Jack12477

I only have metal files, no diamond files. For the PE I just used a strip of 400-600 grit Emery paper glued to a Popsicle stick to smooth rough edges.

I only have metal files, no diamond files. For the PE I just used a strip of 400-600 grit Emery paper glued to a Popsicle stick to smooth rough edges.

Would I recommend? I am afraid I never used the Vallejo acrylics (I used only their metallic line), therefore it is difficult for me to formulate a recommendation between Vallejo and Tamiya paint systems. I simply put forward my experience with Tamiya which, as I said, worked well for me. If you suspect that Vallejo paints might give you problems, similarly to what you already experienced with the primer, then, yes, try to switch to Tamiya. Perhaps a trial with the Vallejo paint that you plan to use could give you preliminary indications about the results to be expected before committing it to the model.
Best regards,
Dan.

Dear OC, I am sorry to hear the problems you had with your airbrush. However, the last result of your Hawk black primed looks very good. It is indeed very important to have a clean airbrush nozzle to be sure of getting consistent results. I usually spray Tamiya acryilics, but lately I also tried Mr Color paints and I was impressed by their quality. At any rate, remaining with Tamiya, to obtain an uniform shiny finish with their gloss paints, if I may, I have the following suggestions which worked for me:
- use a thinner ratio of 50%-50%
- add a flow improver/retarder
- use a low pressure of about +/- 20 psi
- start with a mist coverage, once reasonably dry, apply more solid wet layers with smooth adjacent passes. Do not insist within the same pass
- make trials on other plastic or cards.
In addition: you n. 1 enemy is dust; try to remove dust from the model and spray below a cardboard/plate that acts as a particle stopping ceiling. If you have not foreseen a stick fixed into the jet pipe for handling the model, plan in advance how to handle the model, for example holding it by a wing which is then sprayed in a later session when you can touch the other wing.
good luck,
Dan.

That final pic looks perfect..... Just the right amount of sag.....
 
The adjustment you made fits the subject so it is completely hidden... Excellent work, much easier than doing it on a tank.....
 
Sometimes getting the pitch of the tracks right (distance between pins) is the most difficult part of building tracks cause any error is cumulative...

good evening
 
the  D9R kit  requires 43 links on the tracks 42 is to tight and 43 to loose, the looseness was solved by a simple solution i read about at the time in 2013 by cutting the wheel casing  in 1/2 and putting a sliding tube in to enable the two halves to be moved in or out
each link is made up of three parts,
 this was built up using pva glue and then the track was put on top with extra thin
 
 

I only have metal files, no diamond files. For the PE I just used a strip of 400-600 grit Emery paper glued to a Popsicle stick to smooth rough edges.

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

I have this, but haven't used it much.  I usually just try to cut the tabs as closely as possible, or use the knife to trim off any extras.  I found that at 1/700 scale, attempts to clean up parts could do more harm than good given the thin brass.  For 1/350 maybe a little less risk, but you have to ask yourself if you will be able to see the little tab, and weigh the risk of cleanup versus the risk of ruining the part or even losing it if it happens to ping off the tweezers.  One place I found, however, that you want to remove the tabs is when building box-type structures as tabs will interfere with having clean joins.

@John Allen you might want to order their Small Cut-Off set to go with the Bug. It's a 8x10 sheet of plexiglass and acrylic holder. Works very well for cutting PE loose from sheet and the holder keeps it from flying off into never-never land

I just use the plastic/acrylic holder they make and a single sided razor blade like the one in their photo.

John, I recommend The Bug  Hold and Fold by The Small Shop, inexpensive,, easy to use,, works well with PE brass.  I have one and used it a lot.

Peter, Bob, Mike, thanks for the kind words of support!
 
Ekis, the Higaki Kaisen kit is a more serious ship model kit. Woody Joe really designs their kits to be buildable by first time modelers. But, their Higaki Kaisen kit is more of a ship model kit for ship modelers, designed with the assistance of the former president of the ship model club the Rope Tokyo. Definitely more challenging a kit than the Kitamaebune kit, and supposedly even the Atakebune kit. I wrote a 3-part article in Seaways' Ships in Scale on it, so I'm interested to know what you think about the kit.
 
 
 
 

Looking at these photos it's hard to believe that this is 1/700 scale. I'm currently working in 1/700 scale myself so I know just how fiddly this level of PE detailing really is. You must feel delighted that the results so close to finishing have turned out to be so spot-on. This represents a very fine example of the skilled model builders capabilities and I find the attention to detail in a model this tiny to be quite extraordinary. Excellent work Mike, I'm very much looking forward to the finished seascape - a seascape would be a step to far for me!!

Hi Mark. As for me by the time I finished the rigging on my last ship I had forgot how to do the planking  on my current ship and had to relearn it. On my current ship I have just finished the planking and I am trying to get one step ahead and re learn the rigging whilst doing the deck fittings. So frustrating having to re learn everything before you can learn something new but I am hoping each time a little bit more sticks. I also have a number of senior moments too!
              Keep up the good work Mark . I love following your blog and you great way of showing how you carry out your work and the responses you get are very informative. I look forward to your progress. Best regards Dave

Thanks. 
 
I do need to remember my dad's words: "There's never been a perfect human being".  The fix for planking is underway.

OC, you’ll notice the radar in one particular shot on that site has been censored. The uncensored shot and others show it. 

Olive drab will work as long as it is on the greenish side.. the American Mk V's were delivered painted British army green, which dulled down fairly quickly... and they were liberally splattered with brown mud from the moment they hit the field.. (sometimes deliberately) The mud was usually a very rich brown when fresh, and a dark khaki when dry.... They were also usually covered with dust cause they kicked up huge clouds of it in dry conditions...

Yes it's a HUGE shame.... (also another little detail, the collection has been reduced substantially) Many of the vehicles have been sold off to other museums around the world.... Like the Sd kfz 254, one of only three known to exist, it was sold to the Heers museum in Germany.... (the second is in one of the British museums and the third is in a private collection) They kept only what they consider historically significant, or of interest in the history of the US army.... and a few of the only examples available....
 
It's a real shame, it used to be one of the worlds premier collections....

So  my next stage  - will be to do a very minor slight sand to a very minor ridge on the one cowling  - then a  very quick blast over,   then I will  do a White paint over the centre frame on the canopy, this will then be tapped over  and a Gloss Black paint will be spayed all over (I will have to  wait for a bit as I currently do not have and Gloss Black or tamiya tape)    - so this bird may be put on the back burner while I find something else to start/continue/finish    don't worry I still have enough  sins to work on  / I mean kit projects.
 
OC.

No Mark,   she will be a Shiny Black bird  with a colourful tail.
 
OC.

Very well done on the paint.  Before I read the text, I thought you were changing this to a night fighter.

As I have said before, I am pretty much a moron when it comes to WWI tanks............but why should I let that stop me? 
I think I read when looking up these tanks you are building that at first they did them in camo and stuff but pretty quickly came to the same conclusion we have here. Why try to hide the biggest, loudest, moving thing in no mans land? They then just left them gray like they came from the factory. So I suppose it would depend on #1 if they are right, and #2 what period/battle you are modeling. 

There seems to be quite a lot of debate on the colour schemes for the British tanks in WW1. Opinions range from grey, to olive drab and khaki. I decided to go with olive drab so the base coat was air brushed on. The tracks will them be worked up with rust, silver and dirt then washes and shading to the hull. With paint on the ditch rails look OK and I think the homemade Lewis guns will pass muster.

 

 

Thanks for looking in
Alan

I even think that different colours make a difference. I think white is much harder to AB than dark greys. Maybe its something to do with teh amount of pigment in the paint = or its all my imagination.
Alan