Wondering into the blue-1/48 diorama, tomahawk, crusader & dingo ****Finished

[Muchmirth]

The dingo is base coated, decals applied and satin varnished:

 

 

It’ll be a pin wash, chipping and dust next week. At least if I don’t make it over the impending finish line with the others I’ll have this one done. 
   The crusader had its highlights done along with the black blue camo scheme:

   This it’s first coat:

 

I actually dropped it by accident from the top of a cabinet ( I keep my ‘waiting to dry models’ at the top of a kitchen cabinet away from the kids). The damage wasn’t too bad, I’d just smashed a few aerials and chipped the head light.

Turns out crusaders can’t fly!! Who knew!

  The second and final coat:

Bar a few touch ups it done so will get some Vallejo satin varnish brushed on next week. 
   For this wavy camo I mixed 4 parts black, to two part Prussian blue and one part white, all vallejo model colours. The blue is just a tiny hint. 
   With the kitty I made up the cockpit:

   Then I managed a happy halfway house of using some of the cockpit resin details in the kit. I actually scraped away some of the academy side panels and cut the resin details from the aml board and glued them in place following photos. I also added some copper wire to replicate/replace cables:

Don’t look much but those super tiny little levers and sticks will look alright once the paint is on. 
   Thanks for looking in. All the best.

Paul

[81-er]

They're all looking very good, Paul

 

James

[modelling minion]

This is all coming together very nicely Paul. I have no doubt that both the Dingo and Dodo-like Crusader will make the gallery at the very least, especially as I plan on asking for an extension. I think you got off very lightly as far as the Crusaders test flight is concerned, I have had far more pieces fall off models for much shorter drops that that. I like the blue/black and thank you very much for sharing how you achieved the colour, very much appreciated.

[Muchmirth]

Well theirs a bit more done: the dingo got its pin wash with artisan oils and chipped and stowage added (a captured Jerry can at front). 

 

I’ll add a couple more sandbags made from epoxy putty later on. 

I also made and painted the small radio, now he had some thing to talk into other than a wire! 
Installed before the commander/radio op got put in. Theirs more stowage added to the inside as well. 
   I used the below pic as guide for the weathering:

 

These desert donkeys got worked hard. 
    I’ll add a tie down for the canvas bag, aerials,  Matt varnish and then dust/sand later on.

 Then on the crusader I retouched the black camo, I wasn’t happy with the last layer all tint of blue and lightness had gone, so I added it back in plus did a small amount of chipping and scratches (couldn’t resist). I’ll  do some proper weathering next week.

I’ve just noticed from this pic a bad blotch on the mini turret which I’ll have to fix.

   Then I got to do some of the p40…. Hurrrah!!  I was looking forwards to this bit…interior painted by following on line pics, Craig’s @modelling minion and Jame’s @franky boy brilliant examples.

The aml film looks a bit naff as the dials but it’s glued in now. I should really have stuck it on under the etch fret (which would then mean you can’t make out the dial drawings on it as I test fitted it and looked too dark to be seen).

   I mixed the Vallejo model colours paint by eye, using pastel green and flat green. I made up the interior “chromate green” from a vmc Luftwaffe camo green and olive green mix. Dry brushed buff and chipped with ammo silver.

 

Then drilled out the exhausts for the nose:

The aml set has everything bar these. 
   Then glued together with pre painted exhaust and prop:

The fits is ace I’ll just sand and fill a bit later. 
   I painted the under side before fitting (saves masking layer). The azure blue I again eyeballed from vmc Prussian blue and field blue with some humbrol sky blue: might be a bit too light.

 

 This is 2 coats on. First coat was too think hence the visible brush strokes but I’m not really concerned as it will be glued down in the diorama by it’s wheels. 
   Then I masked and started to paint the canopy:

Glad I did this small bit before painting the main body in my mix of midstone as it’s quite a bit off. I later found the right mix of vmc medium flesh, desert yellow and humbrol khaki. 
   I’ve a few questions: one would you guys use anything to buff the canopy once painted or add any gloss to make it more shiny? And I assume you fit them using white glue to stop them getting foggy from TET or superglue? 
   If you were a ww2 p40 pilot who had to ditch in the desert would you try to make it back to base on foot (risking exertion and even more sweat) or stay put and hope for rescue?

   Also would you bother to shut your canopy when you got out or just leave it open? 

 

 

Thanks for looking in. All feedback for improvements welcome.

Paul

  

   

Edited December 8, 2023 by Muchmirth
Added question

[modelling minion]

Thats very nice work Paul, I really like the chipping effects on the Dingo, it replicates the weathering on the one in the picture very well indeed.

The Crusader is looking very good too, nice start on the weathering.

I think your P-40 is coming on a treat, the cockpit looks really good. The fuselage has gone together very nicely, looks to be a very good fit. Very neat job drilling out the exhausts, it really improves the look of the aircraft and doesn't cost a penny. As for the canopy I would imagine it would be left open but either way works and it is your model so you should choose.

[Muchmirth]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Thats very nice work Paul, I really like the chipping effects on the Dingo, it replicates the weathering on the one in the picture very well indeed.

The Crusader is looking very good too, nice start on the weathering.

I think your P-40 is coming on a treat, the cockpit looks really good. The fuselage has gone together very nicely, looks to be a very good fit. Very neat job drilling out the exhausts, it really improves the look of the aircraft and doesn't cost a penny. As for the canopy I would imagine it would be left open but either way works and it is your model so you should choose.

Thank you very much Craig.

   I was hoping to go with open.

[franky boy]

Very tidy work Paul. I love the Dingo. Not something I know much about but it looks like it would of been kind of fun to drive. If your not in a war zone that is. 

Nice work on the a P-40 cockpit too. The seat look very realistic. 
 

James

 

[Muchmirth]

1 hour ago, franky boy said:

Very tidy work Paul. I love the Dingo. Not something I know much about but it looks like it would of been kind of fun to drive. If your not in a war zone that is. 

Nice work on the a P-40 cockpit too. The seat look very realistic. 
 

James

 

To be fair I was looking at yours and Craig’s threads for guidance all the way. 
   What do you do with canopy attach with white glue or carefully with model cement? Also would you add gloss to it at the end or leave as is?

   Agree with on the dingo would be really cool drive to rattle about in but I imagine you’d have a seriously sore backside after! The suspension would be a mare.

  Thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

Paul.

[modelling minion]

If the canopy is clear enough I wouldn't add anything to it, I didn't on mine as I felt they didn't need it. I fix my canopies in place with a very small amount of glue, carefully. I know a lot of people use white glue very successfully too, you just need to leave it a while to be sure it is dry.

[franky boy]

@Muchmirth

 

Hi Paul

 

If it’s the kit canopy I normally just some Tamiya extra thin but just lightly. If it’s a vac form canopy then white glue. Either does a good job but as Craig say above you just need to give white glue plenty of time to go off. Again I wouldn’t bother dipping it in anything unless you feel it needs it. 
 

HTH

 

James

[81-er]

Really nice work on the Dingo's weathering, very authentic to that photo reference. The Crusader is coming along well too, and so is your P-40. I particularly like the effect you've got on the exhaust of that. As for canopies, I'm moving more towards using Micro Kristal Klear as it's a white glue that sets in about 20 minutes, but it's probably not worth getting a bottle of that unless you plan more aircraft builds. I do still use Tamiya Extra Thin sometimes (especially if I'm feeling impatient), though you do have to be careful when doing that as it's easy to cloud the canopy or get an accidental gluey fingerprint as it wicks round quickly. Just use small amounts with caution if you go that route. You can always add a bit more later if you need to

 

James

[Muchmirth]

Thanks to all for responses @modelling minion @franky boy @81-er. Glad I asked as I’d read a couple things about canopy disasters where people had really got into a pickle  during the final stages and I wasn’t sure.   
  
I’ll post this article here if anyone is interested: it’s an old one (2012) which sone of you may already know but basically tells the story of a downed p40 pilot from ‘42.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18038650

 

[Muchmirth]

She ain’t flyin yet but she is getting their!

Sitting on bare foam and cardboard lined base. I needed her built so I could start the base, as I wanted to get the das clay on top of the foam and then make the ruts in the sand which the wheels would have made and das takes a long while to dry so…

If anyone spots any obvious errors … please shout now as next stages I’ll add pre shading and base coats.    
   I did, against better judgement, add the small bits like machine guns, gun sights and the fork like aerial on the left hand side wing etc. I was planning to leave these off til painted (in case of clumsy manoeuvres knocked them off) but my impatience got the better of me.

   While the oil paint was drying on my crusader I started the the diorama:

Like I said above I added lumpy bumpy das in a thin layer over the foam and used pva in generous qty to wet it and get it malleable. Then added small stones and sand. Then I spray painted black ( note darker areas) then spray painted yellow over the top. 
  Below I started to add some variety of textures and colours with even more stones, sands and pigments.
  I’m using mig ammo sand from the pic to added on more of a desert appearance;

 

 

Once  dry I added an oil wash of burnt umber to the recesses, tracks and ruts. Looks like giant smilie face.

  Then I added various static grasses: 2mm, 4mm and a touch of 6mm in patches. Some burnt coloured/wild type and some summer green. 

Then I added some plumbers hemp as long straw like dried grasses. I like the hemp as it’s finer than paint brush bristles and more natural coloured. I take a pair of scissors and snip the ends to make uneven:

I also spray painted some jute twine brown. I then cut long strands of burnt clump grass from this twine. I use my blade to cut random lumps out of it and splay, this then results in a nice mixture of dark brown and ochre coloured desert grass in one bunch:

this is what it looks like once distressed and in place:

 

In the end I added some dried Greek basil (has a tight forming foilage which is small enough to use in models) to make a tree. I also used one bunch to dip into pva and then dipped into green stuff world fine green foliage to make a bush: the end result including tree and bush is below:

The dark brown dead tree in the middle is a thyme stalk. 
   I added the titles and surrounded with oil washes and mig desert sand (2xthick layers). I wanted it to look like the note and titles/map had been buried by the sand. 

 

 

Even with the generous extension I won’t be able to finish so I’m just focusing on the base and afvs. Hope to post these atleast to gallery around the end of this week. I still have the p40 and a couple figures til I finish fully. But has been a blast getting to do a difference environment. 
Thanks all,

Paul
  

Edited December 19, 2023 by Muchmirth
Typos

[81-er]

That base is absolutely amazing, Paul! I think it's worthy of the gallery on it's own, fantastic work

 

James

[modelling minion]

I agree with James, I think your base is worthy of addition to the gallery on it's own Paul. It looks very realistic to me and has a great variety of materials used to achieve the results and you have explained exactly how you did it so thank you for that. Don't worry about not having the Tomahawk ready for the end of the GB as with the base and vehicles you have plenty for the gallery. The only issue I can see with the Tomahawk is the shape of the pitot, and thats nothing to do with you, I haven't seen one on an RAF aircraft that looks like that, from what I have seen it should only have the lower "prong" of the fork like structure.

[Muchmirth]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

I agree with James, I think your base is worthy of addition to the gallery on it's own Paul. It looks very realistic to me and has a great variety of materials used to achieve the results and you have explained exactly how you did it so thank you for that. Don't worry about not having the Tomahawk ready for the end of the GB as with the base and vehicles you have plenty for the gallery. The only issue I can see with the Tomahawk is the shape of the pitot, and thats nothing to do with you, I haven't seen one on an RAF aircraft that looks like that, from what I have seen it should only have the lower "prong" of the fork like structure.

Nice one Craig, now I know what that is! I might cut the top part off of it to put it right. Thanks for the heads up on it.

Paul

[psdavidson]

great work on the base

 

/P

[Muchmirth]

2 hours ago, 81-er said:

That base is absolutely amazing, Paul! I think it's worthy of the gallery on it's own, fantastic work

 

James

Thanks James!

[Wings unlevel]

Wow, that base looks fantastic, and like it was a lot of fun!

 

Gerard

[franky boy]

Top work Paul.
 

Although I’m not a diorama builder I love seeing the sheer amount of everyday stuff that can be put to use in building them. I also love the idea of the map buried in the sand. 
 

James

[Alan P]

Really glad you displayed what you'd achieved so far, the diorama base looks superb 👍

[modelling minion]

I agree completely Paul, your diorama fits the bill for the GB perfectly and even has a very nice desert base. The two vehicles make a very realistic scene even without the P-40 but if you do finish the P-40 in the future please do show us the diorama with her added. The figures look very realistic too and are very nicely painted. Thank you very much for having taken part in the GB Paul and very well done on producing two excellent models on a superb diorama.

[Muchmirth]

14 hours ago, modelling minion said:

I agree completely Paul, your diorama fits the bill for the GB perfectly and even has a very nice desert base. The two vehicles make a very realistic scene even without the P-40 but if you do finish the P-40 in the future please do show us the diorama with her added. The figures look very realistic too and are very nicely painted. Thank you very much for having taken part in the GB Paul and very well done on producing two excellent models on a superb diorama.

Cheers Craig. Really appreciated! Massive thanks for your guidance and for a terrific jobs with your three builds and hosting on top…. I’ll be sure to post up the finished p40 and other figures once done.

All the best for ‘24.

Paul

[81-er]

You should be very happy with this one, Paul, it's superb! I'll look forward to seeing final result with the P-40, but it's already an outstanding bit of work 

 

James

[Muchmirth]

5 hours ago, 81-er said:

You should be very happy with this one, Paul, it's superb! I'll look forward to seeing final result with the P-40, but it's already an outstanding bit of work 

 

James

Thanks very much James. Much appreciated. 
Paul