Let me start this blog off first by telling you I am so happy to say I seem to have fixed the fitting on and around the engine!
I am getting somewhere with this build I feel. there are quite a lot of small parts left, but I can prepare those while waiting for the main body to get ready for the next stage.
This afternoon I got myself some inspiration by checking out the builds of Brett G, IBM and ScaleModelAircraft. Brett G hasn’t been able to apply primer because of the weather, but the other two show the primer stage, pre-shading and the final air brush. This has me intimidated a bit and let’s be honest: with good reason. I have never done these things before and there is nothing like screwing up on the main body!
still do to now:
- Temporarily place landing gear covers, engine covers and mask off the cockpit.
- Primer?
- Propeller and nose cone, not painted yet.
- Air brush the livery on the body.
- Landing gear, flaps and other small parts that can’t get put on until the final phases. Some of these parts are not painted yet.
- Apply coating.
To be completely honest with you, I am not confident right now in getting the result I want for this kit. It is not that I am comparing myself to the guys I mentioned above as they have been at it a lot longer than I have and this is only my second kit. I know I will probably not get the result they got, but I know how much I learned the last weeks while making this kit and trying new things.. but so far I am not even sure how to use primer, if I have the right color for instance. If I keep learning and getting a feeling for new techniques I am sure that soon I will feel confident enough to finish this kit.
The Spitfire is a simpler kit. It does not have an engine and the livery seems easier to me.
Besides, I already had it at 90% finished before I decided I had ruined it enough. My original idea was to start fresh with this kit straight away, but there was something wrong with a part and I had to wait for a replacement. I started the FW-190 while waiting for it.
Something to think about tonight!
Dutch Scale Models 
I’m impressed you got the engine and cowl all looking straight and smooth.
Don’t compare your second build to the pros! Call it inspiration not competition…
I know I’ve ruined a few kits.
Thanks Dave for the reassuring words. I think I just need to make a leap of faith on this because if I never try I will never learn. And that’s the good thing so far: from all the things I messed up I’ve been able to learn something. It is just a scary thought to mess things up but I have to prepare the best I can and go for it!
Good work on the front end. Looks pretty straight. Keep in mind, in photos of the real deal many of the access panels and engine covers are rarely perfectly straight. The parts are made out of relatively thin material and they get twisted and bent a bit due to use.
As for the priming part of it, don’t worry about it too much. And there is no rule that you have to do the preshading method. You can just layer your primer in one coat and then paint your colors and use weathering to get the variations in color. The panels lines, once they have a wash will make a good contrast if you go that route.
So far this project is looking great!
Thank you, I am glad you like it! Yes you’re absolutely right about those panels, I heard you talk about it in your build update and I kept that in mind. This might actually not come out that bad!
I just have to prepare myself for the priming part, get the Spit-Wreck out and try a few things. As with all new things I am just a bit scared of wrecking the thing, but I will just have to accept that that is part of trying new things.. the most important thing is that I learn from it if I do manage to mess up.