some may remember my many questions i asked a long time ago relating to this model, i finished it but i didnt have a digicam, so i had no way of posting pics. now i have a digicam, so here it is. im not very pleased with this model mainly because of the canopy, which i screwed up royally, and as a result all the trouble i put into doing the interior well was for nothing. the decals were also badly applied, and the kit tamiya decals didnt behave very well, compounded by my lack of skills. anyway, though it isnt a well-done model per se, i like the scheme very much, so here it is.
1/48 tamiya DH mosquito B Mk.IV nightfighter. from No. 109 squadron.
completely tamiya acrylics, this is the build that i first used my spray gun on.
Looks very nice from where I’m sitting. The paint finish looks very smooth. The canopy looks a bit foggy, but apart from that it looks great. Thanks for the pics.
sheer stupidity. after applying future to the areas where the decals went, i then sprayed flat to make everything look even. after the canopy masks were removed. to fix the mistake would be more trouble than its worth, so i chalked it up to my p*ssing into the electric fence. ohwell.
Looks great, Reggie! You should be able to fix the canopy by applying clear gloss or future over the flat clear. I think the clear gloss would be a better choice, because it’s thicker and smoothes out the flat surface better. Think of a flat finish as rough like sandpaper and a gloss finish as smooth like glass.
By applying a gloss coat over the flat, the canopy should be clear again. This is sometimes used by train-modelers too, simulate fogged windows where people write something on the foggy windows.
They first fog the window with a flat coat, and then apply a text or signs with gloss.
It really works without removing the flat.
But I don’t see any problems with the decals.
Your build looks good, apart from the problems, Tamiya for some reason have decals that are to thick, they take a lot of decal softner to make them behave and sit down, use a gloss coat before putting decals down, then apply flat coats, when everything is settled.
Reggie… I have an experimental model I use for testing new techniques out on. A couple weeks ago I used Testors Laquer Flat coat for the first time and tried it out on this one first and I deliberatly coated the canopy. I only use Future for gloss coats so when I get home I give it a shoot with future and let you know how it turns out.
You could pick up a squdron or falcon canopy and remove the old one. with some caful work it would even look better they the kit parts. Other than that the model looks great and it would be ashame to see all that work wasted.
worgoose - if only it were that simple. i have the finances to buy the canopy from squadron, but how the heck am i to get it to singapore ? shipping alone would work out to be about as much as the kit itself [:O] thans for the suggestion all the same [:)]
First, I have to say you have everything to be proud of and nothing to be self-conscious about. That’s a fine looking Mosquito. I built the 1/48 B/PR IV not too long ago, and it was one of the more enjoyable experiences I have had in modeling in some time. I put True Details wheel on it, but aside from that and some nice Aeromaster decals, it was strictly OOB. If you should decide to remove the canopy, be careful what you order from Squadron. They didn’t specify which mark of Mosquito the canopy was, and the two that came with the set were for a fighter version, whose canopy is quite different from the bomber and PR versions. Still, the canopies are only two bucks for two canopies, and after having so much fun with this kit, I’m going to get around to nightfighter one of these days. And the wheels were a nice touch because the Tamiya landing gear are so well done, you want to draw attention to that part of theairplane. Same with the bomb bay.
PS: Aren’t those Squadron canopies actually Falcon canopies from New Zealand? Closer to you than they are to us. I’d find the Australian distributer for them.
But you, my friend, have a nice model there.
Tom
Reggie…
Start masking my friend. Just got home and tried it out. Worked like a CHARM!!!
I still have alot to learn about using a digital camera but even with these blury pics you can see the improvement.
before
after
If I was to suggest anything about using the future it would be to use two even, thin coats but Im not an expert on the use of future, thus the experiment model. The best I can say is if I got the same results on that Mosquito and it were mine I’d be happy with the results.
Hope this helps. [:)]
Looks great Reggie. What you did to that canopy will be invaluable to you in the years to come my young friend. A mistake like that will have an impact on how you do models… the whole model. I will bet you that from now on youll have the best canopies, tightest frame painting. I agree with Lobby, Tamiya makes great models… not so great decals as I to have come to learn. When I was in my first modleing hayday you wouldn’t touch a tamiya modle with a 10’ pole, they were that bad. Look at them now. They learned as they went along… sorta like you huh? they got better, so have you. Imagin that [:D]. I wanna see more… more… more… more…
-Jeff~
