The Dying of the Light - A Dusk Launch in the Tropics - Jan 19 - I'm done. It's done.

[Bertie McBoatface]

I'm expecting my son shortly for tea so I'll have to pause the sprint finishing for a while.

 

 

I got the masking done though. I used to find masking really hard work and very frustrating until I discovered the trick of using lots of tiny pieces instead of trying to do it in one go. I lay a length of tape on my desk and then chop it up with a scalpel, moving the small pieces with a pair of very needle nosed tweezers and pressing them down with a cocktail stick.

 

 

Easy.

 

(And I notice from the small square dent next to the nose wheel bay that I forgot the tiny part C51, which is so small I didn't notice it when I threw the 'empty' sprue away. Fortunately, I haven't emptied the bin since and have now found the little blighter!)

 

 

I brush painted the coaming and HUD brackets. I didn't mess with primer so I used enamels and this was good because... 

 

 

Blending the greys was very easy with slow-drying paint. Did you notice the different colours in the first photo? I hope not because that's how it's supposed to happen. When the enamel has dried I'll brush some ink over it for the full effect. I know it looks a bit scruffy but it will be under glass so I should get away with it.

 

 

Than I stuck it all together. Normally, I'd paint something like this in pieces but for what I'm attempting I'll have to do it all in one go, just like the old days. Once it's had a chance to dry I'll flip it and add the pylons and aerials and part C51 and then flip it back over for the canopy and another aerial and a little more masking, then I think I'm ready for primer. (I'm writing this plan down mostly for my benefit in case I forget where I am in the morning!)

 

My son just arrives and brought me a little present. It's a decal solution cruet hand made from spalted beech. Cool eh?

 

 

 

 

 

[modelling minion]

Very neat bit of masking Bertie.

A very nice present that your son brought you, and very useful too.

[helios16v]

That's a nice bottle holder.  Far nicer than the one I scabbed together with a drill and a 7" scrap of 2x4 I had laying around.  

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Very neat bit of masking Bertie.

A very nice present that your son brought you, and very useful too.

 

1 hour ago, helios16v said:

That's a nice bottle holder.  Far nicer than the one I scabbed together with a drill and a 7" scrap of 2x4 I had laying around.  

 

The kid done well. It's a shame he never got into scale modelling, he would have been a contender.

 

Since his visit tonight, I have to add an item to tomorrow's task list;

 

Remove beer splashes from the model.

 

 

[Alan P]

Loving that Microset holder! How many times have I knocked those over...😬 I keep them standing in a jam jar now, but yours are classy!

 

Tremendous pace to get to this stage already...the teaser of the cockpit glareshield bodes well for the artistic finish...

[Bertie McBoatface]

51 minutes ago, Alan P said:

How many times have I knocked those over...😬

 

I had them jammed into a piece of foam with holes hacked into it for years, but this is classy as you say. 

 

 

He drilled the holes with a Forstner bit which leaves a centre dimple in the flat bottom of the hole. He didn't think that was good enough so he's laminated the bottoms of the holes with discs of contrasting dark wood, aligning the grain of course. This is why I think he would have been an amazing model maker.

 

As to the pace of the build, I haven't felt that I was rushing, but I certainly have been efficient. I've treated it like a job to be accomplished in minimum time rather than something to dip in and out of for some indefinite period - all because I want to get to the exciting painting part asap. I'll use this method of working in future builds too.

 

When the lad left last night I wanted to ink that coaming, despite having had a few li'l drinkies. I shook and opened a bottle of red ink and then realised I had no water jar. So I dropped the lid loosely onto the bottle and fetched one from the kitchen. I sat down, picked up the bottle, and at the same instant that my hand was telling me the lid was loose, my arm was trying to be helpful by shaking the bottle as it always does when it picks up an ink bottle. Blood red splashes hit the desk (new in '21), the carpet (pale grey), the chair (new in '21), the trousers (new in December) the shirt and ME! It reminded me of  that great movie classic, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

 

 

Oh well, at least I managed to ink the coaming.

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

I've done similar damage with a bottle of Tamiya extra thin. 

[Bertie McBoatface]

5 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I've done similar damage with a bottle of Tamiya extra thin. 

 

Oooooo narsty!

 

I've done it with a ketchup bottle twice, once in a Little Chef and once at an intimate dinner in a woman's immaculate house!

[Bertie McBoatface]

13 hours ago, modelling minion said:

A very nice present that your son brought you, and very useful too.

 

My bad, he made it for me. And then delivered it last night.

[Bertie McBoatface]

Morning session SITREP.

 

HUD glass - fitted

Windscreen - fitted

Pylons 4 off - fitted

Pylon locating holes 4 off - plugged (I haven't enough missiles for all the pylons and he wont be carrying bombs on a BARCAP)

Aerials 3 off  - fitted

Stabilators (?) - fitted and glued in position

Pitots 2 off - fitted (for how long?)

Part C51 - pinged, recovered (amazing) and fitted

CoG check with main uc units temporarily installed - carried out - satis. (NOT a tail-sitter)

Beer residue - removed

 

Time for lunch, walkies, and glues to dry. I shall return!

[modelling minion]

Great to see you sticking to your plan mate, a fair bit done this morning.

I like the ink effect on the coaming, it bodes very well for the rest on your lighting plan.

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Great to see you sticking to your plan mate, a fair bit done this morning.

I like the ink effect on the coaming, it bodes very well for the rest on your lighting plan.

Thanks MM. 

 

im not sure about the inks. Not too happy with the colours I have. I may switch to Tamiya clears. I’ll practice on the Test piece of course. 

[Freester]

And I'm sat here at work (looking at this forum admittedly ) jealous at your progress. I get a couple of hours per evening max!

[Bertie McBoatface]

28 minutes ago, Freester said:

And I'm sat here at work (looking at this forum admittedly ) jealous at your progress. I get a couple of hours per evening max!

W**k is swearing as far as I am concerned. I’m having a grand walk on the Staffordshire Moorlands with my dog. Retirement is as brilliant as today’s sunshine! 

[Lazy Modeller]

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

W**k is swearing as far as I am concerned. I’m having a grand walk on the Staffordshire Moorlands with my dog. Retirement is as brilliant as today’s sunshine! 

Tststs... don't be Lazy! Go back to work!

Cheers

LM

[Lazy Modeller]

22 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I'm expecting my son shortly for tea so I'll have to pause the sprint finishing for a while.

 

 

I got the masking done though. I used to find masking really hard work and very frustrating until I discovered the trick of using lots of tiny pieces instead of trying to do it in one go. I lay a length of tape on my desk and then chop it up with a scalpel, moving the small pieces with a pair of very needle nosed tweezers and pressing them down with a cocktail stick.

 

 

Easy.

 

(And I notice from the small square dent next to the nose wheel bay that I forgot the tiny part C51, which is so small I didn't notice it when I threw the 'empty' sprue away. Fortunately, I haven't emptied the bin since and have now found the little blighter!)

 

 

I brush painted the coaming and HUD brackets. I didn't mess with primer so I used enamels and this was good because... 

 

 

Blending the greys was very easy with slow-drying paint. Did you notice the different colours in the first photo? I hope not because that's how it's supposed to happen. When the enamel has dried I'll brush some ink over it for the full effect. I know it looks a bit scruffy but it will be under glass so I should get away with it.

 

 

Than I stuck it all together. Normally, I'd paint something like this in pieces but for what I'm attempting I'll have to do it all in one go, just like the old days. Once it's had a chance to dry I'll flip it and add the pylons and aerials and part C51 and then flip it back over for the canopy and another aerial and a little more masking, then I think I'm ready for primer. (I'm writing this plan down mostly for my benefit in case I forget where I am in the morning!)

 

My son just arrives and brought me a little present. It's a decal solution cruet hand made from spalted beech. Cool eh?

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's  an handsome piece of work! Beautifully done!

Cheers

LM

 

PS: don't get distracted so you don't miss the scheduled date... it's just a warning!

[Alan P]

1 hour ago, Bertie Psmith said:

W**k is swearing as far as I am concerned.

Definitely a dirty word. My shift starts at 1800 tonight

[Freester]

2 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

W**k is swearing as far as I am concerned. I’m having a grand walk on the Staffordshire Moorlands with my dog. Retirement is as brilliant as today’s sunshine! 

I apologise for sullying your thread with profanities 🤣

[Bertie McBoatface]

Would I accept being made 10 years younger at the cost of going back to paid employment for a decade? 

 

No.

 

I'd rather all the ailments and inconveniences of FREEDOM, thank you very much.

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

Eating my lunch at my desk can easily result in drool on my decals, an unusual modelling hazard!

 

 

That's part C51. I pinged it despite my best efforts, but amazingly it played pinball around my desktop and stayed visible. I think it's a camera or sensor to do with carrier landings as it points forward and down by the side of the nosewheel.

 

 

Paint mule one. With additional shadow casting nurnies.

 

 

Paint mule two. After it's recent heavy landing, this Hellcat has volunteered to serve the greater good.

 

I see no reason not to be priming tonight.

 

 

[Freester]

2 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

 

That's part C51. I pinged it despite my best efforts, but amazingly it played pinball around my desktop and stayed visible. 

 

Good save pingmeister.

 

Your dog is gorgeous, border?

[Bertie McBoatface]

48 minutes ago, Freester said:

Good save pingmeister.

 

Your dog is gorgeous, border?

 

Borderline Psychopath. 😠

 

Border terrorist, yes but only three-quarters. The three Border grandparents were top pedigree animals. The fourth was a randy and clever Jack Russell Terrrrrrier!

 

In consequence Tess is twice the weight and power of a standard Border, doesn't have much 'undercoat', has a sensibly long nose and thankfully retains the Border 'Blue' coloration and hairstyle.

 

She sits on the carpeted windowsill and watches my modelling with distain, and my biscuits with naked greed. 

[Bertie McBoatface]

The purpose of this update is to postpone the moment of the painting. I'm a little nervous, now I've reached the point of actually doing the arty-farty stuff. 🤪

 

 

Thank the modelling gods for pre cut canopy masks! Did I polish out the seam? No, I did not. It's quite fine and will hardly be noticeable. On the other hand, the canopy had a marvellous shine and clarity and if I tried to polish out the seam, there's a very good chance of losing both of those attributes.

 

 

I also had to mask the inside because when I do the shading in the primer, I'm going to need the canopy in its place - open! One side light, one side dark.

 

 

I had to tack it to the frame with a couple of drops of cement. I hope I'll be able to split the join later or the masking will be a swine to remove!

 

 

The mule is getting into the spirit of its performance.

 

Question? What am I going to do with the undercarriage doors? I can prime them off the airframe easily. They are either in the shadow or the light, simples! But what about the shadows they will cast across the bottom of the fuselage? Can I free hand it with a brush? Or do I glue the doors on now, which means re-masking the bays? Or should I do the medium grey primer with the doors, tanks and missiles off, and then attach them for the shadow and highlight stages? As I write, I honestly don't know what to do.

 

I shall hit 'PAUSE' and have a think about this.

 

 

[gingerbob]

Hmm, I think you're just looking for an excuse to eat a biscuit or two while cogitating.

[Bertie McBoatface]

13 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

Hmm, I think you're just looking for an excuse to eat a biscuit or two while cogitating.

 

So far:

• a marmelade sandwich,
• the washing up (it was only two days worth so not normally worth doing, but it distracted me for a while)
• A dog walk

 

But now you've reminded me about those biscuits that my lad brought for me yesterday...

 

I still haven't a firm idea what to do, except to remember that this is the difficult part of the project so I really should slow down, chill out, take care.