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Clarence Novak
33 articles

1/72 Arado 555

October 10, 2023 · in Aviation · 9 · 344

Finally after sitting on my shelf, it's finished. A lot of new things like Vallejo Color Magnesium and a bit different than the usual camo versions? Still had a lot of leading edge seam separating?

I need to learn a more reliable way of addressing that? Bulkheads to prevent flex? Sprue Goo? Polished the gloss black undercoat in the same time window it took to sell my house? I usually fit brass rod inside landing gear but these were a bit too small in this scale...very delicate. The underbelly is sea grey with slight panel streaks. The nose glass was MIA so I managed to scratch one. The jet engine exhaust color is questionable but easily changed. I enjoyed the lessons learned building this Arado..all their aircraft have different drummer design imho? Excuse the background and photo quality. I'm moving and the model studio is running on fumes for a bit:)

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9 responses

  1. To me this Arado looks perfect, Clarence @jagmkx
    Your modelling skills are clearly of a high level.

  2. Beautiful result, Clarence!
    Well done!

  3. Nice looking paint finish.

  4. Thanks for the supportive comments. I know that energy helps power me to the next build.
    I took a little risk with Vallejo Metal Color Magnesium, risk only because I'd never used it, but the color was spot on for my goals. All imho subjective comments but it really sprayed well OOTB but I did encounter a few
    soft edge dark spots during some applications, fortunately not the final? It may have been some black (maybe not cured?) polished undercoat bleed thru? Or what I suspect more likely is the need for frequent agitation?
    It also seemed a 'bit more fragile' (than Alclad) to contact and light marks left from the paper towels which I used to cover it temporarily? (isn't there some dye in the color? duh?) Never had such issues with that old standard Alclad? That said, the VMCM did cover and blend well with thin coats.

    I still have trouble with all long seams on anything? I call it oil canning when the flex of the surrounding plastic pushes the seam open? Anyone used a styrene strip as a back seam ledge (am I confusing yet?) to provide in effect a back lining like I use on the length of the bottom of ship hull? That's always been the fix there?

  5. Nazi Sci-Fi ‘46 isn’t a big interest area for me, but that is cool! What a great shape.

  6. This colour scheme looks great. With long seams working a small part at a time usually works for me.

  7. Cool. Looks like something the British used as inspiration for the Vulcan...

    No need for gloss black undercoat for Vallejo metal colours but it is a good practice to always use a fine primer like Tamiya as Vallejo sticks to it like glue. Vallejo is prone o peeling if no primer is used.

  8. very nice, great finish

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