<-- **** DONE: 1/48 Mosquito NF.XII - Twin Engined Aircraft of WWII

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Thanks Wayne.
I got the corrections completed on Saturday, but haven't got any further - feeling lousy the last two days, with a heavy cold.
Hoping to recover by tomorrow and get back to it.
 
With the Medium Sea Grey now fully dry, the RAF Dark Green was sprayed, freehand, after first marking the camouflage demarcation lines in pencil. Again, the Model Master enamels provided by Andy were used.
I was unable to strip down my fine-line airbrush, to free and clean the needle, due to my stiff hands, and the fact that the 'brush is mounted in a 'pistol grip' thingy, making things even more difficult, so I had to use a medium-tip, second airbrush.
Due to the spraying angles in some areas, such as around the nose and cockpit, there are a few small areas of mild overspray, and the scale 1.5 inch 'soft edge' is a bit too soft in some places, but this can easily be rectified by re-touching.
Personally, I think the Dark Green is just a touch too dark, and lacking the very slight olive tinge of the original, but a blind man on a galloping horse probably wouldn't notice !!

PICS 1 and 2. The camouflage demarcation marked out in pencil - note the 'DG' markings, to prevent spraying in the wrong areas !
PIC 3. The Dark Green sprayed freehand, and still wet in this shot. Note the difference in shade, compared to the Humbrol 163 I'm used to.
PIC 4. The light overspray, easily corrected.

Once the model is safe to handle, the masking tape will be removed, and the nose area re-masked, with the underside demarcation again marked in pencil, and the matt black, suitably lightened, will be sprayed, again freehand.
I hope to get this done some time tomorrow, all being well.
Thanks again for looking in.


 
Thanks Andy.
I was tempted to lighten it, but I think once the black is applied, it might look a touch better.
Just finished the retouching, and waiting for it to settle - looks a bit bright at the moment. Once the clear coat goes on though, I think it should blend-in OK.
 
Moving right along on this one Terry! The paint looks great but I'd have to agree that the green looks just a tad on the dark side.
 
Thanks very much chaps !

Yes, the green is darker than I'd like, but now that it's dried and had time to 'settle', it doesn't look quite as dark. I think that, once the black is applied, the contrast might be just enough to take the eye away from the darker green - I hope !
Don't want to risk messing up by respraying a different green at this stage. Also, it's doubtful if those viewing the model will notice, and I might try to 'break up' the effect, on the wings at least, by some shading and fading.
Just getting ready to spray the black ..... might be back later.
 
Two hours masking, one hour spraying, and another 45 minutes clean up and removing the masking, and this is how the model now looks.
After ensuring areas where overspray could find its way were masked, the demarcation was masked, with the edge of the tape raised slightly to give a subtle, soft edge.
The model was then sprayed with 'scale' black, using Humbrol 33 Matt Black enamel, lightened with a touch of matt white.
Once the paint had dried sufficiently, some panels, mainly the 'metal' fuel tank covers, some panel lines, and control surface joints were shaded with 'true' black. The wheel well doors and prop spinners were also sprayed at this time, in the 'scale' black, and the props sprayed in true black.
A start has been made on 'shading' some areas of the upper wings, and the next step is to add some more shading, wear and tear, staining and dirt.

PIC 1. The model masked ready for spraying - about a meter of tape, I think !!
PIC 2. Not very clear in this shot, but this is the 'soft edge mask' on the rear underside fuselage, with the edge of the tape raised slightly.
PIC 3. Again, it's not easy to see in this shot, but this is the model painted, with some shading of selected panels, and panel lines.
PIC 4. The masks removed, and the beginnings of shading on the upper wing surfaces.
PIC 5. How the 'soft edge' looks, more or less as I wanted it. Some slight re-touching is required here and there, particularly on that scratch, were I caught the paint when removing the masks.

I'll let the paint dry fully overnight, and then finish the shading, weathering etc, before applying a couple of coats of Humbrol Clear Gloss, ready for the decals.
Got to go out tomorrow night, but I hope to be able to show some more progress first.


 
The first stages of weathering and 'dirtying' have been done, but there's a long way to go yet.
More than one Mosquito aircrew member has told me that the aircraft got fairly dirty, as the matt paint, on the fabric 'skin', collected and held the dirt and grime.
I've made a start on this, around the nose, and on the tops of the wings near the fuel fillers, aft of the radiator covers, and also applied some paint wear around the nose joints and the cannon bay doors, as well as starting the scorching on the exhaust shrouds.
The latter will have a beige - coloured, scorched look lightly applied, inside the grey which has been laid down first.
Surface dirt I hope to replicate with pastels, although I don't want to make it too garish.
Not seen here is the first stage of exhaust staining, which has yet to receive another colour, again over the grey wash already applied, and some panel line work has also been done.
The uneven paint finish - some matt, some semi-matt, should even out when the clear coats are applied.


 
Thanks Wayne and Wojtek (it's that Variety act again !).
Hoping to get the gloss on some time tomorrow, then continue the weathering when it's dried.
 
Thanks very much chaps !
And Wayne, the 'Wayne and Wojtek' sound like a variety act from the old Music Hall days - probably acrobats and knife throwers, in baggy tights !!

Seem to have lost a full day, running (well, 'scootering) around, and just now getting ready to spray the first gloss coat. Might have some pics later.
 

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