Ever have one of those kits that hang around that you start on and shelve and then continue on down the road. This has been the case for me with the original release of the Firefly by Dragon. (Yes I know about the subsequent releases and of course the Tasca gem) I started this build back in 2002. So it has been a long time from start to finish.
I corrected all the errors in the hull length. I replaced and/or added where missing all the weld beads with squadron green putty thinned with acetone. Scratchbuilt a full interior for the hull and turret. Scratchbuilt the breechblock for the 17lb main gun. Replaced the coaxial “nub” with a full .30 cal mg. Scratchbuilt the No. 19 radio set in the bustle. Added the missing stowage. Scratchbuilt the tow cable and two scratchbuilt shackles. Scratchbuilt camouflage nets with full hessian strips.
After all that. I ran out of time before the most recent show (Central Ontario Modellers Show COMS) to finish the final paint and markings. So I entered the show as a work in progress and earned a Bronze. The competition was very stiff and I was shocked to hear my name called after viewing the other entries. So all my effort paid off.
Once a fellow club member sends me the pics I will post them on here. I wanted to say thanks to everyone who added their two cents over the past few years while I was working on this. Your advice helped a great deal. So the Bronze win is as much each of yours as mine.
I’m sure it’s safe to say we’ve all had those kits in progress Greg. Glad to hear all of your hard work paid off. Now we look forward to your pics. Congrats on the award.
Thanks for the comments. It is no secret how I made these.
I used surgical gauze dyed with black fabric dye and the “fabric” strips are cut from paper coffee filter. I mixed a 50/50 white glue to water ratio in a shallow dish and dipped the gauze into it and saturated it with the glue/water solution. I then placed it on the turret and glacis plate and moved it around until I acheived the look I wanted. I then added the individual strips with tweezers one at a time dipping each into the glue/water solution and placed them sporadically around the netting. To make the strips appear to be “attached” I cut smaller pieces of gauze and layed it over top of the strips here and there to create a depth look to the net. I left the kit to dry overnight and then painted the entire kit with the dryed nets in place with my airbrush and brush painted some of the strips. Then the usual drybrushing and filter applications etc. to finish it off and “tie” it in with the finished paint job.
Gregory, thanks for the information. I’ll definitely give it a try with your very detailed description. As for ‘that’s all there is to it’ - I think you left out the part about your skills!
However, this is my FIRST completed piece of armour. And the fourth completed model in my cabinet. The other three are two figures posted on here a Paratrooper figure and a Canadian Highlander and the last is the first completed project a scratchbuilt Terrapin amphibian. So my skills are pretty limited. I am just getting back into modelling after almost 20 years. I have done more reading and reference gathering than building.
So I finally started back in last year and so far the references I have read have really helped.
No idea Gregory, so let’s go with what we’ve got. Super looking firefly. I have the Tasca under construction as we speak. I too really like the cammo netting, I was looking at some wartime pics of some Comets (with cammo netting) the other day and I must say that your netting is “spot on”, as the Brits say. I was a little curious as to the 30. cal on the commanders hatch there. Did you actually see a reference for that ? I would love to add a .50 or a .30 to my build, but I’ll be darned if I can find a combat photo of a Firefly with a turret mounted machine gun…can you help me out?
I really like the fadded out star on the rear deck. How did you do it? Is it a decal which has been washed out with repeated overspray? A lightly applied white star and with airbrushing over it? A light green star with airbrushing over it? None of the above?
According to the references I used (a 1" binder full of articles and photos) the M4A4 Firefly was issued with either a .50 Cal or .30 Cal so either would be correct. The best photo is of “Carole” a Firefly being loaded for Normandy with a .30 mounted.
I primed the entire tank with a very light gray primer. I then tried out my compass cutter with some masking tape to make the circle and the star was the backing from a star decal that disintegrated as soon as it got wet. I placed the backing in the centre with the intention of checking the fit for a later cutting and masking. When I sprayed the first coat of Khaki Drab I lifted the mask out and it looked really good and so I just left it. With the filters and drybrushing and overspray etc. etc. etc. it eventually came away looking like I intended without having to shoot solid white and then mask it off. So sometimes a mistake can work out.
Each build is more fun so I enjoy as much time behind the bench as I can get. The netting is the result of reading a lot of reference articles in FSM, MMiR, Military Modelling, Military In Scale, Military Modeler, Scale Modeler, Modelworld etc. etc. etc.
