Curtiss Wright CW-21 Interceptor, 2-VLG-IV, Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Division, Java, 1941

[russ c]

Hi everyone

 Actually got around to buying some grass ( No! not that sort...) so took the opportunity to take some pic`s of my latest effort

My attempt at Dora`s 1/48 Curtiss Wright Interceptor kit

Done as a Dutch example based on Perak airbase, Java towards the end of `41

As usual pretty much OOB, with usual ignition harness, antenna wire, brake pipes and guns from metal tube

Also replaced the exhaust pipes as I made a right pigs ear of the kit ones with some plastic tube

Quite an easy build, the only thing that gave me a headache was deciding what colours to paint it......

Lots of conflicting info` in books and on internet and the only two colour photo`s I found were heavily filtered.........

...one even looked like mint and chocolate ice cream colours.

Hope my attempt is close 🤞

Also hope you enjoy the photo`s, thanks for looking

Cheers Russ

[Toryu]

Fantastic grass Russ! 😉

 

There's a book by Edwin Hoogschlagen (Warplane No.13 - Dutch & English) which shows what seem to be the right colours. They look very much like yours.

 

Cheers, Michael

[Jordan Giddins]

Superb build, the faded camo looks very effective. Well done.

[Zigomar]

Great Russ! Now mine has a good friend to patrol with!

[Troy Smith]

5 hours ago, russ c said:

the only thing that gave me a headache was deciding what colours to paint it......

Old Leaf and New Leaf,  I can't recall the correct Dutch spellings,  AFAIK, which look like what you have used.

Similar to USAAF OLive Drab and Medium Green. 

 

@jimmaas would be the chap for confirmation, and he'd like this as well.

 

Great build,  a kit I feel I "need" .....  not that I need anymore at all ever but you know what I mean.  I really like these oddball WW2 types and schemes

[georgeusa]

This is a really great build of this kit.  I really like the finish you have given it as it is so realistic.  I have got to put one of these Dora Wings kit together.  I have a couple, but just not gotten around to it.  Yours is just done so well.  I imagine it is helped by a good kit, but your skill in building and finishing has more to do with it.  Thanks for sharing.

[François Escudé]

Hi Russ, great build again ! this a very special fighter indeed . with this special two tones scheme very well executed !!

good job, and as Jean said, let's them patrol together  !! 😉

[jimmaas]

6 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Old Leaf and New Leaf,  I can't recall the correct Dutch spellings,  AFAIK, which look like what you have used.

Similar to USAAF OLive Drab and Medium Green. 

Oudblad and Jongblad.  The Dutch lighter green seemed to be somewhere between fresh OD (before getting brown) and the lighter green that appeared in the 1960's USAF three-tone Vietnam camouflage.  In fact, a good starting point would be those two USAF greens.  This very well done Interceptor shows a good weathered finish.  That equatorial sun did a real job on paint.

[Kampartiger]

Truly an exceptional build,a very impressive Demon. Btw I always admire your choices of background. It sets the correct mood! One more thing, the airfield was Tanjong Perak in Surabaya. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Kampartiger
Updates.

[Snafu35]

Hello Russ,

 

Here's another superb building, brilliantly illustrated by your photographic skills. 👍
Thanks for sharing.

 

All the best,
Eric-Snafu35

[Fred piket]

Russ: splendid job! I will be searching for this kit

 

[russ c]

On 6/26/2023 at 7:52 PM, Troy Smith said:

Old Leaf and New Leaf,  I can't recall the correct Dutch spellings,  AFAIK, which look like what you have used.

Similar to USAAF OLive Drab and Medium Green. 

 

@jimmaas would be the chap for confirmation, and he'd like this as well.

 

Great build,  a kit I feel I "need" .....  not that I need anymore at all ever but you know what I mean.  I really like these oddball WW2 types and schemes

Thanks Troy, the brownish Olive Drab and Medium Green are mostly what you can see in my photos ( I did quite a few over brushes of different olive drabs, browns and greens )

Cheers Russ

[russ c]

On 6/27/2023 at 4:36 AM, Kampartiger said:

Truly an exceptional build,a very impressive Demon. Btw I always admire your choices of background. It sets the correct mood! One more thing, the airfield was Tanjong Perak in Surabaya. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Thanks K, glad you like the backdrop and thanks for the heads up on the airfield

Cheers Russ

[Luka]

Lovely build. Also like the slightly different choice of plane; most of the time you see Hermans' plane, cool to see Haye's bird for once.

[28ZComeback]

This is so dope. The best replica of this kit on these pages. The camouflage looks akin to a Spitfire. (Am I right?). I absolutely had no interest in the kit until I saw your presentation today. The lack of weathering is consistent with photos. Kind of interested in the actual colors used--and product. Another annoying question--did Dora clean up their act or is this as complicated and fiddly as the P-43 that still sits half built on my desk? 

[Dunny]

Russ,

 

A lovely build and finish of this unusual type! Nicely dine,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[russ c]

20 hours ago, 28ZComeback said:

This is so dope. The best replica of this kit on these pages. The camouflage looks akin to a Spitfire. (Am I right?). I absolutely had no interest in the kit until I saw your presentation today. The lack of weathering is consistent with photos. Kind of interested in the actual colors used--and product. Another annoying question--did Dora clean up their act or is this as complicated and fiddly as the P-43 that still sits half built on my desk? 

Hi DJ,

 Thanks, the camo`, well, I started off with a dark Olive Drab and a lighter brown Olive Drab but comparing with black and white photo`s the contrast was too great, so then I painted over the brown Olive Drab with a greener Olive Drab, still no good.

So then I painted over the dark Olive Drab with Bronze Green, better but not quite there. 

Next I dryish brushed over the Bronze Green with Medium Green and the Greenish Olive Drab with Khaki and the original brown Olive Drab  to get to what you see in the photo`s, so I would say probably not like a Spitfire. Sorry if I`ve bored you but you did ask 🙂

The build isn`t too bad, it`s a lot easier than the Vengeance or Lancer but still a bit fiddly in places ( the main under carriage esp` ). I would say a bit like Rodens T-28 or Mohawk in difficulty ( if you`ve ever built them that is )

Hope this helps, cheers Russ

   

[davidl]

I've seen a few people attempt Dutch East Indies camo

Yours is easily the best I have seen

Thanks for the "How to "

Excellent job on the undercarriage, gear doors, hinges and and actuators - delicate work and a very convincing in-scale result

David