I still can’t believe how much this blog is offering me. It is not only that I enjoy writing about something I love doing, but the support and help I get is fantastic. Shout out to everyone helping me. Especially atcDave and Brett G continue to help and share their knowledge, but of course I am grateful for all the feedback I get!
About those tiny changes:
- WW2 is my main interest and so are planes, but I want to do a second build that is a different subject. Considering starting on the Spit this week made me realize I am ready to do something else to keep things interesting. So, my primary build will be a WW2 plane, and my secondary build could be something else entirely.
- Next Wednesday I will finally be building up my work hours again. Even though I am still tired very quickly (recovering from a burn out) I look forward to things getting back to normal and hopefully my fitness will improve soon enough. Of course this development will mean for modelling and blogging that I will do both a lot less, but I look forward to seeing how modeling works as a way to settle down after an intense day!
- The last tiny change has to do with my workplace. After working this way for a while it’s natural that things come up that are less than ideal. I was already considering changing my workspace after completing the FW-190, but buying a second kit and possibly the blog of Spencer Pollard of this afternoon made me speed things up a bit. If I want to build more than one kit at a time I need a table that is basically as empty as possible all the time, and the essential stuff within reach.
So anyway, back to the actual modelling. As atcDave pointed out three layers of primer I did on the warped part that was in my second purchase of the Spitfire kit isn’t really needed or advisable because the details might disappear. As I told him I based myself on a demo by Humbrol, but of course they don’t mind if you throw the entire bottle on your models. That’s another good piece of information for the FW-190, but I want to try some more things before messing about with the real deal.
Some things to take into account:
- I painted these colors on top of each other without letting them dry
- I rushed it so some areas could have used more attention.
- I didn’t mask anything.
- As I said it is a pretty small area where I tried to apply the complete side of the FW-190.
It’s not perfect but I am glad I did this so hopefully the real deal will be better!
As I understand you will either need to apply gloss to the point it is almost running, or use a very fine sandpaper to fix it up after it is dried up. If anyone has thoughts on that I am very interested! Especially for the secondary kit purchase I did this afternoon I will have to get the gloss coat area right!
I remember being amazed at the models my dad had made. One of my favorites was his British Airways 747 (no idea what exact type it was). My dad got rid of it recently because of course it did’t have a lot of detail being a 70’s or 80’s model, but hopefully this model does! Cargolux is a regular visitor to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport which really attracted me to this particular plane.
The top priorities for the coming time:
- Try a wash and decals on the SpitWulf part once the gloss coat has properly dried up.
- Maybe do a second layer of olive on the inside engine panels.
- Move my way up to the front of the FW-190 to fix seams and holes.
- Properly mask off holes, cockpit, landing gear bay and engine.
- Find a good method to apply primer all around the model.
- Apply primer layer!
- Apply primer on propeller, cap and fuel tank separately?
- Antenna’s, landing gear and other easily breakable stuff to place on in the end, place them in the Box-Of Future-Parts.
- Airbrushing the camo?
- Clear coat
- Decals
- Start on the 747-8F when I can!
Dutch Scale Models 
Sounds like a solid plan you have lined up. And the fact that you are practicing on a similar subject, i.e., another aircraft kit, is a great way to get the feel of things. Are you using Tamiya Surface Primer in the aerosol can?
When I entered the hobbystore I was convinced I would be buying WW2 armor, an aircraft carrier or maybe a NASA vehicle like the Saturn V or a space shuttle. But when I was picking up a couple of those boxes I had a number of reasons for not going that way anyway, be it too difficult to get the finishing just right (armor), the level of detail being disappointing (the Aircraft carriers) or the models just being too simple for my taste (the space verhicles). So I ended up with another plane! It will require some different focus points when it comes to finishing but I have a good feeling about doing something else!
Yes my primer is Tamiya Surface Primer in a rattlecan.
It’s hard to tell in the picture, but your gloss doesn’t look very glossy! I would look for whatever your local variation of Future Floor finish is. I think it’s now called “Pledge with Future” or something like that in the States, you can probably Google it for your local equivalent. It’s a clear Acrylic with excellent self leveling properties. It can make anything shockingly clear, fix clear parts, dries rock hard, does not yellow and cures cancer. I might be wrong about the last part. It can be airbrushed without thinning, brush applied as wanted, or dunked. The only catch is it REALLY dries rock hard and needs to be cleaned off any tool you ever plan to use again QUICKLY (I have a special, cheap airbrush just for the job).
Airliners are a curious niche in aircraft modeling. The techniques are often very different; clean builds, glossy finishes. Apart from WWII aircraft I also build armor, which is different in the opposite direction you’re going!
But it will be fun to see! Wouldn’t it be great to find the Jumbo Jet in the same scale as your other kits…
I was afraid you might say that! Because to be honest I am a bit dissappointed too with the result. I should really stop watching those damn Humbrol demo’s probably because I somehow don’t feel they portray reality very well.
Having said that, it does look smoother after drying up so if I get around to it today or tomorrow I will give it another layer and let that dry up to see if it will look better.
I am searching on some dutch modelling forums and it looks like a lot of people still choose to import the stuff you are talking about and skip the alternatives that are available in the Netherlands because they dry up yellow. But that would cost me another 40 euro’s and I would probably also need another airbrush because I don’t want to mess up this one. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up having to do that anyway!
Making WW2 armor is still up there on my list! I’d love to start it off with a nice Sherman or something like that. But I feel I need to get the finishes just right to make a subject like that interesting and I don’t feel ready for that yet!
The Jumbo Jet in 1/32 scale, now that would be something that I would need to rent a room for! Right now I am still breaking my head over where to place my current models once they are complete so I think my girlfriend doesn’t mind the 747 isn’t in a bigger scale!