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Chris J's Gnat problem


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Evening,

The first time I've ever contributed to a Group Build... so here goes!

Today, I'm going to attempt to make a Red Arrows Gnat. The photos are to follow, but I've had a look into the box and think I have enough to go with here! I'm prepared for all sorts of interesting nasty surprises, but we shall see how it develops!

In the meantime, while my camera is charging, I have enough time to go and use my airbrush for the last time in a while on another cheapy airfix kit - the Wildcat!

Cheers for now,

Chris

Edited by Chris Jephcott
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Meet Pete...

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I am hopeful that he will keep quiet about the modelling horror shop that is unfolding around him right now!

The skin color was made by diluting down a small amount of red with an incredibly large amount of white. All of the other colours seen are blended from the 4 paints provided.

Having some fun getting the paint to stick, but this seems to be a regular thing with these kits. I'm debating whether to do an detergent wash, as that's what my old teacher said to me when I started modelling, many moons ago!

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Ahhhhhhh.

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Two coats of paint down. The first one was a pure white underlay, just to see if it would help settle the red down. The second coat is the red, which has morphed into this lovely Magenta colour.

On a scale of zero to Mersey Trout, it's pretty Mersey Trout!

However, we shall persevere onwards.

Next... more red. I wonder how long it will take me to get bored of this!!

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It still looks pink to me, and I'm getting truely sludged with painting in gloss acrylics! However, here she is at the moment. Looking more complete by the second!

Categorically, this will never win any prizes. It is truly horrific.

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Chris,

I haven't posted on my build - the Mustang by the way, but it seems to me the biggest problem everyone is having is the way the paint goes on to bare plastic. My first efforts are the same as yours so i tried washing the model yesterday and hope for better results tonight!

Despite all the problesms it does look like a Red Arrow Gnat

David

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I think the paint is just the biggest problem full stop!!

Watch out for this one... it's gloss and impossible to get a smooth coat with.

But it's good fun. And to be honest, it's making me laugh. I keep on thinking that 14 years ago, on this day, I would have been in Geoff Stubbs in Oundle, buying one of these kits and making it at once, in a single sitting. Which is part of why I'm doing this one in a single sitting!

All in all, bloody good fun!

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haha. I wish... those are even worse to handpaint with!!!

I've used the entire pot of Humbrol red though... not much left in there at all! - thankfully, I don't think she'll get anymore red now. Just the undercarriage and waiting to put the decals on!

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Crap... and I'm supposed to be doing a reds Hawk later this week too :frantic:

You did your best Chris... I'm sure therapy will remove the trauma from your mind eventually ;)

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Has anyone else found that their aircraft look better on a crappy camera?

Well, here we go...

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Mike... the one thing I'd recommend is... just keep your nerves safe - you'll need them by the time you get to your 4th coat of red paint and realise that little odd bits are still grey. And that the paint is so thick that you're losing the surface detail!

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..what doesn't kill you etc .....actually those last pics aren't too bad at all..... (now where did I put my glasses :D )

must get on with mine ..!

PS

Many happy returns !

Edited by FalkeEins
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Cheers guys - if you dim the monitor, take your glasses off and reduce the screen resolution... ;)

However, I'm suitable happy with how it has turned out in the end. It was a hard slog... but that's what 6 hours of non-stop work can do!

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I think you can be pleased with that, given that the paints Airfix provide are so bad. Dulux would be easier to work with.

By the way, I like your tray. That really takes me back to my childhood when I may have modelled on something identical. Was yours once one of a set of three that went with a folding trolley? If so did the joints become loosened over time necessitating the application of copious quantities of sticky tape in the vanin hope of keeping the whole thing together? Just a thought.

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