ju 88 1:32

[silverburn]

Ok, caveats first...

- This is my 2nd model...ever. So yes, there will be huge errors - all construction tips welcome, because I've got the "big one" next - a test-bed Hunter numbered XE531 (1:32 with 2 seat conversion) for my father-in-laws xmas, and it'll need to be damned good! My first one (1:32 Hunter) is in the background of these photo's and is waiting for it's first laquer coat. (Good kit btw - went together really easy...no glue finger prints on it at all! ).

- I chose 1:32 because I figured the bigger model will be easier to paint, especially on the details. I'm hardly the most co-ordinated guy in the world. I have huge respect for the guys who have better looking pits in 1:72 than I do in 1:32.

- I don't have an airbrush; I'm starting out afterall. I have sprung for sprays though, at the sacrifice of exact colour matches. You'll see a lot of brush strokes...

Ok, to the Junkers:

Apologies in advance - I was too slow setting up the camera, so we're starting a fair bit in. The pit is done, and the fuselage, wings and tailplanes are on. And I should really have - this wasn't as quick and clean as the Hunter was.

Not a brilliant photo, but this is the pit. I made less of a hash than expected; my wife thinks it looks fantastic, but you guys have set a higher standard... The leather works well, though purely by accident - the paint wasn't mixed right (looks better in real too), and I broke a couple of the smallest levers (get a better knife), but the "wear" came out better than expected; I drybrushed (a new technique for me!) with aluminium,and it works well - I had to re-do the main pilot dials in white though, to bring them out more. i also used some poetic licence for colours (see control stick - and its dark red, not flourescent), since I didn't have the proper one!

Other snippets:

- I had to cut the side pilot control strip, as it wouldn't slide into the pit wall cleanly.

- my leather paint was not mixed correctly

- wear drybrushing looks great in reflection, but dull viewed directly on (as it is here).

- I need a very, VERY small brush for some details.

- I used a mask kit for the glass (yes, it's cheating, but I'm too "green" to do it freehand)

Shot before I attached more glass and the flaps. If you're wondering why the wings are primed, and everything else isn't...well, I was practising my spray, and also I wanted to see how my fit lines were. As is was, I needed to putty fill (another new technique for me) the engine nacelles where they joined the wing. Priming seems to be a good way of showing this stuff up. Tricky to fill and sand btw...

PS - thats not a huge fit gap on the pit wall...I just overpainted - on purpose!

Another right-side up. I've already started filling in a big gap where the wing joined the fuselage. And the wing tips. And the bottom fuselage panel isn't an exact fit, so more sanding and filling needed there. And the top panel is rather flexible; another tricky one to fill. Spent an entire afternoon puttying and sanding.

Primed with Tamiya spray...shows off the bomb kit (HUGE fit gaps btw). I may have to re-visit.

And right side up. I need to revisit that left wing and left aileron fit by the looks of things. Dammit. But this is the advantage of priming - it really shows up gaps you don't think are there in bare plastic.

And the side view. Looks like I need to refit that left pit glass - it's misaligned (felt ok when I placed it!) - as well as some small filling work around the pit.

While I wait for that to dry, I kicked off the wheels. Weathering attempted on legs, but hasn't works as well planned - I was hoping for a more defined look, but it's very smeary and patchy. I may re-visit, but happy to hear opinions on best techniques. I've got the MIG darkwash btw. oh, and the glue appears to have stripped the paint on the cantilevers??? Anyway, will drybrush the wheels and legs (again) later.

On the whole, it's a good kit so far, but a number of alignment issues - I've been careful to match stuff up as closely as possible, but still end up with poor fit lines in places - eg main fuselage is great, as was the top panel, but the bottom panel was wrong curvature and fit. And some of the super-small parts are nearly impossible to get off the cast without breaking or distortion (for a newbie at least).

Gotta order some sprays and do plenty puttying & sanding & re-priming before I can move onto the next stage.

Edited October 24, 2009 by silverburn

[Iain Ogilvie]

Second model????

Nah - come on!

Seriously - looking very good!

Glad you've chosen Gods own scale

Iain

[Sundowner14]

Good work so far fella. And excellent use of toilet roll!!

[silverburn]

Second model????

Iain

Honest guv! Used to watch my dad as a 7 yr old kid though - must have remembered some of it! I also remember trying to see if his 1:32 spitfire, 109, harrier and 1:48 lancaster would actually fly, all from my 2nd floor bedroom window...my @rse is still sore today from the hiding I got, 30 years ago...my grasp of physics did improve from then, thankfully.

Also, I spent a fair bit of time envying and studying you guys before I got started, which has been a steep learning curve, but certainly rewarding! Now I just need my skill to catch up with the knowledge!

[buccymad]

off to a good start

but might i suggest that you get your nose in the forums,there are literally hundreds of techniques cobbled together that will help you.

from getting parts off the sprue right up until you put the model on the shelf!!

i have learned (and relearned!!) tips that have directly influenced how my models turn out ,always for the better!!

and don't be afraid to ask!! this website is a fountain of knowledge,if you don't know ,then ask,one of us will know what you need

good luck!

[CPNGROATS]

Hello Silverburn: Gut lookin Ju-88, that one big sucker...!! Show us more...

Cheers,

ggc

[Wolfpack]

You really must see this site Linkythingy and Guttorms's postings on LSP Ju88 link. It's a must for the large scale '88 builder.

W

[woody37]

If that's only your second build, you should be very very proud of yourself mate. That's looking excellent, looking forward to seing it progress.

LOL about trying to fly your dad's models !!!!!!

My kids have been groomed to know such an attempt would result in murder !!!!!

[Mentalguru]

DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA....

...................SSPPLLAAAATTTTT

[sonofjim]

Wonderful job second model EVER ! wow i wish mine looked like that

for my second

welcome to BM and happy modelling !

Jim

[silverburn]

Ok, day two of the photographed part of the build.

1. Putty and sand the gaps post-priming. Before and after sanding. Given the complexity/materials of the fittings around the pit, some gaps are inevitable, I recon.

2. Assemble engine nacelles and props. I used a cunning technique of glueing the prop blades to the hub while resting on a flat surface, the waiting for it dry before glueing on the front. I have decided to do the nacelles separately because a) I recon I need to put the exhausts in post-paint, and the nacelles are a single colour - they're not integrated into the cammo scheme. Does that sound like a cunning plan? Anyone forsee any disadvantages to that approach?

3. Before 2nd round/touch-up of priming...

4. Lacquer being added to legs; reading the forum I found out that I got cloudiness because my sealer/lacquer wasn't 100% dry. That might explain the "bleed" around the lines on my hunter's tanks, see below (which I'm still bloody happy with btw...exceed my expectations by miles!). Any other suggestions to prevent the "bleed"?

5. While we're all waiting for all that lot to dry, here's my kit-supplied seat from Hunter; this really shows up my poor skills, and my too-thick/big brushes. "Wear" is overdone too, but it's my first attempt!

[silverburn]

And this afternoon activities...

1. PRESHADE!

Complete stab in the dark on this one - didn't even sample on the hunter or it's tanks, so i hope to god this works! Applied straight onto primer - question to the group though - another layer of primer, or straight to colour???? I leave my next step in the groups more experienced hands...

2. Props & bombs first coat and tidied up the tyres

[spitfire]

This is really impressive, even more so for it being a second build !

Cheers

Den

[gishuk]

very good for a second build as has already been said.

as for the painting, the camo colours should go directly over the pre shade

[Maxidad]

This is looking great so far. Well done.

I'm not sure how preshading will look under a brush coat. It's a great technique for use with an airbrush. If using the hairy stick method, surely you're gonna have to build up the colour in thin layers to get the benefit of the dark panel lines coming through.

[silverburn]

This is looking great so far. Well done.

I'm not sure how preshading will look under a brush coat. It's a great technique for use with an airbrush. If using the hairy stick method, surely you're gonna have to build up the colour in thin layers to get the benefit of the dark panel lines coming through.

Not to worry - I'll be spraying, using some Humbrol sprays (inc a gloss). Used some on my hunter, and they're ok - no running or weird paint things (bubbles, goose bumps etc). I was really nervous, but it all went ok in the end! Well, apart from spraying my shoe by accident of course, but that's another story.

I've got the cammo colours "reasonably" close (and on order, once the posties get their s**t together) for the ju88, but struggling to find a suitable belly colour. I've used the light grey on the hunter and it's "too grey" (photo's later, once it's glossed); I'm looking for more of a light blue - or even off white - which humbrol don't really do in sprays. Tamiya only do PS ones (with a much better range of colours too) - but I understand PS can't be used on plastic models? Is that right? What's the actual difference?

[periklis_sale]

its looking great mate!!

[silverburn]

Ok, more updates.

1. I've started on the green spraying! The colour is actually a much closer green than this (I've used Humbrol Dark Green); I think my energy saving bulb is distorting the colours. I've tried to throw in a picture with normal lighting, but even that is off. However...not sure if you can make it out...but the pre-shade has come up a treat! I'll be Cammo-ing with Humbrol Dark Grass, or something. I can't remember, but it's a lot darker and grey-er than this green.

2. I did an experiment gloss of the engine covers; they've come up surprisingly well, and much of the pre-shade is intact! This is good, because I want the engines to be pretty dirty in the final look. A better representation of the green, but still not correct; it's much better in real light, trust me!

3. Where can I get some good pictures of the 500kg bombs? I've got the black, but want to see if they need decals, and best way to weather them (if I even should)

Now...for some side entertainment while all that dries...my HUNTER!

Gloss coat is down...transfers are down...and gloss re-applied. It's beginning to look like a plane! (I've taken some licence with the paint though...the green is correct, but I got "psyched out" by the cammo...so I just skipped it!). Also, the flaps are only there because I was glossing. They'll be extended in the final.

Holy crap, the decals were tricky for someone with 10 thumbs though...here's another thing - take a look at the"browning" at the edges of the decals below. Is that normal? How can I avoid in the future? And what happens when the decals are slightly off alignment, and you end up with white in them (see 2nd pic above)?

I know this is a side-track from my JU 88, but I wanted to show off my first model; it's coming up way better than I expected! (Though you can see my dodgy painting of the nose). Weathering to do next, then sticking on all the bits I'd have broken off by now if I'd fitted them first!

Edited October 26, 2009 by silverburn

[silverburn]

Another update:

Weathering underway! MIG Dark wash used, but it's hard work - I tried it on my hunter test rig, and had limited results - it gets in the seams well, but it still stained more than I wanted on the underside. Use of thinner required at some stages! Bit too scary for a newbie...

However, I've applied it to the engine cells, and actually...it's ok. Lots of staining round the exhausts which I wanted. But it still needs tidying, so out with the thinners, I recon! I may also need to find a way to "age" the flappy bits too; I might get the dry brush out!

I still think MiG is overkill, given it really does stain, and is a bit fiddly to tidy up. I've ordered the promodeller stuff, as it looks "safer and easier" than the MiG stuff.

..And here's the hunter pic:

Edited October 27, 2009 by silverburn

[woody37]

Thanks for this. I haven't done any serious weathering using this technique before, but want to have a bash. Your pictures here are really helpful and as I said before, this is looking fantastic as is the Hunter.

Cheers

[Notdoneyet]

silverburn,

Both models are looking great especially so as they are your first and second models.

I hope I'm not too late but you've got the fin flash on the Hunter back to front (red should be forward) - should be an easy fix - liberally apply warm water to the decal and use a flat brush to "chisel" under the decal and it will float off.

For the out of register white outlines around the decals take a fine brush and carefully paint over the white outlines with the green camo colour.

HTH,

Ian

[sonofjim]

OMG this gets better i'd say you were a natural silverburn me ole china

(smoothly jim chuffs on his pipe ) edit dont even smoke a pipe

awsome work chap

jim

[silverburn]

Thanks for all the compliments guys - good to know I'm on the right track!

@ Notdoneyet - doh! Good spot! I'd figured these were "Great Britain flags" so are reversed on both sides - oh well - lesson learned! These are sealed in now, as I'm starting final construction today. If it does get finished I'll post pics in ready for inspection, with all the notes/errors I've got written down, for use on the next one.

[silverburn]

Only a small update tonight - engines.

Still got a weathering on the fronts to do, and the tip colour and the gloss. Then they're ready for fitting. Exhausts are rusted and weathered (much better looking in normal light btw). I lashed on Mig Dark wash...and didn't wash off. Perfect.

I'm toying with the idea of soot trails, once they're mounted....tricky without an air brush I suspect!

[woody37]

I find brushing pastel on to the suface gives a good soot effect and very easy to apply. No risk of spray going where it shouldn't and no need to mask.