**** DONE: 1/48 Polikarpov I-16 Type 18 - Winter War / Eastern Front WWII

[fubar57]

Any thoughts about using boiling hot water on it to soften it and then clamping it?

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Not tried that before. I'm surprised it's that stiff.

 

[dneid]

Good luck with the cowl/fuse joint. I tried hot water years ago for some old monogram kit. It actually worked, I just went real slow with the heat and shaping. Never got a great fit, but I was able to improve things.

 

[Lucky13]

 

[T Bolt]

Real nice work George

 

[Wayne Little]

Small challenge yet to come but taking shape rather nicely!

 

[fubar57]

Thanks for dropping by guys. Just got in from camp, checked the fuselage and it didn't budge. Last option is to gently thin down the outside of the cowling, about 2.5cm worth along the right side. I'll test this on the spare cowling. i also put the first coat on the bottom before I left so I'll add the second and get some pics up later.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Painted and ready for the gloss coat...

...the fuselage and cowl front will not make pretty so I'm going to file around the cowl to make it thinner and less noticeable.

Geo

 

[mikewint]

Nice Geo, that's a big cowling when you see the whole aircraft

 

[le_steph40]

Real nice work George

I second that

 

[Wurger]

Agreed.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys. I decided I'm going to P.G. tomorrow to buy some more paint including a lighter green to try and dry brush some wear onto the topside.

Geo

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good luck with the cowl. Hope you don't mess up the nice paint work.

 

[Wayne Little]

hope you get it right Geo!

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys. Trying to copy Wojteks profile on the first page and having next to nothing on VVS aircraft, was there a primer used on the fuselage or was it just metal indicated by the yeller arrows. And the red arrows, light reflection by the artist or a greyish faded color?

Geo

 

[Wurger]

It is quite difficult to say Geo. Russian primers for metal protection were "dirty" yellow , grey-greenish and blue-greenish. For wooden parts, the primer was blue-grey one. Looking at the profile I would say that the author wanted to show faded areas of the basic colours. These on the metal surfaces cauld have been areas where the colour was rubbed off. However I noticed that most of I-16s had the camo colours almost gloss ( semi-gloss ). The kind of finishing has a quite interesting feature. The gloss coat can look like it would loose the top gloss layer showing a matt one being under that often. Also the matt finish causes the different appearance of these areas because these seem to be greyish and lighter. What is more exhaust fumes can cause fadding of colours as well. The hotness makes them getting darker.. etc..

 

[fubar57]

Thank you very much, my friend. I've notice the color changes when I get lazy and gloss coat for decals in just the spot the decals are laid and when I flat coat, the difference is noticeable. Sooooo, once the decals are on, I'll apply a gloss, semi-gloss, flat topcoat and a lightened color of the top camo to show wear. I also noticed in the above photo that I had the other green patch extended too far up towards the tail and this has been corrected. The right side is pure artistic license .

Geo

 

[Wurger]

These two images showa similar kind of discoloration methinks..