discussion Airfix 1/72 Hurricane IIC G-AMAU

[Steve-the-Duck]

Well, been a while, while I've been sorting Biplane #4 and the Hawker Hector from the Biplane GB, now time expired but I WILL finish THEM

So, now I'm about to commit a modern modelling heresy. I don't think much of AK paints, but it's probably just me and my airbrush...

So, here's the gold undercoat, which I'll be masking with the letters, either tape or transfers, then over that with the blue. In about a week's time to ensure it's dry!

The fuselage took three coats before it got good coverage, and the wing is on the third now, too. Okay, so, this IS the first time I've used AK stuff, and I may not be great with my airbrush, but this stuff takes a bugger of a long time to dry. Also, the big blotch on the starboard wing is where the paint came off, when it rested against some paper TWO HOURS after it was sprayed. My mistake but... And, as can be seen from the port wing bump additions, that stuff REALLY doesn't like bare plastic

I've just tried the AK super metal chrome stuff on biplane #4, sprayed over Alclad gloss black base, and it's come out VERY dark. The Alclad came out VERY bright and shiny (and then came off with a bit of glue overspill)
So, I guess the lesson here is be very much aware of what's underneath 'cos thin coats are VERY thin
So, all the silver wings RAF stuff I'm working my way through, I've still not found an 'ideal' polished metal finish, other than self-adhesive sheet.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Three days and the gold is STILL tacky. Although that does seem to be making the masking stick well


In my, several, sets of RAF letter transfers, I had none to right size or type face for either the wings or fuselage. So, let's see how this goes
Carefully examining the film and photos from the '51 race, there does not seem to be a code on the underside of the wings. I'm not sure, at this stage, if I'll be adding the race number decals to the wings and tail. I've also, now found a picture of the Lifelike transfer sheet, and a photo of a third different version of this scheme. !951 Race was no.41, 1952 was going to be 99, but she also appears with a 75 on the side in front of the code, which is a bit of a mystery


And so on with the blue. This might just work. When complete there'll be an all over gloss coverage. As hoped, the gold base does punch up the blue a little

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

So, here's a successful test

The tail surfaces have no gold, and they've come out fine. Likewise the u/c doors. The right hand u/c doors are to test masking , and that's not looking too bad.

This will be the big test though

Three hours work striping and lettering. The 'go faster' stripes are too wide, but that's the narrowest strip I've got, though I did cut it for the stipe under the cockpit. Once the blue is on, I may re-mask and thin them down a little.
Maybe
I decided not to just mask the clear bits and spray the frame as I can just as easily hand paint that

Next will be the starboard side

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Okay. So the starboard side masking took about half the time as the first. Then over-sprayed with gloss varnish to prevent too much bleed
Next will be the blue


Not a real disaster but a minor hiccup. I haven't done the wings underside blue just yet, but I thought I'd gloss it up first

And wouldn't you know it, the wing flipped over and the varnish took the blue off when it touched down. Nothing that can't be solved with a touch-up. But Humbrol acrylic spray makes Vallejo airbrush colours liquid again. useful to know

Also, I've realised that the 'spare-part' Hurri that's in the offing after this has no u/c legs, so I may be borrowing the ones from this, or having to scratch new ones...

 

[Lee Drennen]

Will look good when you get the problems sorted out

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Will look good when you get the problems sorted out

I can hope!
This was really just an exercise to use up something in the stash. And now I've got another Hurri about started and another one to finish up!

 

[Lee Drennen]

exercise to use up something in the stash.

exercise to use up something in the stash.

Same here with my Jakko Movie GB. I didn’t want to use a nice Corsair kit on a fictional Aircraft that was in the TV series.

 

[A_J_Rimmer]

Annoying about the blue on the wing.

Massively impressed with your masking!

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Annoying about the blue on the wing.

Massively impressed with your masking!

If you think that's good... Sometimes I even get a mildly satisfactory outcome!



Needs a bit of touch-up, but hasn't turned out too bad, all things considered. Starboard side is better than port. The portside 'U' needs work as it was originally a transfer as mask

So, now I've got to add all the little wording details under the cockpit and base of the tail

Then I can add the u/c bay, and stick the wings on!

 

[A_J_Rimmer]

If you think that's good... Sometimes I even get a mildly satisfactory outcome!

LOL! I know that feeling!

Looking good though!

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Okay. This has come perilously close to me walking away. The last time that happened, it was 12 years before | went back to a particularly frustrating model. Some part-started stuff has now been waiting longer but I digress...

And it was all going so well

All the small lettering is done, best I could manage with a 5/0 brush. The text under the tail is illegible ion the photo anyway.
Coming together

And then...

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

So, as I have no six-pipe exhausts anywhere in the spares, I got a set of resin AML ones

Painted them silver, because they look very shiny in the photos. Then noticed a prominent mould line along the centre, which was promptly removed
But when they were cut from the block...

Frustrating. And then it got worse
The bottom pair of bits went in the port side fine
But when it came to the starboard, one of the double pipe pieces, the larger one yet, vanished off the board. I mean COMPLETELY. Nothing on the table, on the floor...
So I go through all the spares bits looking for something to carve

Much fettling needed to get it into place. So, time to start on the second replacement. And this is what they were made from

The stock of a 1/35th MG34. Then the second one broke, so time for the third

Just in time for the original part to just reappear
I have to assume it was stuck to my sleeve. Razafrazingrazumdickdastardly...

Then I thought, will I be able to get the replacement part back out again

Result

Looks very scrappy, but time to walk say job done.

At least the overall gloss spray went on without problems, the spinner went on fine and the canopy frame is painted. Now, just the modified u/c bay to fit and on with the wings. Then all the small parts to add

To think, I only did this to use up and old, free, spare kit...

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Right, wings done.

The spare resin bay put in, lights in and a couple of bits of cut sprue as nav light covers


And on they go. Only the U/C to do at this stage, which was cobbled from a few spare bits, and over to a finished thread!

Yay.