Spitfire XIV 'What If' project

[junglierating]

How very un British 😆

[Winded Penguin]

3 hours ago, junglierating said:

How very un British 😆

Yes, true...but then again, the British used Q-ships in the First War, so nothing really new I guess 

[Winded Penguin]

XF8 is very matt, and sucks the light from the model. Amazing effect once fully dry.

Now a bit of experimental pre-shading of lines using PRU blue...

 

 

Next, I'm gradually filling in the XF8 blue with multiple layers of light airbrushing with PRU blue

 

Overall, the operation was a successful learning for me.

 

The final pic for the day below. I'm quite chuffed with the result of today's effort. I think with decals and a varnish this will mostly likely suffice.

Not quite the tone I said I wanted to recreate originally, but I've still had fun. Final review tomorrow morning.

 

Thats all for now. Thanks for looking in.

[alt-92]

Nice effect  You may just have given me an idea how to handle the reverse - i.e. darker patches of touch-ups. 
 

[Biggles87]

Lovely result, very difficult to create some interest in a single colour finish without going over the top and ending up with a ‘ patchwork quilt ‘ effect, but you’ve done really well.

 

John. 🇺🇦

 

PS: Have you forgotten something under the wings? 😗

 

[Winded Penguin]

2 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

 

PS: Have you forgotten something under the wings? 😗

 

Hi John thanks for your kind comments. 

 

All in good time 🤓

[bigbadbadge]

Looking very nice indeed WP. Cracking work. 

Chris

[Winded Penguin]

Set-backs and opportunities for learning:

I wanted to see how I got on if I removed any need for a pre-decal glossing stage. I gently sanded down the PRU blue paint with 4000 and 6000 grit paper.

However, the first 2 minor AM stencils I put down to test the result both slightly silvered up. 

 

I abandoned any further decaling at this point. I instead reverted to adding a gloss coat with Mr Hobby gloss clear as I've done before.

This is unfortunately where things went really pear-shaped. I was using a 50-50 mix of gloss clear and MLT at quite low pressure (>14 psi).

 

Either the airbrush was too close to the model and I got pooling, or too far back and the mixture dried before settling on the model.

The smooth finish I'd achieved up to that point was mostly history 😱

 

I thought if I flooded the areas affected with mostly MLT in the cup, that should help smooth out the roughness. I've done that before with success.

However, when I attempted to do that within 10 minutes of the problem occurring, most of the PRU blue I'd applied 24 hours previously, just ran off the wings and fuselage.

 

I was back to square one.

I waited a further 24 hours, then airbrushed the PRU blue again on the top part of the model, starting with the panel lines.

 

Next day I purchased a spray can of Revell clear gloss. After testing first on my 'paint testing plastic pipe' previously featured above, I got a satisfactory result.

 

I've made a decision to press on. The remedies undertaken did somewhat salvage the situation.

However, I need to practice my airbrushing techniques when applying gloss finishing coats. 

 

Today I applied the rest of the decals. The pictures below are all early stage, working through this part of the process.

 

Now the decals are finally down, I'm looking forward to finishing this particular project.

As this is a WHIF, I've given myself creative freedom on which decals to apply from the Kits-World set.

 

 

 

Tomorrow I'll apply some extra Mr Softener on the blades.

Then I'll add the remaining parts to the model, prior to a gloss sealing stage (using the aerosol can again). 

 

I'm then planning to apply minimal weathering, with Flory's wash.

 

Finally I'll have a think about whether to go with final semi-gloss, or a matt finish.

Matt might hide a multitude of sins I've created 😄

 

Fingers crossed there'll be no more issues, and this Spit should be ready for inspection in a few days time.

 

Thanks for looking in today. If you have some suggestions, I'm all ears 👂👂

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Winded Penguin
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[Biggles87]

Sorry to hear of your problems, but good for you for not giving in.

I think a semi-gloss finish would be more realistic, but as it’s a ‘ what if ‘ you’re not necessarily looking for realism anyway.

Keep on keeping on.

 

John. 🇺🇦

[mark.au]

8 hours ago, Winded Penguin said:

Finally I'll have a think about whether to go with final semi-gloss, or a matt finish.

Matt might hide a multitude of sins I've created 😄

While a flat finish does hide things, I don’t see too many things to hide…. My vote goes for a gloss finish; this bird was polished up to chase down its prey.

[bigbadbadge]

Crikey, sounds like you've had a fight with the gloss. Glad you persevered and you now have  great looking PRU blue beastie of a Spitfire,  glorious.  

Chris

[Winded Penguin]

Today I added the other 'underneath parts' aside from the wheels, which I'll glue on after the gloss stages.

 

At the decal stage, although not including a yellow leading edge, I remembered I didn't want the guns to freeze or get dust in them.

So, I'd need to add the leading-edge red tape over the ports. Then I remembered the Academy kit has them as decals, so a quick rummage in the box for the decal sheet, and on they went.

 

 

 

The props, exhaust stubbs and wheels got a separate matt varnish coat from a Revell aerosol can

 

Thats it for today. Just weathering and final top coat to go.

 

Having reached this point despite a few panicky tribulations, I do feel the PRU colour scheme pre-shaded with XF8 underneath is really speaking to me.

I'm inspired to dream up more opportunities where I can feature the same colour scheme in the very near future 😄

 

Thanks for looking in today. Any comment from the forum is always taken on-board, valued and appreciated.

[bigbadbadge]

Looookingggg great.  Cracking work 

Chris

[AliGauld]

Wot he said. 

Who doesn't love a Spitfire in PRU.

Cracking job.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[Winded Penguin]

It's done. Flory's wash and final top coat.

 

In the end I used the Revel spray can gloss for that top coat.

 

Due to my previous ineptitude with MLT and Mr Hobby Gloss, at best I would describe this top coat as a utility gloss or semi-gloss, in real life.

 

Overall this is my favourite outcome so far, and the experiment with XF8 underneath PRU blue, turned out really well and one I'll be happy to repeat.

 

Thanks for participating in my 'What If' journey with this one.

All contributions to this thread gratefully received.

 

I'll post more pictures in 'Ready for Inspection' shortly. For now:

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Looks lovely, you can be rightly chuffed with this, great work. 

Chris

[AliGauld]

1 minute ago, bigbadbadge said:

Looks lovely, you can be rightly chuffed with this, great work. 

Chris

I wholeheartedly concur with the Gentleman above.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[Biggles87]

And me.

 

John

[Rob K.]

Looks very cool. Only just discovered this build. Great scheme.

 

Rgds

 

Rob

[wellsprop]

Looking rather excellent! 

[2996 Victor]

Just spotted this, WP - I do like a good whif, and this is a GOOD whif! Great premise +  exemplary building = an excellent outcome!

 

Cheers, 

Mark 

[SafetyDad]

And a +1 from me. To my eyes your choice of PR scheme also seems to have the happy, if unintended, effect of toning down the nose faults with the Academy kit. The nose looks more in proportion than other camouflaged builds I've seen of this kit.

 

Great overall job

 

SD  

[Winded Penguin]

On 4/12/2024 at 9:34 AM, SafetyDad said:

And a +1 from me. To my eyes your choice of PR scheme also seems to have the happy, if unintended, effect of toning down the nose faults with the Academy kit. The nose looks more in proportion than other camouflaged builds I've seen of this kit.

 

Great overall job

 

SD  

Thank you SD. It's a shame the Academy kits have shape anomalies. It is actually by far the most precisely fitting and straightforward kit I've built so far in my limited experience, since returning to the hobby.