Hasegawa 1/32 Fw 190D-9 Brown 4

[BlackSheep214]

I give up. As much as I love the painted version of spirals on propeller noses over decal versions, I’m intimidated to even try in 1/48 scale.

I’m trying hard to follow along and learn your methods and I sometimes either forget or afraid to try. Salt methods, mottling, chipping, etc... are all things I love to try. As I said, I do get intimidated in trying it myself.

I guess it’s the thought I’m not doing it right or it doesn’t look right. The only way I can garner some confidence is watching YouTube videos that shows me how it’s being done. I’d love to see how it’s done in person with someone guide me along the way.

I know I’ve said I love a challenge but this is a whole new level of challenge for me to try. Am I wrong to think this way?

[Duke Maddog]

No you're not wrong. I too have the same sense of intimidation in addition to feeling outclassed in all areas. Granted I do only 1/72 scale but some or all of these techniques appear to be transferable to my scale. Yes, it is overwhelming.

[jkim]

Eh? Cmon dudes! I'm just like you guys. I like playing around with plastic models and I'm just trying to get better at it. Some things I'm ok at, others not so much. If you have any reservations about trying a new technique, I would remove any internal obligation to post it. Just do it, play with and don't feel obligated to photograph and post it if you don't want to. I often photograph and post my failures but usually not when I am learning mode.

Work has been super busy and gonna take a drive up to the Bay area this weekend to see my daughters so updates to Brown 4 will have to wait! We are very close to the painting stage so we'll be jumping to the fun part of the build very soon!

[Stikpusher]

John, I don’t know how much more obvious improvement you can do with your skill level. What you consistently show here is quite masterful, and although I’m sure you feel you can do something better, nothing sure stands out to say, “needs improvement”.

[Stuart]

One of the things I admire about you John, maybe more so than your masterful work, is your humility. So many people at your level have the ego to go with it. You're right, there are things all of us can improve on.

I do enjoy seeing the steps you work through, they're always fascinating. I especially like seeing your spirals! I've definitely got to have a go at those when I finally get my airbrush set up.

[LyleW]

Well said, Stuart!

[mustang1989]

In my experience, it's the fear of failure itself or a bad outcome on a really good subject that used to stop me. I was in search of the perfect gloss coat for a loooooong time on auto builds after getting lucky at it my first time around with my T/A Challenger build. I would spend the next 3 years trying to duplicate that same shine before I found the method that worked for me consistently. The good thing about our hobby is that we are always seeking ways to improve because we like it that much. I had to know going in that I was probably gonna fail in some of my attempts but a phrase that I commonly use (and Lyle knows because I've clued him in when I was helping him) is called "backwards progress". Failure equals learning.....and when I'm learning I'm getting better at what I'm doing. The punchline? The key to success is to move forward with new ideas in spite of a predicted bad outcome or failure (backwards progress). It may take a build or two to see the results we're looking for, but the outcomes and the feeling of accomplishment are worth their weight in gold.

That spiral looks golden John.

[jkim]

Hey guys! The spiral is a good example of something that I was not very good at in the beginning. I've tried all sorts of methods and it's progressed to the point where I am confident I can get a good spiral on a Fw190 or Bf109 spinner in 1 or 2 tries. The combination of custom cut spiral masks (based on scans of spiral decals) and the Oramask 810 masking material makes it much easier now.

The spinner for Brown 4 is finished. After a dark pastel wash, I topped it off with a flat coat and a couple rounds of salt fading, which are barely visible.




Here's a sneak peak at the finished prop mounted on the unpainted aircraft.


The spinner is fully removable! You may notice the a small errant scratch on the horizontal panel line of the radiator cowling. There are a number of these where my scriber went astray. They've been repaired with black CA glue so they are still visible but they will disappear under a coat of paint (hopefully).

[mostrich]

Fun fact: Spinner in German is a slang word that translates to wacko in english.
And with all respect, John: When it comes to modeling, you're a wacko!

[keavdog]

You sure do have the spiral painting down. A great modeler once told me to treat every part of a model as it's own little model ( he was referring to ordinance at the time). I assume this is how you approach modeling. Sometimes - well most the time - I'm focused on getting the kit together for final paint, decals and weathering. Just looking at your treatment of landing gear and gear bays alone makes me want to slow down and take the advice I once received.