Administrators Clunkmeister Posted September 24, 2022 Administrators Share Posted September 24, 2022 On 9/22/2022 at 5:31 PM, CANicoll said: Funny you say that. My Grex sat for a LONG time as well before I took it out of the box. I wasn't really sure how to clean it properly which was the biggest barrier for me. Once I overcame that hurdle (thank you YouTube) then it was just spraying paint on my paint mule (an old 1/48 Mustang) to see how it worked. Finally, took the leap of faith and put it on an Eduard 109. If it makes you happy, then it's a success, right? True sentiment there! Mine still sits in its box, all green with envy. My Paasche VL is positively prehistoric, but I feel comfortable with it and it still churns out some decent paint work, so it stays around as of now.. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted September 24, 2022 Share Posted September 24, 2022 Sorry for being late to the party, but your 262 looks terrific with the mottled camo. I have the same kit along with some goodies in stash and will give the mottling a try, when it comes to that. I normally use a H&S Infinity with a 0,2 nozzle, but will dig out my old and trusty Rotring airbrushes again, which have the advantage only being one and a half action, not double action. It's easier to control the color dispersion with these. Like some of the others, I'm eager to see the results of your slight sanding, which I never tried before. Cheers Rob 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted September 28, 2022 Author Share Posted September 28, 2022 Quick Update: I tried gently wet-sanding the mottling and got an interesting result - an even more faded look to the camo, but not the clean-up I was hoping for. Used a Micro-Mark 8000 grit pad, dipped in a bowl of water. I tried something similar in the past, on a Mustang painted with Model Master Acryl paints, and liked the effect there. But this time, it didn't take away any of the overspray, just made everything a bit more faded. Hmmm... I confined my attempt to a small area on the fuselage but won't continue to the rest of the aircraft as I don't think that was the effect I was looking for. I think I'll paint some camo on my paint mule and give it a try again. I like the worn effect - the challenge is to not make the wear TOO uniform. But something to keep in mind for the future. On the ME-262, it will take a LOT of work - but I may come back to it. I think the effect would work really well if I had a BMF under the camo paint, something to be exposed with the wear. Hopefully more this weekend! Chris 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted September 28, 2022 Share Posted September 28, 2022 Chris It could be the ovespray being mostly the same layer as the cammo, any wet sanding will remove any paint on that layer. Maybe the answer is to very gently use a small portion of a sanding sponge that only cover the overspray and that should do the trick. 🤞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted September 28, 2022 Author Share Posted September 28, 2022 4 hours ago, Peterpools said: Chris It could be the over being mostly the same layer as the cammo, any wet sanding will remove any paint on that layer. Maybe the answer is to very gently use a small portion of a sanding sponge that only cover the overspray and that should do the trick. 🤞 I was wondering about that approach, Peter. Definitely should work. Definitely will take a week out of my life to accomplish! 🤣 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted September 28, 2022 Share Posted September 28, 2022 Chris Keep us posted - 🤞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted September 30, 2022 Author Share Posted September 30, 2022 Finally had some energy and some time at the bench. And had one of those 'Uh oh...' moments: I meant to attach the windscreen which also has part of the fuselage attached (its a clear part) before painting the fuselage, and esp the cammo. Opps! Will have to address that this weekend. In the meantime, attached the landing gear - which looks a bit catty-wompy - to me as well as the drop tanks. All black is a bit of a challenge to photograph, esp since it is still a bit glossy (for now). Oh yeah, and since I was not going to open up the nose-gun area, I kind of skipped those build steps. Which means I missed the note to put 15g of weight into the nose. Duh. So I drilled a small hole in the underside of the nose cone and filled it with Liquid Gravity. Naturally ended up with the little balls everywhere, but got the plane mostly balanced onto the nose. Slipped a bit of the flexible weights used in Pinewood Derby cars under the nose gear and that now has the bird sitting pretty firmly on the nose gear. I have two more ME-262s in the closet: The Tamiya 1/48 A-1a and the HobbyBoss A-1a so will try and do better on those builds. And if you want to know why I have two A-1a's to build? I don't know, other than maybe to compare the Tamiya and the HobbyBoss kits... More to come... 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlrwestSiR Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 It's really coming together. It hopefully isn't too much work to touch up the camo after you get the canopy on. Carl 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Chris, That looks very cool. It looks like you haven't far to go. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted September 30, 2022 Author Share Posted September 30, 2022 Thanks Carl, I'm hoping for the same but think the windscreen will be ok. I can fudge the camo on the rest of the canopy by leaving it open (it swings way off to the side. Gary - Not too far, but have to work on the wing-root gap still. A bit of CA should close it up nicely. Looking forward to weathering which will also hide all sorts of evils! I saw on Instagram a guy is building a Mustang but doing it all as a polished aircraft - one thing I have not tried yet. That may be my next build. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Chris Looking mighty good, up on her legs. On my end, the cammo looks terrific and I can't see any overspray - so your sanding/repair work worked perfectly. Right with you, gloss black is a tough color to photograph and I use a diffuser over the light source to remove the hot spots and glare. Working outdoors makes it even worse. Of course, the secret weapon side for me is both Photoshop and Lightroom and I don't think I ever posted a single photograph that haven't been through at least one of them. Nice work on finding a work-a-round the nose weight issue and of course I've been there as well. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Few motivational pics. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinnfb Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted September 30, 2022 Author Share Posted September 30, 2022 Thanks Peter and Martin. Martin - excellent pictures, wow! I appreciate the pics and will be studying them. I love this very helpful community. Chris 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted October 1, 2022 Author Share Posted October 1, 2022 A bit of progress this afternoon. The windscreen actually faired in pretty easily, and then I added some of the camo to it on the plane. The fit isn't fantastic as you can tell - there is a bit of a step. Added the OOB radar antenna's which attached a lot easier than I expected. Still kind of amazed at how close to the firing arc of the nose guns these antenna are (thanks Martin for the pics!). Taped the radio antenna cable onto the tail temporarily until the adhesive completely dries from the tail to the antenna mast. Using the Uschi .005 flexible thread for the radio antenna, and will use the .001 for the canopy retaining cables. I prefer the Uschi over EZ Line as the latter is flat (which does have its uses). It also doesn't seem to have an outer sheath - I have cut EZ Line only to have the center separate from the outer part. That's it for tonight. Hope everyone in the Eastern US is safe after the storm. Chris 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Chris Terric work - the canopy fit looks spot on the money as well as the radar antennas. I'm most like one of the few builders who hasn't used Uschi flexible thread or even EZ Line yet. For radio antenna lines I still use stretched sprue and I know I'm a dinosaur and have to buy some. The Whirlwind does have antenna wires and I need to decide which way to go. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Looks great, Chris. Honestly... I hate doing the canopy. If it fits great... good. But once I have to start filling and sanding... I begin to worry how the clear part and joins will look. So often, sanding softens the detail and I just kills my mojo. I have wished forever that the clear parts extended far away from the actual canopy join. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzaS Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 8 hours ago, Peterpools said: Chris Terric work - the canopy fit looks spot on the money as well as the radar antennas. I'm most like one of the few builders who hasn't used Uschi flexible thread or even EZ Line yet. For radio antenna lines I still use stretched sprue and I know I'm a dinosaur and have to buy some. The Whirlwind does have antenna wires and I need to decide which way to go. Stretched sprue? Holy cow! I prefer monofilament, myself. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Gaz Guess I'm more then old school and I need to move on. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted October 2, 2022 Author Share Posted October 2, 2022 1 hour ago, GazzaS said: Stretched sprue? Holy cow! I prefer monofilament, myself. Monofilament I have as well, but the Uschi is great because it stretches when I inevitably smack my hand or finger across it... And that only happens 5 or 6 times during a build! 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted October 2, 2022 Author Share Posted October 2, 2022 1 hour ago, Peterpools said: Gaz Guess I'm more then old school and I need to move on. Peter, I have the Uschi .001, .003 and .005 thicknesses. Just SOOO easy to use. And it...STRETCHES!!!! Seriously, I bang into the antennas so many times. This saves me from breaking antennas or the lines. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 2, 2022 Share Posted October 2, 2022 Chris I'm ordering some today and hopefully will have it in time for the antenna wires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRob Posted October 2, 2022 Share Posted October 2, 2022 Nice progress Chris the Nachtjäger is coming together nicely. I like your mottled camo, which to me just has the right contrast. I made a note about the fit of the windshield for my build, when time comes, but I'm a real coward, when it comes to freehanded mottling . Can't wait to see the 262 with decals for contrast and blended with a unifying coat of clear flat. Cheers Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANicoll Posted October 2, 2022 Author Share Posted October 2, 2022 3 hours ago, Peterpools said: Chris I'm ordering some today and hopefully will have it in time for the antenna wires. Peter, let me know and I can post some to you, of each of the diameters. I'm sure I have more than I can possibly use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterpools Posted October 2, 2022 Share Posted October 2, 2022 Chris PM sent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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