to this.  I think I've had 1 day off since March 19th.  :wacko:

I know the feeling. By the the toy get any hobby time you just need to sleep

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  • 1 month later...

Main airframe color is down.  I'll maybe try to get some clear down on it tomorrow so I can start picking away at the plethora of decals here and there.  :blink:

 

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