Today is an important day. For one thing, I finally got this Boss Hoss primed, and I got some paint on too! Also, this was my first aircraft build where, after priming, there was no middle seam line to speak of, and no fills to do. The CA fill I did the other day worked like a charm and needed no redoing. All the due diligence with paying extra attention when I sealed-up the fuse, along with the extra effort of sanding and polishing that join paid off. With my Emils I don’t have to worry about that, except of course at the nose, but that’s easy. A whole fuselage, that’s a challenge. My last failed Corsair’s was terrible. My Warhawk was terrible. But I got this one right, just by going slow and paying attention.
As to the paint, I began with the grey. Here was my methodology:
1. I deviated from the paint call-out in the instructions for an aircraft with a similar paint scheme as TOJO. Here’s the formula I mixed:
Tamiya XF-19 (Sky Gray): 2 parts
Tamiya XF-55 (Deck Tan): 1 part
Tamiya X-2 (White): 1 part, already heavily thinned
2. I fully divorced myself from the idea of covering the entire surface area which needed grey all in one go. Instead, I focused on small areas. Individual panels, basically. I’d attempted this with my latest Galland Emil, but my approach this time around was more mindful and precise. I began with as tights a mottled spray pattern as I could. And went from one panel to the next to the next to the next, not caring if the panel lines stayed black like the “pre-shading” technique. Once I hit the last one I intended to do, I went back to the beginning, and went after it with a slightly more broad spray pattern. Same deal there, move from one panel to the next... you can see some of this in the photos below.
3. Once I completed the panels I’d set out to do today, I applied the blend coat. Blended panel by panel, and toned down the starkness of the panel lines too.
Below is what I ended up with. I feel that the modulation is much tighter, and conforms more to the dimensions of the individual protuberances and panels of the aircraft instead of basically the whole airframe it’s self.
I am pleased with how this came out.
Also, that trick John told me about where you mask stuff with tissue paper, that’s straight-up money. Masked the gear bays that’s way and had ZERO problems.
No idea how to do that....