Wheels

A recent new handful of AM parts from ResKit arrived

Ukrainian ResKit continues to amaze me. This time three different boxes with undercarriages and weighted wheels arrived.

Very sturdy boxes brings promises of some well-made parts

Starting from “behind” the 350-box contents

Very nicely made cast resin and 3D-printed parts. Smooth tires with Continental writing.

Then the 349 boxing – for the 109F and early G just like the above set

but this time it is with Dunlop tires with a pattern

and finally the 339 boxing

being for Emils the brand this time is Metzeler, and the rims are with open spokes.

The tailwheel also sports nice writing, and the oleo is 3D-printed in all the kits, the shaft being a “tube” so that they can be used in any kit – some with a simple drilled modification. Best of all, when you have prepared the hole during assembly of the fuselage they can wait till the very end of the build.

These come highly recommended, and ResKit of course have made some for late Gustavs too – they should arrive in the shops soon

Looking to be very nice sets, Erik @airbum
I was not aware that there was so much variation just on one type of aircraft.

Amazing what offerings one can find in the 109 family, my friend @airbum!

Chrome!

With my molotow pens giving up, I tried airbrushing

In another topic (or rather many other topics) I have discussed the ability to airbrush liquid chrome. I did pour a few drops in a “mixer-bowl” (actually a used container for contacts – great stuff, and I get two new every day as she-who-must-be-obeyed uses oneday lenses). It looked OK, being from my re-fill, and behaved a lot better than the pens I have.

I decided to prepare a few propellers

first up I did airbrush unthinned chrome – bad result!

way to thick. rather disappointed I went and made coffee, and checked up on the “mixer” – I had added a few drops of alcohol, and it looked awful just after.

but lo and behold – what a glorious shine! Even with the stuff transparent it was shiny!

After such a success I thinned the lot in the airbrush, and did a testrun on the paint-mule legs. Looked like a million! (did not take any pictures – my bad)

a standard Tamiya Emil prop got the thinned stuff – two rounds. Looking good!

So the propeller for my Legion Condor Dora was next

I went beserk and painted the lot – spinner included (may have to clean that for proper paint)

So, standard operating procedure from now will be airbrush I guess?

Erik, @airbum
Yes sir, these tires you used on this Molders' 109 are indeed outstanding !

As far as using the Molotow refill in your air brush: I can not take credit for the idea. My friend Josh Patterson is the first one to do this that I know of. He has also made a posting about doing it right here on Imodeler several years ago. Josh is s great man and he has built a science fiction figure and then sprayed the entire figure using the Molotow chrome.

He said it was best to let it dry for a long while after spraying, for at least a week prior to touching it. I don't know if it would be OK to use tape on it afterwards either. This is still in the "experimental" phase and not much is known about it. The chrome surface could be delicate, I am not sure.

As far as reducing / thinning it for spraying, Josh said that he was able to shoot it from his air brush without thinning it at all. It could also depend on the air brush you are using and also the size of the spray tip installed in it. The smaller the needle / nozzle the thinner the paint has to be in order to spray it on smoothly.

Maybe working together we can figure it out completely. I'm not sure about what to use exclusively for thinner. I have some 90% rubbing alcohol, the kind you use for medical supplies, and then I also have some MR Paint Leveling thinner, (the stuff made from unicorn tears)... I will likely try using it first.

What are your thoughts ? I have a set of 4 Monogram B-29 engine cowlings and a few B-24 parts that are patiently waiting for me to try the Molotow refill on them.

I will cut and paste this reply to your other posting so that others may see it easier, just in case someone else has had any experience with this.

I can start a new build journal for the B-29 in our Korean War group. There I can show how the engine cowlings are done / turn out using these methods.

Very shiny result indeed, Erik @airbum. This is definitely the way to go.

Nice, my friend @airbum!

Glad to see the chrome all worked out, Erik (@airbum). I may need to try this out.