This is my fifth, and hopefully my last for a while, sci-fi subject to date and thankfully it was a much easier build than the Viper MKII.
As the figure in the kit is very ordinary - compared to the resin offering in the Viper MKII - I decided not to use it and instead built the model with the landing gear extended. With construction completed fairly quickly I then masked the canopy and moved onto the painting stage, which initially consisted of an overall coat of Tamiya Grey Fine Primer followed by a coat of Tamiya TS17 Gloss Aluminum.
As I wanted to use Mig's Absolute Chipping fluid on this model, my research showed that it would only work with acrylics and not enamels, meaning that I'd have come up with my own mix for the Pontiac Engine Blue colour. Following a liberal application of chipping fluid the model was then sprayed with light blue mix, which consisted of 80% Gunze H56 Intermediate Blue and 20% H21 Off White. Leaving the paint to dry for 20 minutes I then scrubbed it with an old cut-down paintbrush dipped in water to reveal the underlying Aluminum. Once I'd achieved the desired affect the remaining painted areas were then over-sprayed with a very dilute - almost translucent mix - of Gunze H25 Sky Blue. The engines, guns and landing gear legs were then sprayed with AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium (AK480), followed by a coat of AK Interactive Air Series, Engine and Turbine Wash (AK2033).
With the painting completed the model was then given an overall coat of Future and the decals applied. The model was then weathered by spraying a very dilute mix of Gunze H343 Soot around the guns, engines, intakes etc until the desired look was achieved. All the raised details were then given a light dry brush of AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium to further enhance these areas. The final touch was overall coat of Vallejo Satin Varnish, followed by the removal of the canopy masks a coat of Future applied to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this model as it was an easy build and it gave me the chance to experiment with chipping fluid, something that I'd never used before and is now a lesson learnt for the future.
As the figure in the kit is very ordinary - compared to the resin offering in the Viper MKII - I decided not to use it and instead built the model with the landing gear extended. With construction completed fairly quickly I then masked the canopy and moved onto the painting stage, which initially consisted of an overall coat of Tamiya Grey Fine Primer followed by a coat of Tamiya TS17 Gloss Aluminum.
As I wanted to use Mig's Absolute Chipping fluid on this model, my research showed that it would only work with acrylics and not enamels, meaning that I'd have come up with my own mix for the Pontiac Engine Blue colour. Following a liberal application of chipping fluid the model was then sprayed with light blue mix, which consisted of 80% Gunze H56 Intermediate Blue and 20% H21 Off White. Leaving the paint to dry for 20 minutes I then scrubbed it with an old cut-down paintbrush dipped in water to reveal the underlying Aluminum. Once I'd achieved the desired affect the remaining painted areas were then over-sprayed with a very dilute - almost translucent mix - of Gunze H25 Sky Blue. The engines, guns and landing gear legs were then sprayed with AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium (AK480), followed by a coat of AK Interactive Air Series, Engine and Turbine Wash (AK2033).
With the painting completed the model was then given an overall coat of Future and the decals applied. The model was then weathered by spraying a very dilute mix of Gunze H343 Soot around the guns, engines, intakes etc until the desired look was achieved. All the raised details were then given a light dry brush of AK Interactive, Xtreme Metal Dark Aluminium to further enhance these areas. The final touch was overall coat of Vallejo Satin Varnish, followed by the removal of the canopy masks a coat of Future applied to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this model as it was an easy build and it gave me the chance to experiment with chipping fluid, something that I'd never used before and is now a lesson learnt for the future.
