Special Hobby Whirlwind

[Peterpools]

Rob, we're right on the same page. 

What, no build thread for the Corsair? 🙁

 

[DocRob]

31 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

What, no build thread for the Corsair? 🙁

I think I will start one soon, but am a little afraid to bore you all with that near perfect kit, built by the dozens.

Cheers Rob

[Clunkmeister]

Oh wow Peter, this is certainly looking the business!  I do have this kit, although it’s never been my first choice, the type sure has a Grace all its own. 
Im happy to see its appears to be one of SH’s more straightforward builds and there isn’t many areas to tempt your razor saw to come out and play. 

[Peterpools]

10 minutes ago, DocRob said:

I think I will start one soon, but am a little afraid to bore you all with that near perfect kit, built by the dozens.

Cheers Rob

Rob

Looking forward to your build thread and in my book, there is no such thing as a perfect kit, just a beautifully engineered kit that allows the builder to concentrate on other aspects of a build rather then correcting all the imperfections we find on so many other kits. I know we all have our own feelings on the subject and no question in my mind: I'm a huge Tamiya Fan Boy.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Ernie, very much appreciated. For some strange, unknown reason, I've always had a soft spot for the Whirlwind and that's admitting how little I actually knew about the airplane. To a pilot's eyes, she just looked so good.

So far, the Whirlwind has had its moments and a good deal of those moments and "cuss Word" steps has been the result of poorly done instructions, that are unclear, at times useless and the builders blunders as well. The kit itself isn't anywhere near what you have and are going through with the Helldiver, with what seems like endless frustrations, countless corrections and fixes.  Believe me, I tip my hat to you, knowing I never would have the enthusiasm and determination to 'engineer' and correct all the kit issues. 

 

 

[KevinM]

Peter that crate is looking real sweet and tell me does this have the same wing span or close to the Mossie?

 

I'll go look that up. not even close WW=32' Mossie=54'

[CANicoll]

Peter,

The camo looks terrific - what do you use for your masking?  And I see you are using the AK paints - how do they compare to MRP in your opinion?  I'm still using an old MicroMark spray booth which is 15x20.  I wish the extractor fan was a bit more powerful, but like you I have a flexible hose that I vent through the window when I paint.

As usual your painting looks terrific, and I never can see those seams you say need fixing.  Great subject!

Chris

[Peterpools]

Kev, much appreciated. Yes the Whirlwind's span is smaller then the Mossie; glad you checked out the specs and it is considerable. The Whirlwind is a much smaller aircraft then the Mossie. I plan on displaying them side by side in my display case.

[Peterpools]

11 hours ago, CANicoll said:

Peter,

The camo looks terrific - what do you use for your masking?  And I see you are using the AK paints - how do they compare to MRP in your opinion?  I'm still using an old MicroMark spray booth which is 15x20.  I wish the extractor fan was a bit more powerful, but like you I have a flexible hose that I vent through the window when I paint.

As usual your painting looks terrific, and I never can see those seams you say need fixing.  Great subject!

Chris

Thanks so much Chris.

What I did for the masking (I'll take some photos and add them to the next update). I start with the kits painting/decal plans and determine the enlargement percentage as the top and bottom views are normally a different size then the side views. I hit Staples and make enough copies to cut out masks for each of the colors. Then it literally it takes a ton of hours to cut and roll up tiny strips of Tamiya tape attached the bottom of the masks and then a lot of time to place the masks. All this raises the mask a tiny bit off the model surface. The end result is a demarcation line that is slightly soft as compared to a standard mark that yields a hard edge. All the cleanup work I did on any overspray or small bleed through was done freehand. 

I've been a HUGE advocate of MRP lacquer paints since they first came on the market and are my number one, go to paint. I tried AK Real Colors for the first time and am very impressed and love the way they shoot. For me the big differences is: MRP is shot straight from the bottle and AK needs to be thinned. Right now, I'm on the fence as to which I like better as I get the same results from each. I also have a large investment in MRP paints and am planning on using them on my next build: ZM Bf 109.  Looks as if the build will determine the paint. The biggest drawback to MRP is availability while AK is sold by more vendors. 

Surely seems we have the same issues and thoughts on the MM spray booth but what it is, it is. For now, the spray booth is my limiting factor on how large a kit I can build and paint. I also try to keep the filter clean and do replace them when needed with filters from MM.

I'm pretty picky on seams and if I can see it. no matter how tiny, I'll go back and redo them

 

 

[Peterpools]

CAMMO WORK IS DONE

After I posted the photographs of the upper cammo, I carefully reviewed each one and found some bleed throughs and over spray spots – one of the major pluses of photographing your work as you go – finding mistakes and go backs that you might not notice on the real deal. What caused the painting mishaps was trying to mask around the antennas, struggling to mask corners in the tights areas between the fuselage and nacelles and around bulges – I just couldn’t get the masks sit down as needed. OF finishing the underside portion of the cmmo, I created a few more go backs which I am nearly done correcting – ran plain old out of steam and it will have to wait for a few more days to finish up before glossing and decal prep.

Since finishing my chemotherapy a good nine months ago, my hands haven’t been steady enough for free hand cammo but slowly improving, with modeling being excellent therapy. There seemed no time like the present to give it a go again and see what happens. I actually wound up not just repainting all the overspray and bleed through spots I saw; other areas were also redone and it’s nearly impossible to tell which areas were painted which way. One happy camper and amazed at how my hands have progressed!

Next up was the fuselage tailband which proved a bit harder then I originally thought. The fuselage band butts straight up tight against the vertical stabilizer, which made masking on both sides impossible. What I should have done is paint that area first, mask and then the cammo. But of course, I never gave it a second thought until I was ready to add the fuselage band, which now required two days of some tricky masking to get the job done. The fuselage band color is a very light bluish/green/cream mix, not Sky. I did a good deal of research with the explanations, as always all over the place. I’m happy with the color and it was also used on the spinner.

The underside of the left wing and right horizontal stabilizer masked out and painted flat black, while the balance of the underside of the Whirlwind was painted in RAF Sky. Researched showed at the early stages of the war, this was done so ground gunner crews could identify RAF aircraft from those of the Luftwaffe. Sometime in 1940/41, the practice was discontinued as I assumed it wasn’t that successful.

 

[HubertB]

Great job, Peter 👍 !
And it’s good to read you are getting over the after-effects of the chemotherapy. This is a medical area that has made tremendous progress in the last decades. But, whilst less overly debilitating than old chemos, the new ones are not (yet ?) without side effects. Living with a wife who has overcome 5 cancers, 4 of them with chemotherapy, I have a first-hand experience of what it can be …

Hubert

[Peterpools]

Thanks Hubert, so very much appreciated. Yes, you are so right as chemotherapy has made tremendous strides and progress and if it wasn't for my awesome oncologist and how he administered the chemo, odds are, I wouldn't be here. No doubt you know all too well the side effects and I've had my share plus cardiac issues directly related but thank goodness all is under control with medication.

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking really great Peter!  Love that camo scheme!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Mike, very much appreciated. In all my years, I can't remember having so many painting go backs from overspray - just a tough kit to work around. But I'm getting ready for decal prep: gloss and decaling and then it's the home stretch. can't wait to cross the finish line.

 

 

[GusMac]

Looking great Peter and glad to hear your dexterity and touch are coming back. 

As Hubert says chemo is so much less toxic now. The big game changer has been the monoclonal antibodies given in addition which sensitise the body to make them more efficient. You can cure with lower doses now in essence which is good for everyone. The downside are the costs now - we're just about to introduce a new therapy for prostate cancer which is £250k per patient. I know you can't put a price on a life but it makes your eyes water when it's coming out of your department budget!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gus, so greatly appreciated. From what I've learned, the "cocktail" for each chemo is specific to the patient, for the type of cancer and how far it has progressed. It was bad when I was going through it but I'm here and that's what counts. My wife suffered though it with me and the side effects continue but we're dealing with them. Costs were very high but it is what it is. I'm just so happy for my doctors and the support I've received.

 

[Martinnfb]

Really nice work Peter, despite the medical related hurdles you are soldiering on and the results are more than inspirational. Fantastic !  

[Spitfire]

Great job Peter, next up the icing on the cake, the markings.

Cheers

Dennis

[GazzaS]

Great work, Peter!  I'm glad to hear that your hands are getting steadier.  The fuselage band looks great as well.

[DocRob]

The camo came out great Peter. Good to hear, that you are recovering and your hands got steadier with time. I am always afraid of freehanded spraying, even with my normally steady hands.

Cheers Rob

[CANicoll]

Peter,

Looks terrific and the color research always adds a big positive in my mind. "Why is this color used, and not that one" is usually an interesting exercise (thinking of the Lou IV Mustang pictures and the ongoing debate of are the colors blue or green).  It is also what makes following your builds so interesting.  

Very happy to see (and hear) that the chemo effects are lessening, and that you are able to adjust and continue the high-quality work you are well known and respected for.  Also very happy to see that no one is immune to the 'I wish I had done this first' phenomena.  One thing I do follow is your build strategy which has helped me in the past to avoid certain problems.  The light band on this aircraft just gave you time to continue your masking skills! I can't remember an aircraft where I painted the light band, masked over it, and continued with the rest of the aircraft.  Still working on that one!

The Whirlwind is one of those iconic designs and I'm delighted you are doing the build.  Looking great!

Chris

[JohnB]

Good to hear you are feeling better Peter. And the Whirlwind is really looking GOOD!!!

[Peterpools]

Martin, Thanks so much.

I used modeling as a therapy after finishing chemo as it required use of my hands and coordination - couldn't think of a better therapy. Still dealing with a number of chemmo side effects including cardiac issues but I'm getting there.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Dennis

Right with you and by Friday I should be decaling and looking forward to my next build.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

The build surely has had its moment and hopefully and from here to the finish should be relatively smooth sailing.

I'm taking your advice and decided to go with the GWH P-40B Flying Tigers. I've been doing a lot of research on the colors and some details and can't wait to get going on the project.