81-er Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 She's looking very good now, Steve Knowing you, you'll go back into fusion and knock up a jig to cut the masking for the sharks mouth... James 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 Lovely paintjob Steve, really cracking work! Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted July 21 Author Share Posted July 21 5 hours ago, giemme said: You need a Silhouette cutter... 5 hours ago, 81-er said: Knowing you, you'll go back into fusion and knock up a jig to cut the masking for the sharks mouth... Having second thoughts about the whole DR944 sharksmouth scheme tbh. The sharksmouth is doable alright, fairly straightforward to draw a reasonable outline on some copies of 1/48 plans and cut out a set of paint masks; and it's the build I'd like to do cos of the whole Martin Baker connection and cos it's not very well known and cos it's eye catching. If the Defiant was for me it'd definitely finish it as DR944. Trouble is; the build isn't for me - it's for Jim's museum; and whilst DR945 is a pretty well researched scheme with a known squadron serial JW - U; DR944 has an unknown serial JW- ?, which I'd have to guess at (could be V) and I don't even know what colour the inside of the sharks mouth should be (I'd guess red - but some were blue) and I don't really want to give Jim a model that may be correctly marked but may be incorrectly marked. I know that it's extremely doubtful that anyone visiting the museum would know or care it might be wrong. But I'd know. So I'm in two minds at the moment. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Slowbuild Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 7 hours ago, Fritag said: I think I’m still processing the trauma of repeated childhood beach holidays always resulting in sunburn and lashings of calamine lotion. Well I can relate to that. We are not long back from a week in Scotland, decidedly wild, wet and windy too. Great time though! The Defiant is looking terrific. Personally, I’m not very taken with these shark mouths, they don’t really suit the airframe. Bit gaudy. I am looking forward to seeing how your chipping, weathering, filtering goes; I’d like to try these methods more often but I usually chicken out… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 What about asking Jim for his thoughts on things, Steve? James 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 That paintwork looks fantastic Steve, looking forward to seeing the filtering and weathering. Will take notes if you're going to paint the sharmouth as have one planned on a future model which I think I am going to have to paint too. Great work this is one stunning Defiant. Chris 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 1 hour ago, 81-er said: What about asking Jim for his thoughts on things, Steve? James That's your best bet Steve, Jim should be invited to make that decision. I hate Sharks but on the Defiant it would be a gorgeous display. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 6 hours ago, Fritag said: If the Defiant was for me it'd definitely finish it as DR944. Go with what fits in best with the museum 100%. You can always nake another just for you. Wouldn't be too difficult with all the CAD work done already. The camo looks beautiful! Richie 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 Lovely work Steve - she's looking amazing. You could ask Jim but he is usually busy and doesn't respond quickly. That said he probably has some historic material or other that will ease any worries you may have. Probably. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 (edited) 23 hours ago, 81-er said: What about asking Jim for his thoughts on things, Steve? 22 hours ago, perdu said: That's your best bet Steve, Jim should be invited to make that decision. Sensible suggestion James/Bill. But my experience with Jim during my Spitfire build was as Ced says: 17 hours ago, CedB said: You could ask Jim but he is usually busy and doesn't respond quickly. To be fair, I also think Jim is more of a big picture man with more important stuff on his mind, and I don't think he would mind which one I do or whether the markings are certain or a bit speculative. Oh, and whisper it - but I don't think much of a case could be made that the Defiant was a significant aircraft in the USAAF story in the UK. And In fact I'm not entirely sure that Jim didn't give me the Defiant kit just to be rid of it rather than in the expectation of it coming back to him in completed form...... Anyway, all in all I think it's my decision to make. And maybe I should please myself... On 7/21/2023 at 5:03 PM, Dave Slowbuild said: Personally, I’m not very taken with these shark mouths, they don’t really suit the airframe I'm minded to agree with you that a shark mouth doesn't suit the airframe, Dave. But the contrarian in me quite likes that... 22 hours ago, perdu said: I hate Sharks but on the Defiant it would be a gorgeous display. Oh well. Maybe I should then. On 7/21/2023 at 9:41 AM, 81-er said: Knowing you, you'll go back into fusion and knock up a jig to cut the masking for the sharks mouth... It's a thought James Re-sized and distorted the photo until it fitted and conformed as best I could make to the lower engine area. Maybe extrude and print a jig to cut around. Maybe just print the sketch and cut around that. If I'm happy that I can make a decent fist of the shark's mouth I'll do it. If I then think it'll be too difficult - it'll be DR945. On 7/21/2023 at 5:03 PM, Dave Slowbuild said: I am looking forward to seeing how your chipping, weathering, filtering goes Well Dave. Firstly I painted on the non-slip walkway rather than use the kit decal. There were several different styles of walkway on the Defiant and in the absence of photographic proof I went for the least intrusive. And then started the weathering process with chipping. Really quite hard work as the chipping fluid had been on several days and so had up to 3 coats of paint over that (the recommendation is that you spray a top coat as soon as the chipping fluid is dry and start chipping as soon as the top coat is dry. But that's really not practicable). It did still work - but not easily. Took a fair amount of wetting and some firm rubbing with a stiff (cut down) paint brush and scraping/rubbing with cocktail sticks and Tamiya cotton buds. The pressure needed made it harder to exercse control over the process. But I did my best and tried to make it representative by reference to photographs. DR944 in particular is noted in the references to have been a particularly worn airframe. The USAAF had seemingly neglected it somewhat before handing it over to Martin Baker. I expect they also neglected DR945. Still tried not to go too far over the top. The chipping in isolation of the oil filtering and washes looks perhaps a little incongruous. But one has to start somewhere. I really quite like the look of the undersides: But not terribly realistic to pose it upside down... Needs a gloss or semi-gloss coat now before any sharks mouth, weathering and decals. Edited July 22 by Fritag typo 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Nice work Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Love that chipping! And the "dead one" pose is ace Ciao 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinneko Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 1 hour ago, Fritag said: Anyway, all in all I think it's my decision to make. And maybe I should please myself... 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 2 hours ago, Fritag said: I really quite like the look of the undersides: So do I! 2 hours ago, Fritag said: But not terribly realistic to pose it upside down... I wanted to do the dead joke in honour of my dead gliders comment, but Giorgio beat me to it Nice weathering all round Steve. I've never tried the hairbrush technique but will definitely give it a go some day. I've weathered a couple of AVF's with my own painted on and/or sponge dabbing chipping, and that seems to work well if done subtly. I've always been put off by the fact that using the hairspray method, you would need to work fast between coats. Anyone who knows me is aware that my pace of work and consequent production of completed models can hardly be called fast. And as for the decision on which of the two to do, has to be yours I think, and I agree Jim would surely be fine with that, for all the reasons you cite! Terry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serkan Sen Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 Both the paint work and chipping look awesome Steve. Serkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 I think you've got a sensible plan of action, Steve, and the chipping looks blooming good to me. The rest of the weathering will tie that in nicely. 5 hours ago, Fritag said: But not terribly realistic to pose it upside down... Well. only if you've got a photo of it after a mishap... James 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 22 Share Posted July 22 7 hours ago, Fritag said: Really quite hard work as the chipping fluid had been on several days and so had up to 3 coats of paint over that (the recommendation is that you spray a top coat as soon as the chipping fluid is dry and start chipping as soon as the top coat is dry. But that's really not practicable). It did still work - but not easily. I found the same thing in my chipping experiments with Colourcoats - but if you decide to chip as early as you would with water or alcohol based acrylics, I found that the enamel Colourcoats remained pliable, almost rubbery, so it was best to wait for them to fully cure and then apply elbow grease. Beautiful paint work Steve. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Steve, That's a lovely finish you have achieved there. Will look spectacular once the markings are added, Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Nice job on the chipping and weathering so far Steve Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 As the others have said, she looks fantastic. I love the motelling and overall look of the camo and underside. Exactly the way I personally like models to look. 😀 The chipping is great too. I had similar issues as I would leave days and days between painting and chipping. It is a lot easier if you chip right away but as you said not always appropriate time wise. I can’t believe you have done a yellow striped bottom before I have. Some guys get all the luck. 🫡 Johnny 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 I think Jim will be mighty pleased with this Steve, such a rear aircraft to be modelled, let alone modelled to this level of skill. Can't wait to see it in person. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted July 24 Author Share Posted July 24 (edited) A little more progress to report. A Flory wash. Not in all the panel lines - just the moveable flying surfaces, engine panels and in this piccie the area of the riveting. Does just render the rivets subtly visible from some angles and distances. And then I thought that I’d better have. crack at DR944’s shark’s mouth if I was going to do it… On 7/21/2023 at 9:41 AM, 81-er said: Knowing you, you'll go back into fusion and knock up a jig to cut the masking for the sharks mouth... Whether James was speaking tongue-in-cheek or not, it did seem sensible to use Fusion to knock up a quick 3D template/mask or two. The outline: The teeth. I tried to recreate the design on the 1:1 as closely as I could. I printed the outline template to draw around in pencil to give me a line for conventional masking with thin strips of tape: And then I sprayed blue, masked off the edge with 0.75mm tape and gave it a coat of white. Then, not without trepidation, I used the printed teeth as a mask: The trepidation came because I thought it might end in disaster from bleed under the 3d printed mask (which obvs. didn’t stick down like masking tape) or the mask moving halfway through or any number of other problems. Following Giorgio’s timely reminder on his P-47 thread about the merits of airbrushing a ‘dry’ coat, I sprayed the red as dry as I could. Not perfect, but frankly I’m relieved at the result. I’ve done a bit more chipping around the shark’s mouth, as you can see. But it’s obviously way too clean and bright at the moment and’ll need plenty of weathering. However it’s there - and I think I dodged a bullet or two in getting it done. And the printed bits used: Might try to find some suitably sized roundels for the eyes (they look in the photo of DR944 above to be circular and roundel-like) failing which more masking. This time a tape and punch-set job I think. Edited July 25 by Fritag 30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.au Posted July 24 Share Posted July 24 It’s so hard to comment on your builds without it coming across as hyperbole. Let me try… The design, the paint, the finish, the technique, the execution are just stupendous. Absolutely brilliant work, Steve. Oops. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinneko Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 4 hours ago, Fritag said: I used the printed teeth as a mask: It would be so tempting to leave a v. thin 3d relief on the body for actual teeth. Just to freak people out. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 Well, I'm impressed! Impeccable execution of a well laid down plan with that shark mouth! Also, I'm very curious about your approach in weathering before the markings go on The subtle riveting job looks just spot on with that wash! Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now