Stikpusher's GAABSA Builds -2nd Completed

[speedgraflex]

Good evening, sir! Your F-86 has quickly become my "primer" on how to create metal finishes. Thank you so much for posting back and forth progress photos; these really help understand how the painting color coats are built up by you in relation to each other. The time you spent preparing the plastic for the finish was really helpful, too, giving a good idea how critical surface preparation is. Bravo!!!!!

[Stikpusher]

Thank you Bruce. On metallics, surface prep is critical, as most of those paints, more than any other, show any and every flaw in the surface. After all the mess ups on my part on this, I'm re learning a few things too...

[speedgraflex]

TGIF!

This is such a great thread, Carlos, both for armor and aircraft. How did you make those sharp, clean edges when masking? Do you pull the tape you use soon after painting or do you wait for the curing to complete? Thanks in advance, best wishes.

[Stikpusher]

TGIF!

How did you make those sharp, clean edges when masking? Do you pull the tape you use soon after painting or do you wait for the curing to complete? Thanks in advance, best wishes.

I did both...

On the main colors, I waited until the paint had dried and cured overnite. On the touch ups, quick mask, quick removal immediately afterwards.... on top of the cured base colors.

[Stikpusher]

Just a little progress to report from today... I airbrushed on a coat of Future on the lower surfaces. Aside from making that area glossy for Decals, it did not change the overall look, so no photos of that. I'll do the upper surfaces tomorrow or Sunday...
Then I decided I was going to scan the decals. For this set, it is because I have two more 1/48 F-86s in my stash and it is much easier to add these decals for the area ID stripes than it is to paint them on...



And for this other set that I will be using it is as insurance. The set is old and OOP. They date back to the original release of the kit in the mid 1970s and my friend gave them to me after he used the Joseph McConnel markings that he wanted... I have had them in my stash since Jimmy Carter was president.... yikes!!!

[mustang1989]

You're a better man than me in regards to that NMF. There aint no way I'd even want to attempt that! Great work!!!

[Stikpusher]

You're a better man than me in regards to that NMF. There aint no way I'd even want to attempt that! Great work!!!

Lol! Better? I doubt it... but certainly persistent... it only took Lord knows how many attempts over the past six years to get to this point. It's not perfect, but I'm gonna have to settle for "good enough".... And thank you

[Stikpusher]

Today's updates: first up the Sabre. First up this morning was an airbrushed on coat of Future onto the upper surfaces. But since that did nothing really to change the appearance aside from make it glossy for decals, so no photos of that... But since the bottom had been Futured two days ago, I knew that was ready, so I applied the main markings to the lower wings. ID stripes and national Insignia/USAF... as well as a couple of black stripes from my decal bin for some maintenance markings on the lower rear fuselage.



but of course, there is a problem... the ID marking decals were not scaled for this kit. Most likely they were measured for the Hasegawa or Academy kits....



nothing that I can not correct by a touch up of paint. Hopefully my yellow will match. Notes to self, next F-86 build, I will paint them instead. I took measurements. 2nd note, leave off the drop tank pylons until after the decals are applied.

[Stikpusher]

And Update #2... I applied a wash of Burnt Umber oil paint to my quad .50





it's kind of hard to see in these photos, but it's there.

[mustang1989]

Your patience and persistence is paying off Carlos. Lookin' good so far bud.