SPA Modeler

Are you able to post a few more photos? Details! We craves details. Also have you seen?

They ain’t much can be said for this stage. The canopy and windscreen fit was fantastic. Primer was thinned 1:2 primer to thinner, and it went down nice! So let me get into the plan—

Okay, the Flat Aluminum is going down on the airframe, minus control surfaces. I will also be spraying some green on the upper fuselage just aft of the cockpit, as I want to fade parts of the forthcoming stripes there down to only the green, not bare metal, and this should avoid steps in the paint. It’ll make sense once I do it. So that’s first. After that, Mr. Hobby Super Clear (I love that stuff), then hairspray, and then the orange on the leading wing edges. Then I’ll chip those. National insignias are after that, then the Green, and more chipping. I can do the bottom I guess any time I’d like in-between. I have it all worked out in my mind but I don’t think I’m articulating the process very well here and I find that troubling. But it’s time. I have painted this airplane a thousand times in my mind. The vision is stable and set. Now it’s time for the execution.

Also- that pic is rad. I gotta have more of that. I gotta make that!

Back in Black!

That's looking awesome in black Kenny!

The first coat of paint has been laid-down on old Zeke. Have a gander!

“Studio”:


Under harsh light;


I didn’t get super precise with this, I pretty-much just bombed it on. Which, that felt weird because I’m not used to painting that way. I like going section by section, painting on a localized level. This was just coverage. And I wasn’t too terribly concerned with the evenness of it either, being that probably 95% of this will be covered up. That said, I do like the tonal variation I ended up with for this project in-particular. I think what ends up being visible from the chipping will look nice along with the weathered paint. I would not do this if a whole lot of, or the entire airframe, was bare metal. One thing I am planning on doing is going over this with a microfiber pad before I shoot the Super Clear at it. And based upon previous experience, I surmize that the Super Clear coat is going to tamp down some of that tonal variation. So we’ll see.

Also of note- no geeen yet, because I’ve changed the play in terms of how I want to set up the aft yellow stripes for the scuffing I’m after. Correct me if I’m wrong but those stripes are added after the main paint job is applied. “Why not do it like that?” I figure. I was concerned with there being a step, from the masking once completed, that’s why I thought about doing it piecemeal. That may not be too much of an issue though, we’ll see. And since it’ll be coated in lacquer anyway, if I dislike the stripes, I can windex them without ruining the paintwork, and use the decals and Solvaset, instead. I don’t think it’ll come to that, though.

Okay, so that’s where we’re at. I’ll probably get after it with the microfiber and Super Clear tomorrow, and I suppose I can get cracking on the underside most any time.

Nice. I like the variations in the color. adds a great amount of character and depth.

Me too, Lyle. I always seem to shoot for that, though I admit that I have a tendency often times to overdo it. There’s definitely a balance. For a job like this, I can be kind of free with it. I’m hoping what’s visible after clear coating, painting, chipping, and more clear coating will hold at least some of that variation because depth in the underlying “bare metal” will add a nice effect to this, I think.

I’ve just had an idea that I want to put a pin in. When I do my 1:32 Corsair, I’m going to use this same “bare metal over black” basecoat, only instead of bombing it on, I’m going to do it panel by panel. Tighten-up the tonal variation that way. Then blend coat like I usually do. I think that’ll be cool. So I’m writing it down here so I don’t forget. I don’t mind bombing primer on, but for some reason my brain just doesn’t like bombing paint on. Weird, I know.

I suspect that'll look very good when it shows through on the chipping - well done that man.