Heather's Workbench - SH 1/72nd Blackburn Skua

[Heather Kay]

Just now, John Masters said:

Copydex?  This is looking really great Heather.

Thanks John!

 

Copydex is a latex crafting glue, meant for gluing fabrics. Because it’s latex, it makes an ideal masking fluid, and probably works out cheaper than the officially branded stuff sold to modelmakers. I believe it can be diluted, which might help with "painting" into the camo shapes, but I’ve not tried that yet.

 

When the paint has dried, you can gently rub the soft part of a thumb or finger against the Copydex and roll it off the model.

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

Copydex is a latex crafting glue

 

I had no idea that stuff was still available. My first masking fluid from a long time ago! Does it still smell of fish?

[Heather Kay]

16 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

Does it still smell of fish?

Vaguely. I think it’s a very different formula to the old stuff. 😬

[Terry1954]

2 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

When that was dry enough, the Copydex was applied.

 

What an innovative use of good old Copydex. I had never thought of that. Another modelling tip for future use, thanks Heather!

 

The DSG/EDSG combo look excellent!

 

Terry

[Marklo]

11 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

What

 

11 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

What an innovative use of good old Copydex. I had never thought of that. Another modelling tip for future use, thanks Heather!

Now that I think if it copydex and maskol do behave pretty similarly, hmm. 

[John Masters]

13 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

and roll it off the model.

Thanks...that would be very convenient indeed.  I'll look it up and see if I can get some here.

[stevehnz]

Another super & informative thread Heather. Coming along very well. The trick will be recalling what I've learnt when I come to mine. In truth, it doesn't sound too scary. 👍

Steve.

[Heather Kay]

19 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Another super & informative thread Heather. Coming along very well. The trick will be recalling what I've learnt when I come to mine. In truth, it doesn't sound too scary. 👍

Cheers Steve. The biggest thing to remember is not to repeat my Pegasus/Perseus mixup. 

 

I spent a few minutes, first thing, looking over my painting efforts from yesterday. On the whole, very pleased. I seem to have pretty much mastered the knack of masking and using low enough pressure in the airbrush that overspray is minimal.

 

 

One area that bothered me is dealing with the "bath tub" recess for the bomb. The instructions show the grey, black and white all meet inside the tub. I’ve not found a photo to corroborate this, though I am led to believe the airframe recovered from a Norwegian fjord does show this feature. For my part, painting this area has proved a pain.

 

See what I mean? It will take an age to touch in colours with a hairy stick, and masking will be a right pain in the wotsit. So…

 

 

I have invoked Rule 1* from my Modeller's Licence: it’s my model and I’ll do what I think is right. In this case, I’ve decided to respray the tub in grey.

 

The other minor areas that needed work have been carefully retouched by brush - which reminds me there’s a tiny bit at the base of the port side of the fin that’s need seeing to. Back soon.

 

 

 

 

* Railway modellers will be very familiar with this Rule. It’s the one that lets you run a bright blue Deltic diesel from 1956 on your Midland Railway 1911 layout, because you want to.

[AdrianMF]

Very fine use of Rule 1. Stick a big bomb in there and nobody will ever be able to see it. Super paint job and full marks for modelling on Christmas Day!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Heather Kay]

1 minute ago, AdrianMF said:

Super paint job and full marks for modelling on Christmas Day!

Ta. To be honest, what else was there to do? Telly was rubbish, and the dinner cooked itself!

 

I have realised I have masked off both wing landing lights. The starboard one wasn’t fitted for most production batches, including my chosen aircraft. I shall deal with that before glossing anything.

[heloman1]

Thanks for the mention of Copydex, we can't get that down here. So I use a locally produced artists grade product. Maskol for fiddly bits the local stuff for general work.

I used to work on the Dope Shop at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. I think if I'd have been masking the underside I'd have gone round the bomb recess.

 

Colin

 

PS. When applying Copydex or Maskol or any suitable substitute, always wet/moisten the brush this will stop/retard the drying in the bristles and make cleaning the brush easier. If you do have problems, ie, it drying, then use white spirit or turps to clean the brush.

[John Masters]

17 minutes ago, heloman1 said:

we can't get that down here.

It seems I cannot get it either.  

[ArnoldAmbrose]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

because you want to.

Gidday Heather, I think this is the fundamental reason we make what-ifs. I like what you're doing with the Skua. I've actually got three of them stalled at present. Could be candidates for the KUTA GB. If I get them going again I might copy your camo scheme if I may. But they probably won't have the detail of your model, because mine are 1/600 scale. Regards, Jeff.

[Heather Kay]

Sticker time!

 

 

I got a good gloss coat on yesterday afternoon. While it claims to be quick drying, I left it well alone overnight. The transfer sheet shows the designers opted for separate centre red spots for the national markings - oh, joy  - and there’s a fair splash of stencil data. I’ve decided not to bother with that, so the Skua matches the Roc in that regard. (For the record, the Roc kit didn’t include the stencils anyway.)

 

 

And done. There are no markings under the wings, and leaving off the 14 W/T stencils saves loads of time! When I built the Roc, I found the transfers very willing to stick, like the proverbial to a blanket. I expected the same here, so made sure there was plenty of water for them to slide onto. No setting solution required at all, as the markings are really thin and conform to the delicate engraved lines very well just by pressing firmly with a tissue and cotton bud. I didn’t even need to do the "float onto Clear" routine to avoid silvering, because there hasn’t been any. I wish all transfers were this good.

 

Letting things dry off, and then I’ll squirt a layer of semi-gloss/satin varnish to protect things. After that, working out the undercarriage and fitting small details. I reckon I could be done in time to add it to my 2021 yearbook post. 

[Heather Kay]

 

A couple of light coats of satin varnish have been applied. I always find it hard to airbrush matt and satin varnishes. Sometimes they go on nice and evenly, other times they are a bit patchy. We'll see how this turns out shortly.

[Heather Kay]

You know when you’re quite pleased with how things are going, and then you notice something that pulls you up short?

 

Yeah, that.

 

I have just noticed I’ve got the camo colours reversed on the starboard wing…

 

I don’t think I’m going to be able correct it now. 

 

No-one will notice. You won’t mention it, will you? 

[VG 33]

2 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

You know when you’re quite pleased with how things are going, and then you notice something that pulls you up short?

 

Yeah, that.

 

I have just noticed I’ve got the camo colours reversed on the starboard wing…

 

I don’t think I’m going to be able correct it now. 

 

No-one will notice. You won’t mention it, will you? 

 

 

I haven't notice but you could reverse your pictures 😉 if you hide the serial.

 

Patrick

Edited December 28, 2021 by VG 33

[Heather Kay]

Right, this is getting worse… it turns out the only bit of camo I got correct for this option was the port wing. 
 

 

So, options:

1. Accept defeat and leave well alone
2. Make masks to fit over roundel transfers (hoping the varnish will protect them) and respray the correct pattern
3. Remove/paint over the transfers and replace from generic stock sheets

 

I shall sleep on this.

[VG 33]

37 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

Right, this is getting worse… it turns out the only bit of camo I got correct for this option was the port wing. 
 

 

So, options:

1. Accept defeat and leave well alone
2. Make masks to fit over roundel transfers (hoping the varnish will protect them) and respray the correct pattern
3. Remove/paint over the transfers and replace from generic stock sheets

 

I shall sleep on this.

 

I think the only good option will be No3.

Tomorrow is another day.

 

Patrick

 

 

 

[Navy Bird]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

1. Accept defeat and leave well alone
2. Make masks to fit over roundel transfers (hoping the varnish will protect them) and respray the correct pattern
3. Remove/paint over the transfers and replace from generic stock sheets

 

I vote for the first choice. The others have a potential to make matters worse, and really - who is going to notice? None of us did until you mentioned it. The rest of humanity are even more clueless.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Heather Kay]

18 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

The rest of humanity are even more clueless.

Present company excepted, of course. My gut feeling is also Option 1. I plan to sleep on it, but I think that’s still the way I shall head.

 

[dogsbody]

Option 1 for me!

If you hadn't mentioned it, I never would have noticed. And actually, just how many anal-retentive Skua fans do you know, who would notice?

 

 

 

Chris

[Dunny]

Heather,

Watching with interest - I am currently building the 1:48 SH version, also to be an 803 scheme. I'll be very happy if mine turns out half as nicely as yours. Innacurate, you say?!

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[ArnoldAmbrose]

4 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

My gut feeling is also Option 1. I plan to sleep on it, but I think that’s still the way I shall head.

Gidday Heather, I think gut feelings shouldn't be ignored. And as others have said, "who'll know"? Besides you of course. I think the potential for stuffing it up now is too great. Your decision of course. Enjoy the sleep. Regards, Jeff.

[Heather Kay]

Well, I said I’d sleep on it. Thankfully, nothing got broken. 

 

As already intimated, I’m leaving well alone. Too much scope for Captain Cockup and his crew to make things much, much worse than they are. So, on with working out the undercarriage.

 

Once I’ve woken up properly.