Here’s my fourth almost complete build! This isn’t quite done yet, but I wanted some feedback before I ruin her! I want to bring out the panel lines slightly (I think), so any suggestions on techniques? Or should I not even go there? And how do I do that pesky antenna??? It’s finished with MM metalizer and coated with future.
Before you go ripping it apart, I know the green is the wrong color! I jumped right in with what I had on hand, and now I wish I had waited, but oh well, I’ll live! [:)]
Oh, and the rear section of the canopy needs to be filed down a little bit more to fit better…
First of all, a very nice build, epecially when it´s your fourth one!! Great job!
If you hadn´t put on the decals yet, you could mask of different panels and spray them with different shades of the base color, to break up the monochromatic scheme. Maybe for you fifth one.
What you can do now when you´ve seald the decals is to whash the panel lines. There was an article in FSM on this when a “sludge wash” was used. It contained of acrylic paint of your choise, water and liquid dishwasher fluid(I don´t know what it´s called). You apply it in overflow with a brush (on a glossy surface) and when dry, clean up the excess with a cotton swab.
Personaly, I put a few drops of the color I want to use os a peice of glass, and a few drops of thinner on the glass, whith some distance in between. I dip a brush in the paint and “thin” it as much as I want. I then apply it to the model. You can easely whipe off the excess on a glossy surface. You can do it on a flat surface as well, I thin the paint very much and apply it onto the entire surface, and thin it a little less when neccecary. (sorry about my spelling)
Hope this was of help, maybe some other can share theire tips!
BTW thanks for the tip, oldhooker. What kind of glue do you use?
“Before you go ripping it apart…”? Obviously (well, yes, given the number of posts) you don’t know us very well. We don’t take to “ripping” people’s work apart very well. That helps no one, and is destructive in that it discourages people. We need more scale modellers, not people who give up.
As for your Dauntless, it’s outstanding. And since the -1’s were used exclusively by the Marines under peacetime conditions, and for only a short time, they would not be very weathered, and every photo I’ve seen of one of these birds has it in immaculately clean condition. So the green is a little dark. If you are that worried about it (and you shouldn’t be) get a new set of decals for the plane you’ve modelled and repaint those color parts. Yellow-Wings Decals makes codes and all other numbers and letters for every -1 Dauntless built, as well as all Buffaloes, Devastators, Dauntless -2 and -3, and every other pre-war Navy/Marine plane you can think of. They also make wing chevrons and fuselage bands. You could change the color if it bothers you that much without disturbing the rest of the model.
But if I were you, I’d put it on the shelf and be proud of it. But that’s just me.
TOM
TOM
Fred, here is a link to the article about the sludge wash. It is a .pdf, so you need Acrobat reader on your computer (you probably do).
I think your build looks great as is though. Especially amazing for build #4. That kit is in my stash…do you have any thoughts or advice on building it for me?? I hope mine comes out as nice as yours [8D]
Leon
Plastic cement creates a much more permanent bond, but must be allowed to thoroughly dry before tightening… while Super Glue bonds instantly, after a few years of display it may come apart. The thing you must be careful with is not getting the match too close to the spru, as that will ruin it… experiment to hone the technique.
Whooooa!! Back the bus up!! I think your model looks great as is!! Sure you could add a wash to the panel lines, or tint some panels, but sometimes I like to see’um clean. Also, you might consider 1# test monofiliment fishing line for the rigging. Again, congrats on a very nice build!
Very nice ! A colorful bird like that looks really good clean !
I can only think of one thing that I would do - and I hesitate to even mention it - it’s not a big deal - but I would use a flat paint for the tires. I don’t know if it is just the photo - but the tires look glossy.
Leon, the kit is great, no problems whatsoever. The hardest thing for me was the masking - this is the first time I masked the canopy instead of using strips of decal paper.
Chris, the tires are glossy from the future coat, I’m not going to take the time to get the tires dull when I like the rest so shiny, not worth it to me at this point!
