****DONE: 1/32nd scale Beaufighter VIF, 46 Sqn RAF, Egypt 1943 Group Build

Washamarra? What Laphroaig? Wherssh d lashies - hic! Bl**dy canopy!!!

Airframes said:

Hmm. Two good answers there. Let me finish this sixth pint and third dram whilst I bink athout dis fer awhizzle. Ish 'ill be sack boon.....

Click to expand...

Step AWAY from the crafting bench!

Terry, leave it alone. The canopy fitted is the 1st improved canopy from the original Mk1, and were still fitted to some MkIVF's......

Any rivet counter that would criticise the build for a canopy curve being 3 degrees out needs to be admitted to hospital to get their a$$hole loosened.

Keep up the drinkning and the good work!

Ah b*ll*cks! It's staying as it is then! I'm half tempted to compromise, by sanding off and polishing the vertical frames between the side frames and windscreen frames, if that makes sense, but I think I might be pushing my luck! After doing all that intenal scratch-building and all the other stuff, I don't want to risk ruining the whole lot just for a couple of frames!
So, it's time for a clean up, masking, and get out the squirty thing!
First job, a thin and patchy overall upperside coat of mid stone, which I might get done tonight, given I've got enough thinners for clean-up later. Must go to B&Q tomorrow and get a couple of litres of white spirit....
BTW Keith, I reckon you must have definitely kissed the Blarney Stone, your explanation sounds almost convincing !!

So, having decided to live with the incorrect canopy, and possibly replace it with the correct style later, if Mr. Revell will let me have one to modify, I've cracked on with the final small jobs, and the masking, before applying the first stages of the paintwork.
PIC 1. The Observer's hatch cover needed to be built up, and this meant using the fuselage hatch opening in order to obtain the correct profile for the two halves, cut from the fuselage parts earlier. There was very little surface area to glue, so, a basic frame was glued to the forward and rear edges of the two halves of the hatch cover, using plastic strip, and then this assembly was placed into the hatch opening and adjusted so that it aligned with the fuselage. When set, the still delicate part was removed, and the internal frames and stiffeners added from various sizes of stretched sprue, and then the transparent blister was added, fixed with PVA, beads of which were also run around the joint in order to seal it. The canopy locking bar and release handles were then added, again using stretched sprue. The finished part will be painted later.
PIC 2. The oil cooler intakes have parts representing the mesh and ice guards, but I felt they weren't very good, and also fitted almost flush with the intake openings. So, these were consigned to the spares box, and horizontal guards added, again using stretched sprue. Once painted, these should be adequate.
PIC 3. The engine cooling gill flaps have had the joint covers added, cut from thin strips of plastic and glued in place with liquid cement.
The model was then polsihed with 'T-Cut' in those areas which had been sanded, to eliminate any scratches, and then wiped down with white spirit to remove any residue, grease and paint spots around joints etc.
The first painting stage involved spraying the upper surfaces overall in Humbrol Mid Stone, and I was delighted to find that the recently purchased tin was 'old' Humbrol, which went on beautifully. The first coat was applied thinly, building up a slightly patchy appearance, especially on the wings, tailplanes and upper fuselage. Once this had dried, a further thin coat was misted on, again creating an uneven patchy effect. Finally, a slightly heavier coat was sprayed around the edges of some panels, chordwise across the elevators and rudder, and in the 'shadow' areas of the engine cowlings, wing root areas and lower fuselage.
PIC 4. Shows the overall effect so far.
PICS 5 to 7 show the areas mentioned above.
The next step is to spray the Dark Earth disruptive pattern, which will be applied in a similar manner. Once dry, some light fading will be applied, and then the underside and fuselage side colour, black, will be sprayed, using a mix of Humbrol Matt Black with a touch of Matt White, with varying darker shades on selected panels.
All being well, I should have the basic painting completed over the weekend.
Thanks again for your interest and encouragement!

Looks really great Terry. The panel definition is great through the paint tone variation! I agree about the canopy too, leave it mate as given the model's overall size for starters its a minor detail.
Cheers,

Oh man what a dilemma and I slept through it all and that was without the help of the 'Laphrosig'. I recon you got good advise from all and sundry Terry and for what it's worth from the likes of a novice, I'd let it go as well. As for the build, it's coming along great, wish my T was doing so well.

Looks great Terry! That observers hatch is fantastic!

Thanks very much Alex, Vic and Keith, I do appreciate your kind comments.

beauty Terry. good to see some paint on her!

Looking tits old boy!

looks bloody fantastic Dogsbody, well done

Nice Terry!

Thanks very much chaps! Just about to start the Dark Earth camouflage.

Right, that's the second part of the basic upper surface camouflage done.
The Dark Earth disruptive pattern has been applied, sprayed freehand using Humbrol matt enamel No.29 Dark Earth, mixed with a small amount of the Mid Stone, to give a slightly lighter, faded effect. As before, this was sprayed thinly at first, building up in a patchy, uneven coat. This was followed by a second, slightly heavier coat, misted on overall, to emphasise the faded effect, and then some of the more prominent panels, and the fuselage section joints, were given a soft line of a slightly darker mix. A heavier coat was also applied to the lower parts of the engine cowlings, and the fuselage around the wing roots and centre section.
PICS 1 and 2 show the overall effect, and note that the fuselage sides have been 'feathered' lower than the eventual demarcation line, in order to avoid a 'ridge' of paint when the underside colour is applied.
PICS 3 and 4 give some idea of the shading around the panels and the fabric on the elevators and rudder.
The next step is to spray the black undersides and fuselage sides, again creating a patchy, faded effect. When all the paint has fully dried, after at least 24 hours, some more general weathering will be done, as well as paint wear, scuffing and chips, where the desert sand would have eroded the paint. Dirt, stains and panel lines will also be applied, before the model is given a clear gloss coat, ready for the decals, which will also be weathered once set.

Looks bloody brilliant Terry!!! 8)

looks great think i might like to build one of these some day

Awesome!

Great work Terry!

Man I wish I had more time to roam this Forum. As a mod I find it very frustrating to not encounter such great threads early in their genesis.

Airframes, your results are truly wonderful. Well done my friend. I can't wait to see what happens next. Fantastic job to date.