SPA Modeler

That is looking great Carlos! Be glad you didn't have to paint those yellow and black stripes on a 1/72 scale aircraft....

Ask me how I know...

Looking forward to seeing more.

Mark, I am used to it in 1/48, I have done a few seats in my preferred scale. But in 1/32 any goofs really show. Every step of the cockpit is really a mini project due to the detail and what you can see. Even if Revell had provided decals for the instruments, all the switches, knobs, fuses, circuit breakers, etc. take lots of work to get looking right. I am still working on the IPs and side consoles. I will try to get some more progress shots up later this evening.

Where it looks as of this evening... just placed together, not glued









almost done with the front office...

Hmmm... I am a little bit puzzled: is it the camera or the light? The consoles look somehow grey with instrument panels a touch darker?

Yeah, its a bit of the lighting and paint. I painted the basic panel gray. The consoles and such were done in "Scale Black" (Polly Scale) and that is a faded black. Then the instrument dials themselves are black. The lighting in those photos washed everything out. My camera is not getting the close up resolution I want, so I am trying my wife's IPhone. It has better resolution, but I need to learn how to do all the editing for a better final look.

Looking great so far! I think you got this man.

Duke Maddog wrote:Looking great so far! I think you got this man.

Thank you my friend!

Well I have been working in stages to get the cockpit done. The detail, although some looks inaccurate, is really quite nice on the side consoles and IPs. My steps since the last update: A coat of semi gloss over everything to enhance the wash, followed by a flat coat, to give the proper base. Then I did the remaining knobs and switches with Humbrol Satin Black, followed by white colored pencil on the instrument dials where needed;

cockpit all placed together (but not glued) with the semi gloss coat









and with the flat coat after









IPs with the Flat Coat and pencil detail on the dials





then with the Satin Black knobs, dials, and fuses





and the front and rear cockpits after the same treatments









Now all that is left is some various clear colors and such for instrument lenses, warning lights, etc. and dry brushing for some detail highlights and wear areas... cockpit nearly finished... talk about a project all in itself...

I usually make use of Vallejo paints to accentuate such knobs and levers. White is a great base colour for following bright colours as yellow, light red, etc.
But I never thought about taking a white pencil for those moulded instruments. Thanks for this hint, Carlos!

That´s a good looking and busy cockpit! I like those thousands of tiny knobs having pointed out in white! The tiny rivets on the top of the bang seats are such an eye-catcher for me!

Thanks Thomas. I am almost done on the cockpit. I boned up loading some of the photos earlier, and lost them, so now all that is left now is dry brushing the wear and highlights...

after realizing my goofs, and going back to take new photos of where it now stood: I added "lenses" to all instruments, as well as the final bits of colors here and there, as well as gluing the sticks, throttles, and WSO's control handle into place... (a good Bear needs three hands to control it all back there...)



















I will say that I noticed the first bone up on this kit, the front stick is molded to be mounted reversed, as if for a lefty pilot with all the triggers and buttons on the opposite side of the stick. I drilled a hole into the front pedestal so the stick could be mounted correctly...

That white pencil trick sounds neat. Is it just an ordinary pencil that you use ?