Eduard Bf 109F-4

[CANicoll]

12 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

I have the Vallejo clears but haven’t really used them yet.  I have only used them for interior items or to hand brush where I want a flat coat for a particular part surrounded by parts of a different finish.  I’ve also used them to touch up things like CA spots where I break something off and need to glue it back.  A little matte and the shiny CA spot is gone.  I’ve used Testor’s Dullcote in similar situations, but I’m looking to minimize the product lines as much as possible.  Difficult though as products from different brands tend to have different strengths and weaknesses, so some seem better in certain applications than others.

On the multiple builds, I tend to get burned out and need a mental break from a build, or I get stuck and can’t figure out what to do (like the rigging on my Walrus or the cowl ring on my Brewster Buffalo) so I put my energies and excitement into something new.  Or, I’ll have similar enough kits so will bucket them together for efficiency- I have a few 1/700 ship models that are 95% done, but I’m going to finish them together by building their sea diorama bases st the same time.

That being said, I’m pretty much spending all my energies doing the sandbox builds given that I’m trying to complete two before the deadline.  I did take a couple of evenings to work on some 1/700 aircraft for a Japanese army escort carrier that I started a while back.  With how easily the Hasegawa Hs 129 kits are falling together, I figured I’d torture myself with some 1/700 PE to keep me on my toes.

There are certainly times I wish I went full bore on a subject like you do!  I try to keep physical and mental notes on where I am on builds, but sometimes I lose track of what I’m supposed to do or even where I put the parts.  

The Vallejo Gloss is so so, but I really like the matte.  And like you I also use them from brush touch-up.  They are brilliant for that. Funny.  I have that same bottle of Dullcote, too.  Have not opened it in probably 10 years! 

I do LIKE to do two builds at the same time for the same reasons you said - I hit a roadblock, or need a change of pace or, like tonight, I put a clear gloss over the washes, and painted the 2 PE exhaust covers, then I was done.  Ugh. So much lost bench time.  I did try and do two mustangs one time and ended up mixing parts as I got lost where I was in each build.  Ooops!  Now I either do the same aircraft or different scales.  And yeah, I constantly have a battle with where I put parts 'for safe keeping'...

[CANicoll]

12 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Chris

Amazing progress - paint work and weathering are off the chart!

Going to be buying a few bottles of the AK Washes and give them a test against my tried-and-true Tamiya PLW's. 

I'm still a huge fan of Flory washes and they still are my go-to panel line wash after all these years.

Right with Mike and yourself - I still have a few bottles of Future/Pledge and haven't used in in decades. Just not the way to go these days.

 

 

Thanks Peter!  I'm happy with how this is turning out as the Tornado I was doing in Sand Pink was a disappointment.  It's fun to 'dirty-up' a plane.  

I have several of the Flory Washes and what I like about them is the wide range of colors they offer.  The AK washes are not hugely different in color (except the white!) but I think on the right base coat they probably turn out well.  HobbyNut has the complete line but don't seem to have the set that I have and for th elife of me I can't remember where I got them from.  I thought it was HobbyNut.  And I have two MIG washes that I like - Dark and Neutral.  

If you want to try out the AK Paneliners, I'll send you my set and you can try them out.  Kind of expensive to just test out at $8 a bottle. 

[PanzerWomble]

On 9/24/2024 at 4:45 AM, BlrwestSiR said:

Definitely has a bit of a psychedelic look to it. Which will make it stand out next to the usual camo schemes. 

All that Pervitin they were taking 😀

[Peterpools]

10 hours ago, CANicoll said:

Thanks Peter!  I'm happy with how this is turning out as the Tornado I was doing in Sand Pink was a disappointment.  It's fun to 'dirty-up' a plane.  

I have several of the Flory Washes and what I like about them is the wide range of colors they offer.  The AK washes are not hugely different in color (except the white!) but I think on the right base coat they probably turn out well.  HobbyNut has the complete line but don't seem to have the set that I have and for th elife of me I can't remember where I got them from.  I thought it was HobbyNut.  And I have two MIG washes that I like - Dark and Neutral.  

If you want to try out the AK Paneliners, I'll send you my set and you can try them out.  Kind of expensive to just test out at $8 a bottle. 

Chris

PM sent

[CANicoll]

Started with some stencils which thankfully are far fewer on this aircraft than some of the others.  However, it seems like very latch still has a stencil so will be coming back to that.  Just was not up to it tonight.

Had a worry that the Eduard decals would maybe not settle down into the extensive riveting on the aircraft.  However, those fears were unfounded.  Applied them over a base of MicroSet.  Had to be somewhat careful as they settled into position fairly quickly.

Close up shows a better view

Also resprayed the exhausts with Model Master Burnt Iron Metalizer in preparation for the PE guards.  The chin scoop is dry fitted at the moment.

Attached the PE exhaust guards:

The left side guide may need to be bent up just a bit.

[HubertB]

Nice progress, Chris 👍 !
I am sure you spotted this small area of the under-cowling near the wing root where the yellow was not applied, probably thanks to some overmasking.

Hubert

[CANicoll]

Thanks Hubert, Photography catches everything! 👍

[Landlubber Mike]

Looks really sharp Chris with the decals on, wow!  I have to say though, this scheme really is rough on the eyeballs!

[CANicoll]

56 minutes ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Looks really sharp Chris with the decals on, wow!  I have to say though, this scheme really is rough on the eyeballs!

I know!! I'm not too far off from the original camo, I hope.

  

[Landlubber Mike]

You look spot on Chris - it's just a very crazy scheme.  I love it!

[CANicoll]

Finished the decaling, unless I catch a wild hair and go for all of those latch stencils (doubtful!).

Finally attached the chin cooler and noticed that it looks like it would have been possible to insert the exhausts from the inside which would have saved a bit of masking.  Oh well.

[DocRob]

You did a remarkable job with that psycho-camoed 109, Chris. I really like the "different" appearance you achieved. The washes tied everything together to my eye. I tend to use self mixed oil color washes these days and sometimes Flory washes for effect. I like the Tamiya PLW as well, but they can be hard to remove on fragile paint surfaces.
I still use Pledge for clear coating with good results, except once, where Micro Sol or Set left a foggy residue, which luckily vanished with another clear coat. X-22 is very good too and for shiny car bodies, I use Mr. Hobby GX-100, which has a perfect gloss, but is not so easy to work with.

Cheers Rob  

[Peterpools]

Chris

WOW - absolutely gorgeous work. I second all the comments the guys have been leaving as the cammo and decal work is perfect.

Awesome work for sure. 

[CANicoll]

7 hours ago, DocRob said:

You did a remarkable job with that psycho-camoed 109, Chris. I really like the "different" appearance you achieved. The washes tied everything together to my eye. I tend to use self mixed oil color washes these days and sometimes Flory washes for effect. I like the Tamiya PLW as well, but they can be hard to remove on fragile paint surfaces.
I still use Pledge for clear coating with good results, except once, where Micro Sol or Set left a foggy residue, which luckily vanished with another clear coat. X-22 is very good too and for shiny car bodies, I use Mr. Hobby GX-100, which has a perfect gloss, but is not so easy to work with.

Cheers Rob  

Thanks Rob!  I appreciate the kind comments.  I have some oils I could use for washes and PLW but just never get the gumption up to give them a try.  🙂

Same with Pledge - what do you use to thin it?  But am really liking the X-22.

[CANicoll]

2 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Chris

WOW - absolutely gorgeous work. I second all the comments the guys have been leaving as the cammo and decal work is perfect.

Awesome work for sure. 

Thank you Peter and I try and follow your lead so thank you again!

[DocRob]

1 hour ago, CANicoll said:

Same with Pledge - what do you use to thin it?  But am really liking the X-22.

I use the Pledge straight from the bottle, no need to thin the stuff, Chris. You can add Tamiya Flat Base, to the degree you want to have the flat look, but never more than 30%. With more, you will have a candy cotton effect.

Cheers Rob

[CANicoll]

 Amazing what you learn.  Yesterday sprayed the MRP matte clear and it came out... glossy.  Dried... glossy.  Yeah, you have to shake/mix the bottle.  Duh.  But even after respraying a well-mixed MRP Matte Clear, it seemed to be more like a Satin Clear (which is a different MRP bottle I have, too).  What do you think:

So went to my usual Go-To matte - Vallejo (and yes, seems like I had to mix/shake that bottle, too).  Here are those results.  I left the lighting exactly the same between the two pictures as in as close to exactly the same place as I could:

Definitely a difference.

Top view after unmasking the canopy and adding the spinner and prop.  Canopy will be displayed open.  Currently letting the antenna mast completely dry.

Beauty shot before final touchups, cleanups of the canopy from the unmasking, exhaust stains, antenna wires, prop decals, etc.

 

[FullArmor]

Looks really nice!👍

[HubertB]

Better in matte. Looks great, Chris.

Hubert

[FullArmor]

33 minutes ago, HubertB said:

Better in matte. Looks great, Chris.

Hubert

Yes. Also sometimes ambient temperature and spraying distance can effect end result.

[Peterpools]

Chris

Holy smokes - you 109 looks fantastic.

I've had the same experiences with my final clear finishes and for a good few years, have settled on using Alclad Clear Semi Matte or Semi Gloss (they look pretty much the same to me). Instructions do say: shake thoroughly before use. I'm careful to use light cotes or else they dry glossy. Seems the wetter the flat is applied, the glossier it dries. 

For a flat matte finish, I still love Testor's Good Old Dullcote. 

The Vallejo flat finish looks spot on the money and the right call for sure. With so many really good clears, it's hard to pick the right one. What I do like about Testor's Glosscote and Dullcote, they are tough lacquers while most of the clear finishes are enamels or acrylics and some of the weathering washes will react with them.

 

 

[DocRob]

I like the matte version better, Chris. Matte finish seems to be a problem with some products. Careful stirring and shaking is always necessary, as the matting ingredients tend to pile up at the bottom of the jar. I never got more matte than semi matte with Tamiya LP clears.
Pledge with 25% of Tamiya flat base added will do the job.
On the heavily macroed canopy pic, there are some tiny color residues visible. Most times it´s very easy to clean these with a wooden tooth pick.

Cheers Rob
 

[CANicoll]

Thanks Peter and Rob.  I will have to break out the Dullcote here pretty soon, I think. That it is a lacquer is a bonus, for sure. I actually have TWO bottles of the original Pledge so probably should tap into that (free) source of a nice gloss.

Rob - Yep, had not gone over the edges with the toothpick yet.  On the larger scales I usually run a new #11 blade around the mask but not always in 1/48.  I should have with the 109 given all the straight lines on the canopy.  Oh, well, not a problem to clean it up.  👍

[CANicoll]

Finally got the main antenna line attached, but in the meantime broke off both elevators (independently) as well as the antenna mast.  Sigh. 

Following some online resources trying to come close to how the antenna wire was attached to the aircraft.  Using some of the PE pieces for that.  Will trim the line and add the resisters and add the down wire once all of this is firmly cured.

I'm not a fan of EZ-Line for antenna wire as it is actually flat and not round. I prefer to use the Uschi line for the antenna wires as it is round and comes in some incredibly thin diameters - down to .001.  I'm using their .005 line and the down wire will be .005 as well. Photographs seem to show both wires are the same size.

Eduard provided the PE for the tail antenna connection.

This bit I took from another part.  will move the wire down to the PE part and trim the excess line tomorrow once I'm sure the mast is on and stable.  Sad that the rear canopy piece is raised up a bit.  However it is FIRMLY attached so I don't want to risk breaking by detaching it and re-attaching..

 

 

[Martinnfb]

This looks amazing Chris. Great work.