SPA Modeler

jkim wrote:Zero looks beautiful! The yellow stripes really give the colors some pop... they are well painted too!

Thank you! I was really sweating that. That pattern is simple, but masking it was a challenge at first. Still, I’m glad I went that route. The decals looked like they’d be in need of some trimming in order to meet up correctly at the top and bottom of the fuselage (I actually cut them out to help with laying the mask down properly), and I’m not good enough with the old X-Acto knife to perform that kind of, uh- surgery? so all told, it was easier and probably much less frustrating this way.

Okay! I have the no-walk delimiters next, and then some touch-ups here and there, and then on to other stuff.

One thing John, that I was hoping to get your thoughts on. The salt fading thing. Salt fading made my former Corsair looks nice, helped the weathering look authentic, but it ain’t easy. Washing that salt off is a challenge. I’ve been considering not doing it. What do you think? Go for it, or perhaps look into a different method? I mean, I’ve got oils I also plan on using- dot fading... I’m kind of poleaxed about doing the salt or not.

speedgraflex wrote:I was so keyed up about the pain of doing taxes that I may not have given you my level best—but I know this work you are doing is fantastic and I apologize for being stretched a bit thin by this that and the other. I truly do. I guess I do have limits, I just never thought I would be less supportive to you recently. I kind of feel left behind. The paint work you do is fantastic and it must be a low self-esteem week starting already. Oh-Kay! Keep going and doing what you do. Cheers!

It’s all good, Bruce! No need to apologize, Hell- I’m stretched pretty thin over here too, with everything we’ve got going on. Anyway, you’re good and we’re good, no reason to worry :-)

The weathering on this looks perfect! Love the finish on this!

I’ve gotten started on the no step/walk delimiter lines.

I remember a while back I was complaining about masking canopies and Bruce had made an excellent point about breaking it down into sections and painting it that way. That’s what came to mind when the time came to get going on this part of the project. And that’s what I did, and it’s working very well so Bruce, THANK YOU for laying that advice on me!! I appreciate it bro!!

Bottom first, top next is how I broke it down. I also masked over chips to avoid painting the lines over the silver. One drawback of decals is- if I put them over chips, suddenly the effect doesn’t look real to me on a subtle level. And chipping through decals is a pain. This work is so small, masking the silver works fine. And hey- no issues or frustration with positioning like I have with decals, and no slivering either.

Your really moving on this now, great idea on masking that off.

Thank you, Stewart and Clint!

I just completed the top of the delimiters. All major paintwork is now finished. Well, at least for the airframe anyway undercarriage gear will happen shortly. Here’s how they came out:





Okay, a few things-

I need a break. Knocking all that out over the past week has made me exhausted.

I am NOT going to attempt a salt fade job on this finish. This is the best paintjob I’ve put on a model to-date and frankly I’m terrified of ruining it.

SO, that said- I’m going to coat this with Clear, and leave it alone for two or three days before I affix the tail number decals, and then get after it with the oils for filters and washes. In the meantime I’ll be assembling the undercarriage stuff, and I’ll probably even get cracking on my 1:32 which I’ll log right here in this thread too.

Handiabled wrote:The weathering on this looks perfect! Love the finish on this!

Thanks very much my man!!