SPA Modeler

PPPPPP...

An acronym from my Army days... Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance...

Tamiya has curved tape? Interesting...

Tamiya has all kinds of wazoo gizmos... and if they do t have it yet, they'll probably come out with it in the future...

If you want to do it yourself Bruce, go for it! I also like small challenges during builds and I understand if you'd like to eschew the manufactured solutions for a DIY approach. I'm just saying that it'll be tough to (a) cut two parallel curves smoothly using a knife or scissors and/or (b) trying to get the flexible tape to trace a curve that small. I have the flexible white Tamiya tape in 2mm and 3mm. You can see it as I used it to clean up some of the edges of the spiral a few posts up. It's very similar to electrical tape but there's a limit to how small a curve you can make due to the thickness of the tape and the stickiness of the adhesive. I've been successful with cutting my own Dora spiral masks in 1/32 but for 1/48, I've used pre-made masks.

One step forward... two steps back. Or is it two steps forward and one step back? Well, I decided to wipe the spinner clean and try a different style spiral. The tricky thing here is that you don't know how the mask will fit after you cut it. If you try to test it out and have to peel it off, you'll lose some precious adhesion from the tape. That's what happened to me here. The mask lifted in too many spots and the result wasn't very pretty. I didn't even bother trying to touch up this effort. Just wiped it again and stalked out of my work room with hot air coming out of my ears.


After I prepped the spinner for Try #3, I made some progress on the prop blades at least. I ended up giving these suckers THREE passes of salt chip weathering. I intended to do just two but the flat coat went frosty white on me. I saved it by quickly spraying a gloss coat and then a different type of flat (Testors Dullcote vs. Tamiya Clear Flat). It looked like the salt weathering effect was reduced by the gloss/flat routine so I did another round of salt chip weathering. But looking at it now, I think I can see all three layers... pretty cool effect.


I added some scratches using colored pencils to further weather the prop blades.



While the spinner flub was disappointing, I was surprised at how nicely the propeller blades turned out. Not so frustrated now that I've made progress on something.

Try a thin coat of rubber cement to replace lost adhesive on the vinyl masks.

Sending you my full support, I feel the same steam rising countless times when I start Luftwaffe camouflage. I used to think "painting was my thing," John. A few camo misfires later and I start to doubt, which is ridiculous. It is always best to leave the room and get fresh air... and perspective the way you are doing!!

I also finally researched "why" the spinners were painted with spirals. You probably know the reason (visible safety).

From now on a/c are to have only the following markings: a spiral in the airscrew spinner, a cross, a tactical number and Gruppenbalken. All other markings such as bands around the fuselage £Bauchbinden£, yellow engine cowlings and tail units etc. are to be removed immediately. Report that this has been done to the Geschwader Technical Officer. - 25 June 1944, STAB JG 27 War Diary as reported by Nick Beale in Ghost Bombers



Let's talk about those propeller blades! WORKS OF ART.

Sorry to hear about the spinner ordeal. Been there ................done that. But as for those blades..............WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!! You've sure convinced me with those that's for dang sure!!!!!!!!!!! First class stuff right there!!!

Thanks guys! I think I may have stumbled on a new weathering technique... multi-layer salt chipping? Will explore further once I get to the camo finish.

jkim wrote:Thanks guys! I think I may have stumbled on a new weathering technique... multi-layer salt chipping? Will explore further once I get to the camo finish.

That look is quite impressive. Definitely something to keep in mind for a very aged and weathered appearance.