1/72 Airfix Stuka - an inherited project

[jackroadkill]

5 minutes ago, mark.au said:

That’s come out really nicely, great job 👏 

 

Thanks, I'm pleasantly surprised about how well it's come, if I'm honest.

[AdrianMF]

Looks like a super finish.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[jackroadkill]

Blimey, some progress worth reporting - at last!

 

 

Since my last post I have:

 

Cut off, remade and painted the gun barrels;

Sorted out and fixed on the undercarriage;

Got a gloss coat on her;

Applied the major decals.

 

The only problem is that I sodded up the port side ID decal; it stuck on wonky and nothing I could do would shift it.  Does anyone have any tips for removing recalcitrant Airfix decals?  The next jobs are stencilling and attaching the bomb (hmmm, after painting the swinging arm, now that I think about it).

 

Cheers,

 

JRK

[tonyh]

I’ve removed transfers (sorry, I’m old) with sticky tape.

 

Tony

[Dandie Dinmont]

14 hours ago, jackroadkill said:

Does anyone have any tips for removing recalcitrant Airfix decals?

Belt sander?  Seriously, maybe a bit of very fine sand paper wrapped around the end of a cocktail stick or similar? Ca canny as they say in my part of the world. It’s looking too good to mess up now!

 

Craig. 

[jackroadkill]

I got the decal off by soaking it in hot water, gently scoring it and then applying copious amounts of Micro Set to soften it before scraping gently with the spine of a scalpel blade.  I previously contacted Airfix about the possibility of buying a set of replacement decals and today I received an email to say that they had posted me some free of charge, which I thought was very good of them indeed, seeing as it was my own clumsiness which led to the boo-boo in the first place - thanks Airfix, excellent customer service there.

 

When the replacements arrive I'll get her finished up as soon as possible, as the F-5 STGB's end is drawing near and I need to get my finger out in that respect.  Additionally, the next build has been decided on - it will be Revell's 1/72 FAA Gannet mk1/4.

 

Cheers,

 

JRK

[81-er]

Airfix customer service is really good, they posted me a complete clear sprue for my Canadair Sabre for free after I snapped the front canopy, and like you I admitted it was my mistake and asked about the cost in my original email. 

 

James

[mark.au]

Fine looking Stuka shaping up there.  Well done on removing the decal, always a fraught process…. 

[jackroadkill]

Yay, the replacement decals arrived!!  Boo, they're for the wrong bloody kit!  I asked for the ones for A03087 and was sent the ones for A03087A....

 

Never mind, my new fishing waders were also delivered, so to offset the decal disappointment I opened the waders up to try them out - and found that the waist belt is missing.  Good job I haven't been waiting for them since chuffing April, eh?  Oh, hold on, I have.

[jackroadkill]

The decal woes are now behind me, thanks to the purchase of an Almark set from eBay.  In fact I suppose I'm closing in on the finish with this build, so much so that today I applied (but have not yet removed) the panel line washes:

 

 

I'll be pleased to get this one finished as there's a Gannet eyeing me furtively from my bench and the Meteor STGB starts next week...

 

Cheers,

 

JRK

[Learstang]

Excellent work on the Stuka! The first kit I ever built was an Airfix Stuka (I still have the model, and no I won't post piccies of it!). It was most definitely not this kit - this one looks to be a very nice kit.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[jackroadkill]

Wow, two posts in less than three weeks?!  What the actual hell is going on?  I've matt coated the model (using Mig Ammo Ultra Matt varnish - I love this stuff) after cleaning the panel lines up, and I have to say it's looking okay.  This afternoon I took the canopy masking off, which is always one of those pivotal moments in a build, and also made an ariel wire using 0.2mm elastic.  For the record I'd like to state that 0.2mm is really thin, and very difficult to see!  Still, it looks pretty good, even if I say so myself:

 

 

I still need to clean up some glue residue on the canopy and fit the gunner's weapon but other than that she's ready for some very light weathering and then she'll be ready for an RFI thread (a mere seven months after I started what I stated would be "a quick, fun build without any hassle").

Cheers,

 

JRK

[jackroadkill]

Right, she's finished:

 

 

There'll be an RFI thread ASAP.  Thanks very much to everyone who has commented, offered advice or just read the thread.  This one wasn't the fast build that I hoped it would be and there were plenty of hiccups along the way.  All that aside, I think she's turned out okay.  I could have weathered her further, I suppose, but I wanted to get her finished and out of my hair.

 

Cheers,

 

JRK

[SaminCam]

Great job Jack, have enjoyed following along with this one and looking forward to the RFI