SPA Modeler

Thank you for the comments, Torben and Duke. I really appreciate your interest in this build, even though it might be getting repetitive. I'm trying to find little ways to go beyond my previous build as opposed to simply following the steps I followed for my Black 1 build. Familiarity with this kit loosens the creative leash, so to speak.

I'm going to do something different with the prop blades as well. It will be based, roughly, on this photo...

Thanks for keeping in touch with this build, Bruce! I truly enjoy your comments and your insights as well... you have a keen eye. Your observations about my drive to complete is so accurate. I'm very motivated to complete things, whatever it is. In modeling, I like starting builds with a clear mind and that involves minimizing unfinished projects that may distract me. Prior to re-starting Red 1, I was tempted to start a brand new project to try and get back on track. I have the Tamiya 1/32 Corsair, Special Hobby 1/32 Tempest and a Hasegawa 1/32 Bf109K-4 on the shelf ready to go. But I have some unfinished projects too... the 1/32 Me 262, the Bandai Millennium Falcon and also the Eduard 1/48 Bf109G-6 that you kindly gave to me. So I decided to plow on with Red 1 and get her complete and maybe do the same with the 262 before embarking on anything new. That's just me... I like to clear the palette before sitting down for the next meal!

On my last Dora build, I put a base coat of uniform brown on the prop blades under the RLM 70 Dark Green. On this one, I'm going to go one little step further and put some wood grain on the props. Chipping will be relatively light so you probably won't be able to make out any of the grain but hey, what's a little over-obsessiveness among modeling friends?

The props were sprayed with a yellow earth color. I used my cheapo children's oil paints to simulate the wood grain.


It took me a couple of tries before I got something that could pass for wood grain. Honestly, not very convincing in my opinion and I would work harder if this wood pattern were any more visible but in the context of serving as a chipping base, I'm going to move on. Oil paints dry slow so I'm going to give these at least a couple of days to dry and then I'll seal it with a clear coat before putting a strip of metal color along the leading edge.


I wanted to give the red and white underside pattern a try so I used the landing gear covers as a test mule. For this test, I'm using my normal mottle pre-shading routine.


Tamiya X-1 White goes over the pre-shade.


Tamiya X-7 Red goes over the white.


It's workable but I'm not 100% happy with the tone of the red. It's a little bit too orangeish. I'll have to play around with base color or maybe try to find another shade of red to use.

John,

Thank you for posting this. I always like insights and looks into your painting techniques when you post them, and your mottled pre-shade is making more sense to me after seeing this.

Now, one word about that red-

Yellow and Red make orange so the white backing is -at least theoretically- just fine. I’m thinking it has more to do with the shade of red you used, and I encourage you to stick with the white backing and try a different shade. It doesn’t look at all bad as-is, and the finish is wonderful, but I think you’re shooting for a deeper type red and I get that. I vote for try another red before adjusting the backing color.

Is there a way to shift the tone of the red by changing from a white base? I was thinking Neutral Gray but maybe that wouldn't do anything. But yes, a deeper red is what I am after. I might pick up Tamiya XF-7 (Flat Red) and XF-9 (Hull Red) at the local hobby shop. If the Flat Red doesn't work, maybe I could mix the two to get a deeper red.

The colors are actually a little more washed out in person than the photograph shows. This test bed is preliminary stab at doing the red/white undersurfaces and I'll probably have to make some adjustments to my normal painting process to get the colors right. I may have to forgo trying to establish any pre-shade effects in order to get a more opaque white. I think this is fine since the contrasting stripes tend to crush the subtle pre-shade anyway. I have the color photo in Crandall's Dora book that I can refer as well as the red color on the EagleCal decal sheet.

I'm always open to constructive criticism during my builds. I may not heed all of it but I do appreciate any opinions/perspectives that differ from mine. So critique away!

FWIW... I don't think my 1/32 Eaglecals sheet has the stripes as decals.