opus999 Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 "Blink and you'll miss it" because I hope this goes quickly. Having just come off two Yak-38 builds with extensive kit rework and scratch built detailing which together took about 12 weeks, I picked something with a low part count and that I don't feel compelled to super-detail. Since the cockpit opening is so small, I don't feel an urge to work on the cockpit besides assembly. I'm just going to build and not over-think it, which will be a welcome break! I did some research earlier in the week and figured out that the paint scheme that Airfix gives you is not correct for this aircraft (most probably). I figured out through research and some discussion here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235114273-fiat-g50-352-squadron-camo-question/ that it should be green and brown stripes (for lack of a better term) over tan. Something like the build at this page: http://hsfeatures.com/features04/fiatg50ws_1.htm Although I don't know mine will look as good. So here's the box: and the sprues, after I started cleaning up parts: This is a "Vintage Classics" release and the date molded on the inside of the wing is 1967! I wasn't expecting it to be terrific. It is workable -- the fit isn't terrible, but not outstanding either. Some minor flash to clean up. I am looking forward to this one, and I hope you are too! 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelingEdmontonian Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 I'm definitely looking forward to this one! Front seat, please! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 28, 2022 Author Share Posted August 28, 2022 I only worked on this a couple hours yesterday, but as expected I had the body together by the end of it. First I painted the interior. I used RAF interior green, although it looks like the non-corrosive paint the Italians used was lighter than this. Even though the interior will be hard to see, I couldn't help myself and did a little silver drybrushing (which you really can't see at this angle) and made some tape seat belts that I painted with a Mr. Color Tan I have around. Dry fitting revealed that the alignment pegs and corresponding holes were off by a fraction causing one half to be misaligned with the other half. I cut the pegs off and made some tabs out of styrene to help strengthen the seams. Ta da! This didn't take long: But the devil is in the details and it took a bit longer than I expected to clean it up to a state I was happy with. Actually I'm still working on that. First, the fit of the wings on the body was so tight that it was pushing the wings out and down, removing the dihedral. I filed the body until the wings fit on just snug without any change in dihedral. Then, I found that the starboard wing root fit wonderfully, but the port had a step in it. I filed on the lower part of the body until the wing root on the port side was acceptable. This area behind the wing on the underside makes a bit of an inward "V" and has a step in it. As careful as I was when gluing, I couldn't figure out how to avoid it. This is the area I'm still working on this morning. There was a bit of a step between the guns, But that was a surprisingly fast fix. Some trimming was needed around the wings: Worst of all was the step in the area behind the seat: A little putty evened that out, but it will need re-painting. My hope is to paint today. Ideally finish the top camo, but we'll see how long the seam fixing on the bottom takes. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 28, 2022 Author Share Posted August 28, 2022 So the time for painting has come. I had to fair the port wing root with putty because there still was a little step in it. ...and the bottom needed a lot of putty. As I mentioned, the area between the guns came out OK So here it is after spraying primer All of the puttied areas turned out OK, so I'm happy with them. I have an hour before a family obligation, so I'm going to try and get a little color on it before then! 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Lovely choice of kit. The detail in the office on the one you shared was mind boggling. I’m glad you didn’t go to soo much effort as you really wouldn’t see it. great work on the seams, the only thing that kept jumping out was the step by the front combing in the cockpit. Does that get covered? I’m assuming it does as you’ve fixed everything else. Looking fantastic already. I’ll enjoy watching this one come together. Johnny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Great start on this one and very quick progress too. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 30, 2022 Author Share Posted August 30, 2022 18 hours ago, The Spadgent said: Lovely choice of kit. The detail in the office on the one you shared was mind boggling. I’m glad you didn’t go to soo much effort as you really wouldn’t see it. great work on the seams, the only thing that kept jumping out was the step by the front combing in the cockpit. Does that get covered? I’m assuming it does as you’ve fixed everything else. Looking fantastic already. I’ll enjoy watching this one come together. Johnny. Thanks Johnny -- may not be as interesting as some of your threads... but I'll try! I already took care of trimming the combing so it was even. Thanks for pointing that out though... It would've been embarrassing to let that one get through to the end! 18 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: Great start on this one and very quick progress too. Chris There's something like 18 parts to this kit, so quick progress is inevitable 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 30, 2022 Author Share Posted August 30, 2022 So, color me frustrated... I was excited to get the base tan (ish) coat on the top surfaces yesterday. But, the family function we had planned started earlier than I thought. Doh! I first painted white for the white stripe on the fuselage. I generally don't do decals for things like wide stripes because, frankly, painting is easier. Unless its a weird color I can't match, of course. After the white was applied, I masked the stripe and re-painted the black primer around it. Then I remembered to take a picture. Then I painted the gray on the bottom, which is as far as I got yesterday I was all excited to paint the top surfaces tonight... then I remembered the masking that needs to take place. Masking the world's smallest canopy. It took a long time. I also masked the leading edge where the top color wraps around... ...and that's as far as I got! So hopefully, tomorrow I'll be able to paint the top color. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-21 Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 The engine and cowling is underscale are you using an alternative ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Glad you sorted the coaming. “Not as interesting “ you say??? Well I’m enjoying the build so there. Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Looking good,looking forward to the upper colours going on. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 18 hours ago, T-21 said: The engine and cowling is underscale are you using an alternative ? I had read that in several reviews. I can only find one aftermarket engine/cowl and it is 2 to 3 times the cost of the kit. Plus overseas shipping.... so I'm probably going to stick with the kit parts. The way I plan to attach them, they will be easy to replace if I can get my hands on an alternative that isn't outrageously priced. 12 hours ago, The Spadgent said: Glad you sorted the combing. “Not as interesting “ you say??? Well.. I just wish I wrote with some more... i don't know... "Pizzazz"? Ten hour workdays don't leave me much time to be witty... so I'm usually reduced to "just the facts". 12 hours ago, The Spadgent said: Well I’m enjoying the build so there. Well, I'm sure glad! 6 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: Looking good,looking forward to the upper colours going on. Chris Me too!!!! Fingers crossed!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Looking good! Can’t wait for the (top) colours to go on. Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 2 hours ago, AdrianMF said: Looking good! Can’t wait for the (top) colours to go on. Regards, Adrian Then your wish is my command! (Warning... the pictures' color balance is a little funny because the first few were taken outside where I was working in the daylight, and the rest are inside) First I mottled Middlestone on the black. I had to freehand it because my stencils are in the room where our niece's son was sleeping. Which is OK... keeps the skills up! Then I mottled some Yellow for a different tone, and some white for sunbleaching While the yellow was out, I painted the undersized cowl Then I finished with a top coat of middlestone Then I cleaned the airbrush and thought I'd try one mottle. Well.. it's like potato chips, you can't stop at just one! Keep in mind there will be brown mottle stripes as well. I had to free hand them, but it's not so bad if you have patience, low pressure on the compressor and a thin mixture. Oh, and get close! Surprisingly that only took a half hour, so I suppose I could finish all the green tomorrow. We'll see though... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 That looks super! I didn’t know where you were going with the sand/green/white combo so I was relieved when I realised it was just preshading for the sand! The green mottles on top look fabulous, looking forward to the rest of it. Regards, Adrian 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Looks awesome, great mottlong effects and the top coats look great. Fantastic job. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted September 1, 2022 Share Posted September 1, 2022 Looking superb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 On 8/31/2022 at 5:30 AM, AdrianMF said: That looks super! I didn’t know where you were going with the sand/green/white combo so I was relieved when I realised it was just preshading for the sand! The green mottles on top look fabulous, looking forward to the rest of it. Regards, Adrian Ha! I looked back at the post, and yeah... I didn't explain why I was doing what I was doing. I can see how people were thinking I might be off my rocker... Work continues.... I got more done than I thought last night. I wasn't able to upload these pictures because we had an internet outage last night. I hope to finish painting tonight. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelingEdmontonian Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 1 hour ago, opus999 said: Ha! I looked back at the post, and yeah... I didn't explain why I was doing what I was doing. I can see how people were thinking I might be off my rocker... Work continues.... I got more done than I thought last night. I wasn't able to upload these pictures because we had an internet outage last night. I hope to finish painting tonight. Lookin' lovely! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 About an hour of work, and the main painting is finished! I had a nice photo of the port side of a Sq. 352 G.50, which I used to guide my painting. 1st layer of gloss coat tonight before bed! 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelingEdmontonian Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Gosh, that white fuselage stripe is crisp and perfect. I have the worst time with those... well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 Airfix kits have come a long way since this one! your skills are making it look like a modern kit however, that looks brilliant! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fittedkitchens Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 That's quality airbrushing on such a little kit. Nice. Look forward to seeing the end result. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 On 8/30/2022 at 12:47 PM, The Spadgent said: Glad you sorted the combing. “Not as interesting “ you say??? Well I’m enjoying the build so there. Johnny Combing? give us a clue! Selwyn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 52 minutes ago, Selwyn said: Combing? give us a clue! Selwyn Ooops sorry. “Coaming” 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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