CANicoll

As much as I like the MRP paints, their clear just doesn't seem to work as well as their colors. I had the same experience as you: I blew through a bottle trying to get a clear coat on a plane. Forget trying to cover a 1/32 scale aircraft. Right now my go-to clear is Vallejo. Their matte and satin is really good. Gloss is so so. I also spray Future if I need an absolute glossy surface.

Quick update - got started working on the engines and wondering why Tamiya didn't engineer the seams differently. Oh well. But also took the opportunity to break out the old Model Master Metalizer paint (Burnt Iron, non-buffing in this particular instance). I wanted to capture a metallic look to the jet exhaust parts. The paint sprays beautifully, but it is also painfully fragile. Forget any sort of masking!

An enormous amount of work going in there, and it looks terrific. Agree with the idea that the bombs were nasty dirty - yours look great. Also the need for a really smart resin wheel well with all the wiring. That would be a bear to detail, but it would look great. Keep it up!

Quick update - I've been using both tapes and can't tell the difference. Have not done any masking (yet) but on simple tape-tasks like holding pieces together while the glue dries - no difference.

Gary, Feel better soon! The rivet look is very interesting - I like what you've been able to do with them and sympathize with the masking and carrier film problems. The elevators and rudder really look terrific, nice job! I can see the weather prospect of those raised rivets on a worn aircraft - what you have there already looks cool. Looking good! Get some rest. Chris

Finally got some bench time today. Whew! Got the fuselage closed up and all of my weathering on the fuselage sides is invisible, unless you turn the plane over and have a flashlight. Oh well. Did some more work on the IP, did a flat coat, then put drops of clear over the various instrument faces. Next up the various landing gear struts. Painted the oleos chrome, over a black gloss primer (I know, its 1/48 scale and I'm brush painting, but what the heck!) The first picture is freshly painted. The second is after the application of a black wash around the joints. Can you see the difference!! (BTW, the black marks on the main gear sprues are a note to me about which piece is which - left or right.) One way I remember for sure which is which). I put a bit of effort into a dirty wash inside the fuselage sides. Not exactly sure why now, but I guess being part of the undercarriage those areas would get kind of grimy. i would do a lot more if I thought it would seen by ANYONE. Anyone... The guns fit into the nose weight and the fit is actually really good, very tight. Primed the nose weight with the Vallejo primer, then painted Vallejo aluminum. Put a bit of the black wash on the underside where the nose gear folds. Finally closed up the fuselage and the fuselage halves fit with the usual Tamiya tight fit. Took a little bit of finagling to get the fuselage closed just aft of the weight, but it did close up. Have left the seat out until the seatbelts arrive. I'm sure I'll be exercising my vast vocabulary in putting those together... Next up is masking and then priming...

I hear you, not too many coats I guess. Kind of kicking myself for not ordering them from HGW when I placed my current order... Oh well! There is always later... Good luck! I hope to get back to the Me262 tomorrow.

I wonder if you put a clear coat over the rivets would that help some? Would they be small enough it would help with the lifting? I'm waiting to see how your masking turns out. I use similar low-tack tape - here in the states purple 3M Scotch brand Delicate Surface tape available at the DIY stores. Works really well and I don't have to de-tack it.

Excellent, and thanks!! I have that one last Revell 1/32 Mustang and am just going to have to try some of the techniques you are employing. Which, then, will likely lead me to build "just one more". I'll send you the bill! Thanks for sharing your work and techniques! Its what makes this site really enjoyable, along with the terrific people.

I was JUST going to ask how it was to mask over the rivets for painting. Guess I'll find out soon! Bird is looking great. Love the finish so far (as the undercoat). The spinner spiral is terrific. Another part of the finish I find challenging with the 109s. I haven't yet invested in the Silhouette cutter.

Gary, This may be one of the most amazing things I've seen yet. Those rivets look absolutely terrific! I was debating on getting them for the Tamiya P-38 I have. Hmmm.. Seriously - the look fantastic - great job! Maybe do a tutorial on how you applied them? And the loop for the rangefinder - great work. For some reason I never thought of replacing the kit ones but now I see I just HAVE to.

I have that Revell Type IX C/40 whose box is about a meter in length. I'm scared to even open the box! Frankly, I don't think I have the space to actually build it, let alone display it after I'm done. I do have that old Revell 1/125 U-47 visible Interior U-Boat kit....not exactly 'Large Scale". How about a Hobby Boss P-61B Black Widow? It gets left out in the rain alot! Starts Dec 1?

The splotchy effect is terrific! Well done and executed. Describe how you did it please? I have the RB Productions masks which would accomplish the same thing and am VERY interested in how you used them on a NMF. Does look great. Chris

Another GREAT picture!

I'm catching up to this and so sorry to hear of the final problems. I definitely hear you on how some kits are just poorly engineered, and it just kills off any joy from the build. But to have it happen at the end is so incredibly frustrating. The Whirlwind looked great. Also completely understand you binning it. Sometimes that seems to be the only way to put it behind us. I know you remember my own frustration with the Kitty Hawk P-39 several years ago. So, you are not alone! And somehow or another, I seriously doubt its your 75 years behind the problems. Your work continues to be THAT good. Hang in there my friend!

Thanks Rob - I just hit the Eduard website and it looks like Eduard is discontinuing its Superfabric line. 13 of the 20 sets offered are discontinued. Bummer!

No moss grows under your feet! The belts look FANTASTIC. PE? What seat is that? Or have I just been missing the detail in the seats I've been building all these years?

I have about 50 kits, and maybe 15-20 of them I may or may not build. Try not to go crazy accumulating kits, but harder when I'm attending Nats or SMW. I've sold a few of my most desirable kits (WNW kits that I would never get to build). Gary's idea of the auction house is a good one.

Plane?

John, Stunning work! Hard to hide defects in a gloss paint, and even more so when it is white. GREAT job!! The finish is phenomenal. Love you followed the history of the aircraft and now have two versions of the aircraft. I've not really done that yet, but have built the same aircraft in different scales (1/72, 1/48, 1/72 - Big Beautiful Doll). Did you use the Revell flaps, or something aftermarket? I have one of the 'new' Revell P-51D kits left and have one last set of the AMUR flaps for it. Chris

I wonder if the brown behind the tiger is the original fuselage color, before it faded? Seems too dark, but the picture is great for all sorts of build ideas!

Gary, GREAT picture of the aircraft. I (wonder if this) image this has been colorized? But showing the wear (and the replacement panel at the wing root) is pretty cool. As well as the faded blue Chinese marking on the left wing. Good stuff.

I hear you Gary. Seems like when I need to make seatbelts it takes me the better part of an evening - and that is having worked out a reasonably reliable method for assembling them. It is still a PITA... And I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion regarding the 1/48 cockpits. In 1/32 the detail is so much more accessible. It really gets lost in 1/48. Sigh... Maybe I'll sell some of my 1/48 kits... Happy Sunday!

Sweet!!!

Making a little bit of progress, working on the cannons and cockpit. However, I was hugely disappointed with the Tamiya decals for the instrument panel. Two of the three decals tore rather easily. Hard to see in 1/48 scale, but not in the photographs. Far left, the bottom of the two gauges tore and folder back onto itself. The Yellow gauges both also tore making it difficult to place the rest of the gauges. I have some touch-up work to do. Had a bit more success with the cannons, but hard to see with the gunmetal paint. Used the Neutral and Dark MIG washes to bring out the bulkhead detail, and a bit of dry brushing with some Vallejo aluminum. This will be a pretty 'clean' aircraft. Worked on the cockpit tub a bit - surprised there was not a bit more color and wondering if my paint is a bit too dark. Right now it sports a gloss coat but I'll matte that later. The seat is dry fitted for the moment, until I get some HGW seatbelts (which are proving a bit hard to find except from HGW directly). There is a strange reflection in the pan of the seat. Beats me! The washes brought out the plumbing on the back bulkhead pretty nicely, I think. That's it for now.