Soviet Spitfire Mk Vb WIP

[jmarc]

NNNNNNNNNNeat !

[deafpanzer]

Stunning camo work!!! Keep up with the great work mate!

[406 Silverado]

Feb 17, 2024 9:00:49 GMT -5 andreww said:

Thank you all very much for the encouraging words!! So far it's been fun, and a great community to share this with. Now I'm down to painting 'fiddley bits' and hopefully shooting some Aqua Gloss in the next day or three.

 Keep 'er comin' Andrew. We're glad to have you here man. 

[andreww]

My better half (who puts up with me spending time at this hobby and all my other BS) had looked at the decal sheet and told me that 'white 21 looks cooler', so white 21 it is.

This morning was onto decals. I've always preferred paint masking, and considered decals a necessary evil. AML decals have renewed my fear tenfold! If I looked at these funny, they shattered, let alone breathe on them! That said, they are REALLY nice and thin and conform with almost zero effort. In the end, I found boiled water fresh from the kettle, hold my breath, bite my tongue and very softly hum 'Ave Maria', they laid down okay with only one light tear in a bottom wing star. Laid down on MicroSet and they already started sucking into panel lines. MicroSol and they are looking painted on. Makes me wonder if I had used something heavier, I.e. Walthers, would there be any decal left or would they have vanished into the ether? I only got these a few weeks ago, so not old to me (but who knows how long they lived on a shelf?). Anyhow, decals laid down and onto painting small bits while MicroSol does its thing.




Thank you all again for the kind words!

[lyle]

most excellent advice! Looking good.

[kyledehart5]

That looks truly wonderful!! A cool camo scheme and nice work on the decals.

[stikpusher]

Your Spit looks good in Red Star markings! Beautiful!

[handiabled]

Looks like you won the battle with the decals they look perfect

[andreww]

I would like to thank everyone for the encouragement and kind words.

I spent the last few days and evenings (amongst landing a new and better job) with my oil paints washing, painting all the small bits, applying satin coat and finishing up.  Finally a bit of 1mm masking tape and some 0.5 mm brass rod for an ammo belt in the Hispano that doesn't look terrible to me.  Last night I reached a point where I am happy to call this done and display it. In the end, a Tamiya 1:48 Sptifire Mk Vb, Master brass Hispano barrels, Eduard / HGW fabric seatbelts, Eduard photo etch detail set, CMK gun bay, wheels, radio bay and control surfaces, Aries QuickBoost exhausts and prop / spinner, Vallejo Model Air paint, Mig pigments, Windsor and Newton oils for a wash and AML decals. 

So this is my rendition of White 21, Kuban 1943 from 57 GIAP as flown by Antonally Levchenko.

Now, onto an Eduard BF 109 F2...

[tcoat]

SWEET! And so very different.

[andreww]

Thank you tcoat. I notice in the one photo, a bit of German Shepherd 'glitter' (hair) had made its way onto the sky band on the starboard side. Luckily just sitting on top of the clear coat, a quick wipe and for ONCE I didn't have dog hair to work out if my paint!!!

[tcoat]

Feb 21, 2024 9:57:19 GMT -5 andreww said:

Thank you tcoat. I notice in the one photo, a bit of German Shepherd 'glitter' (hair) had made its way onto the sky band on the starboard side. Luckily just sitting on top of the clear coat, a quick wipe and for ONCE I didn't have dog hair to work out if my paint!!!

I have two long haired cats that are often on my lap as I build so have given up and now just declare a round of the game Find The Hair In This Paint for each model. 

[stikpusher]

Very nice finish! Your weathering really makes it look quite well used.

[andreww]

Thanks very much, Stikpusher. I worry I overdo it, but I think with this pre shading the weathering fits.

[kyledehart5]

Feb 21, 2024 10:03:20 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Feb 21, 2024 9:57:19 GMT -5 andreww said:

Thank you tcoat. I notice in the one photo, a bit of German Shepherd 'glitter' (hair) had made its way onto the sky band on the starboard side. Luckily just sitting on top of the clear coat, a quick wipe and for ONCE I didn't have dog hair to work out if my paint!!!

I have two long haired cats that are often on my lap as I build so have given up and now just declare a round of the game Find The Hair In This Paint for each model. 

Same for me! Each of my models is guaranteed to have a cat hair or three. lol.

[kyledehart5]

Beautiful job on this. It looks awesome in this camo with the red star markings. Love the weathering you went with as well. Really looks great.

[andreww]

Thanks very much, Kyle!!!

[jmarc]

NNNNNNNNNNNeat !

[Medicman71]

Wow! It really looks great!

[andreww]

Thanks MedicMan! It was fun.

[handiabled]

This made it past me some how. This turned out absolutely gorgeous! Your weathering looks fantastic

[andreww]

Handiabled, I always worry I'm too heavy with the weathering, but I felt I had to match the faded paint. In the end, I think it all suited the overall finish, I had fun and I learned a bit in weathering techniques, which is always a win in my books! Thanks again!

[stuart]

WOW! That's coming along very nicely indeed - and a great choice for markings.