1/48 Stug Build - I'm calling it done

I'm calling this done on the last day on 2012.

Used a lot of techniques from the AK interactive FAQ2 book and videos. All in all I'm happy.

I wanted a heavily weathered and battle weary winter Stug and I think I've achieved it.

Have a great 2013.

Here are the pictures

1/48 Stug Build - Update 3

I've returned to my Stug build build after a couple of months away. This is being built to learn/practice some of the armour weathering techniques I've read about as I want to try them on my aircraft builds. As such I'm not being particularly anal about accuracy.

Here she was at the end of the last update

I wanted to give the "hairspray technique" again. This I used AK's Chipping fluid so I applied it with my airbrush. It didn't seem to cover as well as hairspray, pooling in some areas and forming beads on others... Not giving this much thought a the time I left it for 10 mins then pressed on and sprayed Tamiya Flat white over the model.

After leaving it for 15 mins in the shed (which was about 33 degrees C) I proceeded to try and remove the white wash. This wasn't as successful as I hoped and the painted didn't come off as easily as last time.

I'm not sure if this was due to:
1. the AK chipping fluid not adhering to the model,
2. or that I left it to long before applying the white paint or starting the  chipping (especially considering the heat in the garage)
3. or that the Tamiya white had to much lacquer thinners in it.
4. or a combination of the above

Anyway it took a fair bit of scrubbing to get a worn look. I then used the sponge technique and some enamel white to re-apply some whitewash to areas I thought I'd been overdone.

After it was done I applied a flat coat and a pale grey filter. I then used the Tamiya black enamel wash as a pin wash. I applied a few other filters , mainly just to see what would happen.

Then I painted the tracks and attached the hull to the upper, prior to this I added some mud using the Tamiya texture paint to the underside of the guards. I figure some mud would stick there

I also had a lot of fun painting the stowage and wood using some of the techniques in the AK interactive FAQ2 book. I think I'm going to whitewash the timber board though

I've still got the streaking etc to try but I'm open to suggestions on what else I can try

1/48 Revell Ventura Part II

Some more progress

One of the issues with this kit is the scratches in the cockpit and lower glazings. It seems to have been ignored by many reviewers but it's a real disappointment IMHO.

 I spent a hour or so polishing it out with various Tamiya Compounds and micro mesh. Then I dipped the clear parts in Future and set them aside for a week to dry.

I decided to add some sun screen curtains to the overhead. These were made from paper towel and wire. I shamelessly stole this from this build



Fit of the cockpit glazing was So so. I found the glazing about 1-1.5mm to narrow. I positioned the glazing in the middle and then sanded the edges of the kit to try and flare it into the width of the glazing.



The glazing was also a bit tall, but that was probably due to be sanding a little to much material off the top when eliminating the seams. I took a little of the bottom of the glazing by sanding on on my glass work surface and built the top a little with magi sculp (white putty on the image above)

The Fit on the lower gunners position was perfect though





Once I was happy I glued the clear parts, including the nose in with Gator Glue. Prior fitting the guns I drilled the barrels out.



The fit of the insert for the mid upper turret is also excellent.



And the way the turret goes together is quite neat.




 

But I still rather have the insert fitted, but not the turret parts prior to painting. I still mulling over how to achieve this

I've weathered up the bomb bay a bit. The detail is quite nice as it is I just added a few random stencils.





I had also rubbed down a bit of the raised panel on the underside. I decided to remove it completely and replace it with a bit of 0.005 thou card

Back in the Saddle - 1/48 Revell Ventura Part 1

Well it's been 2 weeks since we got back from our overseas adventure. And to be honest I missing being away.

Sure living out of a suitcase sucked.. but reality (work, school, the mundane chores of life) just don't seem as much fun as travelling the world checking out new stuff and experiencing new things. But I guess thats life.

I promise I''ll post up pictures of the modelling/military things I saw when away over the next few months but now it's time for some modelling (one of the few things I missed when away).

The subject for my model club's, (IPMA), yearly group build is Twin engined. it's only a small club so a loose theme means more people can get involved and still build something from their area of interest. I've chosen the new Revell Ventura in 1/48 scale.

This is first new tool aircraft from Revell USA in quite a while and it's been pretty well received, particularly as it's very cheap for a new tool twin kit.  I was obviously interested in it because the RNZAF used  a lot of them in the SWPA  WW2, plus 487 (NZ) Sqn  RAF flew them in Europe with Squadron Leader Leonard Trent RNZAF being award a VC for his leadership of a disastrous raid over Amsterdam in May 1943.  I'll build a European theatre aircraft later , but this one is going to be a weathered SWPA RNZAF aircraft, not sure which one as yet.

I couldn't build this straight from the box, so I grabbed some after-market to address some of the few errors in the kit. I got the Loon Models Props (because they are one piece units) and the Mike West Open Cowls and exhausts. 

References, Kit and other bits.

I hate masking so the mask set was a good investment considering the cost (under $10). I've got all the decal sheets, the only one ruled out is Slippery Sam as the serials on the decal sheets are wrong. Plus there is doubt over the colour of the wording.

Choice's Choice's

Rather than start with the cockpit I decided to add the little scoops on the engine nacelles. To cut the holes I used a technique I'd heard described by "Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt on his web radio show "The Plastic Scale model hour" Well worth a  listen IMHO.

He uses this technique cutting resin parts from casting blocks, and it works really well in that application, but I thought I'd also give it a go on plastic.

Basically you drill the holes nad use a piece of cotton in a sawing motion to cut the piece out, If you take care you can follow lines quite closely. You do need to use heavy duty cotton, especially on plastic. It does work reasonably well although I did snap the cotton a few times.

The hardest bit is finding a way to hold the part. I'm using a little vice I built as part of my avionics training 25 yrs ago... it finally came in useful for something :-)

Scoops applied and Nacelles assembled

The interior is a bit bare, but to be fair you really can't see anything in there. Still I'd seen a couple of basic scratch built interiors on Britmodeller  (here and here) so I thought basically copy what they'd done.

To get the basic shape of the internal of the fuselage so I could cut a piece of plastic for an internal bulkhead I used a piece of thick solder. I then pulled this out and placed it on some evergreen white card

Using plastic and bits from the spares box and unused parts from the kit I added some structure. RNZAF aircraft on operations didn't fly with 2 pilots, the co pilots seat was removed and replaced with a jump seat. The jump seat is in the kit but marked as not used.

Once I was happy I painted everything Tamiya flat black. Once this dried I applied a light coat of model master interior green.

Some spare PE form an old spitfire set was used to dress up the sidewalls and other scratch-built parts. The pilots seatbelt was from that set was also used (not accurate but I'm not bothered). I also used some decal placards to add a bit of interest to the sidewalls

Details were picked out with various Vallejo acrylics and then a coat of Mr Color Clear (lacquer) from the aerosol can was applied. A wash of Tamiya enamel brown was used to provide some shadows/grime and then a flat coat of Gunze flat acrylic was used to tie everything together, proof you can mix paint types as long as you're careful

The kit decals and instrument panel were used, it is one of the best instrument panels I've seen. No need for after-market here.