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STEP - BY - STEP ASSEMBLING, PAINTING & WEATHERING
200 FULL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
DLP NBTrobably one of the most
teresting fields in
modeling for the creation of
complicated paint schemes is that
represented by WWI aircraft. In the
following project, using the
Albatros D.V by Eduard as a base,
we will develop a paint scheme that
imitates a finish common to planes
of this era, the "wood effect”.
THE MODEL
The kit by Eduard consists of 49
parts molded in high-quality gray
plastic. Moreover, the model is
complemented by an excellent photo-
etched sheet containing all of the
most delicate elements of the model,
The decal sheet provides us with
wwo possible versions from two
different Albatros airplanes piloted
by Von Richthofen. The decals are
of excellent quality, and are easy to
apply.
THE COCKPIT
Inside the fuselage halves we find
the plane's interior frames present
as delicate raised detail.The interior structures were
outlined in dark brown. painted brown.
In order to achieve a realistic effect and take
advantage of these raised details, we proceed in the
following fashion. Firstly, we apply a coat of wood color
as.a base for our work. The color was obtained from the
following mixture of Tamiya acrylics: XF3-65% + XE7-
5% +XF10-20% + XF2-10%. After applying the base
coat and allowing the paint to dry, we outline the frame
lines using a brush and the acrylic color Burnt Umber
from Prince August. In this way we achieve a good
depth effect. Next we paint the raised parts of the
frames using Beige Brown, darkened slightly with
Burnt Umber. It is necessary to use a fine-tipped brush,
but one that nevertheless can hold a good amount of
paint (for example the Ne2 Kolinski brush from
Davinci is ideal). To create the effect of wood lines, we
use the last brush with Beige Brown for the dark lines
and Desert Sand for the lighter ones. With these two
tones, a very realistic contrast is created. A coat of satin
varnish finishes the inside of the cockpit.
We paint the floor, the seat support frame and the
rear wall using the same procedures. We use black for
the seat and apply soft light effects with the airbrush to
obtain weathering effects. The seat belts and the photo-
etched pieces are painted with a brush.
BEFORE CLOSING THE FUSELAGE
Before closing the fuselage we unite the main parts
of the engine and fit them together (parts 30, 31, 32).
‘We paint these flat black and lightly apply flac
Next the interior structures were
Some of the cockpit photo-
etched parts were glued before
the painting process.
To begin the painting process,
we applied a first coat of wood
color.
Finally, the wood lines were
applied using a fine brush.
All the painted elements were tested prior to
fuselage assembly.‘The model just prior to
masking.
aluminum with a dry brush, We
glue the engine in place and close
the fuselage.
WINGS FIT
The lower wing and tail wings
fit into place without problems,
although a small amount of putty is
needed for the joins. The upper
wing is prepared and painted
separately in order to be put in
place at the end of the process. The
landing gear frames are glued before
The landing gear was glued with cyano to achieve After the masking process, we painted the metallic
a solid fit.
the painting process using cyano to
obtain a solid hold.
A TOOL FOR PAINTING
To create a realistic wood effect, we
build a simple, easy-to-use tool in
order to avoid complicated brush
techniques, often reserved to expert
modelers. We begin by measuring the
fuselage panel, larger than that of the
Albatros DV. Using a piece of
plasticard 2mm thick, we cut a piece
in the shape of a "U" with a wide base,
which should be somewhat larger than
the length of the largest panel to paint
Next we cut pieces of copper wire
of about 0.2mm in diameter.
panel first.
To begin the fuselage painting process, we first applied wood color
as a base coat.The homemade painting tool was built using
simple elements,
To paint the lower part of the panel, we
placed the tool again,
To begin the fuselage painting process, we
masked the panels with Tamiya masking tape.
After airbrushing, the wood effect is clearly
visible.
After airbrushing, the panel is finished.
All the wood efect on the
fuselage, is achieved using the
same technique.
Cable insulator and stretched
plastic rod, were the simple
elements used to rig the model,
19The laminated effect on the
propeller, was painted using
versatility of these paints
allows for very fine detail
work.
The radiator on the upper
wing and other photo-etched
parts were attached after the
painting process.
Alll the decals were cut
out eliminating the
transparent film,
Micro sol solution
were used to achieve
an real effect. The
ailerons actuators were
from the photo-etched
sheet.Approximately 12 should be
enough. Using cyano glue, we
attach these to the plasticard "U",
parallel co the base and spaced Imm
apart. Finally, with the tips of a pair
of tweezers, we randomly bend the
res creating slight waves. The tool
is now ready to be used.
PAINTING THE MODEL
‘After masking the engine and
cockpit, we apply a base coat over
the fuselage, using the same mixture
that was used for the inside. After
waiting for this to dry, we use our
new painting tool.
We isolate one of the panels
using Tamiya masking tape and
stick the tool on top of the panel
with two strips of the same tape.
Since the wires are fastened to
plasticard, we can adapt the tool to
the shape of the fuselage. Next,
1g the slightly darkened base
color, we airbrush over the wires.
The round shape of the copper wire
will create soft edges and at the
same time the waviness of the wires
will create an effect similar to wood
lines.
By simply changing the angle of
airbrushing with respect to the tool,
we get different lines. By rorating
the tool or turning it over we
achieve different effects, so that the
wood drawing is never the same.
Also, we can. always change the
waves in the wires to make sure that
the same effect is not repeated.
‘Afier painting the entire panel,
we take away the tool, cover the
panel with masking tape and repeat
the process with the rest of the
panels.
One the work with the fuselage
is finished, we completely mask this
part and paint the wail unit and
lower wing red. To hig
three-dimensional effect of the wing
ribs, we use a strip of masking tapeand airbrush a fine line with the
base color slightly lightened with
orange. We thus create a soft light
effect that highlights the raised
detail
UPPER WING FIT
After painting the upper wing,
we use the same technique for the
lower one. We then fit the wing,
This is the most delicate step in a
biplane aircraft. To facilitate this
job, we do the following: we solidly
glue the support frames in place,
first on the lower wing using cyano.
Afier allowing the glue to dry for a
few minutes, we dry fit the upper
wing, withour using glue, in order
to check its placement before
proceeding. After correcting the
frames’ position and bringing them
22
as close as possible to the joining
points of che upper wing, we fil he
fitting holes on the upper wing with
cyano gel, since this glue dries more
slowly and allows adjustments to be
made, Finally, we place the wing on
top of the frames, guiding these
with a pair of tweezers towards the
fitting holes to reach the final
position.
RIGGING THE MODEL
To tig the model we use plastic
wire made from stretched plastic
rods. Using plastic from metallic
gray injected plastic kits we can get
wires that are very similar to metal
wires. Iv is easy to find these kit erees
in some kits by Revell. To fit the rigs
we use a 0.4mm drill bit to create
small holes which will be used as
fitting points. On cach end a small
section of 0.3mm black cable
insulator is placed which, in
addition to improving the rig
support, perfectly simulates the rig
attachment. The glue we used
throughout was cyano gel.
FINISHING THE MODEL
The engine parts, exha
propeller and wheels are painted
separately and fitted at the end of
the process. The — propeller
laminated effect is created by
painting a base coat of wood color
and brushing on acrylics, thus
creating the different shades of the
wood. Prince August acrylic paints
are diluted with water and make it
possible to retouch the colors
without leaving build up marks.All the model were varnish using
an mixture of satin-matt varnish to
achieve the natural wood finish.
Ec
The tail controls were detailed using
delicate photo-etched parts and stretched
plastic rod for the wires.fhe Henschel 129 by
Hasegawa is a well-cast
gray plastic model
composed of 73 parts and 2 clear
parts. Especially attractive is the
model's magnificent reproduction
of the Gnéme Rhéne engines, We
use a Verlinden super details set and
an Eagle Cals decal sheet to enhance
the model.
THE COCKPIT
To derail the cockpit, we use a
mixture of parts from the box and
the Verlinden detail set. The cockpit
tub is by Hasegawa; the seat and its
armor, the control column, and the
auxiliary pedals and levers are from
the Verlinden kit.
We begin by improving the
cockpit tub, For this task we cover
the cockpit floor using a 0.1mm
plasticard sheet. In this way we
climinate the imperfections of the
floor. We add electric lines in the
cockpit tub sides using 0.1 and
0.2mm copper wire, as well as small
rectangular pieces of plasticard to
simulate the placards. To glue these
elements in place, we use cyano for
the electric lines and resin parts, and
Micro Weld for the plasticard
sheets.
After detailing the different
elements in the cockpit we check to
see that the additional resin parts fit
correctly. We then begin to paint
the cockpit. As was common for
German airplanes of this era, we
begin by applying a base coat of
gray RLM 66 (Tamiya XF1-60% +
XF20-40%) on the cockpit tub and
the resin parts. Personally I believe
that it is more interesting to paint
all of the small pieces separately,
and so achieve a very effective paint
job. If these parts were fit in place
prior to painting, it would be much
more difficult to access certain
sections. ‘To handle these parts we
can plasticard rods with
adhesive tape on one of the ends
(see Aircraft Modelling Vol 1).
After waiting at least one hour
for the base coat to dry, we apply
light and shadow effects using the
airbrush. As usual, for the entire
process of detailing we use Prince
August acrylics.
The seat belts are reproduced in
the resin as raised detail. The
corresponding section berween the
seat and the seat
reproduced with two pieces of lead
foil
armor isThe cockpit tub with the new floor
and other details. Simply elements
were used to improve the cockpit,
plastic sheet, copper wire and
aluminum sheet.
Final fitting of the
cockpit elements, the
cockpit interior was
painted and softly
shaded with flat
black,it was then
softly highlighted
using the base colour
mixed with light gray.
FINISHING THE INTERIOR
WORK
Before closing the fuselage we
prepare the radio, which will be
visible from the outside. To detail
this part we use the resin part N17
from the Verlinden kit. To place the
radio gear correctly inside the
fuselage we must make a support
using 0.4mm_plasticard sheet,
which we adapt until we achieve a
good fit. We then add the gear
electric cables, which will be seen
from the outside, thus enhancing
realism. To pa
¢ these elements we
use the same procedure used for the
cockpit.
To increase detailing, we open
the wing fuel fillers which the open
The cockpit
side walls were
improved with
resin parts,
copper wires
and plasticard
details.
All the cockpit
elements were tested
prior to painting.
‘After the painting process, we
attached all the cockpit
elements.
engine cowl will have, We use a
Imm dell bie to make an initial
opening. We then use a round file
to open up the hole until it reaches
the required diameter. To create an
illusion of depth we lessen the
thickness of the plastic on the inside
of the wing using a scarpel blade
Ne15. To simulate the fuel tank we
make two rings out of plasticardThe radio gear support was
made from plasticard, and the
electric wires from 0,2mm
copper wire.
Plasticard rings were made to
detail the fuel tank caps.
Model Master thinner and
Marabu varnish are excellent for
the paint finish,
(yellow-colored plasticard is used to
facilitate the —_ photographic
process). We glue the largest inside
the wing with cyano and the smaller
‘one on top of the last on the outside
of the wing. In this way we create a
realistic interior tank effect which
will be visible through the openings
made in the wing
After airbrushing, all the details
were painted using a brush and
acrylic paints.
The fuel tank caps
were drilled out to
provide a more
realistic effect.
‘The fuel tank rings were glued onto the inner side of the
wing.
FUSELAGE FIT & ENGINE
The final assembly of the
fuselage is quite clean. Wings,
engine cowls and tail wings are all
fit without problems and without
using any putty. To sand the joins
we use 1000-grain sandpaper. Once
the left engine cowl is assembled we
proceed to the fitting of the engine
support frame (Resin Ne18). Since
its fit is quite delicate, itis better to
cut Imm ahead of the natural
attachment point and later adjust as
needed until the optimum point is
reached,
After cleaning the resin parts
that make up the cylinders and‘On the nose, the white base
color was weathered with soft
brown and gray shadows.
‘The clear windshield was
polished using Tamiya
Compound.
‘The engine exhausts were
painted first in flat aluminum,
then sprayed a very diluted
mixture of brown and black.
attaching them to the central
jine part, we paint the entire
block
flat aluminum enamel paint
from Tamiya,
A very realistic effect could be
achieved by diluting the aluminum
color and using a stiff flac brush
NOS, letting the brush dry until it
has practically no paint.
The delicate elements that finish
off the engine - admission ducts
and exha s and push rods -
are painted and fit in place after
painting the main parts,
PAINTING THE MODEL
We follow the Eagle Cals
sheet instruction to paint our
model. The chosen version is
the "Blue A", belonging to
(P2) Sch.G2 Lil
‘The paint scheme is
65 Hellblau— on
underside. The topside is
RLM 79 Sandgelb II with
RLM 80 Olivgriin mottling,
For this scheme Gunze paints
are used,
by painting the
underside of the model in the
blue tone. After waiting sometime for the paint to dry, soft
shadows are applied over the panel
lines using the base color mixed
with medium gray. Later the inside
spaces of the ed using
the base color slightly lightened
with white to produce a soft
weathering effect.
After masking the underside, we
apply a sand color to the ropside,
using the same weathering
procedure for the upper part, but
adapting the shades used to the
sand color. For the green mottling
we increase the compressor pressure
from 1.0 bar to 1.3 bar. With this
slight increase in pressure the paint
is dispersed less, and less paint
nels are
The chipped paint effect on the
wing access was achieved with
‘Tamiya flat aluminum enamel,
then all the "chips" were washed
with the base color.
dropping effect around the spots is
seen, producing a more satisfactory
scale effect.
Ifthe motiling were to be smaller
and with a certain see-through
effect, we would have used a mixture
of T
alcohol, such as in the Komet paint
scheme, since the thinning achieved
with the Tamiya pigments is greater.
paints thinned with
Using the airbrush, we applied soft streaks over the wings to simulate
the engine exhaust stains.
In this case less thinning is required
and the Gunze acrylic range of
colors is more than adequate
After painting the white trim on
|, the entire model receives a
of Marabu Satin varnish
dissolved in Model Master Airbursh
Thinner. The effect of this mixture
produces a satin finish ideal for
affixing the decals
Finally we panel the model using
a black 2b lead pencil for the
topside and a brown lead for the
underside combined with black for
the access panels. Now the model
will receive the decals, which have
the
All the decals were placed using Micro Sol solution and a soft brush.been cut out previously.
them
Finally
varnish, but
satin varnish with 60% matte
varnish and Model Master Thinner
for the final finish.
glue
place we use Micro Sol.
time we mix 40%
THE LANDING GEAR
The landing gear is greatl
detailed. We only add the hydraulic
line, which we make out of 0.2mm
copper The wheels
supplied in two halves and v
load effect. In order to glue the
wheels I prefer to use cyano liquid,
wire.
since this glue acts as adhesive and
putty at the same time. Its short dry
time allows sanding and painting to
be carried out without great delay.
THE ENGINE EXHAUST AND.
THE GUN BARREL
To achieve a realistic effect in the
exhausts, we paint these using flat
aluminum enamel from Tamiya.
After a few minutes for drying we
apply light coats of Tamiya XF10
Flat Brown thinned with pure
alcohol (20% paint + 80% alcohol)
in order to achieve a transpare
rusty effect which we can intensi
with each coat of thinned brown
that we add. To improve and
increase the rusty effect we apply
black diluted in the same way to
some areas on top of the brown,
accentuating this effect on the
exhaust.
The cannon
of flat blac
a dry brush using the same
procedure used for the engine.
cut down on shine a
process, we use highly diluted flat
black like on the exhausts. By
highlighting its app!
raised parts, we achieve a truly
beautiful and realistic effect.
ion on‘The white band on the tail, was
painted first and protected with
The radio gear is clearly visible
throught the radio gear access hatch.Me 163B KOMET
'n our next project we will build
T Me 163, using the Aires
uuper detail set ref. 4088 and
the Aeromaster decal sheet ref48-
335 to improve the model and
achieve an excellent final finish, We
will also add some scratch-built
elements to improve the model even
further.
‘THE MODEL
Revell presents the Me 16
molded in gray plastic with finel
engraved panel lines. The model
consists of 68 parts and 4 clear
pars.
The Aires super detail set
consists of 17 superbly-cast resin
parts and an extraordinarily
detailed, complete photo etched
sheet for the most delicate elements,
CUTTING FOR DETAILING
The first step in the model's
construction involves cutting the
parts of the fuselage which will hold
and a fine rectangular file are used
to reveal the panels covering the
guns as well as the ammo tray panel.
‘The small rear side windows are
included in a single transparent
part. In order to achieve a more
reali
these and glue the remaining part in
The windows
appearance, we eliminate
the upper fusel
will be rebuilt using a clear plastic
sheet and glued in pface in the final
stage of the process.The upper half of the fuselage with the resin part
attached and the gun bays open.
‘THE COCKPIT
‘The resin part Ne 1 from the Aires kit is superbly
cast in resin and displays the majority of cockpit
‘components, except for the control levers and seat. Its
placement inside the fuselage requires a few small
adjustments which we make using a rectangular file.
‘We use an airbrush to apply the base color of the
cockpit and obtain three-dimensional effects,
Drybrushing is avoided since this might clog the
delicate details molded in the res
‘We first apply a base coat of the original color RLM
66 Schwarzgrau. The paint used is a mixture of Tamiya
‘The landing gear bay was improved with some new elements. This part was painted and weathered before
the fuselage painting process.
Prior adjustment of the resin cockpit tub on the
lower fuselage half.
The main instrument panel was detailed using
photo-etched and film parts.
Final dry fitting of all components before
‘commencing the painting process.
acrylics in a proportion of XF1-60% + XF20-40%.
‘After allowing the base coat to dry for about one hour,
we next create various effects of shading and depth. We
apply the base color mixed with black in recessed areas
for shading, and later create light effects by mixing the
same color with a small proportion of white. These
31. Cockpit and gun components built and painted
in subassemblies. The small details were brush-
painted using acrylic colors.
2-3-4, Three different views of the completed
cockpit tub. The electric lines were from
0.2-0.3mm copper wire. Shadow and light effects
were created using the airbrush.
5. Wing details were improved
plastic profile sections.
6-7. The model just prior to painting showing all
the interior elements. After assembly, we refilled
the fuselage and wing joint with plasticard sheet.
EvergreenAfter carefully masking the cockpit, gun bays and
the landing gear bay, the model is ready for the
painting process.
To achieve an operative effect, we applied soft
shadows over the access and panel lines.
mixtures are obtained by diluting the paint with pure
alcohol in the proportion of 20% paint and 80%
alcohol, with air pressure of no more than 1 bar. All of
the small details are painted using Prince August acrylic
colors and a brush.
Once the inner cockpit painting process is finished,
we can add the remaining components: control pedals,
the instrument panel, etc. All of these elements are
included in the photo-etched sheet. To glue and paint
them we use cyano glue and acrylics.
THE LANDING GEAR BAY
The landing gear bay consists of 3 parts, E2 as the
bottom of the bay and FI & F2 as the side walls. A
problem arises when we insert this set into the lower
fuselage, as the fit is not good.
To solve «
Evergreen pla
problem we make use of ewo fine
strips, glued with liquid Micro Weld
cement. After waiting for these pieces to dry, we
retouch the joins using sandpaper.
FUSELAGE AND WINGS FITTING
Once the cockpit is finished, we close the two
fuselage halves with cyano glue. This type of glue is
highly useful since it seals the small joins, acting as
‘We began to paint the fuselage. As a result, we
would later be able to handle the model by
gripping its wings.
‘To begin the mottling process, we applied the
green color first.
putty. The joins of the fuselage and wings show a gap of
approximately 1 mm on the upper side. To fill this gap
‘we use a sheet of plasticard of an approximate thickness,
using cyano once again to glue it in place. Finally, we
file all of the joins using fine grained sand paper.Over the wing roots, the surface was weathered
with the base color lightened to replicate wear.
PREPARING FOR PAINTING
Before painting the model we carefully mask all of
the pre-painted parts with Tamiya masking tape.
Finally, we clean the entire model with a small cotton
ball dipped in alcohol, in order to eliminate any trace of
dire or dust.
PAINTING THE MODEL
We begin the painting process by applying the blue
base coat Lichtblau RLM 76 (Mixture of Tamiya colors
in the proportion XF19-55% + XF23-30% + XF2-15%)
over the fuselage, leaving the wings free. As a result, we
will be able to hold the model while we carry out the
delicate process of painting the mottled pattern. After
allowing blue base coat to dry, we add slight weathering
‘The canopy was polished with Tamiya Compound
to achieve a realistic glossy appearance.
effects, consisting of darkening the base coat by adding a
small amount of dark gray to the base color and
airbrushing over the panel lines. Next, after lightening
the base color slightly with white, we apply small
contrasts in the center areas of the panels. In this manner,
we obtain a smooth range of shades over the base coat
which accentuate the weathered effect. After that, we
apply the green color Hellgriin RLM 82 (XF27-60% +
XF26-40%), highly thinned with alcohol in order to
obtain the finest pigment possible. ‘The air pressure
should be approximately 1.2 bar for a Badger 150
airbrush. Having applied the green shade, we use the
same technique to apply the brown color Braunviolett
RLM 81( XF27-50%+XF10-40%+XF1-10%) A very
thinned application of these colors achieves a soft effect
of transparency over the mottling.
LANDING GEAR FIT
For the main landing gear, the instructions propose
a sub-assembly of the landing gear mechanism in order
to insert it later and rotate it into its final position with
the help of tweezers. In practice, this procedure is not
suitable, since the mechanism (parts A25-A35, A27-
‘A28, A25-A26), once painted, includes very delicate
pieces that need small adjustments.
In order to glue the landing gear parts together
correctly, we begin by assembling all of the pieces
separately. It is necessary to cut 0.5 mm off of the fixing
points, since these are too long to start out with. Once
ive get a good fit, we paint all of the pieces separately
and then glue them in place using cyano.On the lower part, the blue base color was weathered with
soft brown and gray shadows.
All the model was panelled using brown
and black leads.
The crosses on the wings were painted using the
airbrush and masking process.
Under the wings, the weathered effects were
applied in a more severe manner.
ee
FINAL ASSEMBLY
All of the small, fragile, easily-damaged details are
lefi to be put together at the end of the process. The
canopy is polished with Tamiya Compound to achieve
greater transpare
The Aires detailing set contains
small details in the photo-etched sheet which
The wheels were painted in black and lightly enhance the model's realistic look: antennas, canopy
airbrushed with dark brown to holder, nose generator propeller, etc. All of these
achieve a realistic effect. elements are first painted and then glued into place.All the model was panelled using brown
and black leads.
‘The crosses on the wings were painted using the
airbrush and masking process.
Under the wings, the weathered effects were
applied in a more severe manner.
The wheels were painted in black and lightly
airbrushed with dark brown to
achieve a realistic effect.
On the lower part, the blue base color was weathered with
soft brown and gray shadows.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
All of the small, fragile, easily-damaged details are
lefé to be put together at the end of the process. The
canopy is polished with Tamiya Compound to achieve
greater transparency. The Aires detailing set contains
many small details in the phoro-etched sheet which
enhance the model's realistic look: antennas, canopy
holder, nose generator propeller, etc. All of these
elements are first painted and then glued into place.( Gallery ;
ooo000 F-4B PHANTOM II
Fs ape ete.The auxiliary electric generator was entirely
scratch built.
masking and airbrush process. The
on the stabilators were worked with
to achieve the heat effects.
‘The landing gear bays, the interior of the
and spoilers were scratch built detailed.POLIKARPOV U-2
th a straightforward
assembly and a good
wel of detailing, the
Polikarpov from Gavia is a great
model for trying out a highly
weathered winter paint scheme, To
get the most realistic result possible,
we will follow a painting process
r to the real process. The
model contains 50 parts molded in
good-quality gray plastic and
includes a photo-etched sheet
containing a high level of detailing
which will allow us to focus our
attention on the painting process.
INSIDE THE MODEL
The cockpit side walls contain
raised detail showing the aircraft's
internal frame. Using cyano, we
glue on all of the photo-etched
pieces representing control levers
and the map case. We use small 1
mm rectangular profile sections
from Evergreen to facilitate the fit
of the cockpit floor, since its
position is not very well-defined. As
this cockpit has many very delicate
photo-etched elements, we will use
only airbrushing to paint it. We
begin by airbrushing a base coat of
Tamiya gray XFI9, and then
achieve different contrasts using the
method of lightening and
darkening the base coat,
To increase the illusion of depth, we
outline the internal frames using
black 2b pencil. We then varnish
the interior with matt varnish to
reduce the pencil lead shine, thus
increasing the contrast.
The instrument panel consists of
photo-etched parts and film. We
paint the background of the
instruments on the back side of the
film using white and small couches
of red on some dials. The seat belts
are included as photo-etched parts.
We first adapt them to the seats and
then paint them with a brush,
FUSELAGE AND WINGS
We close the fuselage, first
checking to see that all of the
elements inside the cockpit fit
correctly, since this Gavia model
lacks fitting points on the fuselage.
We use liquid Micro Weld cement.The cockpit side walls
were painted first, using
the airbrush light and
shadow technique. Then,
very carefully, we paint
the small elements using a
All the cockpit parts were attached with cyano.
The seat belts were from the photo-etched sheet
provided in the kit.
The engine cylinders were
prepared to be painted
separately.
Though it dries quite slowly, it will
allow us to readjust the final
position of the halves.
The assembly of the lower wing also
requires special attention, since its
All the delicate photo-etched
parts were attached first. White
plastic sections improve the
cockpit floor fitting.
Once the cockpit floor was completed,
additional brush paint placards were
added to the side walls.
Final dry fitting
of the cockpit
elements. The
main instrument
panels were
from the
photo-etched
sheet.
fuselage fitting points are short and
fragile. We cut these off and in their
place drill holes using a 1.5 mm
drill bit. Later we insert 4mm-long
pieces of copper wire of the same
Using
Evergreen
rod, we
reconstructed
the engine
exhaust.
thickness as the drill bit. In the
fuselage, we enlarge the holes using
the same drill bit. With these new
points the wing fir will be much
more solid and reliable.To begin the
To test the painting _ painting process,
Process, we can use we applied the
a separated part green color as a
such as the rudder, base coat.
> 4
The masks were
placed to preserve
the green col
|
i os
After waiting some The brown stains
time for the paint __were reproduced iw
to dry, we began to. with highly diluted
wear down the brown, applied {
rudder surfaces to through ;
obtain a weathered airbrushing.
effect.
Very fine grain
sandpaper was used
for the weathering
process.
‘WINTER PAINTING harsh climatic conditions, the white
color degrades rapidly, letting the
green base color show through.
We first apply the green color using
Topside Green 9073 from
Aeromaster. We let this color dry
for at least 6 hours in order to make
sure it hardens completely. Over the
areas where the decals will be
placed, we stick on maskings of
approximately the same shape, thus
preserving the green base color.
Next we apply a coat of white XF2
The chosen version is a U-2
Normandie Niemen 1943-44 type
aircraft. Originally, the aircraft was
painted in two colors: green on the
upper surfaces and light blue on the
undersides. In order to operate in
snowy regions the aircraft was
repainted, probably by ground
personnel who used white paint
over the original green. It is for this
reason that, after continued use in
Using the
decals as a
pattern, we
made the
masks.
The rudder is ready
for the weathering
process.
Using a fine pointed brush with
alcohol, we retouch the star edges
to obtain the weathered
appaerance.
from Tamiya which we allow to dry
for only half an hour so that it docs
not completely harden.
Concentrating on the areas that are
most exposed to wear and tear, such
as leading edges, ribs and edges, we
use 1000-grain sandpaper to sand
these areas lightly, without applying,
too much pressure, until we sce the
green base color appear. We thus
remove the white paint according to
the degree of weathering we desire.
Through this method, we canAll the decals were cut out, eliminating the
transparent film. The paint edges around the
decals were softened with a brush.
The exhaust stains were reproduced with very
diluted acrylic paints. First we applied the brown,
and then touched up the brown with black.achieve results ranging from
allowing the base color to show
through completely, to diminishing
the white color only slightly and
letting only a hint of the base color
show through, thus producing a
very realistic weathered effects.
We take away the maskings to
reveal the areas where the decals
will be placed. ‘To create a soft edge
All the rigs were made using
metallic grey stretched plastic
rod. The rig attachments were
made from fine cable insulator.
we use a brush slightly moistened
in alcohol and gently brush over the
line where the two colors mect to
mix the two. To complete the
weathering effect we create small
chips in the white paint using the
same mixture of acrylics used
in the green base color, This
complimentary technique is ideal
for use in areas such as the screws in
the engine cowl, since if they were
sanded, the model's gray plastic
could easily appear.To obtain a complementary weathered effect, we
applied soft streaks over the tail section controls.
‘We paint the underside of the model with the acrylic
Light Blue 9074 from Aeromaster, weathering
various areas with brown and black tones to simulate
mechanical weathering. All of these effects are
created using an airbrush. We also use a black pencil
to mark the engraved panel lines.
‘We varnish the model with satin varnish and put the
decals in place. Finally, we apply a new coat of satin
varnish-matte for the final finish.
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
After painting the upper
ng using the same
technique, we glue the interplane support frames in
place. No problems are found with the outer
frames(Parts 40-41), but the central ones (38-39)
are too short and we need to construct new ones.
For this purpose we use rectangular profile from
Evergreen which we shape using a rectangular file
and sandpaper. The new frames are glued into place
with cyano gel.
We rig up the model using stretched plastic and a
0.1 mm cable insulator in order to improve the
attachment points of the rigs and, at the same time,
simulate the rig attach
The motor is superbly detailed. The cylinders are
painted separate
‘The ignition wires are created with 1 mm copper
wires, and the push rods are made using stretched
plastic rods approximately 0.2 mm in diameter.
nd are later glued to the engine.
4lDOUGLAS
DAUNTLESS SBD-5
fhe Dauntless from Accurate
is an ideal kit to assemble
straight from the box, due
10
s superb detailing. As a result,
and by applying various painting
techniques, we can achieve a highly
Molded in gray plastic, the kit
contains the parts required for super
detailing without the need for extra
pieces. For example, the cockpit is
‘composed of 35 parts and includes
all of the elements such as control
levers, instrument panels, radios,
exc. The instruction sheet provides
thorough, step-by-step
explanations of assembly, and also
includes a model paint reference
chart for painting.
very
THE COCKPIT
After separating all of the parts
and cleaning away small
imperfections, we must make sure
that the fit is optimum before
beginning to paint the parts.
“We begin with the cockpit floor
(pare D24). This part is very well
molded and contains many details,
and so is an excellent part on which
to use both drybrush and airbrush
techniques.
We glue the control column
(F30) and the gunner's foot rest
(£36) on part D24. These wo
pieces are both hard enough to
stand up to drybrushing. On the
other hand, parts such as theBegin to paint the interior starting with the
floor part.
\
.
Using an airbrush, we applied highly diluted flat
black over the engraved details.
First we applied interior green as a base coat.
Si
‘Through drybrushing we obtain a
three-dimensional effect.
Using a fine pointed brush, we paint all of the small details.
control pedals and various levers are
fragile. These must be painted
separately, and are attached at the
end. We airbrush on a coat of
Interior Green (Tamiya XF3-85% +
XFI1-15%) and wait for it to dry.
Next, using a highly thinned flat
black, we airbrush the engraved
areas of the part to create shadow
effects.
Using a flat N°6 brush we softly
drybrush over the part. ‘The color
used for this step is a mixture of
Yellow and Black from Humbrol,
slightly lighter in color than the
base coat, in order to create light
effects on the raised parts. Humbrol
paints thinned with paint thinner
from the same brand are excellent
for drybrushing.
Afier the previous step, we paint
all of the small details with a brush
using Prince August acrylics. These
colors, thinned with water, makeWith the paint work finished, all of the delicate
elements could be assembled.
We used a plastic rod to hold the
main instrument panel part.
‘We applied very dark gray to
achieve a three-dimensional
effect.
constant retouching possible
without leaving marks
‘The cockpit side walls have been
painted in the following way: base
coat, shadow effects, drybrushing
and detailing with a brush.
To begin the painting process,
we first applied interior green as
a base coat.
THE ENGINE
The engine is very nicely
detailed. The main part (D16)
consists of the engine cylinders,
Small imperfections need to be
‘The seat belts
were made
from fine lead
foil with
0.2mm copper
buckles.
Using a brush, we applied flat
black over the instrument panel.
Finally, we applied pure white over the instrument
dials and small det
cleaned away from this piece, taking
great care. The main problem is
eliminating extra plastic
between the thin, well-
modeled cylinder cooling fins. To
get rid of these defects we use a
theThe engine
harness, ready for the painting process.
triangular X-Acto blade. Since some
small, hard-to-eliminate imper-
fections are always left, we use a
brush with a small amount of liquid
Micro Weld cement. This cement,
used in very small quantities, will
dissolve these imperfections, leaving
the part ready for painting.
Afcer letting the liquid cement
dry for a few hours, we apply a coat
of flat aluminum enamel from
‘Tamiya (XF16). We then apply a
wash with black acrylic. Using the
aluminum base color, we softly
drybrush over the part, thus,
allowing the black to show only on
the engraved parts. Finally, we apply
XF10 Brown, greatly thinned with
alcohol and airbrushed over the
engine cylinder heads to create a
rusty effect.
Over the flat aluminum
wash.
‘The ignition wires and the
engine push rods (part G3) are
washed using the same process. This
part, due to its intricacy, is ideal for
brush painting with acrylic paints.
A final couch of shadow effects
using the airbrush will create a
highly realistic look.
ASSEMBLY BEFORE
PAINTING
We close the fuselage without
any trouble and glue the wings into
place using cyano. The joins are
quite good and do not require any
putty. We fit the engine and
complete the engine cowl before
putting the B6 part into place. This
is the part that needs the most
adjustments in fitting, and in fact a
coat we applied a flat black
After drybrushing the engine
Part, we sprayed a highly
diluted brown over the
cylinders to replicate wear.
great amount of putty and sanding
must be employed.
‘We use Tamiya masking tape to
cover the engine and cockpit and
the model is ready for painting.
PAINTING THE MODEL
To paint the model we use
acrylic colors from Gunze. It is best
to start with the lightest color in
order to keep the darker colors
from showing through, something
which might happen if these were
applied first. The order of the
paints will be White (Flat White-
FS 37875), Blue (Intermediate
Blue-FS 35164), and Dark Blue
(Non-Specular Sea Blue-FS
35042). To create soft edges we use
Blue Tac thin rolls, masking theWith the
paint work
finished, the
engine parts
could be
assembled.
The placards
was painted
using a brush.
The Tamiya metallic enamels are vey To remove seam lines, we used
fine-grained and versatile. fine grain sandpaper.
Soft weathering was applied using
the airbrush and highly diluted
‘The landing gear legs are well-detailed and clean. brown and black. Some details were
‘These were painted first in white. outlined with a black lead pencil.
Post-it notes and Tamiya tape secure small parts To achieve a wear and tear effect on the
for the painting process. tires, we sprayed on a very light coat of
flat gray.areas that have already been painted with
‘Tamiya tape and paper.
The wop side of the airplane is quite
weathered, and to create this effect we use
the base color, first darkened and then
lightened. We apply these colors in a
random fashion around and in the panels
in order to produce different shades of
the same base color which will create an
excellent weathered effect,
Chipped and scratched paint effects
are obtained by using flat aluminum
16 enamel thinned with the
nner from the same brand and
applied with a fine brush. To diminish
the shine of these chips and produce a
The panels on the fuselage sides near the engine and cockpit are
the most weathered.
The black walkway band is a decal weathered with The stencils on the propeller blades were
soft gray.
painted with a brush. The marks came from the
decal sheet.
Brown and black streaks were applied over the The machine gun muzzles were hollowed out
cowl and the engine nacelle using a brush and using a drillbit to achieve realism.
airbrush.All the panel lines on the lower
part were accentuated with a
brown lead except for the access
panels, where black lead was
used for the work.
The decals were cut out, eliminating the
transparent film. We used brown lead on top of the
white to accentuate the panel lines. The dive flaps were glued with cyano gel.
more realistic look, we use the same
brush with che base color, greatly
thinned, and apply a wash over
each chip.
We outline all of the panel lines,
using a black lead on the darker
shade and brown on the lighter
shades, although to increase the
contrast between some access
panels we also use black on the
white color.
We varnish the model with
Marabu satin varnish thinned with
Model Master d and apply
the decals.
‘We use an excellent decal sheet
by Acromaster, adapting the decals
with Micro Sol. After allowing
Some of panel lines were overpainted using the base color mixed
a touch of dark gray to accentuate the weathered effect.
these to dry we apply a new coat of‘The stabilizers fit perfectly with no need for putty. We used only a drop of liquid cement,
with capillary action doing the rest.
the same proport
varnish will allow us to use a pencil
‘on the d in order to mark the
panel lines that lie beneath them.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
Since the painting process
requires the model to be handled
quite a bit, all of the delicate parts
are painted and glued on separatel
The dive flaps are especial
delicate. In an open position,
several attempts are needed to find
the right position when fitting,
Personally, in these cases I prefer to
yano gel since its dry time is
longer and for a few seconds I am
able to adjust the part's position.
The cockpit is left completely
open. The clear parts fit well but
J104 corresponds to the pilot
access, under which the rest should
be folded. Pressure must be applied
to this part in order for it to reach
its real position. To glue the clear
parts we also use cyano gel, since
fe characteristic of
that, while drying, it
releases fewer fumes than liquid
cyanos which dry at a faster rate,AICHI! D3A1 VAL
leased as a limited series
for collectors, the Val by
jasegawa contains a
photo-etched sheet for detailing the
wing fold. This photo-etched sheet
also offers extra pieces for the
engine and weapons. With these
details and by improving some parts
with scratch-buile elements, we will
construct a realistic replica of this
WWII bomber.
DETAILING THE COCKPIT
We begin by detailing the
cockpit, adding clements that
improve the illusion of depth and
the general appearance of the
cockpit details. With a 1 mm-thick
sheet of Evergreen plasticard, we
create covers for all of the gear on
the cockpit walls. Using a strip of
stretched plastic of approximately
0.15mm and Micro Weld liquid
cement, we glue small pieces into
place to simulate the gear panel
screws and so enhance realism. We
also construct some small levers
which are not found among this
it's parts. We add electric wires
using 0.2mm copper wire which we
glue with cyano. To simulate the
real wire fastenings we use small
pieces of very fine aluminum sheet.Plastic sheet, copper
wire and aluminum
sheet were used to
improve the cockpit
walls.
‘The seat was improved with the Test dry fitting of the cockpit ‘The rear wall and the radio gear
seat belts. The buckles were elements. were detailed using the same
made from 0.2mm copper wire. elements.
After detailing the cockpit elements, we sprayed
green as a base coat.
Then we applied the darkening and lightening
process to the cockpit walls.
‘The seat belts are made out of lead foil
Afier detailing the cockpit elements, we airbrush a
coat of green using the following mixture of Tamiya
acrylic colors: XF3-70%+XF 26-30%. In this case, since
the pieces added are quite delicate, we prefer to use only
airbrushing for weathering. Drybrushing is a technique
better suited for use with raised parts whose elements
are integrated in the mold. such as, for example, in the
cockpit of the Dauntless by Accurate.
When the lightening and darkening process is
finished, we can still enhance the illusion of depth and
shadows more in some elements by using acrylic colors
- for example on the ribs or on highly raised elements.
The electric boxes, radios, levers and small details are
painted with a brush.
FUSELAGE FIT
The closure of the fuselage halves is simply perfect.
‘The excellent fit between all of the components and the
fitting points make this operation go quickly and
smoothly. The assembly of the engine cowl and the
engine itself is superb, and can be carried out swiftly
without the need to use any kind of putty.
WING FOLD
Before gluing the wings, we must cut the outer
sections which will be folded. On the inner part of the
wings, the manufacturer has included engraved
which facilitate cutting. As a result, we only need a
27Some raised
details were
lightened
using a brush
to achieve a
more three-
dimensional
effect.
All the
cockpit
elements
ready for
the final
fit. The
application
of airbrush.
and brush
techniques
represents
the bulk of
the work.
-Acto blade to make a
1g triangular file we
touch up the cut line and eliminate
any irregularities.
‘The photo-etched sheet contains
a delicate frame rib (part MALO)
which must be glued on the inner
side of the wing. There are no
points or any surfa
triangular X
clean cu.
28
support. We thus use small pieces of
Evergreen profile to make some
points to support the rib, remaining
invisible from the outside.
‘We close the wing using cyano
and file the joins using 600-grain
sandpaper to eliminate excess glue.
‘We refine the join with 1000-grain
sandpaper and recreate the panel
lines in the attack edge which have
been lost in the sanding process.
For this job we use a scribber.
We glue the photo-etched parts
MA12-13-14 on the main wing
section, and part MAIL on the
wing fold section. We first use
10 gel and then fill the join with
quid cyano. We use very fineUsing an X-Acto blade, we cut the wing along the
engraved line.
With the same blade, we touched up the cut line.
‘To eliminate irregularities we used a triangular fine
file.
made some p
etched sheet.
Using small Evergreen plastic sections, we
5 to support the photo-
—= i
Final fitting of the rib inside the wing halves.
sandpaper (1200) in order not to
damage the fine photo-etch.
One problem that painting
photo-etched parts e
level of adherence of paint on such
parts. To keep the paint from
flaking or being scratched during
ails is the low
Make an solid photo-etched rib attachment on the
wing fold section we used plastic sheet parts and
cyano glue.
masking, it is advisable to use a
prime base coat. The matte varnish
from Marabu can be used for this
purpose on photo-etch; it is more
resistant than any enamel or acrylic
paint that we might use as a base
After applying the prime coat with
this varnish, we airbrush the
xe shadow effects, and paint
details with a brush. Once the paint
dries, we mask the painted areas and
prepare for painting the whole
wing,
29‘The main wing and the wing fold section, ready
for the fitting test.
Dry fitting of the wing parts. The wing fold
section was painted separately.
PAINTING
We paint the model with acrylic paints from
Tamiya, first with the lightest color, XF12 Japanese
Navy Grey, and then with the darker XFI1 JN Green,
The cowling and antireflection panel are painted in flat
black. We airbrush the red areas of the tail section with
Red XF7, toned down slightly with approximately 5%
Brown XF10.
THE TAIL MARKINGS
The version proposed by the manufacturer is a
spectacular aircraft aboard the aircraft cartier Soryu.
The interest lies in the complicated tail decoration. All
of the yellow color trims are contained on the decal
sheet, ready for use. However, one disadvantage of
using light-colored decals such as thes
that, when glued over different, contrasting colors such
‘When the painting process was done, the wing
fold looks very realistic.
Before the painting
process on the engine
cowl, we protect the
painted engine with
‘Tamiya masking tape.
‘The cowl panels were
lightened using dark
grey to achieve a wear
and tear effect.Very diluted acrylic brown was
applied on the cowl panel lines.
The engine cowl was put in
place after the fuselage painting
and weathering process.
The cowl and engine, ready for
fitting.
‘Tamiya enamels are very versatile
for drybrushing.Using an X-Acto
blade, we begin
the drill out
process on the
engine exhaust.
‘With a Imm drillbit we made a deep hole.
‘The final shape was achieved
using a round file.
Using a sandpaper roll, we obtained the final shape.
any
To obtain a very fine finish we used a brush with a
small amount of Micro Weld glue.
Our exhaust compared
to the original part.
After the painting
process, the engine
exhaust has a veryUsing a 0.15mm plasticard sheet, we build a new
back for the landing hook bay.
All the tail markings were painted using a masking procedure.
Scotch tape and Tamiya
masking tape were used in
the tail painting process.
To complete the weathered
effect, we applied chipped
paint on the access panel:
e's gray and green, these
other colors might show through. After
performing a test, we decide to use a
masking procedure to paint the color
trims, even though this requires more
work.
Using the instruction sheet as a
reference, we proceed to mask the tail
section in order to airbrush the yellow
color of the trims. It is extremely
important to obtain very clean edges
between the fuselage colors and the
yellow color. To this end, we use fine
strips of invisible Scotch Magic tape,
cut with a blade. This plastic tape
prevents the paint from filtering
underneath the maskings and reduces‘The red chevrons on the
landing gear were painted.
‘The propeller was painted
in Tamiya chrome silve
enamel.
or prevents the need for
touch-ups.
Another little tick that
facilites complicated jobs
such as this one is t use
paints thinned wich
alcohol. The rapid drying of
such thinned paints keeps
filtering from occurring
beneath the maskings and
also reduces the need to
retouch,
we apply a coat of sati
it and add the final details.
FINISHING THE MODEL
To mask the clear parts we also use
cotch tape along the edges and
Tamiya tape or Maskol to fill the
gaps. The clear parts from Hasegawa
have the frames perfectly defined,
which makes masking easier.
Placement of the clear parts is equally
impeccable, We fit the telesco}
sight, antennas and fuselage bomb,
and fuselage bomb into place,
completing the model.
All the plane markings were
painted to avoid chromatic
contrasts with the tail sections.AIRCRAFT MODELLING STEP BY STEP Vol. |
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NOW AVAILABLE!