Author Topic: Kit's Kandidates  (Read 23336 times)

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #25 on: November 28, 2013, 05:20:59 AM »
Hehehe, the 'runway' is our kitchen couch. Only my Mrs_PR19 could have a couch in the KITCHEN!  :o

The thing's come to an abrupt halt as the upper surface camouflage (Yes, camouflage....) went on all wrong and I ran out of paint to rectify the situation. But a little parcel arrived from Big H while I was out today so things should continue as planned tomorrow.  :)
Regards
Kit

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Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #26 on: November 28, 2013, 11:08:13 AM »
Thanks for the runway explanation!
For the camo, do you have a picture of the disaster? We would appreciate the final result even more...

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #27 on: November 28, 2013, 05:30:38 PM »
Thanks to another disaster (my main laptop died yesterday......) the answer's no.  :(

There's some hope that the laptop may be fixable but it'll take time and I may get the B-35 finished before that.
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2013, 07:18:02 AM »
I re-took the 'before' photo Tophe so you can see the problem.

The whole view looks OK, but that's at a distance. In the close-up you can see the over-spray that my Badger 200 airbrush produced, so then I tried to make hard edges by hand painting them. Once again I ran into the problem where brush painting produces a different shade to airbrushing, as you can see in the close-up.

My new paint's arrived now so I can re-do the whole thing, but this time I'll mask up the demarcations properly.



Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #29 on: November 30, 2013, 10:11:45 AM »
Thanks for this explanation!
And congratulations for the aspect it will have, very promising!

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #30 on: November 30, 2013, 12:41:11 PM »
Disregarding paint detail issues.
Overall look in that paint scheme is superb  :)

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #31 on: November 30, 2013, 11:09:05 PM »
Glad you like it, thanks.  :)

I'm hoping to get some more paint on it later today, but re-masking the canopies and 'nose' intakes is a right pain.  :(
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #32 on: December 01, 2013, 01:33:17 AM »
Pain may be the price for gorgeous beauty... ;)

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Moderator
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #33 on: December 03, 2013, 12:20:08 AM »
I've encountered the "touch up" Airbrush issue before, I try to "stipple" it on with a short hair and hope a clear coat blends it... varying levels of success  ::)
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #34 on: December 03, 2013, 12:45:53 AM »
I'd never found that issue before this year, mainly because I'd not used an airbrush seriously before. It amazes me that brushed colour and sprayed colour, fromthe SAME paint mix, should look SO different.

I should be able to get more work going on the B-35 this evening, but I've been saying that for the last 3-4 days now......
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #35 on: December 07, 2013, 07:25:54 PM »
I'm making good progress on the BEA 727, repainted the wings and the tailplane  and I've re-done the top of the fuselage and fin so far. I may be the cause of a world masking tape shortage as a result though.....



I've just managed to re-spray the main grey on the upper surfaces of the B-35 today after HOURS of cleaning and re-cleaning and RE-cleaning my airbrush. :(  I won't get the other colour on till Monday now as I'm off to a big model sale later today.

Progress on the XB-43 Jetmaster is minimal so far I'm afraid, but I should get somewhere with it soon.
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #36 on: December 12, 2013, 03:41:18 AM »
I thought I had a complete Airfix BEA Trident in the 'Hi Speed jack' scheme to use for the decals for the 727 but it turns out that box is empty........... :(

The other Trident I have is the newer version in BA markings so I've had to do all the decals myself. Spent 2-3 DAYS getting them the right size and matching the red and blue shades but it looks they're OK now. The dark blue's sprayed on nicely with a just a few bits that need touching up so the lower grey will go on tonight.

Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Moderator
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #37 on: December 12, 2013, 03:42:45 AM »
Don't take this the wrong way but -- You need to build models more often!! Love the work you are doing and seem undaunted no matter the obstacle  :)
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #38 on: December 12, 2013, 04:35:39 AM »
Don't take this the wrong way but -- You need to build models more often!! Love the work you are doing and seem undaunted no matter the obstacle  :)

Mrs_PR19 says very much the same thing sometimes. :)

Usually when I'm having a head-to-head with the local Parking Gestapo........... ;)
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #39 on: December 12, 2013, 08:31:45 AM »
Congratulations for this hard-work...

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #40 on: December 12, 2013, 12:36:09 PM »
Sweet set of decals, Kit! They're going to look great printed & in place.

Mine always come out looking weak & pale compared to how I planned them, especially on transparent film. Also seem to get a lot of pixelation, despite my best efforts, using my laser printer.

Any helpful hints? ;)

:)

Guy
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #41 on: December 12, 2013, 06:08:45 PM »
Having got the new stocks of proper paint for my B-35 I set to yesterday to re-spray the thing, after using MILES of tape of various sorts to mask out the hard edged camouflage that I wanted. The results were hardly pleasing....  :banghead:

While the hard edges came out nicely the actual Light Slate Grey colour, that's the greeny looking one, came out very patchy and it varies in tone all over the model. The Medium Sea Grey went on OK but the patchiness of the Slate Grey has ruined it as far as I'm concerned so that's me finished with airbrushing I'm afraid. I'll repaint it a THIRD time, but it'll be with a big flat brush, at least I know how they work and I can get consistent results with them.

Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #42 on: December 12, 2013, 06:29:46 PM »
Sweet set of decals, Kit! They're going to look great printed & in place.

Mine always come out looking weak & pale compared to how I planned them, especially on transparent film. Also seem to get a lot of pixelation, despite my best efforts, using my laser printer.

Any helpful hints? ;)

:)

Guy

It took me quite a time to get a suitable technique developed Guy, and not a small amount of money buying the wrong stuff as well!

I use an inkjet printer, an HP Officejet 6300, that's served me well for about 5 years now. I always use the pukka HP ink cartridges too, they may be more expensive but they're consistent and last longer than re-filled ones I find. For my graphics work I use PaintShoPro 4, not the latest and greatest but it does the job and I know all its quirks and foibles by now.

One of the biggest steps I took was to scale the output of the printer to what I'm doing on the screen and to this end I did lots of tests with a ruler printed out on the screen and then to the printer. This involves always using the same blank page as an output medium. No matter what I print it's always done on that one page with the same page width and height set up on the printer. In my case the scale works out as 7.85 pixels = 1 mm on the printed page, an odd number I know but that's how it is.

I also always use the same paper, obviously inkjet paper in my case, done by the Crafty Computer Paper Co. and I always use their spray varnish as well. Chopping and changing products results in variable quality output, better to use something that you know well I think.

I do most of my graphics 4 x full size on the screen and then shrink them down after I've done al the curves and angles at high resolution. The software does the scaling of the delicate bits and the results equate pretty well with the decals you can buy.

One crucial thing I find is that the printer NEVER prints the same colour as you can see on the screen! There are calibration packages available to do that but they're darned expensive and not for me I'm afraid. I scan photos of the desired item to get the basic colour right and then print a block of 6-8 x 5 mm squares of that colour along the top edge of the sheet of decals. Then I go along the blocks varying the brightness and colour density and after printing the sheet out I can match the printed blocks with the photo. That gives me the correct match and I adjust the colour on the decal to suit. Printing on decal paper always gives a brighter colour than on plain paper I find too, so the final proof print of the colour blocks has to be done on the decal paper itself.

The last thing is practice, practice and more practice..... :)
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #43 on: December 12, 2013, 06:48:13 PM »
Hey,,, looks bitchin cool in that photo.  8)
First one to see in any camo.  Thinking all kinds of camo schemes otta work on XB-35 & XB-49 kits.

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #44 on: December 12, 2013, 09:00:44 PM »
Thanks, Kit!

I have a HP inkjet printer at home which I never use because every time I went to use it the damned thing needed to be cleaned because the ink had dried in the jets (you cam tell I didn't use it very often).

:)

Guy
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #45 on: December 12, 2013, 10:55:38 PM »
Once you start down the home-made decal route you'll be using GALLONS of printer ink and REAMS of paper Guy! :)

I've already started brush painting the B-35 finsrin and it looks a LOT better now!
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #46 on: December 13, 2013, 02:50:11 AM »
Oh, I have started doing my own decals - just using my laser printer & not the inkjet. ;)

My Whiffy winning C-119C(T) is my best example.

My LAV-150's & M-60 are, probably, my worst.

All of them are double layered (clear film base over white film base) to get the desired density of colour.

:)

Guy
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #47 on: December 13, 2013, 03:12:10 AM »

All of them are double layered (clear film base over white film base) to get the desired density of colour.


Yes, that's quite a good idea as it gives a reflective background for the colours to work from.

I use two layer decals for RAF roundels too, first a white circle just slightly smaller than the outer blue ring and then a clear red and blue riundel over that. If you print directly onto white you have to trim VERY carefully so you don't get a partial white ring around the blue.
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #48 on: December 15, 2013, 06:40:48 AM »
The BEA 727 is getting there now. It's all painted and decalled (mostly....) and I've assembled the major components but it's definitely a '2 foot model', meaning that's as close as you need to look at it! I've done lots better airliners and this one's suffered from its vintage heritage I suppose. I noticed in the under-side view that I forgot to fill Airfix's ubiquitous stand slot, but I really can't bothered to do it now, it's hardly going to be seen after all.

There's some touching up of the paintwork to do, plus I need to find another windshield decal as the original one just fell off! Then I need to paint and install the landing gear and it's done.





For those of you who can't figure out the Whiff-ness of this, BEA never did fly 727s although they tried very hard. The colour scheme is based on the High Speed Jack scheme that they carrried on their Trident 1s, 2s and 3s. Piccie of a 3b below.

Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline taiidantomcat

  • Plastic Origamist...and not too shabby with the painting either!
  • Moderator
  • Stylishly late...because he was reading comics
Re: Kit's Kandidates
« Reply #49 on: December 15, 2013, 06:57:51 AM »
Alright!!  :)
"They know you can do anything, So the question is, what don't you do?"

-David Fincher