discussion Airfix Stuka - 1/48

[RM6239]

JohnR, never to late mate, he's a pretty tame chook.
John, welcome.
Marius, the instructions are really good.
Wouter, cheers mate.

I'm still working on the cockpit, haven't even started the seatbelts yet, I tried a dry fit putting the fuselage on the way it says in the instructions and it's not going to work as advertised, so I tried putting one side on at a time and it works much better.

cheers
Ross

 

[RM6239]

I've had a bugger of a week, trying to make the HGW seatbelts, I could do it in 1/32 but I think 1/48 is just too small for me. To many etch bits lost to the carpet monster, maybe when I need some frustration I will try again.

Anyway had an Eduard Super Fabric set in the stash so used those on the pilots seat, I'll scratch up something for the gunner's seat.

Added a little extra to the seat, thanks to Dom for the picture on the previous page, it's not exact but it will do. I took some photos with the right fuselage dry fitted as well.

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One with the fuselage removed.
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The Yahu instrument panel.
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I don't know if you will be able to see through once the cockpit is all fitted but I will leave it open, Airfix give you the option for open or closed, the piece for it closed should do for a mask for painting.

cheers
Ross

 

[Steve Jones]

Sorry to hear about the issues with the detailing.Looking good now and hopefully we will see it through the cockpit. If not - we know its there:smiling3:

 

[Wouter]

That cockpit looks great Ross. Those HGW seatbelts, just used them (labelled under the Eduard brand) a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 1/48 and they are fiddly indeed. I was lucky enough that the carpetmonster didn't want them though Those fabric seatbelts look great as well I must say.

Cheers

 

[flyjoe180]

Looks good Ross, nice cockpit details

 

[RM6239]

Steve, well you can see through to it from the cockpit so that's good, I've got the closed plug in now so I don't accidently paint it but it will be removed after painting.

Wouter, cheers mate.

Joe, thanks.

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Very nice fit on the pieces so far, the filler was to fill my mistakes. Definately the right choice to put one fuselage side on at a time.

cheers
Ross

 

[RM6239]

Starting to look like a plane now.


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Airfix kits get a bit of a bashing but I've got to say I've gotten one of the best fits ever on a planes wings with this kit.

cheers
Ross

 

[colin m]

Looks nice Ross. I think most people who have a go at Airfix, probably haven't tried a new tool kit. Don't get me wrong, some new tool still have problems, but for the price, well, not too bad at all.

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Ross, about time I come in and the wings are on already. Have seen the interior and you've done a good job of it. Seat belts and instrument panels ...excellent.
I have the old Airfix Stuka mold and it will need loads to get it looking like yours after I have washed all the mud of properly. It's been that way since the floods 12 years ago. Just acquired a 1/24 scale Airfix kit with old decals...don't know when that's going to be built either.

Anyway so far I've only built one new mold Airfix Tigermoth and was easy peezy and I'm sure you must be experiencing the same with the Stuka new mold. I hope there is more support for the new Airfix kits so that we'll see more from them.

Ironically I bought my new mold airfix kits from Sydney at killer prices when I last visited but have no regrets as they aren't well stocked here.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Jim R]

Hi Ross
That interior does look very nice. All seems to have fitted quite well - big sigh of relief! That last photo - really couldn't be anything else now with those wings.
Jim

 

[RM6239]

Colin, I agree.

Richard, welcome mate.

Jim, yes starting to look like a stuka now.

Airfix provide you with 2 options for the canopy, open and closed, I'm going with open but I thought I would be clever and use the closed canopy while painting and remove it at the end. All I can say is the closed option is not something you could use as you will see. Primed and waiting the 48 hours that Vallejo primer needs to be safe for any sanding.

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Really Airfix, $50 for that kind of fit, it's not even close. The only option I can see that could work is to paint as is and after painting sand that front section and as the open canopy doesn't have to marry up with the front it should be ok. I can't do it now as that would then leave a gap along the top as well as to the sides and that would make painting very problematic at least now with some clever angled AB work I shouldn't get any overspray in the cockpit. Also I noticed while priming that one of the arms on the flaps underneath is just not there, there doesn't seem to be a break nub on where it's supposed to be and I can't find anything in the plastic bag so I don't know what happened to it.

All the external bits are painted and will be added after painting.

cheers
Ross

 

[RM6239]

For some reason edit is not working but further thought on the problem and I should of just masked off the cockpit and painted the canopy sections off the plane, like I have with the open section.

cheers
Ross

 

[Jim R]

Hi Ross
Could almost be the canopy from a different kit the fit is so bad.
Jim

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Ross, can the canopy be the wrong side up?:thinking:

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Steve Jones]

Sorry to hear about the issues. Hopefully it will turn out well in the end

 

[RM6239]

And the prize goes to Richard, yes I had the canopy the wrong way up, so big apologies to Airfix there, excessive air gap between the users ears. Still not the greatest of fits with the closed canopy but much better than it was.

cheers
Ross

 

[RM6239]

Good news, I found the little rod thing for the flaps, had to destroy the box to find it but it's now in position.

Preshading done, some people's panel line shading is perfect, I'm not one of them. :smiling4:.

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As you can see, some thick, some thin, some very wonky :tongue-out: and some even almost perfect, painting will fix it all up. As you can see I've painted the white rudder and wingtips, a couple of hours to be sure it's cured then masking and onto the underneath.

cheers
Ross

 

[RM6239]

I don't know if I've ever shown this before. You often hear people say I can't get my preshading right or they over paint it, well I don't always get it right myself but this time I did and I took photos of the process I use.

This photo I've already done the tail planes, flaps and up part of the fuselage.
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Here I go back to kindergarten and colour in between the lines.:smiling5:
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This time I go outside the lines, no gold star for me.
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Here I start to focus on the lines and blobs themselves. Painting up to and over the black preshading.
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The final result. This I just paint as normal, broad strokes all over the wing as if the preshading wasn't even there.

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So 4 or 5 thin coats expanding out from the centre of the panels, gradually working towards the preshaded lines, until finally broad strokes treating the whole wing as one section.

I hope this helps and makes sense. This is why I don't care too much about the actual preshading, whether it's dark, light or wonky, thick or thin, this process allows me to fix that all up to get the result I want.

cheers
Ross

 

[rtfoe]

Fantastic Ross,

You've gotten the pre-shading technique precisely spot on. Many have chosen this route as it's easier to control the amount of shade with the base paint covering a broader area rather than trying to simulate and spray thin darker lines to the panel lines. :thumb2:

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Steve Jones]

Exactly what Richard said. Spot on mate:thumb2: