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Posted (edited)

Some may recall I have mentioned in the past that my wife sometimes requests I build something for her, usually a biplane.  In 2020 the request was made, and indeed initiated, when she gifted me a Revell 1/48 kit of a Stearman/Kaydet PT-17 for Christmas.  She wasn't too impressed with the kit options for paint and markings and a short Google search later we found this...

 

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We had our markings and I produced this...

 

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...from the kit she gave me.  I found the Revell kit to be really fun to make and enjoyed the challenge of the paintwork immensely.  If you'd like to see more of it, there's plenty here: http://making-history.ca/2020/03/20/earning-their-stripes/

 

About eighteen months later we moved from Sydney to Canberra.  At the time both NSW and the ACT were in lockdown and as a result the move was rushed and uncoordinated.  In order to simplify the model packing process I sold several built models - you know where this is going, right? - one of them being this Stearman.  Big mistake.  I really didn't expect Mrs. Mark.au to be bothered, but she was and I made a promise to replace the stripy biplane one day. 

 

That day has come; this Christmas I received another Stearman under the tree, this time the ICM 1/32 scale kit.  Here'a a nice review, though my version is the original, without the figures.

 

 

In consultation with Mrs. M, I will do a different recall plane this time.  Something like of these...

 

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...because I like the idea of the yellow-backed aircraft number providing a bit of contrast.  I'd really like to find a contemporary photo to work with but the only ones I have found so far are of the the airframe I built already.  If I can't find one, I'll work from modern photos of a couple of Stearmans that have been painted in stripes and are claimed to be historically accurate.

 

I made a start last night on the larger assemblies because I'm waiting on some cockpit goodies from BNA to be delivered.  In addition to the wings and tail assemblies, I also painted the fuselage interior. 

 

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The latter was done with a black base, and then a thin wet coat of a light canvas colour (the fuselage was doped linen over a frame).  Applying a thin wet coat meant the black base showed through in sus a way as to negate the need for a wash in the next step.  When the canvas was dry enough I dry-brushed aluminium over the ribbing structure to knock out two birds with one stone; the interior structure was [generally] left bare metal so my dry brush painted the structure accordingly, and because there was a little transfer of aluminium paint on the canvas paint as well, it replicated a slight bleed-through from when the canvas was painted with its base silver dope at the factory (before the yellow, and then the stripes).

 

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All this will be more or less hidden behind the tubular cockpit framework which will be painted interior green so it's a bit moot.  Nonetheless, it'll bring a depth to the interior and I'm satisfied with that.

 

Next up I'll start the cockpit proper, hopefully my delivery of cockpit detail parts comes today or tomorrow (and includes kits for the next two in the Captured Birds series, as well!).  If not, there's plenty to get on with, including painting the wings if I really want to.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by mark.au
Finished
  • Like 19
Posted

Mark,

 

This should be fun - will follow with interest,

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

  • Like 2
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Posted

Liking the look of this, Mark - I'll be following along if I may? What a great scheme!

 

The 1/48 Revell kit looks great in your linked post, and it's my preferred scale. So I might well have to invest in one (or more!).

 

Cheers, 

Mark 

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Posted

Thank you gents, welcome aboard…

 

I have finished the cockpit and installed it.  There was really nothing out of my usual process to report on except I did a little too much assembly before painting.  This of course made the detailing a little more tricky but nothing insurmountable.

 

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The fuselage assembly was straightforward in preparation for the cockpit.  Unusually, the cockpit is placed into the fuselage after it’s joined together.

 

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I used a Yahu Models PE set for the instrument panel which was designed for the Roden kit and required a little trimming to fit the ICM kit I’m using.

 

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Since this pic I’ve glued the upper fuselage in place (it’s just dry fitted above) and set it aside to cure.  
 

Next I’ll add the tail feathers and finish up the front of the fuselage.  The lower wing fit is good enough to allow for painting prior to attachment.  It’s almost time to throw some paint around.

 

Cheers.

  • Like 14
Posted

Wow - fantastic progress and that cockpit looks incredible! Beautiful craftsmanship as always.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Posted

Ooooh Mark what a gorgeous subject, I'm sure your good lady will be impressed and should pull you out of the poo!

Great progress, a nice size cockpit to get a lot of detail into.

 

Colin the Wessex nut.

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Posted

Sorry missed the start of this one.

Looking forward to seeing this come together.

A fast and high quality start.

For someone who dislikes doing cockpits you've made a stunning go of it.

 

 

Cheers,

Alistair

  • Like 2
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Posted

This one's off to a great start, Mark, as ever with your builds. I'll follow along with the rest of this one, it sounds like a great project

 

James

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Posted
On 08/01/2024 at 22:54, heloman1 said:

I'm sure your good lady will be impressed and should pull you out of the poo!

 

A win/win scenario is always a good one in a marriage!  🙂

 

On 08/01/2024 at 23:36, AliGauld said:

For someone who dislikes doing cockpits you've made a stunning go of it.

 

I'm starting to like them 🙂

 

Major assembly is now complete and I began preparation for paint.  This included drilling all of the holes for the rigging.

 

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Before I leave assembly comments behind, I must say this one went together very well.  I messed up the horizontal stabiliser joins by ignoring what the the kit would have me do - total user error - but otherwise there was little sanding and no filler used in the assembly of this one, rare for me.

 

I used a pre-shade.

 

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My thinking here is more artistic than replicatory (is that a word?) inasmuch as I want the paint finish to have some form of texture but it's not going to be a traditionally weathered or faded look.  On the one hand these aircraft would have been well looked after, but on the other no machine stored outdoors and well used is going to be a perfectly consistent colour across its entire surface.  The pre-shade will build some "mechanical" style modulation and the way I planned to apply the paint [hopefully] achieves the rest.  This is a more artistic approach than would probably be appropriate but it's how I want this one to look.

 

I applied the white to the wings over two evenings.  The application was with pure white thinned a little more than usual and sprayed in a random swirling pattern to build the density slowly.  I used the grey of the plastic to provide the depth by varying the coverage.  White is never white in real life, and as mentioned, white paint outdoors isn't white for long.  More to the point, applying the paint this way achieves the finish I had in mind more easily than post texturing (as I normally would do), not least because of the absolute contrast between the stripes' colours.  Lastly, this application style will also allow for a contrast to the white of the USN national markings.

 

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This is the result.  I am happy with how it turned out in terms of what I was aiming at but it's hella difficult to capture in a photo in order to show you though, you'll have to take my word for it!  I sealed up both sides with a light clear coat in preparation for the masking to come.  

 

The wings will be easier than the fuselage as the order in which I paint will be more complex due to the side numbers on the yellow.  I think I'll paint the white first, then mask and paint the yellow, and then the numbers.  I'll mask over that and cover any yellow from masking misalignment and then paint the stripes.  The logic is that that order has the lowest risk of building a paint edge while avoiding having to paint yellow over the stripes.  I could paint the yellow first and simply mask it and paint the rest over it but I want to modulate the white on the fuselage the same way as I did for the wings and if I paint yellow first I won't be able to do that where the yellow is.

 

Cheers.

  • Like 14
Posted

Nice progress with the paint. I like thin paint built up over a darker primer for the same reasons-- modulation of colour and simulating wear. I prefer that to models that look like cartoons and I greatly admire the patience and skill required to do it ;) 

 

12 hours ago, mark.au said:

This is a more artistic approach than would probably be appropriate but it's how I want this one to look.

 

If you choose to be an artist then I think you get to interpret what's appropriate to your vision and values ;) . 

 

 

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Posted (edited)

In lieu of designing and cutting the masks, I worked on the engine.  Much of my progress is once again lost to this WIP as I got in a groove and plowed on without photos...   However, the process was fairly straightforward that being a black base followed by a metallic highlight for which I used SNJ metal powder applied with a soft brush and sealed with a semigloss clear coat.  I used a combination of burnt sienna and brown acrylics for the exhausts.  My departure form normal this time was on the ignition wires which I rarely bother with but in this scale really needed to be there.  I used some lead wire and did one as a proof of concept (top left pic) and as I was pleased with how it turned out I did the rest in the same way.  I drilled out the moulded spark plugs, glued the wires, used white acrylic applied thickly as the spark plug and the wire itself was painted black.  Then, I simply folded each wire into the depths of the engine.

 

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I mixed up a grey for the crankcase and brushed it on which gives a battered look to the finish - a lucky accident rather than by design - and found a decal in the spares box for the data plate.  Then, I couldn't resist offering it up to the fuselage...

 

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Almost completely happy with that, however some of the exhausts don't quite meet up with their respective cylinders and the gaps can be seen when the engine is viewed from the side.  I need to come up with a solution to that which doesn't undo much of what I do like.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Edited by mark.au
  • Like 12
Posted

Superb work on the engine, Mark, but what a shame about the exhaust system mismatches. I'm sure you'll come up with a solution. 

 

Cheers, 

Mark 

  • Like 2
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Posted

I can almost smell the dripping oil for the engine. Superb stuff.

I'm sure you will find an elegant solution to the exhaust problem.

 

 

Cheers,

Alistair

  • Like 3
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Posted

Hello to you in ACT from the other side of the planet!

 

Great work so far. Enjoying following along, the engine looks great and I like the subtle stuff getting the realism of  white to not being perfect white. 

 

 

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Posted
On 14/01/2024 at 19:10, 2996 Victor said:

I'm sure you'll come up with a solution. 

 

On 14/01/2024 at 20:10, AliGauld said:

I'm sure you will find an elegant solution to the exhaust problem.

 

 

I like your collective confidence...  If nothing else works, there's always lighting and camera angles...  😉

 

Thanks for the kind words gents.

 

I started painting the markings and preparing for the stripes.

 

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I painted the yellow for the various squadron markings and re-masked as you may see in the next pics.  I also masked and painted the white backing for the US stars and bars.  I wanted a contrast in paint depth between the white of the fuselage and the white in the markings.  Not pictured but necessitating additional work was me forgetting that the US markings aren't symmetrical and I had to do some fancy masking footwork to repair three of the four which I'd started upside down.  

 

Then I girded my loins and started painting the stripes.  To start with I focused on the upper wing.  I took the pattern and spacing from the one I built previously as it's the only recall bird I have a photo of the real thing.  The modern versions all have the stripes going the same way but the one I'm building clearly has this alternate pattern.

 

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I applied the paint the same way as I'd done with the white.  The middle picture gives an idea of the approach; the starboard wing has 3, 2, and one pass respectively.  The port wing has more or less five passes.  When I had it where I wanted it, I painted into the stars and bars to solidify the colour and achieved the desired result of two colours with one paint!  The blue is Paynes Grey, by the way.

 

As you can see below, there's a couple of little bits of touch up required but I'm pretty happy with the result overall.

 

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I take that as a sort of proof of concept for the method, particularly for the two-for-one way of painting the stripes and US markings.

 

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Next, the lower wing and upper wing touch ups.

 

Cheers.

  • Like 13
Posted

Neat work there Marc, the master of masking!

 

Colin the Wessex nut.

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Superb striping, if I may say so, Mark. You've certainly achieved a slight yet discernible contrast between the white of the wings and the white of the insignia. Masterful painting once again!

 

Cheers,

Mark

  • Like 1
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Posted

Looks fantastic. Love how you did the blue and white so it would be different for the national markings. The subtle difference is very pleasing. 

  • Like 1
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Posted

Absolutely beautiful paintwork there, Mark! The little subtleties between the various colours and modulation is wonderful

 

James

  • Like 1
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