Maschinene Krieger Falke and the decimation of the spares box

[Thom216]

Vast improvement!

[the other matt]

I was wobbling on it, but it looks better in situ I think. In hindsight I think it would have been better to plan ahead and work out what I wanted to do first. All the glue and un glue action here has not been kind in some, mostly hidden bits. 

In between work I've glued the lobster together and had a bit of a play test fitting all the gubbings. 

No matter what they say panel lines are not your friend. I will never be an aircraft modeller.

I did manage to mess up one of the panels when cleaning it up. the fit was not good - user error entirely. so did some surgery. Thinking at this point itll turn out ok when glued to the optional piece with out the bulge. 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

Typists correction fluid is good for fine panel lines. It's cheap and sands smooth nicely. 

Try Home Bargains if you have one close by. 

[the other matt]

That's a good shout Pete. I used Tamiya putty on this and sanded back. There's some sort of block between my fingers and eyes that can't tell if I've got them all. so I think the plan is to throw some primer at it and see where we are. From the bits I've already primed, I'm surprised that 400 grit scratches seem nicely covered up. 

[Pete in Lincs]

Run a sharp pencil down the lines or a thin wash of dark acrylic. 

[Tzulscha]

That looks really good Matt.

If the outside is as bashed up as the cockpit, I'd say you got a winner going here!

[the other matt]

If the painting of the gun is anything to go by, this will be one short step away from a scrap yard diorama.

Started with the best of intentions. 

 

A bit of aluminium wax, some masking. OK things under control. Heat stain blues and oranges - hated both. Took up the tape - up came the transparents. Sprayed a bit of camo - hated it, Started stripping off the paint and got to this point, which actually I quite like. 

I think this may be a keeper with maybe a bit of rain streaking and miscellaneous goo. By happy accident I may be channelling the spirit of Bob Ross. 

The bits under the gun will of course barely be seen as they sit on the inside edge of the booms tucked in by the gun mount and the errr drop tank mount. I was going to prime the hull, but I've ordered ping pong balls and am considering a bit of surgery so we're back to killing time paint up stuff that will never be seen......

Todays album is The Second Coming by The Stone Roses. Mad for it. 

[Pete in Lincs]

The gun fairing looks good to me. I wonder what those suspension parts were taken from. Sometimes the parts used have really obscure origins.

I used ping pong balls on my two scratchbuilt Falkes. I cut around the seam and faired them in with milliput. Dark grey primer does the business for colour.

Keep it coming. Pete

[the other matt]

You know, I've had a look through the kit donor lists online and I'm still none the wiser. It does tickle me that in 2807 folks are using leaf spring suspension for their er spaceships (?). 

I'm thinking the plan for the balls is to install one halved into the hull as a socket of sorts and to have one whole lying on the ground with the customary bundle of cables having fallen out of the ship. Or something like that. I may just end up annoying the dogs with them.

[the other matt]

Well, the surgery went pretty much as planned. I had a couple of hours before work during the week and a couple of tentative cuts with a scalpel became absolute carnage. little bits of plastic all over the house. 

 

I was going to add a few bits inside the socket, but at this point I don't want to get too bogged down. Besides as with the cockpit, it'll barely be visible. Because of this I finished the bang bang stick (or maybe zap zap stick). Was going for scorch marks on the paint. In hindsight I'd have blued the area by the streaks, but thats what you get for not having a plan. 

I've also got a coat of paint on the hull. Trying out AK xtreme metals here. Like. Seem nicely durable. Pleasingly shiny. Dry quick. Forgotten how much I dislike the fumes. It did occur to me as this was going on that its near enough the same colour as it was before I primed...... May little bits of touch up to do, but seeing as a lot of this will disappear under putty Im not too fussed. I guess this is also the reason Im not too fussed about parts of the panel lines showing in places.

 

[the other matt]

So today I bit the bullet and did a thing. Started out with a latex mask painted on. Much cursing here. 

And some putty stuff. Started out grey, turned out greeny. 

Turned out ok. Used lifecolor paints for a dead flat finish which it is, but they didnt behave as anticipated when the mask was removed. I quite like and it itll be fun to go over with oils. Check out doogsmodels for a far better execution of this technique.

The xtreme metal paint didnt play too nicely with my masking tape even after a 24 hour cure. That together with a bit of over spray means ill be redoing the odd panel here and there. 

[the other matt]

It turns out that this may be the kit that gets me into painting. If nothing else it's a great canvas to practice on. After messing around for an hour or two before work this week, I think I've decided on how the rest of the lobster is going. I tend to get a small part of the thing finished and then work it out over the whole model. Don't know if that's the best way, but I find it clears my mind a bit when things are drawing to a close and motivation is flagging a bit. 

 

 

 

It's a bit rough around the edges at this point but we can come back to the niggles. Most is oils and lifecolor acrylics applied with a sponge. I like the mottle. Once Im done with the hairy stick, I think the airbrush will come back out for a few smoke  (or whatever) trails.

The mak seal seems to have been broken, Ammoknight is on its way.

[Pete in Lincs]

I'm glad you've now found your direction. Ma.k isn't everyones cuppa but it can be a great way to experiment and learn new techniques.

The metal finish in that last picture looks really good.

 

I've found a couple of pics on the hard drive that you might like. I scratchbuilt these a couple of years ago. 

They're along the lines of the kit and (I think) in the spirit of the Falke at least. Hope you don't mind me posting them here. I'll remove them if you do.

 

I always liked the Gulf racing colours, and used engine parts from the Airfix Porsche 917 on this one.

 

This one used WW1 lozenge decals donated by another BMer for an oddball camouflage.

I do have a real Falke kit in the cupboard. Maybe one day when I find time. Cheers, Pete

[the other matt]

Pete, these are cool. Nice to see other takes on the format. I love the idea of the lozenge camo - almost looks like digital camo. Scratch building is I think a bit beyond me just now, but I have ordered some over priced Chinese tools of a red hue, so will be bending my mind to it when they come in march. The one nly thing that makes me wonder about the mak stuff is the cost of getting it to the UK. It's not exactly bang for your buck stuff.

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

It comes up for sale on the bay occasionally. There was a used Falke but the price went silly.  I have a few bits for sale , mostly as I have no idea when I'll get the time. They may get imported here again one day you never know.

[the other matt]

I've been looking on the bay recently and get the feeling you have to be quick. The MK44 I ordered was came from Poland but was cheaper than buying in the UK; make of that what you will. Ho hum.

Cooking on gas with this project. Boom 2 sprayed up. Definitely using latex making for hard edge tank camo in future. Also started to beat it up a bit. 

 

Thats two panels of bronze green and dark grey camo. Basically black in all but direct sunlight. 

Insert Whoosh noises here.

[the other matt]

So yesterday, after painstakingly masking around the body of this thing and spraying some colour. I decided I hated it. Can't explain why, just did. On the way to chipping it off I got to something that almost gets close to Japanese late war junkheap planes. Interesting, may keep. Another thing to ponder about. Either way all the kit supplied lumps and bumps are now in place and engine in. Turns out this this is quite big.

 

[shortCummins]

its got a real "make do and mend" vibe, that's a good thing 👍

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[the other matt]

Thanks John. 

I slept on it and the chipping was too much by far. Tis now green, as green is the way. A lot more pleased with it this way.

 

 

[the other matt]

Bit of a break from the main event. This is where the learning curve steepens. wish me luck....

[the other matt]

I don't mind admitting that I'm struggling a bit with the pilot, which is good because I guess it means that I'm learning some stuff. First lesson is that I need a couple of new brushes. Second guessing where the bristles are going to end up isn't too fun. Second lesson is that my eyes aren't what they used to be.

Its's been back to the resin twice so far, but I think this ones staying, Still working on the hair and am about to try and refine with some oil. We'll see how that goes. Figure painting is now another thing tacked onto the growing list of things to learn. 

[the other matt]

So do you, or how do you paint eyebrows. My last two efforts have been a bit to Liam Gallagher.

[Thom216]

That's some nice work on the pilot! Her eyes are pretty good too. 

[Pete in Lincs]

Great figure painting, Matt. Clothing, eyes and even the eyebrows (There are pencils for that sort of detail, BTW). 

I'm rubbish at figures but can just about get by in 1/20th. 

How about some orange stripes in her hair? (Other colours are availabe).

[Hunter Rose]

Lovely job with the pilot, really like your colour choices for the flight suit