Matt_

Thanks chaps. I do have a close working 'crown' fitted which I forgot to mention. More air pressure is a route I've not tried - so I'll have a go Black primer coat I do intend trying on next - can I colour my Mr Surfacer 1500 with Mr Colour paint... anyone tried (suppose I should just try to mix some and see) Maybe I'll try pure lacquer thinner and see if that improves (or worsens) drying but also general usability, may dry too quickly.. I shall do some experimenting with this advice.. Matt

OK I'm just starting out airbrushing and sod's law means my first effort is a Luftwaffe mottled subject - Revell's Bf109G-6, one for the group build off. First a couple of photos.. gallery of shame... Tools (which I won't be blaming in any way shape or form) Iwata HP- C + airbrush 0.3 needle I think. Revell Omega compresor with a small air tank and water trap etc paint is Mr Colour Aqueous, thinned with Mr Colour levelling thinner Compressor is set a about 15 psi and I have a small inline air valve which I have used to further reduce the pressure. I use the paint flow setting device at the rear of the brush to keep paint flow at a minimum. Temperature is around 18 Celsius and not particularly humid. Using about 66% thinner to 33% paint. I have committed many of the 'classic' crimes against airbrushing, though managed to steer just clear of the spider effect (none of mine have legs) and in fact I appear to have finessed this to what I'll call the 'polo effect' where the paint in the centre of a mottle is blown to the edges leaving a hole... Of concern to me (and what can't be seen so well) is that the paint didn't appear to dry as quickly as I expected. I used a cotton glove to handle the thing once painted and even a day later there was still a small degree of tack if I held an area too long... As you can see, there are also areas where the paint is almost gloss... am I not mixing properly? Finally, does airbrushing create static? Because I've never seen so much dust making a bee line for my paint! I suppose the booth is pulling air in from around me, but crikey.. so much dust... would a tack cloth help? So there's some images and questions to be getting on with... diagnose away. I'm not going to be precious about this, so I need to hear what people really think... I realise much of this is about practise, but more specific advice would be warmly appreciated.. Matt

Go on Jeroen, finish it.... you wouldn't have to buy the Part parts... couldn't you do a bit of work with aluminium or brass sheet...? The fronts look quite simple shape-wise... Agree with everything about scale that's been said. Thing is that often the real things don't look as good as models. I think it's because we become accustomed to a level of 'busy-ness' that becomes an aesthetic of its own. So a larger kit may be more detailed, but as you get bigger, you run out of details to add. Matt

Looks good though not sure if it's my cuppa.... What would really bring this to life would be some nicely sculpted crew figures.. Matt

Good stuff.. I like the very fine grained weathering you've applied, particularly on the observer's seat... Matt

Good stuff Cees... don't forget to show us what you've done to allow the 'pit to go in after fuselage closed up (I assume that's what you've engineered?). I do wonder if RandyPandy was merely indicating he was looking forward to the different version.... If anyone thinks any IM Tempest is below par, then I'll happily swap it with them for my Touch Down vac form.. which is actually quite good and buildable.. but a million miles away from PCM or SHs offerings... Matt

Welcome aboard. I particularly like the exhaust staining pattern... Matt

Thanks Rog I have a couple of those as well... I was under the misapprehension that the Revell kit was more accurate than 21st C.. I think easiest (read cheapest) option will be to take 21st C and cut it up to make it larger and sand it all to make a nice, accurate, 1/32 Ju 87B nose.... Matt

That's interesting Doug.... so Revell kit is very accurate 1/35 kit... maybe useful for the WWII N. Africa armour modellers... Does the under sized-ness extend to the u/c spats.....? In the other kits (Trumpy and 21st C) that is Matt

Eduard have announced bronze u/c for the G-6 - that'll improve a troublesome area of the kit... about £13 I think... Also a resin cockpit, though it is up at £27... more than the kit itself.... Matt

My impression was that, along with many of this generation of Revell kits, outline is good and accurate (possibly the best out of all the Ju 87Bs around. Raised details - the rivets are again pretty accurate for a Ju87B, maybe a light sanding to soften them but this aircraft was covered in rivets. I have been after a junker of this kit to cut the nose off of and graft it, along with the undercarriage spats and some other bits and bobs onto a Hasegawa Ju87D... Matt

I have used it too. Bought a bunch of rolls on eBay a couple of years ago. As has been said, cutting it into thinner strips a) makes it easier to conform to various surfaces and b ) makes it last three times longer or more... I'm sure there must be a better product out there by now... For scribing vertical panel lines on curved fuselages Doug Feeney (of ID Models fame) gave me a good tip. He uses cable ties. Line it up tighten it, scribe line and then with care you can open it up again for the next panel... Matt

I'm sure that Revell will do it. Can't see anyone else to be honest.... Matt

Both the Eduard and Dragon Es feature separate rudders already and as far as I know are accurate.... I am certainly not 100% but there is a difference between the 109F and 109E tails, whether it is in the rudder or the non movable tail I don't recall... Matt

Google Rog.... use the force...... I too would wait for the B to come out... 50mm cannon, mortars, gun packs... I still suspect that Revell will have this on their list of 'to dos' and, avert your eyes Rog, it'll probably come before the Do 17, though of course both a/c are at Cosford.... Matt

Peter Looks useful. I do similar but much less extensive work with alu from food containers, drinks cans etc... does the brass have an advantage..? Also, I noted in the photo of what looked like the Sea Fury's engine access panels, that you have some 'U' section brass profile bent to the curve of the panel... Is this merely a case of annealing or are there other elements to getting it to bend like that without 'crumpling'...? Matt

Rog I hope you didn't think me a pedant when I wrote that... But the simple matter is that Google is such an efficient search system now that a few choice words will find you almost anything you want... The Masterclub of Russia track links look very nice.... Matt

Rog This gives a good pile of leads to follow up on... https://www.google.co.uk/#q=1%2F35+track+links Matt

And let's face it Cees, life would be boring if all kits were Tamiya quality.... I do get more enjoyment out of the problem solving that less than perfect kits require... I suppose if painting and finishing is the major thing one enjoys, tricky builds can be a pain.... but I think the build is what I enjoy.... Matt

Thanks... Matt

I like this... the V100 is a cool looking vehicle. Matt

Refreshing to see a diorama that hasn't got a couple of hundred figures hanging around every nook and cranny.... Nice work. Matt

Good stuff Nick A very fair appraisal of the high quality Revell parts that cannot compete with the advantages offered by resin - principally being a single part.. Of only minor interest, some G-14 aircraft appear to have been fitted with the wider tyre/bigger wing fairing combination... You also didn't mention the suitability of the 660x190 wheels for the He 162... Matt

It's a quiet time of year Cees... lots of people on holiday still. I'd expect things to perk up somewhat in the next couple of weeks.... In terms of advice Cees, I'm afraid you're the one blazing the trail.... everyone's watching your build for advice especially as you seem to be having the most trouble free build that anyone's had of this kit... Your build looks good.... certainly is a handsome looking aircraft. I have an old vacform of this a/c which isn't too bad at all. I'm hoping a few spares will crop up if aftermarket steps in for this and the forthcoming SH kit... I'd like to do a silver post war aircraft...I think there's one in the PCM kit... Matt

I am sure that once the immediately necessary conservation work has been carried out to stabilise the structure, Revell will be making approaches to the RAF Museum to get access to the Do 17. I think we should be thankful that Revell's policy appears to be that of only tooling up their Luftwaffe kits when they have access to the real deal (though the He 219 was a different matter). We've seen how the work put in on the Gardermoen Ju 88 and He 111 have paid off, so I for one am happy to wait for an accurate model... It's not like our stashes aren't full to bursting.... Matt