Airfix 1/72nd Westland Sea King HC.4

[Waspie]

Another good tip Steve, is when fixing the clear windows/lights etc, get yourself some 'Formulae 560' glue. Unlike TET and superglue, it won't make a mess of the transparent pieces. Another lesson I learnt by experience then guidance from the guys on here.

When to paint???
When you are happy with getting as far as you can without causing damage that will need repairs...
So speaking from an armour side, I split my painting into wheels/drive sprockets, hull, turret, track. And other items like antennae, machine gun mounts, hatches all are sprayed seperately.
Looking at aircraft I would say fill out any openings that you do not want paint to enter with foam sponge (steal the wifes scouring sponge) cut to shape so it fits the opening - wheel wells/cockpit etc.
But as has been said, you will discover these points with experience... AND DO NOT WORRY if you mess it up, we all do it, we go in the corner, have a little cry, kick the wall and realise not to do it again - but we do!!!
So paint away and then leave us to point you in the right direction for the future, because when I switch over to do a few aircraft later in the year it will be you advising me.

Evening Steve. It's coming along nicely.
Painting is a quandary. What I did with my SK was as Jacko said, leave off the rotors to spray the fuselage. Easier. I then painted liquid mask onto the wheels as I had already glued them in position. Don't forget to mask off the canopy and windows. As mine was 1/72 I used liquid mask on the side windows and tape on the canopy. I didn't seal the canopy and allowed some of the spray to enter. Annoyed me but wasn't overly bad. Check out my build here if you wish. (Skip to page 7 to get to the external painting). It was my first build for - a very very long time.
Good luck with the painting

Thanks for the great tips!

[Waspie]

Evening Steve. It's coming along nicely.
Painting is a quandary. What I did with my SK was as Jacko said, leave off the rotors to spray the fuselage. Easier. I then painted liquid mask onto the wheels as I had already glued them in position. Don't forget to mask off the canopy and windows. As mine was 1/72 I used liquid mask on the side windows and tape on the canopy. I didn't seal the canopy and allowed some of the spray to enter. Annoyed me but wasn't overly bad. Check out my build here if you wish. (Skip to page 7 to get to the external painting). It was my first build for - a very very long time.
Good luck with the painting

When to paint what is a matter of experience and preference, really — and you develop the latter with the former. My own way to do it is normally to put everything together before painting, except things that will get in the way of painting others, or which need to be a completely different colour entirely. For a helicopter like this, that would probably mean I leave the rotors (main and tail) loose, as well as the wheels if possible (like if they are on struts and can be added after painting) and any external armament, like bombs or torpedoes.

The idea there is that it’s hard to paint the fuselage with the rotors in place, and it’s hard to paint the rotors, wheels and armament when they’re on the model already.

[Mark1]

Any fragile bits could be painted separately and attached later to save the risk of knocking them off,theres no set procedure just however you think will be easiest for you.

Just beginning to get to the point where I put the sides together. Which will be nice as it'll mostly hide the horrid interior paintwork.
The nest part is to add the other side and then start adding detail parts.

The question is, at what point do you paint the outside, I'm guessing when everything but the rotors are added?

"Embarrased by the second one...."
You should see some of the disasters I have put on here.... and not only with the painting - you learn by your mistakes, we all do.
A tip for your photo's. When you 'Attach files' the photo, there is a button on the top left that says 'Insert' click on that and then the button that opens 'Full Image', that will give you the full image and save my poor old eyes...
Mike

Thank you, sorry about the images, I didn't know.

[Waspie]

"Embarrased by the second one...."
You should see some of the disasters I have put on here.... and not only with the painting - you learn by your mistakes, we all do.
A tip for your photo's. When you 'Attach files' the photo, there is a button on the top left that says 'Insert' click on that and then the button that opens 'Full Image', that will give you the full image and save my poor old eyes...
Mike

Just to build on what Mike said. Have a butchers at my VW Beetle build. I cocked up good style on that. But with advice from the good chaps on here, recovered what I thought was a right dustbin of a build. I always do a warts and all build then the guys can offer advice and make recommendations if needed.
See page 2 - drastic measures taken!! Doug's Beetle Build Link But recovered from it.

Little update. I will add these images, even though I'm quite embarrassed by the 2nd one.

First one shows my primed parts (Humbrol grey spray primer)
Second one shows my absymal paint job.

I sprayed the bottom part grey (paint is Vallejo Light Grey) but for some weird reason it looks green!!
I have added a grey wash to try and darken it and make it worn/dirty) I guess that's worked a little.

as for the horrendous seats, the manual says to paint them blue and shows a humbrol paint, however I don't
have that and the nearest thing I have to blue is turquoise and night blue, so I painted them the turquoise.
unfortunately it looks dreadful, I will try and make them look less horrible by adding a wash tomorrow.

My painting would shame an eight year old right now, I can only hope I get better with practice!

More images to come as I continue to work on this kit.

"Embarrased by the second one...."
You should see some of the disasters I have put on here.... and not only with the painting - you learn by your mistakes, we all do.
A tip for your photo's. When you 'Attach files' the photo, there is a button on the top left that says 'Insert' click on that and then the button that opens 'Full Image', that will give you the full image and save my poor old eyes...
Mike

My suggestion would be to keep this one simple, in a single colour. You can always build a second kit later, when you’ve got a bit more experience under your belt, and paint it in camouflage.

[Mark1]

Personally i wouldnt go for camo just yet,i would get a few simple but decent paint jobs under my belt first before complicating things but it is your build, maybe find something to have a practice on and see how it goes before making a decision.

[Waspie]

If it were me, (I'm new to this malarky too). I'd stick with solid green, then!! If your feeling brave add the white camo if your comfortable with it.
The vast majority of the Junglie cabs are green. I reckon the camo on the box are for Norway, 846 squadron frequently deploy to Bardafoss for artic training for aircrew and maintainers. Lots of snow holes and ice water dips!!!!!!!

Whichever route you decide on, good luck. Look forward to seeing it. Will do a Mk4 myself one day but I've done a 1/72 King and currently doing a 1/48 ASW version. I jungle 1/48 would be nice to add to my ever increasing group of helicopters.

I'm getting close to the point of putting the sides together now and my mind has turned to the thoughts of painting this.
I've primed it in grey and I have to be honest, I'm looking at the image on the front of the box and that tiger stripe camo looks so so nice.

However, I've never painted any camo, let alone one like this. So i'm in two minds right now, part of me wants to just paint it green and have done with it and part of me thinks "Go for it!" but yeah.. I'm scared of ruining it with a botched paint job.

So the reason for me spamming you with this? I'd like your opinion. Do I go for it and try to make the camo or play it safe and stick to solid green?

[Waspie]

Sea King HC4's over Portland on the occasion of the 'Final Farewell' flypast around the UK.

Bit of a closer shot showing what you can/can't see through the side windows!!!