A Pair of Seafire Mk.Ib in 1/72 - One finished. One in progress.

[Louise]

This is a batch of two new tooled KP Seafire Mk. IIb kits.  New tooled you ask? Yeah, there is a marked quality improvement compared to KP's earlier Spitfires and a better way than following the Freightdog/KP Vc conversion.  I built a couple of them last year along with some Sword Seafires...... my goodness how I don't the Sword kit.

 

Photos show the inside and stage right now where I've got the main parts together.  Need to search the stock pile for another set of seat harnesses. Apart from those and maybe some resin wheels and exhausts if I find any lying around, the kits are OOB.  I like all three of the box options.  Choices.  What it did provide me was one aircraft with a tropical filter and one without.

 

The gun sight is too low and will be adjusted.  If you are wondering why the rear frame is broken it's because I ripped this out of an earlier build that ended up being trashed last year.

 

Here, for the first time ever, in more than 6 previous KP/Sword builds, I actually got the wing roots pretty much spot on.

 

 

 

 

The two kits. The second didn't go as smoothly.

[TonyOD]

Always happy to sea Reg's finest added to the lineup @Louise, look forward to see them come together. Welcome aboard!

[Col.]

Nice progress on both examples Louise but Tony may be along presently to request that you separate them into a thread each  

I've looked at these kits for a while but not taken the step to actually buy any yet so will follow along to learn your thoughts on them.

[TonyOD]

Thanks @Col.If this is to be true side-by-side build of two examples of the same type in the same scale I'm happy enough to have them sit in one thread, they will go on the Build list as a double build, same as @Davek72's Zeros.

 

Cheers

Tony

[Louise]

4 hours ago, TonyOD said:

Thanks @Col.If this is to be true side-by-side build of two examples of the same type in the same scale I'm happy enough to have them sit in one thread, they will go on the Build list as a double build, same as @Davek72's Zeros.

 

Cheers

Tony

Excellent reply, just what I wanted to hear!  It would have been time consuming to build these in tandem and then upload pics and info twice. So I shall confirm that they are the same kits and are being built together so you'll see photos of the same progress on each.

Ta

[Bertie McBoatface]

That adds a little interest. Will you differentiate them at all? One new one old, or one folded perhaps (if mk1s folded?)

[Louise]

4 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

That adds a little interest. Will you differentiate them at all? One new one old, or one folded perhaps (if mk1s folded?)

If you look carefully, there's a huge difference between the two, almost like a tin of tuna and a tin off anchovies!

[Louise]

Moving on, the airframes are assembled, canopies masked, the tropical clad has its insignia blue laid while the camo version some blotching done prior to going for the sky undersurface (maybe today).  Both spinners have been painted white, props black (awaiting yellow tips).  Both aircraft have cannons/cannon stubs from Master Brass.  I had issues obtaining a good fit with the canopies.... one is spoiled by the Eduard IX kits fit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Louise]

This morning, I sprayed a coat of Quick Shine Multi Finish Floor Finish since I no longer have any Future Pledge floor stuff..... and there is no way I am going on eBay and paying anywhere from $40 to $100 to some rip off artists to buy a now out of production bottle......

 

This stuff, first time I used it was today, I first tested it on an old kit, then found that a few light mists followed by a heavier coat using 0.5 airbrush at 15psi and 3" distance, works absolutely superb.  It also dries to the touch in about 2 mins.  So that meant I even got to decal the blue spit this afternoon...... blimey..... I like this stuff.

 

Now I missed the memo last year that said Future Pledge was being discontinued. I had decided to go the way with AK Gauzy products.........

 

... screw that. This QSMFFF 64oz bottle sells for $13. It smells like, looks like, feels like and performs just the same as the Gauzy stuff if not better.  The big difference is that AK charge you $10 for 100ml (about 3.6oz).... so that means AK costs $189 for 64oz.  Get real folks AK are ripping you off big time.

 

 

The main decals are fine but the stencils were different, very fragile. I need to do some finishing on the starboard wing walk by the tip.... amazing what you see on a photo compared to the naked eye.

 

The Yankee plane has its Sky undersurface, also now coated with QSMFFF and the top surface Slate gray (not yet glossed).  I'm glossing it just now just to test out this new product and how well it deals with me masking the lower surface in prep for the upper.

 

[TonyOD]

17 hours ago, Louise said:

The main decals are fine but the stencils were different, very fragile. I need to do some finishing on the starboard wing walk by the tip.... amazing what you see on a photo compared to the naked eye.

 

I've seen that scheme on a decal sheet and now you've made it all the more appealing! You're right though, close-up photography can be brutal.

 

17 hours ago, Louise said:

This morning, I sprayed a coat of Quick Shine Multi Finish Floor Finish since I no longer have any Future Pledge floor stuff..... and there is no way I am going on eBay and paying anywhere from $40 to $100 to some rip off artists to buy a now out of production bottle......

 

I have two bottles of original formulation Johnson's Klear, discontinued some 10-12 years ago, that I guard like Frodo did the One Ring!

[AliGauld]

Excellent work.

Looking forward to more.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

[2996 Victor]

Also following closely! Both are looking very nice indeed: I was almost swayed by the all-blue scheme for my build, but in the end decided to stick with the Torch markings. 

 

Looking forward to seeing the next instalment!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Louise]

Finished the blue salty dog but trashed the camo one due to a recurring build issue I have had since I was born, been unable to spray gloss varnish for doo-doo.  I'd reckon 70% of my builds go into the bin at that stage. I can't cope with that utterly rough pebbly surface that will not self level and coat 100% of the surface with a glossy surface. Mine feels like a dead dogs butt.  It doesn't matter what medium I use (and I've tried them all) when it comes to spraying gloss varnish I can't obtain anything like a smooth surface   Even the blue here if seen in the flesh would show that the varnish state was terrible. Why is it that I can spray pigmented paint but not gloss varnish?  I can lay down lacquer paint as smooth as silk and next day totally ruin it with that pre-decal gloss coat.

 

Sigh........ OK, this photo was taken after I flipped out, so the surface was hand painted in varnish after a failed attempt to lay down a couple of coats ALCLAD II Gloss Klear Kote.  It states 20~25psi and 1 or 2 medium coats.  Well I used a 0.5 needle, 20psi from 3" and all I got was a liquid that would not even lay across the area it was sprayed on. Some areas remained matte, most went all pebbly and all of it useless for decaling.  No way to strip it without taking off all the paint so I trashed it as I've way too many projects to go over this again. WTF is it with gloss coats?  I trashed 14 kits last year because of the gloss coat.  I just can't get over the hurdle. Anyone live in the Lower Hudson Valley and want to come round and show me what the hell I'm doing wrong?

 

 

 

The L/Cdr Hamilton plane was finished off with ALCAD II Lacquer Klear Kote Semi Matte..... so this went down without a problem, go figure!  The gloss was acrylic floor polish which went down good enough but still, compared to what it should be, far from smooth with a consistent shine.

 

[TonyOD]

Well the bluey looks like a million dollars. I hope you manage to get the other sorted out. FWIW I just brush paint Klear on and it seems to do the trick.

[flashlight]

Same problem here with white colour! It's kind of cursed because I never get a smooth surface when I spray white. That's why my last year's An-71 Madcap-build is stalled and still in the paint stripping phase. The problem also occured during my current Sea Dog-build of the Be-200, fortunately enugh it is not too obvious.  

[Grandboof]

Hi Louise 

The blue looks great and looks smooth . I don't spray varnish with the gun but use Mr Surfacer rattle can for both gloss and matt finishes . I have had orange peel issues with metalics through the gun which I have put down the ambiet temp being too cold . Also I usually go for 30 psi for large areas . Hope this helps . 

Martin H

[Grandboof]

Hi Louise 

Sorry had Mr Surfacer on my brain I meant this stuff by Mr Hobbydries in minutes 

 

Martin H

[Col.]

Are you going for a solid coat of varnish in one pass Louise? If so it may be worth trying to mist on several thinned light coats and build it up slowly.

[Louise]

6 hours ago, Col. said:

Are you going for a solid coat of varnish in one pass Louise? If so it may be worth trying to mist on several thinned light coats and build it up slowly.

Misting to get a bite on the surface then applying a more concentrated coat after but before the first coats dry.  I try to keep the surface wet as I go with the concentrated pass.  If this was happening with a pigment paint then I'd know that the paint is drying to much before it hits the surface so I would thin it more and adjust the psi and spraying distance a tadge.   But with the likes of Future and Alcad, your supposed to spray these neat.  If I use Hataki lacquer, I thin it but still get a problem. With Mr Color GSX100  I read it should be well thinned, ..... I still haven't had repeatability with that!

 

It's perplexing and infuriating. 

[Troy Smith]

22 hours ago, Louise said:

I trashed 14 kits last year because of the gloss coat.  I just can't get over the hurdle. Anyone live in the Lower Hudson Valley and want to come round and show me what the hell I'm doing wrong?

 

On 24/01/2023 at 23:10, Louise said:

This morning, I sprayed a coat of Quick Shine Multi Finish Floor Finish since I no longer have any Future Pledge floor stuff..... and there is no way I am going on eBay and paying anywhere from $40 to $100 to some rip off artists to buy a now out of production bottle......

 

This stuff, first time I used it was today, I first tested it on an old kit, then found that a few light mists followed by a heavier coat using 0.5 airbrush at 15psi and 3" distance, works absolutely superb.  It also dries to the touch in about 2 mins.  So that meant I even got to decal the blue spit this afternoon...... blimey..... I like this stuff.

 

22 hours ago, Louise said:

been unable to spray gloss varnish for doo-doo. 

The classic Kleer/Future is reputed to work better applied with a soft flat brush,  as it self levels, that's why it worked as a gloss coat on floors, and work for filling imperfections in canopies.

No idea about the Pledge, but perhaps worth trying. 

this is brushed Kleer over brushed Tamiya (as a primer) and then Vallejo, so several brushed coats of acrylic,  so not a really smooth base, but the Kleer brushes out really easily.    

 

The blue Seafire look great

 

 HTH   

[Louise]

Troy, I have tried just brushing most of the products as well.  Sometimes it works for me.  But I once, long ago swore at The Gods and They have never forgiven me.  Even looking at the photo above makes me sigh.  I wonder if, after having sprayed paint I'm leaving skin grease or something because I get areas where the gloss just will not stay.  Your plane is glossed all over.  Honestly, I don't manage to get that coverage I will see distinct areas where its matte, no matter how many times I brush or spray the gloss.

[patmaquette]

Hi Louise,

Gloss coating is my least favorite part of modelling as well, and my experience has been much as yours.

FWIW (as others are more expert than me), I've found more opportunities for things to go wrong if you airbrush the gloss coat, so I brush the stuff on now using a flat brush as Troy mentioned.

I've just done a 1/72 Tempest using Klear. I rarely get much of a shine with it, but the thing to remember is that the gloss is only there to reduce decal silvering and to help with panel line washes. If you need a shiny finish then that is a different matter.

 

 

 

This time I added a little Winsor & Newton Flow Improver, thinking it would make the Klear more fluid and maybe increase the working time.

I did the yellow underside first and left it to dry for 2-3 hours. I then turned it over and did the topsides.

I worked wet and did not go into areas that were drying or the underside area done previously.

If you miss a bit then don't touch it in - wait for the next coat.

Two coats were sufficient for the job - I waited a day before applying the second coat.

HTH & I hope you find a reliable solution soon,

Pat

[Louise]

Thanks for your insight guys.  So I have 2 Fw190's on the bench for the other STGB this month.....  when it's time to varnish, I'm going to follow Pat's outline (except I don't have Future anymore) but whatever the medium is I'll use a brush.

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

Are you using decal setting solutions? Maybe the acrylic varnish is reacting to leftover acids

[Louise]

5 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

Are you using decal setting solutions? Maybe the acrylic varnish is reacting to leftover acids

I'm at the stage of laying a gloss coat to enable decaling, so thankfully I can ignore the setting solution variable at the moment. You have of course highlighted an important step which is to allow plenty of time for the acrylic surface to cure properly; I've certainly found that out the hard way.