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DocRob

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  1. DocRob
    The Arado 234 was a fascinating airframe in many aspects ahead of it's time, but obviously flawed in some aspects, as the development was rushed, material and fuel was sparse. It was an extraordinary reconnaissance platform, but I think, it's value was a bit overrated in the video. One of it's advantages was, it could fly higher and faster than the Allied fighters and could therefore act in a theater of enemy air superiority. Cheers Rob
  2. DocRob
    What an interesting little beauty, Greg and the kit looks decent. I would try to do a complete rigging job but would simplify the turnbuckles, using mainly flexible rigging thread, maybe Ca-ed in pre drilled holes and a drop of CA or white glue to simulate turnbuckles. The outmost wing rigging looks like flat material, where I may would use etched wiring, which would it make easier to have the right angled arrangement, without sag. Cheers Rob
  3. DocRob
    Thank you Craig, it's tedious, but it pays, as you don't have to deal with the usual decal problems. The kit decals behaved well, except for silvering, therefore, I opted for the masks, with a heavy heart. Cheers Rob
  4. DocRob
    Thank you Ken, I have some books about the Arado as well and there are enough side views provided with the codes on. The material about the Nachtigall (nightingale night fighter version) is a bit sparse though. I have only the kit decals for the correct fuselage code and they do silver, so I need another solution. I may use a false code for my plane, which is supplied with the 1ManArmy masks, but you haven't heard that from me . The Arados flew different types of combat missions, as reconnaissance plane, as a bomber and some attempts with the night fighter as a Mosquito hunter, but without success. The plane proved not to be practical for the role due to lot's of reflections inside the glass house canopy and absolutely no protection for the pilot. It may have been one of the best reconnaissance plane of it's time though, with a high altitude and speed and an unmatched stable base for the cameras due to the non-prop engines. These duties started in June 1944. More than 200 were built, but not all of them saw action. Cheers Rob
  5. DocRob
    My test decal on the tail silvered and that meant masking time, hooray . The OneManArmy masks are cut absolutely precise, but it's a lot of tedious work. With the Arad, some masks require three layers of masking and color, phew. Masking the walkways on top of the fuselage and wings was not so easy, with trimming the strips to size and align them with a ruler and good eyesight. The larger markings like the crosses were applied with frisket film on top, which makes alignment and placement easier, a lesson learned with my Corsair build. Now I have to think about the airplane codes on the side of the plane, where I don't have the proper masks for. Silvering decals? A false code and hoping nobody recognizes it? Browsing through my masks and try to find something appropriate? Decisions, decisions... Next will be masking the masks , which will be an equally annoying job, before it's spraying time. I hope my new airbrush will arrive soon, which will be helpful with the fine markings and other filigrane airbrush work, but more about that later. Cheers Rob
  6. DocRob
    Congratulations Mark, what a beauty. I like the decision, to omit the masts and rigging. I'm exactly at this point with my Duchess of Kingston and can't find the courage for the rigging. With your great build, I realized for the first time, that not all of the gunports have lids and I own this kit as well. Cheers Rob
  7. DocRob
    After a proper drying time, I inspected the paintjob and found only some minor flaws, which will be corrected by brush. The constantly pressing on of the vinyl masks payed in the end. To unify the camouflage a bit better, I used a 6000 grit sanding sponge and wet sanded the whole model. It's interesting, how this seemingly unnoticeable effect integrates the different hard edged colors better. I now have a very smooth base and have to decide, if I go the painful route with the 1ManArmy masks or if I use the kit decals. Some markings for my plane are not included in the mask set, so I decaled the Arado's serial number and the kit decals behave exceptionable well. Thin but robust and easy to slide and position. I will evaluate after drying, which way I choose with the markings and stencils. Cheers Rob
  8. DocRob
    Thank you Ken, let's hope it stays this way . Cheers Rob
  9. DocRob
    That was an interesting detour into the world of super sport cars, Yves. Your restoration work let the old gem shine again and make it a standout in the display shelf, congratulations. Cheers Rob
  10. DocRob
    The hard edge camo is done. I sprayed the brown violet over the masked dark green areas and got a sharp result. I used a dedicated masking set, made by LF Models. The masks are made from vinyl and It took some effort to lay them down perfectly, to have no color running under it. The manual is a bit vague in places, relatively small and some codes were printed blue on green, hard to read. Definitely an area for improvement. I always remove my masks rapidly after application, before the color is properly hardened through. Luckily on first inspection, I couldn't make out severe mistakes. After proper drying, I will have a closer look. Cheers Rob
  11. DocRob
    Time and motivation are a bit sparse in the moment, but I managed to apply some color onto the Arado. After re-spraying the gloss black of the canopy after sanding, the whole canopy section was masked. The underside of the plane received a coat of RLM 76, followed by a very long masking session, a job, I really don't like. This was followed by a coat of RLM 82 Dunkelgrün (dark green) I decided against pre shading, because of the double coating in the RLM 81 Braunviolett areas. All camo colors are from AK's Real Color range and spray very fine and smooth with the added Mr. Leveling thinner. After drying, I will apply the camo masks, which are pre-cut luckily. Cheers Rob
  12. DocRob
    Nice colorful snapshot Greg, the planes in their dramatic setting look great. What a nice ensemble of racers. Cheers Rob
  13. DocRob
    The Curtiss has become a beauty with the colorful wings and markings. an absolute eyecatcher and you are close to the finish line. Cheers Rob
  14. DocRob
    Yesterday, I received the Falcon Scale Models rendition of the chainset for Tamiya's RC166. It was well packed and is well printed too. The sideview shows a bit refined detail and slightly smaller links and gear teeth. Where the 3D printed part shines, is when you look at it from above, with the opened track links. When I build mine, I will try try the PE set, because I'm curios and I have it and then will decide. I just thought, how small these metal parts are, considering the size of the plastic chainsets. Cheers Rob
  15. DocRob
    Congratulations, what a fantastic result. I really like the unusual planking and the myriad of deck details and rigging. Cheers Rob
  16. DocRob
    Thank you Craig, I think with the sleek and huge Arado, it's a good idea to enhance some detail areas, to let the eye wander. I guess, that's what you mean by 'pop'. I like to replicate materials out of the plastic, that don't look plastic anymore. It's one of the keys which drives me in modelling. Cheers Rob
  17. DocRob
    Still no masks at hand, spring can be awful here. It's the worst weather of the year, normally and every second day is a holiday, so no working customs, no working mail. Meanwhile, I painted the wheels with my usual workflow, spraying the hubs first, in this case semi matte black, then mask the hubs and spray the tires. Here I used Nato Black as a base and then sprayed the flanks with some drops of Field Blue in the Nato black. Last step are pigments in a concrete tone rubbed in for enhancing contrasts and simulating abrasion and dirt. Some details were picked out by brush on the hubs. The kit wheels look especially good, it's strange, how different the quality of the plastic parts is in this kit. Next were the parachute packs for the Ratos jets. I sprayed everything in RLM 22, masked the belts off and used Buff for the remainder. The ropes were painted by brush and then I rubbed in some concrete pigments. Cheers Rob
  18. DocRob
    Like I already said over on LSM, your Schnellboot looks perfect Kevin, great work. Cheers Rob
  19. DocRob
    A very interesting build thread, thanks for pointing out the shortcomings of the kit. I plan to purchase and build the Amati Fifie and your log is extremely helpful. Keep on the nice work. Cheers Rob
  20. DocRob
    While I'm still waiting for the 1ManArmy masks to arrive, I decided to do a little detail work and gave some love to the wheel struts. The oleos where covered with AK's chrome adhesive tape, but as this is a bit stiff, Bare Metal foil would have been the better choice. My Arado 234 Monographs show the braking lines partly yellow and black, so I used my braided 0,5 mm Anyz line for the purpose along with Anyz resin connectors. The yellow line was soaked in Pledge, because otherwise it would have been to bright and have spots, where the CA stuck. The clamping strips were made from pre cut Bare Metal foil of 0,5 mm width, secured with some drops of Pledge. After drying, I will rub in some steel pigments and add some shadows and highlighting. Cheers Rob
  21. DocRob
    I masked wheel wells, engines and the canopy with sponges, tape and liquid mask and gave the Arado a rub with an alcohol soaked cloth. I paid a lot of attention to seal the canopy section air tight with liquid mask and with filling the gaps before with Revell Clear, because I hope to hinder the inside of the canopy from fogging due to thinner fumes. Prime (er) time - I applied Mr. Surfacer 1200, which sprayed very well as always. After drying, I sprayed the canopy section gloss black, to accept the riveted decal strips for the framing, if I decide to use them. Now I have to check, where I have to further work on the surfaces, be it filling or scribing. Meanwhile I sprayed other parts like the Rato rockets and their parachutes, external fuel tanks and the parts for the landing gear, which will be detailed with chrome oleos and braking lines next. Cheers Rob
  22. DocRob
    Thank you Ken. Meanwhile, there is some detail work to be done. I added the PE hinges to the wheel doors and the breaking parachute release mechanism to the fuselage, where I used 0,55 mm brass rod instead of the supplied thread. Cheers Rob
  23. DocRob
    Catching up very late, but this is absolutely beautiful, well built and refined with lots of detail, chapeau. Cheers Rob
  24. DocRob
    I saw this lovely kit for the first time today and yes, I want to build it. Right down my alley. a small precious boat in larger scale. Cheers Rob
  25. DocRob
    Hannants in the UK has them available: Yellow Wings Aircraft decals - YW32008 | Hannants Cheers Rob

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