Peter Marshall Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 After all the fun with my last Roden kit, I really don't know why I am doing this one other than madness, but I do like the Gladiator. I am doing the Pre-war Gladiator so a nice Silver winged biplane for a change - no masking and no freehand cammo. Starts with assembling the cowling, using blu-tak to hold everything together while the glue dried. A small amount of filling, then primed with Alclad Grey primer and sprayed 2 shades of Alclad Aluminium - Dark Aluminium on the interior and Polished Aluminium on the outside. Assembling the engine, painted with Boltgun and a black wash, with the aluminium pieces sprayed with Alclad Aluminium. Gave the cowling a quick oil wash along the panel lines Then fitted all of the exhaust ejector stubs, and gave the hub an oil wash. As normal, comments and suggestions welcomed. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Rogers Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Nice start Peter, are you using kit decals, what are they like? Planning on going to town with the rigging? I was thinking of getting this kit as my introduction to Bi-planes and the dreaded rigging, so be interesting to see it being built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 After my last Roden kit, the first thing I did was coat the decals in liquid decal film. I will be using the kit decals, and rigging it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Good start Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Quite a big update for today as I got quite a lot done. First thing I did was mask off the area of the collector ring, and add the panel line for the back of the collector. I then sprayed it with some Vallejo Liquid Silver Copper paint. Once this had dried, I gave it a quick oil wash first with black, then the front portion with some blue, both heavily thinned. Then a quick rub with a cotton bud and it looks a lot more like the real thing. Next up the propeller - first sprayed with Vallejo model air 'wood', then a coat of Klear. Once the Klear had dried, on with some raw umber oil paint. Then using a brush you have strimmed to stubby bristles, drag the paint along the grain. Each pull clean the brush in turps and dry on a paper towel. This lets you remove the oil paint in streaks, giving a nice woodgrain effect. Then a coat of Klear and the props done. Next the Instrument panel - painted black, leaving the dials clear - then added the decals to the back for the instruments - these work quite well though you have to trim the decal film very close to the dials. Then a quick drybrush over the front, and a drop of klear in the dials. The rest of the cockpit was assembled and given a quick oil wash to dirty it up a bit. Finally I closed up the fuselage which is a little tricky - no locating pins, and you have to get everything inside lined up. Comments welcomed as always Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin S-K Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Peter, Nice work, loved the photo of your finger nails 'painted' by the spray, struck a cord with me. seeing nails covered in paint for 4-5 days afterwards, let alone questions about it..... Keep going, will keep up to date with this build.. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Today's update The prop was dry, so I rotated the engine to the correct angle, and fitted the prop. temporarily fitted the side doors, and masked the cockpit. then drilled out the holes for the rigging attachment points - using Bob's buckles again. For those who haven't seen them - Bob's buckles Fitted them to the wings Fitted the wings and tail Pre-shading Then sprayed over the top with Citadel Mithril Silver. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Davies Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Have to say great work, especially that prop, I'm now inclined to have a dig through the stash for something with an unpainted wooden prop.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Just a quick update from this morning: I gave the gladiator a quick wash with Promodeller Dark dirt wash: Then Fitted the upper wing, gluing the outer struts first with CA, then fitting the wing, then fitting the inner struts. I gave the model a light misting of heavily thinned Mihral Silver and I am now letting everything dry off before starting the rigging this afternoon. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 This afternoon - the rigging. First glue one one of the Aeroclub Rigging elastic to one of bob's buckles. Then pull through the other buckle, pull tight, and place a drop of superglue and hold. Then trim off the excess with a scalpel. Just take your time and hey presto 3 hours work later you have - Now given her a coat of Klear and leaving until tomorrow, when I can get the decals on. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Absolutely superb!! I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 I have finished this today - I will take some decent photos and post, but for the moment here are some quick photos while it's all drying. The decals once again split up a bit, even though I had coated them with liquid decal film, but I managed to jigsaw them together, apart from the upper wing roundels, which are the wrong style. I have really enjoyed this build - it can be a tricky kit but it looks like a Gladiator. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Yup, looks like a Gladiator to me too mate, beautiful build of a beautiful little aeroplane! Love that wood grain prop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Having seen these buckles on Ebay i have one question. The ones i saw where WWI style, is that the same as you have used or have you used another type? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Having seen these buckles on Ebay i have one question. The ones i saw where WWI style, is that the same as you have used or have you used another type? Same buckles from Bob. Work well for any period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooksy Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Beautiful work Peter. You made that look easy, but I'm sure it's not. The wooden prop is just superb. Regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Marshall Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 oops - forgot to post that I had finished - the Final build photos are here Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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