SPA Modeler

Worked on the landing gear this morning. Made a wash out of black pastel and dark brown, to simulate grease and fluid, and picked the details out.Theb lightened thebwash with a nice-looking tan/yellow and brushed it over the tires. Then took one of those small, sharp Tamiya cotton buds, got a little water on there, and cleaned it up.

The Emil looks great, Kenny. Really really good actually. You may want to protect your decals with a clear coat before the wash goes on. Not absolutely necessary but good insurance.

jkim wrote:The Emil looks great, Kenny. Really really good actually. You may want to protect your decals with a clear coat before the wash goes on. Not absolutely necessary but good insurance.

Already done brother

Subtle pin wash on th cowling, and a nice wash around the guns.

Beautiful Kenny! I love the peak at the metal prop hubs through the spinner!

Bruce and John, thank you! I appreciate that!

One thing I’m going to carry with me once this Emil is complete, is the importance of doing more experiments and tests with Tamiya clear coats, thinner to clear ratios in particular. I noticed that the pigment in the wash had a tendency to bite in there and not let go without some convincing. It wasn’t like that with my last model, which I’d sprayed with Testor’s gloss coat.

This isn’t a problem with this model here. The washes are done, man. But if I wish to keep using them, especially pin washes and so forth on my next model (I really like how that dark brown pin wash I did on the cowling just to bring those specific lines out a bit came out and I think I might like to see that on the next Galland Emil I’m planning -already purchased the kit and AM parts), I’m going to need to dial-in how I clear coat with the Tamiya product. Either that or switch to a different product, several have been recommended. I’m not sure. I like how Tamiya Clear sprays. That goes double for Tamiya Flat Clear -which I will most likely keep using.

Anyway, I’ll be spraying flat clear tomorrow, and then adding exhaust stains with chalk and pastel dust. After that, I guess I’ll install the landing gear, pilot antenna and aerial, and :gulp: mass balances and pitot tube (that makes me nervous as I dislike gluing things to painted surfaces.

The paintwork is wonderfully made, the weathering as well !

This build just must to be added in the "Completed builds" - section when it's ready!

- Kari

Thank you, Kari! I’ll put it up there when it’s done for sure.

Kenny,

the way you up your game during this one build is absolutely stunning. Hadn't much time to post the past weeks but followed all your updates and the rich conversation in here. It was my Eduard Fw 190A built four years ago that teached me so much that I was a completely differnt modeler after I finished it. So reading your WIP is a relive for me, mastering all those obstacles and feeling the pride when something is properly done, exactly the way you had it in mind.

What a great journey!