discussion Andy T's Tamiya 1/48 Fairey Swordfish Mkll

[Andy T]

Thanks all. I can't take any credit for the quinta stuff, and it almost feels like cheating, but it really has made a difference.

After applying the decals I buttoned up the cockpit, spotting a few areas that needed a touch up once it was together.







Once I had dealt with the couple of issues I slotted it into the fuselage. It was a very tight fit, especially around some of the AM parts, but it eventually went in with that satisfying Tamiya click.





Then the fuselage was closed up, hiding some of that detail forever :smiling5:

I've put a bit of sprue goo along some of the joints as security, but they went together very nicely.

 

[Mark1]

All looking very nice.

 

[yak face]

Cockpit looks fantastic andy , hopefully most of it will still be visible with the open cockpits . Quick work too ! Cheers tony

 

[Tworrs]

Brilliant work Andy, that cockpit is a real work of art.

 

[Tim Marlow]

That cockpit looks superb. The decals are no more cheating than using decals for markings in my opinion, by the way.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

It is never cheating to get someone else to do the hard work for you.
Oh, wait. Are we talking about model detail sets? Oh, well, that too

 

[spanner570]

Excellent stuff Andy, and as Tony writes "Quick work too."

Just 8 days after opening the box! Most of us would still be reading the instructions.......

 

[Andy T]

Thanks so much for all your kind words. It's a cracker of a kit so I'm trying to do it justice.

As for the speed - I need to keep moving or I'd freeze to death :tears-of-joy:

 

[Jim R]

Bit late in Andy. I've just had a good catch up and your progress is not only very neat and organised but very quick. The cockpit looks superb. Those 3D decals are very good. I've used them a couple of times. I hope the rigging goes well. I've not seen a rigging kit like that before.
Glad the early "accident" didn't do too much damage.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Jim, I'm certainly taking better care where I put my feet after that!


After drying overnight I sanded the seams earlier. A quick spot prime showed that all was good so I finished assembling the fuselage and gave it a coat of primer:



I then started on painting the sky. As a bit of an insight to how I do my painting (other methods are available), starting with the black base I begin to build up some variation. Many do this with white as preshading but I generally use my main colour.

This is the first coat, built up in maybe 6 or 7 very light passes:



I spray very lightly, with hardly any paint coming out of the airbrush. That's probably why I have such a problem with water based acrylics - so much air with so little paint is a recipe for terrible tip dry. I still get it with lacquer paints but a quick full trigger blast washes it clean, unlike acrylics where once it's dry it can't be reactivated like that.

Anyway, after getting the rest of the parts up to the stage above I then start with light blending coats to bring out the colour whilst leaving some of the variation. I coat each piece one by one, testing them against each other to make sure they are evenly coloured. I didn't count but these probably had another 6 or 7 misted coats:



I've brought them into the house to fully dry overnight. I'll take another look at them in the morning and if I'm happy I'll start masking for the camo.

 

[papa 695]

That’s looking great Andy, the pre-shading shows through very nicely.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Ian.

I got the rest of the main colours down today. Going on the box art I was expecting a much greener green, but as far as I'm aware they are the correct colours (or at least MRP's interpretation) of extra dark sea grey & dark slate.

A few touch ups to do where my masking went wonky (AK putty creeping as it does) but nothing I can't fix.



And yet another test fit. I've only broken off one of the minor struts (so far) which I'm taking as a win

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Blimey mate:flushed:,....
.. that's very cool indeed,have missed this for a while,and after looking in now, I'm well impressed.. you are a veritable model making machine!! :tears-of-joy:...
Lovely stuff!!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looking very fine Andy. Nice job.

 

[Mickc1440]

Great progress Andy

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Tim & Mick

Blimey mate:flushed:,....
.. that's very cool indeed,have missed this for a while,and after looking in now, I'm well impressed.. you are a veritable model making machine!! :tears-of-joy:...
Lovely stuff!!

Cheers, but I don't know about the machine bit. I'm just trying hard not to stuff it up too much :smiling5:

 

[Andy T]

I did the touch ups this morning but wasn't happy with the harsh lines left by the masking, so I've been back & forth with the two colours, softening the edges between them freehand.

I've also added some lighter patches to try and mimic the staining from dried sea spray.



Decals next.

 

[Waspie]

I did the touch ups this morning but wasn't happy with the harsh lines left by the masking, so I've been back & forth with the two colours, softening the edges between them freehand.

I've also added some lighter patches to try and mimic the staining from dried sea spray.



Decals next.

To be honest Andy, you wouldn't get much salt water deposit on them as they would be washed liberally in fresh water at the end of each day. Salt water and the metals of the frame are not the best friends when operating at sea. Salt water corrosion is a naval air fitters worst enemy!!

 

[Ian M]

This is looking most excellent Andy. Those quinta details sure lift the bar a bit.
Paintwork looks great, as always.

 

[Bri62]

A stunning build loving the detail