This is my fourth Sci-fi subject to date and despite how well it turned out in the end, it was a bit of a complex kit to build, resulting in many gaps that needed to be filled, filed and sanded.
Also included in the kit was a resin pilot figure and because of this I decided to depict the model in an in-flight mode, meaning that I could dispense with the landing gear and just use the clear display stand instead. Simple.
With construction completed, all gaps filled and the canopy masked, the latter was then sprayed with Gunze H12 Black followed by AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Aluminium (AK 479). The canopy frame was then masked off an the entire model sprayed with several coats of Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer.
Because I'd had a bad experience with the cockpit decals being brittle and disintegrating on contact with water, I decided to spray all the red areas with Gunze H327 Red. Because of the former all of the remaining decals were brushed with several coats of Microscale Liquid Decal Film in the hope that they would be salvageable for later use.
With the red areas masked the model was then sprayed with several coats of Gunze H1 White until the desired depth of colour was obtained. The engines and gun-bays were then masked off and spayed with AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium (AK 480), followed by a coat of AK Interactive Air Series, Engine and Turbine Wash (AK 2033).
With painting completed the model was then given an overall coat of Future and the decals applied, which thankfully behaved themselves this time around due to my previous remedial action. The model was then weathered, firstly by sanding back the red areas until the underlying white appeared and then by spraying a very dilute mix of Gunze H343 Soot around the guns, gun-bays, engines etc until the desired look was achieved. This was followed by a light dry brush of AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium on the raised details to further enhance these areas.
The model was then given an overall coat of Vallejo Satin Varnish, the canopy masks removed and a coat of Future applied to it and voila it was finished.
Also included in the kit was a resin pilot figure and because of this I decided to depict the model in an in-flight mode, meaning that I could dispense with the landing gear and just use the clear display stand instead. Simple.
With construction completed, all gaps filled and the canopy masked, the latter was then sprayed with Gunze H12 Black followed by AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Aluminium (AK 479). The canopy frame was then masked off an the entire model sprayed with several coats of Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer.
Because I'd had a bad experience with the cockpit decals being brittle and disintegrating on contact with water, I decided to spray all the red areas with Gunze H327 Red. Because of the former all of the remaining decals were brushed with several coats of Microscale Liquid Decal Film in the hope that they would be salvageable for later use.
With the red areas masked the model was then sprayed with several coats of Gunze H1 White until the desired depth of colour was obtained. The engines and gun-bays were then masked off and spayed with AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium (AK 480), followed by a coat of AK Interactive Air Series, Engine and Turbine Wash (AK 2033).
With painting completed the model was then given an overall coat of Future and the decals applied, which thankfully behaved themselves this time around due to my previous remedial action. The model was then weathered, firstly by sanding back the red areas until the underlying white appeared and then by spraying a very dilute mix of Gunze H343 Soot around the guns, gun-bays, engines etc until the desired look was achieved. This was followed by a light dry brush of AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium on the raised details to further enhance these areas.
The model was then given an overall coat of Vallejo Satin Varnish, the canopy masks removed and a coat of Future applied to it and voila it was finished.
