AndyC Posted September 23, 2011 Posted September 23, 2011 (edited) Hi all I have belatedly decided to join this GB - I was intending to build this baby anyway and realised the GB was going and thought...'why not?' The kit is the Tamiya Birdcage Corsair and the intention is to try and build one of those hugely worn and weathered Solomon Islands aircraft that flew so heroically against the Japanese, so plenty of fading, chipping, shading and general wear and tear I can play about trying to mix my own salmon-primer too! Here is the obligatory box and sprue shot...I hope to get tucked into this over the next week See you soon Andy Edited November 25, 2011 by AndyC
denstore Posted September 23, 2011 Posted September 23, 2011 Nice! A well weathered Corsair is always welcome!
Bertie McBoatface Posted September 24, 2011 Posted September 24, 2011 "hugely worn and weathered ... plenty of fading, chipping, shading and general wear and tear" Oh yummy! Just what I like to see. I eagerly anticipate pictures of this one. Please, if you can, show us all the stages of your weathering techniques.
AndyC Posted September 24, 2011 Author Posted September 24, 2011 Nice!A well weathered Corsair is always welcome! I think so too! "hugely worn and weathered ... plenty of fading, chipping, shading and general wear and tear"Oh yummy! Just what I like to see. I eagerly anticipate pictures of this one. Please, if you can, show us all the stages of your weathering techniques. Rod for my own back here, I think! I have seen some pretty inspired builds of these birds and they look great. Within the limits of my photographic skills, Don, I will be more than happy to...not usre it will be on the scale of the Alaskan tome however... Andy
Bertie McBoatface Posted September 25, 2011 Posted September 25, 2011 Don, I will be more than happy to. Thanks, I'm always looking for inspiration.
oldhouse Posted October 7, 2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Nice to see a Corsair in this GB !! Enjoy the build !!
Jasonb13 Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Nice to see a Corsair in this GB !! Enjoy the build !! Well, I'm just hurt! Corsair Looking forward to seeing what the 1:48 Tamiya is like! I didn't weather mine much at all, so also looking forward to seeing a dirty one! J.
AndyC Posted October 19, 2011 Author Posted October 19, 2011 Well, I'm just hurt! Corsair Looking forward to seeing what the 1:48 Tamiya is like! I didn't weather mine much at all, so also looking forward to seeing a dirty one! J. Haha! Jason yours was fine - a great build if I may say! I am busy at work (for once) so my modelling time is limited and I have been concentrating on the AC-47 in the Dakota STGB whenever I can, however I am going to make a start on this next week. The 1/48 Tamiya kits are almost effortless in fit and detail which is good because I woudl like to concentrate on the finish for once... Andy
Jasonb13 Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Yep, I have to say Andy, I found the Tamiya kit to be very easy to build. I didn't want to do it too weathered, mainly 'cos it gives me less chance to mess it up! Hope it goes well for you... J.
AndyC Posted October 22, 2011 Author Posted October 22, 2011 (edited) Hi all The Spooky in the Dakota GB is settling under a coat of Klear, so I have now made start on this GB too! After looking at lots of photographs and reading Bill Reece's detailed doc on WWII USN/USMC cockpit colours I am no better off Actually the consensus appears to be that the 'birdcage' corsairs were either black or dull dark green in the cockpit. I chose the latter for my cockpit and used Xtracrylix British Deep Bronze Green (which I think is an AFV colour?). It looks OK-ish and is definitely darker than cockpit interior green. The other consensus seems to be that the wheel wells, inside engine compartment and cowling were the (in)famous salmon pink. I mixed some by eye using (almost like real life) Tamiya Zinc Chromate Yellow and Red and got what looks quite bright at the moment but will be toned down with washes and drybrushing. I will try and start sticking some plastic on this tomorrow, so ta for looking and all comments welcome Andy Edited October 23, 2011 by AndyC
AndyC Posted October 23, 2011 Author Posted October 23, 2011 Hi all Some more progress today before going back to my Dak... Putting the various bit of cockpit together - I was going to use my new Airscale decals for the IP but in the end I used the kit decal. Before gluing a quick drybrush with Tamita Silver - I didn't bother with a wash because of the dark cockpit colour. Seatbelts are wine bottle foil. And in place... I also worked on the engine. The kit one is OK but I added spark plug leads and painted it Mr Colour Stainless and then buffed it I am going to try and get the fuselage buttoned uo tonight...I may not get much done for the rest of the week Thanks for looking Andy
AndyC Posted November 5, 2011 Author Posted November 5, 2011 Quick update as I am conscious that time is draining away on this GB (well it is for me anyway). Body assembled, primed and roughly pre-shaded Canopy masked and prop and other small bits painted May even get some main paint on this afternoon/evening Thanks for looking - back soon Andy
Bertie McBoatface Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 You are making progress. Do you use acrylics exclusively? (It's a new thing for me.)
AndyC Posted November 7, 2011 Author Posted November 7, 2011 Hi Don Yes, I have used acrylics ever since my return to modelling about 3-4 years ago. Brilliant because they didn't exist for modellers when I originally stopped in the late '70's! All my modelling then was brush-painted enamel for surface colours. I tried brush-painted acrylic (easier to clean/don't smell) and very nearly gave it all back up again. Saw the light and bought a good airbrush and haven't looked back since. Despite a minor photographic disaster with those I took of the first coat (I lost them!), I will post some of the weathering progress shots when I am back from business in London later this week. Andy
AndyC Posted November 19, 2011 Author Posted November 19, 2011 Hi all I've got the first three/four paint layers on... Top coat after the pre-shading is thinned Xtracrylix RAF PRU Blue which I think is great for USN Blue/Grey. This was then lightened by adding white and then sprayed in panels along the top and under the outer wings. It was then lightened further and the only the upper surface (not the sides so much) were then sprayed. It worked to my eye - my photo skills may not show the true effect! Undersides were sprayed thinned Xtracrykix Lt Gull Grey and received only one light coat. Next is the weathering powders, chipping, Tamiya Smoke and graphite sticks... Thanks for looking and comments welcome as ever. There would have been more pics but Photobucket is not my friend this morning Andy
Bertie McBoatface Posted November 19, 2011 Posted November 19, 2011 Very nicely shaded blues there. I'm surprised you left the grey so comparatively unworked though
AndyC Posted November 19, 2011 Author Posted November 19, 2011 Very nicely shaded blues there. I'm surprised you left the grey so comparatively unworked though Thanks Don. I didn't do so much on the underside as the main shading was done to represent weathering in that hot Pacific sun. The underside will be a different style as (in my mind) I see the weathering being physical chipping and dirt from the coral strip at, say, Henderson Field. Andy
AndyC Posted November 19, 2011 Author Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) I spent the last couple of hours witha Flory wash, Tamiya Smoke, MiG rust powder, silver paint and some chalk pastels and this is what I've come up with so far Finished the canopy and may look at sticking the decals on later. Once the decals are on and sealed I will do the last round of weathering and then flat coat it. I'm pretty convinced that being on Guadalcanal would have matted down any gloss finish from the factory? Thanks for looking Andy Edited November 19, 2011 by AndyC
Bertie McBoatface Posted November 20, 2011 Posted November 20, 2011 I'm pretty convinced that being on Guadalcanal would have matted down any gloss finish from the factory? The underneath now looks just the ticket. Please forgive my earlier doubts. I must agree that being on Guadalcanal would have knocked the shine off anyone's day!
AndyC Posted November 22, 2011 Author Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) Evenin' all I managed to do some more weathering and get the decals on her late Saturday - unfortunately too late for pics and life got in the way... Anyhow...here is where she is now...Tamiya decals applied (with Klear to bed them in) sealed with Klear and then weathered with Tamiya Smoke airbrushed on to dull them. I weathered the wheel wells and drybrushed them with Chrome Silver. I painted some Tamiya tape white and cut it into strip and applied it for the gun-hole covers. I've got the wheels and prop to weather, then Alclad Dull Coat for the lot before she will be ready later this week with a bit of luck Thanks for looking and any comments welcome... Andy Edited November 23, 2011 by AndyC
rowmk9 Posted November 23, 2011 Posted November 23, 2011 Hi Andy, Forgive me but I only just noticed this superb build. You've done a super job on her so far. You're making it hard for me to resist buying a Corsair!
AndyC Posted November 23, 2011 Author Posted November 23, 2011 Hi Andy, Forgive me but I only just noticed this superb build. You've done a super job on her so far. You're making it hard for me to resist buying a Corsair! Many thanks Rowan. The kit is a big help actually, it's well engineered. It's my 3rd Corsair this year - I may need therapy Andy Taking shape Andy Thanks Mish, it's been an enjoyable build Andy
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