A-20G Havoc MPM 1/72 - 453rd BG Museum Build

[TheyJammedKenny!]

On 6/4/2023 at 10:45 AM, CedB said:

I wish I'd done this as it would have solved my current masking problems.

Anything can be overcome!  As for the invasion stripes, the more uneven and random, the better.  These were applied in haste.

[CedB]

Thanks Alex. I can do uneven!

 

The primer, as usual, showed up some faults that needed filling / shaving / sanding:

 

 

Then on with the Neutral Grey:

 

 

Dead, again  

That's not a horrid seam, it's the bomb bay. Honest. I re-scribed it a bit.

 

Pondering the wavy demarcation line masking I had a happy trip around the ceiling to see where else I'd done this.

Hudson. Just the Hudson.

What did I do there?

 

Well, that was over-complicated.

It did remind me though that I have Tape for Curves and the black Panzer Putty.

I will ponder.

[Heather Kay]

4 minutes ago, CedB said:

Well, that was over-complicated.

If you’re not too fussy, my preferred way is to take some wide masking tape (or scrap Oramask film) and freehand a wavy line along it with a sharp scalpel blade. Stick the wavy bit on the model and apply more tape to mask as required. 

[giemme]

Very intense masking job there, Ced  - what with the invasion stripes and all? KUDOs

 

And BTW, very smart "masking" technique for the struts!  

Ciao

[CedB]

Thanks Heather, good tip.

Thanks Giorgio.

 

I should have taken a photo of the masking but couldn't wait to do this:

 

 

I think I'll hand paint the small area of green so next job is to de-mask the black stripes and spray those.

And the props.

Maybe later.

[Brandy]

Wait, what the.....

 

Where did this pop up from? 

Nearly finished too!

Oh well, I'll join Bill at the bar, there's time for another pint or two yet.

 

Lovely job so far Ced, but...iron weights instead of lead....I hope that glue doesn't react.

 

Ian

[frapes75]

Looking great! May I ask at what psi do you spray and with what you thin vallejo at, and with what airbrush? The finish looks very good!

Edited June 5, 2023 by frapes75

[giemme]

Very smooth paint job there, Ced!

 

Almost done now

 

Ciao 

[tomprobert]

Blimey - this is some rapid progress, Ced. I pop in after a couple of days away and it’s nearly finished!

 

The OD looks smoooooooooth…

 

Nice fix on the nose, too - you’re on a roll.

 

Tom

[philp]

As usual by the time I see this you are 3-4 steps down the road.  It is looking good so far.

 

I was hoping to catch you before you sprayed the grey primer but oh well.  Was going to say I see a lot of guys painting the window frames the interior color first before adding the primer.

 

Nevermind, carry on.

[keefr22]

Did you really get that finish with Vallejo Ced? Very impressed with that! Looking really good!

 

As to the correct width tape for invasion stripes, very surprised you don't have an Infini tape cutting mat thing - cut tape to any width your heart desires!

 

Cracking work again!

 

Keith

[81-er]

Catching up after a long weekend away, all’s looking very good, Ced

 

James

[CedB]

19 hours ago, Brandy said:

Wait, what the.....

 

Where did this pop up from? 

Nearly finished too!

Oh well, I'll join Bill at the bar, there's time for another pint or two yet.

 

Lovely job so far Ced, but...iron weights instead of lead....I hope that glue doesn't react.

 

Ian

Hiding in the long grass!  

Thanks Ian. I hope the weight description is right that they're non-corrosive but hopefully the latex will keep the air out.

 

19 hours ago, frapes75 said:

Looking great! May I ask at what psi do you spray and with what you thin vallejo at, and with what airbrush? The finish looks very good!

Of course you may. 25psi through a 0.4mm in my H&S Ultra.

Vallejo Model AIR doesn't need thinning - it's designed to be airbrushed straight from the bottle.

I've been using it for some time and, after an email with their MD, I think they've sorted the early colour match problems.

 

18 hours ago, giemme said:

Very smooth paint job there, Ced!

 

Almost done now

 

Ciao 

Thanks Giorgio.

 

14 hours ago, tomprobert said:

Blimey - this is some rapid progress, Ced. I pop in after a couple of days away and it’s nearly finished!

 

The OD looks smoooooooooth…

 

Nice fix on the nose, too - you’re on a roll.

 

Tom

Thanks Tom.

 

10 hours ago, philp said:

As usual by the time I see this you are 3-4 steps down the road.  It is looking good so far.

 

I was hoping to catch you before you sprayed the grey primer but oh well.  Was going to say I see a lot of guys painting the window frames the interior color first before adding the primer.

 

Nevermind, carry on.

Thanks Phil. I did think of that, then I forgot.

Rats.

 

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Did you really get that finish with Vallejo Ced? Very impressed with that! Looking really good!

 

As to the correct width tape for invasion stripes, very surprised you don't have an Infini tape cutting mat thing - cut tape to any width your heart desires!

 

Cracking work again!

 

Keith

Cheers Keith. Of course I have the cutting mat thingy.

But I also have a reel of tape. Save the planet!

 

1 hour ago, 81-er said:

Catching up after a long weekend away, all’s looking very good, Ced

 

James

Thanks James.

[CedB]

While waiting for the paint to dry I thought I'd tackle the props:

 

 

Give us a break guys.

Couldn't get a saw in so had to clip them off close to the tree.

That took some tidying up.

 

Masking off. Lots of it:

 

 

That white's too white.

And, although I sealed the tape with Klear I obviously hadn't burnished it into the panel lines:

 

 

And black overspray. In my defence I'd switched to the 0.2mm in my H&S Evolution and it blocked. Unusual with Model air. Probably a dirty brush (now cleaned).

 

The tape also lifted some Neutral Grey (dead one again):

 

 

 

The wavy line sort of worked:

 

 

You'll notice that the dampers are gone. Again. I took them off but the nose wheel one has gone somewhere.

More rats.

 

I don't mind the bright white on the fin but I've toned down the stripes with some Model Air 'Aged White':

 

 

Better.

 

I've also applied the Medium Green bits.

Can you see them on the scheme?

Me neither, even after I'd sourced a copy on the 'net and printed it on A4.

They're on now and touch ups have been down:

 

 

Drying now before the pre-transfer gloss coat.

[Hamden]

 

Stunning paintwork on the A-20 finish line in sight now!

 

   Stay safe            Roger

[AdrianMF]

Nice modelling. The Boston never seems to get its fair share of attention from modellers, so thanks for redressing the balance a bit!

Regards,

Adrian

[Brandy]

Looking good!

BTW the "dampers" are actually torque links. They do 2 things:

Stop the lower half of the gear falling too far when the weight is off the wheels, and stop the lower half rotating.

I had one fail on landing one time and the right main wheel rotated almost (but not quite) 180 degrees.

It tests the strength of your legs trying to keep the aircraft straight!

 

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AuF2JD2u35lBg4IRoRLGn39Z566PTw

 

Ian

 

[CedB]

3 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Stunning paintwork on the A-20 finish line in sight now!

 

   Stay safe            Roger

Thanks Roger, very kind.

 

1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

Nice modelling. The Boston never seems to get its fair share of attention from modellers, so thanks for redressing the balance a bit!

Regards,

Adrian

Thanks Adrian. Havoc / Boston… now I want a Boston in MY collection!

 

44 minutes ago, Brandy said:

Lookknvbgood!

BTW the "dampers" are actually torque links. They do 2 things:

Stop the lower half of the gear falling too far when the weight is off the wheels, and stop the lower half rotating.

I had one fail on landing one time and the right main wheel rotated almost (but not quite) 180 degrees.

It tests the strength of your legs trying to keep the aircraft straight!

 

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AuF2JD2u35lBg4IRoRLGn39Z566PTw

 

Ian

 

Thanks Ian.

Flippin' 'eck, I bet that was scary!

Torque links, got it.

 

Props and wheels ready:

 

 

 

I'm trying to wait for the gloss coat for a bit.

Patience is not my best virtue as you know.

 

The rest of this post will only amuse fellow 'absent minded old blokes'.

Still here?

Giorgio suggested I stick the torque links on with UV glue. I have some BlueFixx… somewhere.

Here are the refills:

 

 

Where's the little light?

Not in these places:

 

 

 

 

Hmmm.

Not here either:

 

 

 

…but at least it reminded me what tools I have. Must tidy up.

 

When did I use it last.

Search BM.

Bought in 2016 and used on many models before I found Canopy Glue.

Used on the Rapide in 2017 and the windows popped so I lost confidence in it.

Used on the Nimrod in 2019 for landing light gaps.

Where did I put it?

 

Look in my Flickr 'purchases' album:

 

 

Oh, it's in a BOX! I was just looking for the little light.

Idiot.

 

Does it still work?

 

 

Yep.

OK, don't lose it again you old…

[Brandy]

At least that kept you out of mischief for a while!

 

Ian

[TheBaron]

4 hours ago, CedB said:

Does it still work?

 

 

 

Yep.

That must be what they call light relief...

 

Seriously though Ced, you've gotten that aircraft looking very spiffy already and as Adrian said, nice to see this aircraft getting some affection by your hand.

 

[giemme]

12 hours ago, TheBaron said:

you've gotten that aircraft looking very spiffy already

Very true! I dare say it's one of your smoothest paint jobs ever!  

Ciao

 

PS: boy, you do have some tools!  

 

 

[Spookytooth]

Well Ced, you are cracking on with this build mate.

With all the trials and tribulations you `re beating her.

 

Simon.

[CedB]

18 hours ago, Brandy said:

At least that kept you out of mischief for a while!

 

Ian

A while. I really should empty all the drawers and redid myself what I have.

 

14 hours ago, TheBaron said:

That must be what they call light relief...

 

Seriously though Ced, you've gotten that aircraft looking very spiffy already and as Adrian said, nice to see this aircraft getting some affection by your hand.

 

 Thanks Tony

 

2 hours ago, giemme said:

Very true! I dare say it's one of your smoothest paint jobs ever!  

Ciao

 

PS: boy, you do have some tools!  

 

 

Thanks Giorgio. Tools help compensate for my lack of skills  

 

1 hour ago, Spookytooth said:

Well Ced, you are cracking on with this build mate.

With all the trials and tribulations you `re beating her.

 

Simon.

Thanks Simon.

[CedB]

What a morning.

I'm a nervous wreck.

Why?

Transfers (or decals if you prefer).

Set up the station with warm water in the oil diffuser.

Cut the port fuselage transfers from the sheet.

Soak them in water…

WAIT! These are really quick to detach.

OK, in the water for a count of five and then on to the decal tray.

First two applied.

'5H' next.

On the model, crikey these are delicate transfers.

 

WAIT! What's this:

 

 

Can you see?

Obviously in real life the D-day stripes were applied after the ident markings.

In 'modelling world' the stripes were done first.

Can you see on the scheme that the stripes don't go, er, over the markings? Obviously.

 

Future modellers beware: the stripes don't go over where the transfers will, later, be applied.

 

I panicked.

I managed with some difficulty to get the '5H' back on the backing paper.

Sloshed some OD over the area.

Applied transfers to the other parts of the model.

Back to the fuselage sides.

 

I think I got away with it:

 

 

Not my best work:

 

 

I don't mind the rough edges on the OD - I can pretend it's the hastily applied stripes.

The '5' is right up against the wing root. Perhaps it should be on it.

The transfers are a bit opaque - look at the stars and bars.

They're very fragile; look at the 'H'; you can see where it broke up even though it was floated on.

Also various 'prod marks' as I tried to position the thing.

Nightmare.

 

Off for a lie down.

[giemme]

Decals are the spawn of the devil, Ced.... you should have painted those markings on....     

 

Ciao