SPA Modeler

KennyX wrote:Because we all know I love a good upskirt photo of a dirty birdie

Oh you naughty boy!

KennyX wrote:I like those effects. Quite a lot. May I ask how you got that streaking? It looks too smooth to me to have been done with pigments. It looks like very accurate airbrush work. It also looks lovely, of course. And what I enjoy in particular about this is the contrast the work you did in the gear bays adds to the bottom view. They work very well together, the bays and the underside. Good realism, and good art as well.

Yes, it is all airbrush work. Highly thinned (8:1) mixtures of dark brown. It's important to mix the colors up or you'll get a one-dimensional result. I usually use post-its stuck on the model to serve as "target practice" for my spray pattern so I shoot more accurately.

I added some slip marks to the tire/wheel per a suggestion over at LSP.



The main landing gear legs have been cemented into place. I'll need to be careful with the fit of the tires as they are kind of loose on the axles. I need to make sure the flat spots hit the ground flat so I'll wait until the glue is completely dry. Looking at the pics, I think I need to mess up the interior sides of the engine nacelles.


The nose gear door has been glued into place. I'm not sure what that wet spot on the front tire is but I'll double check it.


I've given the model another flat coat. It was a 2:1 mixture of Flat to Gloss to avoid the white frost effect. I think I'll stop it there in terms of flatness.

Wow. How many times can I say that? This build is so much fun to watch and learn from.

Thanks Bruce! I think I gravitate towards the tools and techniques that I'm most confident in. I have low confidence in oils but feel pretty comfortable with an airbrush in my hands. So much so, that I use it for 95% of my paint work, including small parts. I rarely use a brush anymore. The use of thin mixtures has allowed me to minimize the spray patterns to a point where I'm comfortable making very small effects. Maybe too much so. Airbrush effects have a certain look and too much of one thing can lead to a lack of depth in one's work.

The wheel axles are not parallel to the ground. I gotta cut them off and replace them with re-positioned pieces of brass tubing. Should of checked this prior to gluing the legs in place. Sometimes I'm careful... other times, I impulsively rush things.

First off...this is same masterful painting (along with everything else!)

I confess, I have been turbo-busy, and haven't followed along the whole way, so maybe I missed something?
This last pic, the crosses on the wings are in different locations. The right being further out on the wing than the left side.
Just curious.

jkim wrote:

A set back like the gear is always irritating but you are near the finish line. And with great results!

Fermis wrote:First off...this is same masterful painting (along with everything else!)

I confess, I have been turbo-busy, and haven't followed along the whole way, so maybe I missed something?
This last pic, the crosses on the wings are in different locations. The right being further out on the wing than the left side.
Just curious.

jkim wrote:

Ack... you're right! I've done this before too. Lined up one edge of the cross on the same panel line on the same side and forgetting to mirror it. Thanks so much for catching it. Shouldn't be too hard to fix but boy... what a stupid I am!

Got the wheels on and put the 262 on her feet for the first time! Had to chop off one of the landing gear axles because the wheels weren't hitting the ground right.




The inner gear doors got glued on...


The only thing left is to attach the various antennae and pitot tube and string the aerial antenna. Next stop for Yellow 3 will probably be Completed Builds, where it will languish in anonymity. Maybe I won't put a Completed Post up and keep her here!



Oh yeah... I'll have to report on the wing fix!