Hi Everyone
This will be a build where I will try in the main demonstrate the painting of the model.
Having done most of the fuselage in the last few days, it is now a matter of cleaning up the seams. If you want of good paint finish then it is all about the prep work. Whether NMF or camo paint jobs, ultimately the finish depends on the effort that you put into the model now.
Step 1 - I spray Tamiya AS12 (decantered) on the seams as this will immediately show up any flaws
Step 2 - I like to deepen any details in the immediate area before cleaning up seams as when you sand the seams you will lose some details. I use either a scalpel blade for panel lines or a pin in a drill vise for rivets etc. It is much easier to re-scribe or add the rivets if there is still a trace of the original lines etc.
Step 3 - I use superglue applied on the edge of cutting blade, this delivers a minimum of glue on the area requiring tidying up. Less is best and I only do a small area at a time. The super glue is hit with accelerator and left for a few seconds to set. If only minor gap I use Mr Surfacer (1200, 1500), then I use a cotton bud with lacquer thinner to remove the excess and avoid losing details trough sanding. Big gaps I use Tamiya putty and remove using lacquer thinner and sand if required.
Step 3 - Wet sand the area with your choice of sanding tools. I use mainly nail files, as they are relatively cheap compared to the "modelling files" you can buy...
Step 4 - Once happy with the clean up using the coarser files, I then use my secret weapon Manicures "Miracle Shiner". It is a two sided nail buffer that is great for finishing off the seams or any other blemish on the model. It can also be used for canopies, being excellent to remove any slight flaws or blemishes. They cost about A$6 for two pack, they will last quite a while if you look after them. I clean any dust off them after use with a wet toothbrush.
Step 5 : I give the model a clean, usually a quick rinse under warm water with dishwashing liquid and soft toothbrush to clean out the dust etc. After this is dry is then wipe down with alcohol wipes or methylated spirits, though go easy on the metho on any areas where you used any Mr Surfacer or similar to tidy up seams. I find that the metho also polishes the plastic without affecting paint adhesion.
Next instalment I will be adding tailplanes and the commencement of painting - though before the airbrush is fired up it is best to think about what needs to be painted first when multiple colours are to be used. Til next time...
6 attached images. Click to enlarge.
