**** DONE: 1/32 P-39Q - Mediterranean Theater of Operations

[Crimea_River]

Frustrating when the paint peels like that. Being Vallejo, I wonder if it's an acrylic primer. In my opinion, acrylics aren't the best for surface priming as there is no real reaction with the plastic like you would get with a lacquer-based primer.

 

[destrozas]

It's a shame alberto the primer of vallejo does not adhere well to plastic, I added acetone little but I added so that the plastic adheres me until I did this had nothing but problems with these small scales jumping

 

[al49]

Many thanks guys for letting me know that the issue is likely related to Vallejo primer, I will be very careful with next usage of masks in this build.
Fortunately I've got decals for all roundels and stencils required.
About the nature of this primer, there are no specific indication on the can but it's almost surely acrylic.
I wanted to test it because it's convenient, aprox 16 Euro for 4 400 ml can, in comparison with Tamiya that, in the same shop, cost 12.20 Euro and it's only 180 ml.
Alberto

 

[Wayne Little]

Hope it all works out fine Alberto.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[JKim]

Cure time can also be a factor, at least in my experience. Outside of the mask issues, the painting looks great!

 

[rochie]

Nice work

 

[al49]

Managed to do a first coat of Olive Drab.
I used Tamiya XF-62 and the result doesn't seem too bad:

Right elevator needs some attention ...

Next step will be to over-spray some areas with very diluted mix of white and yellow paint in order to show some fading specially on most exposed surfaces.
In the mean time I also learned that American insignia were not covered with a similar Italian paint but with new olive drab on upper surfaces and Neutral Grey on lower and I will try to do the same.

About lower surfaces, I had a few more incidents with the primer I used:

So afterwords I will have to take care of these faults as well.

Alberto

 

[Wurger]

Anyway looking nice.

 

[Catch22]

Agreed!

 

[Crimea_River]

Coming along.

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far!

 

[Wayne Little]

Primer seems to be causing a few headaches....

 

[JKim]

The paint work looks great so far!

 

[al49]

Still fighting with primer issues, I sprayed new grey paint to cover problem areas and it worked well except where I needed to use some masking tape, i.e. where grey meet olive drab. Here the masking tape pulled away small pieces of olive drab, sh...t.
I will take care of that as well.
New grey paint sprayed over under-wing American roundel shape gave me almost the result I wanted:

Some more will follow soon.
Alberto

 

[Wurger]

 

[chris brown]

Coming along nicely.

 

[Airframes]

I agree. Some nice work here Alberto.

 

[Crimea_River]

Agreed. Too bad about the bond issues.

 

[al49]

Hello,
it took me some time to get what I think it could be an acceptable representation of the Olive Drab typical of P-39 handed to Italians and partially repainted by them.

Here some pictures, circled in yellow is my attempt to replicate the new american Olive Drab paint sprayed by Italian servicemen to cover American Roundels.
Unfortunately the artificial light doesn't help to see the difference but, in facts the new paint is darker and less opaque.

There are still some little retouches needed here and there but it's almost time to clear coat this model as well.

In the mean time I received special decals I commissioned to two different guys, here they are:

Unfortunately white subjects are difficult to see,specially on laser printed ones, by I should be able to do some tests soon and let you know the result.
Alberto