SPA Modeler

Thanks, Lyle!

LyleW wrote:I really enjoy your work! Nothing is glossed over, even the challenges. More please.

Efforts to Fill the Intake Joints
I just came across these photos and I was a bit embarrassed that I completely forgot about them. I DID use styrene plates to level out the steps and I also used "sprue goo" - or melted plastic sprue - as an alternative filler. Apologies if this seem to look like a repeat of an older post, but I thought I haven't quite done justice if I haven't told the complete story.



Some incredible steps, where some were as deep as 2 mm.



Initial approach to address the heinous steps under the intakes. Later I would strip those styrene plates and opt of sawing off the original lower section and re-instating them back.



The black colored filler is the spue-goo. Hardens instantaneously with a slight shrinkage. working on it in several layers is the best approach. Bonds well with the kit's plastic and when sanded, it gives a natural feel .





Sprue goo is made of shreds of plastic sprue dilluted in adhesive thinner. In where I live, the local brand is Herin. Best to mix a new goo fresh when you need it.



Results of using sprue goo as filler after sanding. it does require vigorous sanding and surface detail is bound to be lost. one advantage of using sprue goo is that the results feels like its part of the kit versus an alien material like the regular putty.

Brilliant work! Great explanation on the build and also how you have overcome some rotten obstacles.

Thanks, Handiabled!

Handiabled wrote:Brilliant work! Great explanation on the build and also how you have overcome some rotten obstacles.

Black Basing and Marbling

Giving the MiG-31 a good coat of Mr. Surfacer 1500 Black as the primer. At this stage, the role of the primer is just to help spot some last-minute blemishes. (which turned out I have aplenty!)

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Choice of color is Mr. Color No.35 grey



Marbling this kit required a lot of patience and some in-between breaks. if not I could go nuts just looking at the 50 shades of grey



Upper side (above) and lower side (below)



I thinned the paint quite a lot. This was the second attempt at the marbling. But now the paint is slightly more opaque

Fix Blemishes
Quite amazing that there were still some minor blemishes that I failed to notice. Its that syndrome when someone spent too much doing the same thing, the someone can easily become un-focus. can't figure out the errors anymore. That happens a lot with me if I had to write a long document and had to check and recheck it like one-hundred times.



Donning some spot-checks (there were others) and even after the main paint had gone up, I still had missed a few small gaps or other nuances.

Masking Parts
Finally now I could a splash of colors. My method was to use Tamiya masking tape in conjunction with Tamiya curve tapes. Adding the black panels with XF-1 Flat Black and The dark grey areas with Mr. Color 305 Gunship Grey





I did a blooper on the starboard vertical stabilizers. the Dark Grey area should only be on the top area only.



Masking work only consumed very little of my time. which was good news and very happy at that

Looks awesome so far, your marbling looks fantastic!

Thanks, Scruffy!

Scruffy wrote:Looks awesome so far, your marbling looks fantastic!

dmminiatures wrote:Masking Parts
Finally now I could a splash of colors. My method was to use Tamiya masking tape in conjunction with Tamiya curve tapes. Adding the black panels with XF-1 Flat Black and The dark grey areas with Mr. Color 305 Gunship Grey

I just can’t figure out how did you manage to keep the marbling underneath the black panel. It looks like the real thing. Well done.