SPA Modeler

I have a pair of those. Mine are slightly cheaper quality. But still good. They have 1.5x mag standard, a flip down that takes it to 3x, and then a little scope that takes it up to 10x.
Seeing the part isnt so much the issue, its getting the paint to go where i want.
Ill try the pushing technique and see how i go.

KSaarni wrote:I have also been thinking to get these kind of magnifiers, but I have not come so far that I would have started to investigate what's avaible and good. I bought some years ago some cheap magnifier "things", that were very light. The construction as such was "ok", but the quality of the magnifier (plastic) was very poor. So even if the lenses magnfied pretty well, the quality was very bad and did not help at all.

What brand are these ? They look pretty sturdy
Can those lenses be changed between different strenghts ?

- Kari

The one I've been using is the Carson Pro Magnivisor and it works very well. It's an open visor setup so it does not cut off your peripheral vision, which is why I chose this instead of the Donegan Optivisor, another popular choice. It comes with four magnifiers (1.5x, 2x, 2.5x, 3x high quality acrylic lenses). The included light attachment is pretty weak and not very useful, in my experience. The only other niggling thing is that the visor gradually slips from the up to down position, even though I've tightened the attachment. But that aside, this thing is constantly on my head and I find it invaluable.

Thanks John, very much appreciated, good review!

I took a look at Amazon.de and indeed, precisely same Carson model is available with a good price.
I also read a number of reviews, which practically were just positive.

I guess I will not need to look further.. :-)


- Kari

Hey guys. It's been an eventful week for us. And not in the positive sense. Loss is never easy but you just try to pick up the pieces as best you can and move forward. Because of all of things going on, modeling time has understandably been cut short but I did manage to do a little work on the Komet when small windows of opportunity opened.

This is my first attempt at fashioning harnesses using the buckle hardware from the Aires cockpit set and strips of foil cut from a wine bottle.



After the seatbelts were completed, I started painting the cockpit components. Here's the painted seat placed in the cockpit. I brush painted the straps and due to the paint not being cooperative, I lost some of the stitch detail that I had impressed upon the belts.


I thought it would look better if I painted the belts before mounting using an airbrush so I gave it another go. The stitch detail was from an old RB Productions cockpit set. The PE sprue has a corner that was fashioned like a mini-rivet wheel and when pressed into the foil, a small row of holes is formed to replicate a row of stitches. Luckily, I had save that little tool.



The cockpit sidewalls have been painted.


Here is a look at the painted cockpit without the seat in place. The overall cockpit was painted RLM 66 Dark Grey (Mr Hobby Aqueous). To impart some contrast, the fuel tanks, which form the walls of the cockpit tub, were painted in Tamiya Nato Black. After painting, the cockpit was weathered slightly by dry-brushing around the edges and some dry pastels along the floor.






The seat is in the process of being chipped. Once that is done, I'll mount the seat belts. That's all for now!

The white control stick with black handle stands out to me. I was able to find what appears to be a light grey version but in the Cosford and US survivor versions the flight sticks are grey with black grips. So what was your basis for this choice?


Light grey control stick w/light grey handle


Grey stick

speedgraflex wrote:The white control stick with black handle stands out to me. I was able to find what appears to be a light grey version but in the Cosford and US survivor versions the flight sticks are grey with black grips. So what was your basis for this choice?

Artistic license, I suppose. Just to introduce a little bit of contrast within the cockpit as seen through the canopy. I do that with the foot pedals as well, although the subsequent weathering has toned that down.

Here's version 2 of the seat belts. The stitching detail came out better but there are less wrinkles in the harnesses that I liked with the first effort. A little bit too clean and smooth too... I'll try to smudge them up a bit.


Like many cramped Luftwaffe cockpits, many of the details get hidden by the fuselage.

Sweet!

Holy malony John!

Those scratch built belts look much better than any AM ! Very good looking work, both structure and the paintwork.

And of course the cockpit is, as Carlos already said above; sweet !

- Kari

So much detail packed into that little pit! I'm loving this