5x SPADs and a Nieuport 17 - finished

[AdrianMF]

4 hours ago, Ray S said:

or is it five now?

Three down, two and a man and a base to go. Here’s the Revell version done and dusted:

[2996 Victor]

13 minutes ago, AdrianMF said:

Here’s the Revell version done and dusted:

Top notch!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[John]

On 12/5/2021 at 1:00 AM, AdrianMF said:

I simply didn’t realise how many different kits of the SPAD I’d accumulated!

 

Anyhow, postimage is playing ball again, so here’s the poorly lit model on a messy workbench:

 

And the family picture:

I'm always keen to see 23 Squadron SPADSs. 

Captain James Fitz-Morris, fellow Falkirk Bairn and 23 Squadron ace, is buried just along the road from here and about 5 minutes from where I work. 

He was killed in a flying accident in the USA just before the end of the War and repatriated to his home village a short time after the Armistice.

He was 21 when he was killed. 

John 

[Courageous]

Another Spad beauty there Adrien.

Can you remind me, what mat finish you are using?

 

Stuart

[AdrianMF]

4 hours ago, Courageous said:

what mat finish you are using?

Windsor and Newton Galeria acrylic, brushed. I add a touch of water and a spot of Hu 32 dark grey and Hu70 red-brown to give a bit of modulation and some definition to panel lines, vents and control surfaces.

 

I use matt varnish or Pledge as a medium for washes (eg cockpit) fairly often because over-diluting acrylics with water tends to make them dry and drop their pigment in random places (where they first get dry, in the middle of nowhere) instead of the crevices.

10 hours ago, John said:

Captain James Fitz-Morris

Thank you for that. I often feel I don’t research the personal stories behind my builds enough, and so it’s really nice to get the extra information to give some context to a build. The scheme to me was just “the scheme on the later Revell release that I can find decals for” but now it is a much more meaningful to think of the people who lived and died in that context.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[bigbadbadge]

Another cracker completed Adrian, great job and great job on the Count's stance too.

Chris

[opus999]

Wow, that's terrific looking!  I really like that one.

 

Having done only a couple WWI subjects in my time, I don't know much about them.  Was the hand-brush painting on these models a personal technique choice, or were these birds all hand-brush painted?

[AdrianMF]

12 minutes ago, opus999 said:

I really like that one.

Thanks! I think this one is pretty much the most internationally famous scheme (with apologies to the French). It certainly is colourful.

 

I always brush paint my models unless it’s an all over rattle can primer or silver job. For me, it’s far more relaxing than having an airbrush.

 

As to the real things, it has been noted in the thread that they were built, and painted with minor variations, in several factories. I couldn’t say whether they brushed or sprayed them. I have seen pictures of people spray painting in WWI aircraft factories, and I imagine it would result in a lighter and better result, but I don’t know for sure.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[AdrianMF]

Well I’ve got a week to paint up the Count:

 

Not quite as purposeful as the real man, but I think I can make it work with a lick of paint…

[Tweener]

On 11/8/2021 at 2:59 AM, Terry1954 said:

Coming along great Adrian, and I particularly like your approach with the struts. I have a stalled Gamecock build on here somewhere, and you are shaming me to get back on the case!

 

Terry

I've got the Pegasus Gamecock sitting next to the Aeroclub Grebe. Needless to say, I learned a lot about why people have good praises for Aeroclub!

[John Masters]

Great looking project Adrian.  I am big fan of Baracca.  I love all the scratch building and improvements.

[AdrianMF]

The problem with the figure is that he just wasn’t beefy enough, rather pear-shaped. So he’s had a fitness course of Humbrol filler diluted with Contacta to fill him out:

 

It looks as messy as anything but it will clean up easily when it’s dried.

[AdrianMF]

Some 1/72tailoring with a narrow sanding stick and some aluminium tape:

[Kitsticker]

And that's in 1/72.....impressive!

 

All the best

 

G

[AdrianMF]

And painted, next to my first-ever wet palette:

 

…and a close-up:

 

Just need to add his cane and stick him on the base:

 

Now, There was an Italian SPAD lying around here somewhere…

 

 

[Heather Kay]

Very neatly painted, Adrian. 

[AdrianMF]

And it’s all on the base, just in time for Christmas. Phew!

 

 

Have a super Crimble everyone!

 

Cheers,

Adrian

[Kitsticker]

Now that is REALLY impressive! A stunning work of modelling

 

I'm lost for words

 

Happy Christmas everyone!

 

G

[Johnson]

Stunning Adrian. 

[bigbadbadge]

The figure looks fantastic Adrian , spot on with that photo, great job on modifying, details and paint.

Chris

[stevehnz]

Awesome figure painting Adrian, you surely are a man of many talents. 👍

Steve.

[Ray S]

Yep, as has been mentioned, fabulous work, and that figure is stunning.

 

Is it two (or three) Spads to go now?

 

Cheers, Ray

[2996 Victor]

Superb work, Adrian, and your figure-painting skills are incredible.

 

Hope you had a great Christmas!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[AdrianMF]

Thanks all for the very kind comments. Mrs MF is very pleased with it and it’s on the shelf in the living room. I am nervously awaiting the first dusting…

 

Two SPADs (Airfix VII and Eduard XIII) left @Ray S, but I may well chuck in a Nieuport or two. Just wondering if I feel lucky enough to try one for the Xmas Blitzbuild.

 

I realise all my good luck with building and rigging these has been exactly balanced by the ongoing paint disasters I have been having with my Bristol 142. This is currently parked waiting for some re-masking, sanding and its fourth attempt at a decent paint job. So Karma is being conserved…

 

Regards,

Adrian

[opus999]

The figure is fabulous!  Great job!