SPA Modeler

Looking really good Kenny

I appreciate the kind word, Floki. I guess I'll be starting the light blue today, and we'll see where she goes.

I find it interesting that you are doing this with the darker topside colors first, and then switching to the lighter underside colors.

I couldn’t tell you why I’m doing it that way either

…but bro, considering I start on black primer and paint lighter and lighter over that, I guess it isn’t all that far-fetched now that I think about it.

Oh yeah, I get that part. There’s more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. Whatever works is good.

It would probably serve me well to read more about how these aircraft were handled in the field. What camo they began their careers wearing, and how it evolved into what we see in later photos and illustrations by way of field-applied modifications.

The extant photos of the subject don't tell me too much. Which is awesome for me because I love the illustration of the aircraft and have been using it as my primary reference, and for inspiration:



It could actually be very truthfully said of me that I intentionally look for any subject which leaves a lot of wiggle room open for interpretation ... Anyway, back to point. I think what's happened in the case of "Black 1" is- it began its life with the modified splinter camo scheme, with a very low demarcation line between the splinter camo and the light blue, and later on the light blue was painted over a lot of the splinter camo on the fuselage sides, and then the mottling was added. And so when I painted the topside of the fuselage, I intentionally left the demarcation on the section aft of the cockpit diffused. So when I go over that part with the light blue, I can blend the two together and then mottle with the Schwarzgrun where needed. I think this'll look the goods but as per usual- I haven't tried it on a paint mule, because another thing that can be said of me is that I have a difficult time learning from past failures

Agreed Ken, it's a very interesting paint scheme that obviously evolved a lot in the field. Looking forward to seeing the undersides done!

Inching along deliberately and with great determination.

Missed a spot!

Nice work moving this along.