[dto:]
Really coming together now Joe. Great paint work. Hope you have good luck fitting the canopy. I’ve found I rarely use Surfacer 500 now. It thickened up in my bottle and is almost unusable. I use 1000 from the jar now, and spread it with a toothpick, wait 45 min, then swipe it away with Mr. Color Lacquer thinner. Usually 1 application is enough. As far as your Gunze Aqueous paints, what are you thinning them with? I’ve only had them go on real translucent if I purposely thin them way down for subtle shading/fading. I thin mine with their aqueous thinner, with a bit of 91% iso mixed in. I can’t wait to see the rest of your camo work.
looking very very nice so far.
Paint looks awesome.
I like it. And quick too.
Coming along beautifully!
Now that’s looking really nice.
Wow that pit really looks good. Outstanding job looking forword to the rest.
Thanks everyone. Nathan, are there going to be canopy issues? I test fitted them several times during construction and they seemed to fit ok. Thats why I didnt attach them before paint, I guess I’ll cross my fingers it’s still be the case when time comes to add them. I’ll probably use the Mr. Surfacer for minor imperfections and such, but I’ll likely go back to the old tube putty. I’m just not impressed with the product. To each their own. I thinned the Gunze with Tamiya X-20 thinner. Maybe thats why I’m having issues. Does anyone state side carry the aqueous thinner?
Joe
Joe. Redfrog hobbies carries the gunze line. I am very impressed with the paint. I am using up my stock of enamels and converting to a gunze and tamiya stock. I am going to place an order with redfrog this week sometime. I like the gunze for their premixed camo colors. Do not have to worry about getting same mix as you do with tamiya. I still like tamiya too. John
If you test fitted, you should be ok. On my G-6 I had some issues on the front windscreen, but thats a different style of course. X-20 should work ok. maybe just thin it less. Sprue bros. used to carry the thinner, other wise its Hobbywave or Hobby easy, or LuckyModel.
Joe,
First, great work on the JU-88. Another example of what can be done with a mediocre kit.
Second, I must admit that I’m also a little disappointed with Mr. Surfacer. I recently tried the 1000 brand on a model and it went on nicely, but didn’t do the job of hiding minor imperfections I thought it would. So I over-sprayed with some 500, but that was not much of an improvement.
Now to qualify, I was using the spray can variety and I might chalk this up to that and inexperience. It only (IMO) appears that while the product makes a nice primer, it’s leveling and finishing characteristics are not what I expected. Perhaps I’m using it wrong and have some misconceptions about its properties, but (like you), I’m moving on to something else.
One thing I’ve been experimenting with is just regular acrylic art paint for filling gaps. It comes in every color imaginable and is cleaned up with water (or alcohol) and can be sanded easily. I’m speaking of the thick variety you can buy for craft and hobby (such as the Apple Barrel brand). So far I’m liking it. I do wonder about its final strength however around joints.
Gary
That is one sweet looking build! I have the Dragon P model in 1/48 scale and I’m waiting to gain more display space before tackling that big beast.
Hey Joe, your 88 is looking really good! Paint is looking great!
Steve
amazing work! dont glue the canopy so you can detach it every time you miss this view 
do you just handpaint- postshade- glosscoat- wash the cockpit? no dry brushing?
please let me know what wash did you use and what kind of post shading did you do to the cockpit.
Follow Nathan’s advice on the gunze paint. Red frog only carries the solvent based not the aqueous. Oops
Thanks for the compliments and advice regarding Gunze. From what I understand, the Gunze Aqueous line has been discontinued. That’s too bad as I’ve grown to like it, especially for the RLM colors. I still prefer Tamiya for overall coverage and detail weathering for I get good airbrush control with it.
Speaking of paints, I have a small update. I first tried fading the panels of the the RLM 71 which was cut with XF-57 Buff slightly. I didn’t like the look, too splotchy with this particular scheme, so I went back to my streaking method. I then commenced to taping off the splinters for the RLM 70. This was a chore for two reasons. One, the Eagle Cal top profile was the size of a half dollar, so I had to squint to see how the pattern was supposed to go. Second, there were no images of the starboard side. I tried using the kit instructions (which was decent in this regard) as a reference but this was different than the Eagle Cal pattern…ugh! I have no idea how it was suposed to go on the cockpit glass, if at all. I decided to fudge it with the hopes that all the planes were different, as opposed to say a Spitfire. Come on on Eagle Cal, we pay good money for your product so give us illustrations we can actually see.
Anyways, it took several hours to get it taped up. I used the Tamiya tape to mask the lines then cheap white masking tape to fill in for overspray reasons (Tamiya tape is too expensive to waste). I then sprayed the Gunze RLM 70. This was then lightened with XF-57 Buff and streaked like the RLM 71. It took another hour to remove all the tape. Everything then got a heavy postshade, especially around the engines. I added a touch more black to it and did some of the RLM 70 areas with it because it was hard to see otherwise.
I also painted and assembled the props and spinners. Its too bad Dragon couldn’t key the props to give you the proper angle. I guessed and sort of “feathered” them. I test fitted them here and was pleased.
Soon it will get a gloss coat and decaling will follow. I suppose I need to get going on the machine guns, tires and the like…
Joe
Hey Joe, your 88 is looking great! Love your streaking technique.
Steve
I’m with sanderson on the streaking effect Joe! I need to flip back a page or so to get in on that technique.
Very nice. Every time I watch one of your builds I learn something new. Especially in weathering.