 |
| Kelvin Zheng won the 'Best Of Show' award with his Lavochkin La-5FN |
Welcome to my blog page, a place where I'll occasionally upload photos of my latest build as well as anything else that may be of interest.
19 June 2018
19 May 2018
Tamiya 1/48 F-16C/N 'Aggressor/Adversary'
From all the reviews that I'd read and the comments I'd heard, from my fellow modellers who'd already built the kit, I was left in no doubt that it is one of the best kits that Tamiya has ever produced. Therefore, when I was approached by a customer to build one for him, I had no hesitations in doing so.
So did the model live up to my expectations? Most definitely and in fact I think it actually exceeded them, as it was the easiest and most pleasurable kit that I've ever built to date. The level of detail and the parts fit was amazing, so much so that the only things I added were a Wolfpack Design Aces II ejection seat (WP48092), a Plus Models boarding ladder (AL4041), Eduard Brassin early wheels (648005) and an Eduard Brassin engine exhaust (648021). Unfortunately, the fit of the latter was not as good as I'd hoped for and was slightly under-sized, requiring a fair amount of filing and sanding to eliminate what would've otherwise been a very noticeable step.
With the build complete I then moved onto the painting and to make things a little easier for myself I decided to purchase a set of JS Works Camo-Masks. All I can say about these is that I'd NEVER use them again, as they were difficult to apply, did not conform to the pattern as shown on the Tamiya instruction sheet and left noticeable marks in the paintwork after they were removed.
For the overall base colour I used Tamiya Fine White Primer applied from a spray can and then airbrushed on the darker colours, using Gunze Neutral Gray (H53) and Midnight Blue (H55). The nose cone was sprayed with Gunze Gray FS36231 (H317), followed by several application of Vallejo's Grey wash, which helped to recreate the weathered look that is so noticeable on the operational aircraft. With the painting completed the model was then sprayed with a gloss coat of Future and once this was dry the decals were applied. With the decals in place and the final bits added, the model was then sprayed with a final coat of AK Interactive Satin Varnish.
So did the model live up to my expectations? Most definitely and in fact I think it actually exceeded them, as it was the easiest and most pleasurable kit that I've ever built to date. The level of detail and the parts fit was amazing, so much so that the only things I added were a Wolfpack Design Aces II ejection seat (WP48092), a Plus Models boarding ladder (AL4041), Eduard Brassin early wheels (648005) and an Eduard Brassin engine exhaust (648021). Unfortunately, the fit of the latter was not as good as I'd hoped for and was slightly under-sized, requiring a fair amount of filing and sanding to eliminate what would've otherwise been a very noticeable step.
With the build complete I then moved onto the painting and to make things a little easier for myself I decided to purchase a set of JS Works Camo-Masks. All I can say about these is that I'd NEVER use them again, as they were difficult to apply, did not conform to the pattern as shown on the Tamiya instruction sheet and left noticeable marks in the paintwork after they were removed.
For the overall base colour I used Tamiya Fine White Primer applied from a spray can and then airbrushed on the darker colours, using Gunze Neutral Gray (H53) and Midnight Blue (H55). The nose cone was sprayed with Gunze Gray FS36231 (H317), followed by several application of Vallejo's Grey wash, which helped to recreate the weathered look that is so noticeable on the operational aircraft. With the painting completed the model was then sprayed with a gloss coat of Future and once this was dry the decals were applied. With the decals in place and the final bits added, the model was then sprayed with a final coat of AK Interactive Satin Varnish.
15 March 2018
Tyabb Airshow
Held at the picturesque Mornington Peninsula airfield, the bi-annual Tyabb Airshow is a must for anyone who really loves the sight and sound of Vintage, Veteran and Warbird aircraft, but doesn't mind the inclusion of a few more modern types just for good measure.
The weather was perfect for most of the day with sunshine and a light breeze, however by mid afternoon the clouds and a strong breeze had started to roll in, which made it quite challenging for some of the pilots. Despite this the organisers still went ahead with the full flying program and delivered yet another superb show without incident.
05 March 2018
Meng 1/48 Messerschmitt Me-410B-2/U4 'Heavy Fighter'
Aircraft of the Luftwaffe are definitely not my subject of choice, however I'd read a lot of good reviews about this kit so when I was asked to build one for a customer, it wasn't a hard decision to make.
As expected the kit went together without any problems and is as good as anything that is produced by Tamiya. The only areas that required a some care during assembly were the engine cowls and cockpit glazing's, but other than that the rest of the build was an absolute breeze. Little if anything needs to be added to this kit, however the one addition I did make were some German seat-belt's from Eduard, which just helped to finish off the cockpit nicely.
The model was then painted in my usual fashion of primer followed by the base colours, using Gunze Mr Hobby Colors as per the instructions. For the first time ever I'd also bought a set on Montex masks to do the national markings, instead of using the decals, and I was so impressed with the outcome these that I've since bought additional sets for all of my future builds.
With the painting done I then did some panel fading on the upper surfaces only, followed by a coat of Future and some Mig washes to enhance the panel lines. The model was then sprayed with AK Interactive Satin Varnish, the exhaust stains were then applied and lastly the aerial leads were attached. It was then just a matter of removing the canopy masks, attaching the moveable sections and brush painting the individual panes with a little Future, which really makes them shine.
This was a most enjoyable build and the final outcome is a very pleasing model of what is quite a unique Luftwaffe aircraft.
As expected the kit went together without any problems and is as good as anything that is produced by Tamiya. The only areas that required a some care during assembly were the engine cowls and cockpit glazing's, but other than that the rest of the build was an absolute breeze. Little if anything needs to be added to this kit, however the one addition I did make were some German seat-belt's from Eduard, which just helped to finish off the cockpit nicely.
The model was then painted in my usual fashion of primer followed by the base colours, using Gunze Mr Hobby Colors as per the instructions. For the first time ever I'd also bought a set on Montex masks to do the national markings, instead of using the decals, and I was so impressed with the outcome these that I've since bought additional sets for all of my future builds.
With the painting done I then did some panel fading on the upper surfaces only, followed by a coat of Future and some Mig washes to enhance the panel lines. The model was then sprayed with AK Interactive Satin Varnish, the exhaust stains were then applied and lastly the aerial leads were attached. It was then just a matter of removing the canopy masks, attaching the moveable sections and brush painting the individual panes with a little Future, which really makes them shine.
This was a most enjoyable build and the final outcome is a very pleasing model of what is quite a unique Luftwaffe aircraft.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)