Tamiya 1/48th Scale Spitfire Mk Vb

[Miko]

That masking goo looks like something out of a sci fi horror movie!

Tamiya kits always make a fine addition to the display, this one is a great example of that

Looking forward to seeing it all done

Miko (haven't built a spitfire for a quite a while)

[Tim Marlow]

That masking goo looks like something out of a sci fi horror movie!

Tamiya kits always make a fine addition to the display, this one is a great example of that

Looking forward to seeing it all done

Miko (haven't built a spitfire for a quite a while)

Yep, I’m sure Steve McQueen is around there somewhere…..
It’s actually sold as science putty, for about half the price of the repackaged stuff marketed to modellers. It is very weird. It bounces if dropped but will shatter if hit with a hammer….it also stretches if pulled slowly, but snaps if pulled quickly…..
As well as the black science putty, I’ve got some yellow and some red that I was given when I was doing physiotherapy on my hands. The different colours have different consistencies, so red is harder to squeeze together than yellow….they all work as masking putty though.

[Guest]

Update.. I sprayed two coats of green and just now peeled off the masking goo.

Thoughts: When I first started peeling off the goo, I thought "oh this looks good!" but when I'd taken it all off and took a good look at it. yeah.. not good
Looks nothing like Spitfire camo at all, not even 5%. ..sigh..

[Allen Dewire]

Please Steve, don't be so hard on yourself. I've been watching from the cheap seats and I'm pretty darn sure that not every Spitfire had a perfect, textbook camo job! I'm no expert, and for your first fray into using the goo, you did a damn fine job, Sir!. I'll bet, that when you get the decals on, muck her up a bit, you'll stand back, take a good look and get that warm and fuzzy feeling of satisfaction!!!...And you've added another learning process to your growing arsenal of modeling tips...

Prost
Allen

[Guest]

I'm going to try and improve it. I think there's way too much grey, so I'm masking it again and going to attempt to add about 30% more green.

[minitnkr]

Looks pretty good to me. Breaks up the shape as it should.

[Waspie]

Please Steve, don't be so hard on yourself. I've been watching from the cheap seats and I'm pretty darn sure that not every Spitfire had a perfect, textbook camo job! I'm no expert, and for your first fray into using the goo, you did a damn fine job, Sir!. I'll bet, that when you get the decals on, muck her up a bit, you'll stand back, take a good look and get that warm and fuzzy feeling of satisfaction!!!...And you've added another learning process to your growing arsenal of modeling tips...

Prost
Allen

Agree with Allen, you have to stop being so hard on yourself buddy. It looks fine. (Says the chap who gives himself a 'b*ll*cking after every session!!!!)
We are always hard on ourselves. However, the more you do the better we become. You're experimenting with things you've never used and it's come out ok. Be happy. Looking forward to the next phase.

[Guest]

I agree with the others, you’re very hard on yourself and this looks pretty good. Sure, it’s not the official pattern, but you said you consciously abandoned that, so that’s hardly surprising.

As a tip for applying camouflage: lightly draw the pattern on the model with a pencil, copying it from the instructions. This works for hand- and airbrushing the pattern, but also if you’re going to mask it off with stuff like you did here.

[Guest]

Okay.. after a lot of panicking I re-masked it to cover more grey and gave it two coats of green.
Here is the result.

Overall I think it looks better ..however I spotted some bleed over on the wing, close to the cockpit. The green went a little further than it should.
I guess I didn't put the goo down right on that bit. Not sure how to fix, I need to think on it but I'm done for today.

[Guest]

Agree with Allen, you have to stop being so hard on yourself buddy. It looks fine. (Says the chap who gives himself a 'b*ll*cking after every session!!!!)
We are always hard on ourselves. However, the more you do the better we become. You're experimenting with things you've never used and it's come out ok. Be happy. Looking forward to the next phase.

I know but it's a subconcious thing. I was always told I was crap at everything and not to even bother trying, so after many years of that, it's sort of engrained in your brain. ie everything you do is substandard and poor. I just need to try and deal with it.

[Waspie]

I know but it's a subconcious thing. I was always told I was crap at everything and not to even bother trying, so after many years of that, it's sort of engrained in your brain. ie everything you do is substandard and poor. I just need to try and deal with it.

I'm in the same boat as you, just started out. But even from my inexperienced view - you're doing ok. Yeah ok, a few mistakes along the way. In my year on here I can safely say - been there done that - and still making them. I found by posting my builds and getting feedback it helped not just my model building but also my self confidence in what I can do. You just keep on banging away with your 'Spit' Steve. Seriously - it's bl**dy good. Come on - I mean, it's only your second build.
I've just got primer on my Sea King and could rip it apart, this wrong - that wrong but at the stage we are at it will get better and look better too.
Keep on gluing bud.
Doug

Edited to add. What I was trying to say last night was it’s not about how it turns out. For me , it’s did I enjoy it? Yes? Then build again.

[Tim Marlow]

I know but it's a subconcious thing. I was always told I was crap at everything and not to even bother trying, so after many years of that, it's sort of engrained in your brain. ie everything you do is substandard and poor. I just need to try and deal with it.

Whoever told you that was the crap one, not you! You have achieved a decent believable camo here with an excellent surface finish. It will look great when you complete the model, and that’s what ninety nine odd percent of the people that see it will think.

If fidelity to actual camouflage schemes is an issue to you, just take that as your next aim when building and work towards it. I’m not saying you should, or that your model is devalued, just that if it niggles YOU (in this context you are the only one that matters) then use it as a stepping stone to your next level of achievement. Self awareness is how we improve. It doesn’t mean we are crap, just that we are looking critically (and I mean that in its most positive sense) at what we’ve done and are looking to build on what we’ve made so it more closely resembles our “minds eye”. Just remember there are no perfect models, and even fewer perfect modellers. Pointing out all the flaws in our own work seems to be innate in all of us. There some supremely talented modellers on here, but every last one of them will tell you that their latest creation, which is perfection to us lesser mortals, is flawed in so many ways. Stick to the forum Steve, and keep posting your builds. I guarantee that all you will get is encouragement, support, and advice. Some of the advice might even be useful

[Neil Merryweather]

Whoever told you that was the crap one, not you! You have achieved a decent believable camo here with an excellent surface finish. It will look great when you complete the model, and that’s what ninety nine odd percent of the people that see it will think.

If fidelity to actual camouflage schemes is an issue to you, just take that as your next aim when building and work towards it. I’m not saying you should, or that your model is devalued, just that if it niggles YOU (in this context you are the only one that matters) then use it as a stepping stone to your next level of achievement. Self awareness is how we improve. It doesn’t mean we are crap, just that we are looking critically (and I mean that in its most positive sense) at what we’ve done and are looking to build on what we’ve made so it more closely resembles our “minds eye”. Just remember there are no perfect models, and even fewer perfect modellers. Pointing out all the flaws in our own work seems to be innate in all of us. There some supremely talented modellers on here, but every last one of them will tell you that their latest creation, which is perfection to us lesser mortals, is flawed in so many ways. Stick to the forum Steve, and keep posting your builds. I guarantee that all you will get is encouragement, support, and advice. Some of the advice might even be useful

Wise words as usual from this man!

[Tim Marlow]

Wise words as usual from this man!

Not often I get accused of wisdom so I’ll take it :tongue-out3: :flushed:

[Guest]

Not often I get accused of wisdom so I’ll take it :tongue-out3: :flushed:

We mean Norman....:smiling6: