CliffB Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Still really impressed by your commitment to this project. Lesser mortals (like me), would have given up ages ago! Cheers Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Still really impressed by your commitment to this project. Lesser mortals (like me), would have given up ages ago!Cheers Cliff What he said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Thanks guys, its got to be a sort of habit now and I don't want to just give up! The pleasure comes from coming up with a solution to the problem that makes the model look better at each step... slowly slowly its taking its PROPER shape That said, today has been spent sanding, filling, shaping, scoring, sanding, priming, sanding, filling, sanding, priming, scoring, sanding, priming, sanding and polishing... but at least its got to this stage: I am now very happy with the shape of the nose and the windscreen is looking good too. So next I think is the assembly of the various items of equipment on the back and putting the cannon back onto the nose. Hmm, just slotted the dozer blade into place and discovered during its assembly a while ago it appears to have gone wonky! Sigh, well at least the plastic of this is quite soft so it might be just a case of applying some heat and bending the supports so that it sits true again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 You ain`t gonna like this, but...... I think the nose is STILL not right! :shithappens: Just been looking at the episode "Terror in New York City", & i think the nose of your Firefly is too flat on the underside, & too domed on the upper surface. Compared to your 2:29AM posts, the side profile was compared to the still on the TV, &, well, it`s better you find out now, rather than slog on & then launch the kit, sans pod, at the wall!!! Sorry..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 I admitted as much in the earlier post, I know its not exact and you've highlighted two of the reasons. The model's cab is too high in the first place and the underside of the nose is too low down as it should be just below the level of the top of the tracks, but to be honest I don't think I can make this any better now apart from maybe "unflattening" the underside with a bit of careful sanding. This will have to be one of those times when it just going to have to be "good enough". This has made me realise that it probably would have been easier to scratch build this from the beginning, but life is a learning process Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Having been away for a week, progress ground to a halt. However now things are picking up again and its moved onto the painting and final assembly stage. First off, I've been using grey primer up to now but realised this probably isn't a good move for a yellow overcoat, so I've been spraying white primer over the model. The dozer blade still retains its grey primer as this is going to have various metallic colours. The cone that will sit on the rear of the body is already taking its yellow colour. This is from a can of Halfords paint - Rover Inca Yellow which I thought had the right tone. This is after several coats. I've put tape masks on the main body where items will be attached once painted. I'll be masking and brush painting the red stripes, remembering that they have a black border as well... that should be fun Once the yellow is on and dried, I'll mask around the windscreen and paint black frame and dark silver glass. The road wheels are being brush painted gunmetal and suitably weathered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Keep up the good work. I'm really impressed. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I learnt a good tip recently for painting yellow on models. If you spray the model pink first it provides a really good base coat for the Yellow Regards, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 We have paint! Thanks for the tip about pink, but I don't seem to have any pink to hand! Anyway this was the result of about 3 coats of yellow and several days drying! The conical part got yellow paint first, done without primer because I forgot! Then it got masked and the back and red brush painted on. I originally painted it all black then re-masked and painted red. Wasn't overly happy with the results so when it came to the more complex chevron on the main body, I masked the front black line first, painted, let it dry then unmasked. After tidying up a couple of uneven spots and some paint creep, I then masked over this black line to do the red band. Once this was done the final black line was masked and painted. It took 2 whole days and the paint creep was pretty bad in a couple of spots. I managed to decant some of the yellow paint from the rattle can and touched up a couple of spots but the yellow paint picked up the black and went darker, so I may need to do it again tomorrow. Dozer blade is also being painted - you can just see it in the background of that photo. Phew, things are finally starting to come together! I'm going to have to think about decals soon - this kit didn't come with any so I might have to have a go a printing my own! That'll be a first for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 It's always nice when you start to get some colour onto a model - particularly when that colour is yellow! Looking good. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 I can't believe I've got to this point after all this plastic, balsa and filler bashing!!! Painting completed! (ish) Masking that red stripe was a bit of a bugger to say the least. I'm very pleased with the way the windscreen turned out. I masked the frame to plaint metallic grey, then freehand painted the "glass" a mix of Tamya X-4 blue and X-1 semi-glass black Still need to do some more weathering on the tracks and roadwheels which so far have been given a base coat of metalic grey with a dark wash added for now. Think its needs a bit heavier work. Need to dull down the steel frame at the back a bit more along with some more on the dozer blade Now to return to the diorama base and try to come up with some convincing smoke effects... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 Here is the Firefly on the diorama base with a nice collection of rubble to deal with... The rubble still needs finishing off, need to paint the balsa various colour to represent structural materials and give some of the girders I built some definition as well. I think I'm going to have to experiment with home made decals for the "Firefly" labels on the sides. Fortunately during the summer I picked up some decal paper so at least I have the materials to hand to try it out! Fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitfire23bc Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 FAB! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 So close to completion and I seem to have lost my mojo on this Doesn't help that it looks like I've misplaced my decal film in the house move earlier this year so will have to source some more before I can do the decals for it. So close to the end and I should be pressing on ahead and finishing the diorama base... meh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 (edited) So close to completion and I seem to have lost my mojo on this You and me too - no progress on my Breda air ambulance for weeks now. I blame the weather! Hope you get going again soon - I'm looking forward to seeing the Firefly finished. Cheers Cliff Edited December 6, 2011 by CliffB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I'm looking forward to the finished article too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 (edited) I am pleased to say that finally my mojo returned from its trip and we have crossed the final hurdle! Yes its finished!!! (well apart from the fact is has no decals yet - that will get fixed at a later date when I find my decal film which I believe is still in one of the unpacked boxes left over from my house move earlier this year - at least I HOPE its in the boxes!) I'll post the photos with the proper description in the gallery, but here for your delectation is a quick shot... The lights have been attached, the twin horns on the cabin roof are not present, weathering has been applied and the full range of rubble has been arranged, painted and weathered. Phew that was quite a job in the end. If I'd known how hard this little model was to get looking good I'm not sure I'd have undertaken this project at the outset. I did however and I'm pleased with the end result! Edited December 8, 2011 by Kallisti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Nice work, looks like the one off Thunderbirds to me FAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Here is the Firefly on the diorama base with a nice collection of rubble to deal with... The rubble still needs finishing off, need to paint the balsa various colour to represent structural materials and give some of the girders I built some definition as well. I think I'm going to have to experiment with home made decals for the "Firefly" labels on the sides. Fortunately during the summer I picked up some decal paper so at least I have the materials to hand to try it out! Fingers crossed! From where this kit started this is amazing progress, looks utterly convincing on it's base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelman182 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Fantastic job! Looks great! I can imagine myself sitting watching the episode (on TV at home, many years ago) as I look at this. Your perseverance and skills are more than admirable! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifer54 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 That looks superb, and it's been a real "silk purse from a sow's ear" job! It looked like hard work, but you've beaten the kit into submossion. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 All the hard has paid off thats brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 A great result - definitely worth all that effort Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Thanks guys its nice to have finished it I posted some pics over at the Fanderson forrums - they are the "experts" in all things Gerry Anderson and they thought it was a very convincing effort as well so I'm very pleased. It first "live" appearance will be at IPMS Farnborough in just over a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Woo hoo, decal film arrived at the weekend, now to see if I can print the decals well enough... watch this space... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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