Popular Post russ c Posted August 30, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted August 30, 2022 Hi Everyone, Finally finished and took some photographs of my ICM 1/48 Counter Invader kit, so thought it would be selfish to keep them all to myself 🙂 Finished in the markings of `The Batplane`, flown by Al `Batman` Shortt and Larry `Robin` Counts from NKP Thailand in the late `60s Built as usual 99% from the kit contents Carried out some Rhinoplastii on the nose, this time prior to fitting it, which made it a lot easier than my `Farmgate` B-26 when I`d already fitted it. Other minor additions being ignition harnesses, brake pipes and various aerial wires The markings came from Caracal Decals Counter Invader set and went on beautifully Used `Foreign Invaders` book by Don Hagedorn and Lief Hellstrom as main reference, which has a great colour shot of an Invader with... .... the original stateside Stars and Bars showing through the worn camo` paint on the port wing, which I tried to recreate and also the roughly painted undersides on the Napalm Bombs. Hope you enjoy the pic`s, thanks for looking Cheers Russ 94 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 She is gorgeous, Russ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Very nice, I plan on the same Batplane. I didn’t realize the fuselage markings were blacked out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus999 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Wow Russ! That first photo at first I thought was the real aircraft! Great work on another realistic build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Outstanding work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 (edited) Beautiful work Russ. May I ask what you did to the nose? Can the landing gear support the model? Some reports of the soft plastic gear legs swaying outwards a bit. Thanks again Russ. Edited August 31, 2022 by 28ZComeback 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 That looks the business! Well done Russ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Absolutely superb! What paints did you use may I ask? Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Stunning. I had the impression to look at photos of a real one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markh-75 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 That really is fantastic! I always liked the A-26 in WW2 garb but I know they served a good bit longer as the B-26, this is a smashing piece of work! A masterpiece! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Fabulous work again Russ, and yet again the photographs look real. Cheers John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in a shed Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Fantastic job Russ. The worn/faded paint work is so realistic! What's your method for achieving that look? I'm waiting in hope that a new mould in 1/72 comes out as there are some interesting other air forces schemes that I fancy doing. Pete 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Stunning! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 That is a bit fabulous Russ, really liking the look you've achieved with it. 👍 Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom.boom Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 PURE LOVE 😍!!! Do not know what else to say... This one goes straight to references! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Squadron Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Simply impressive! Your models are always looking stunning Russ. 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Yet another tour de force from your bench, russ @russ c. Presentation and photography always stunning. Thanks for displaying your usual unselfishness......... Rog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 12 hours ago, Scooby said: Very nice, I plan on the same Batplane. I didn’t realize the fuselage markings were blacked out. Thanks Scooby, I couldn`t say for sure that the markings were like that on the Batplane ( the only photo I`ve seen is in the book described in my post and it only shows the nose), but I`ve seen a few photo`s where the original markings have been overpainted like that on some Invaders and I like the effect. Glad you like it and good luck with yours Cheers Russ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 12 hours ago, 28ZComeback said: Beautiful work Russ. May I ask what you did to the nose? Can the landing gear support the model? Some reports of the soft plastic gear legs swaying outwards a bit. Thanks again Russ. Thanks 28`, As my previous build I just added a 3mm (ish) shim between the nose and fuselage, I didn`t mess with the canopy position this time as I chickened out having got away with it once 🙂 I made the brake pipes out of stiff wire and attached with Gorilla Glue Gel to stiffen the legs up and the nose leg has a strip of thick foil glued to the inside using same glue as the mains. Cheers Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 8 hours ago, Lightningboy2000 said: Absolutely superb! What paints did you use may I ask? Martin Thanks Martin, I used Humbrol Enamels: 91 Black Green, 30 Dark Green and 118 Tan, these were weathered over by dry brushing with 155 Olive Drab, 117 US Green and 110 respectively Cheers Russ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 4 hours ago, Pete in a shed said: Fantastic job Russ. The worn/faded paint work is so realistic! What's your method for achieving that look? I'm waiting in hope that a new mould in 1/72 comes out as there are some interesting other air forces schemes that I fancy doing. Pete Thanks Pete, My method was: after painting with Humbrols: 91, 30 and 118, I drew the panel lines in with a pencil, glossed, decaled and matt coated. Next step was to dry brush Olive Drab 66 over the pencilled in panel lines to soften them up and add depth to the control surfaces hinges ( I smudge them with my thump as I go along ) Next I dry brushed patches of Olive Drab 155, US Green 117 and Light Brown 110 over the original colours also smudging them around with my thumb, Lightly dry brushed a few scuffs with Silver 11 on leading edges, walkways and raised detail etc. Then a bit more Olive Drab 155 in areas of high maintenance and oil ie: nacelles, wing roots, botton of the cowlings, around the undercarriage bays and so on. Then a couple more Matt coats to bring it all together. I only brush with Enamels though, never tried it with Acrylics. The Matt coat is Windsor and Newtons Galleria Acrylic as I can`t brush Humbrols Matt Varnish since they reformulated it several years ago. Cheers Russ 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox1_BE Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Oh yeah, another great finish 👍 Really like the overpainted markings and in-the-field applied camo on the napalm bombs, great details! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaracalModels Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Excellent work, as always! In case you are running out of project ideas, I have a Vietnam B-57 sheet on the way for release shortly before the New Year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zigomar Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Outstanding Russ and great pics as well, you keep on getting better and better(must be the age)! Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binbrook87 Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Now that is one very cool build! The A-26 seems to suit the SEA camouflage perfectly. What a fantastic end result 👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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