SPA Modeler

Hello everybody!

I'm in with the recce version of the famous Schwalbe (Swallow). This is going to be a relaxed build with limited AMS-syndroms. The only permitted extras are resin slippers from Eduard and Maketar masks for swastika and Balkenkreuze. The great Kagero book with its detailed 3D drawing compelles me to add some scratch work like wiring. We'll see...

My workbench this afternoon


Progress made so far

I'm not sure in this scale, but in 1/32 the hydraulic lines in the wheel bays under the pit scream out for being scratched together. I am looking forward to seeing this one come together with your very talented touches!

Well done till now mostrich, I like the IP wiring.
Interesting solution of the kit to avoid tail sitting

Yeah, the die cast front gear bay is a smart idea they lent from Tamiya. But still prefer good copies over worse own creations, though.

Small and creeping progress this weekend. Added some belts for safety reasons, primed the whole CP assembly and hand paintet the IP. Not at all my favourite part of our hobby. Next time I'll go again with Eduard's colored PE, no matter how far their RLM66 is off.
My conclusion for the future: Extensive CP detail work in 1/48 only pays off when canopy is opened or the plane's a flying glasshouse. Non is the case, so I lacked a bit motivation here...



In the next days I'll shoot some Alclad through my airbrush for the first time. Anticipation!

Real nice

Handpainted CP, huh? Show off! That is really nice. How did you manage that?

From a completely raw rookie with Alclad - I found it to go on pretty much without drama. Good stuff.

JimD wrote:Wow man that looks good! The IP is ace...and to be hand painted? Even better.

Good luck with the Alclad. If you have any questions about it let us know.

Thanks, Jim. There is indeed a question in advance of practice: How do you clean your airbrush after using Alclad? Odourless thinner?

LyleW wrote:Handpainted CP, huh? Show off! That is really nice. How did you manage that?

For the instrument frames I use the drybrush technique (very dry, not more than a few pigments on the brush) with a small and flat brush. I prefer a brush with smooth synthetic hair.
After that I fill the dials with oil paint. No steady hand needed here, because every squalidness can be erased with a little drop of lighter gas on a brush (the flat one mentioned above should again be used for cleaning the frames). You see, a bit of cheating is involved...

For an IP painted in that scale it looks awesome!