**** DONE: 1/48 Tempest MkV - Allied Advance and Defense of the Reich WWII.

[Crimea_River]

Yep, have seen lots with clear lenses, including the TT Tempest hanging from the roof at Hendon.

 

[Gnomey]

Great work so far Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

The weekend saw the camo colours go on and today I touched things up and applied a coat of Future. The Tamiya Dark Green was free-hand airbrushed over the Tamiya Dark Sea Sea Grey with a lot of attention paid to getting a very fine demarcation line between the two whilst still representing a factory-sprayed application. So far, in my experience in doing this, a very patchy application emerges with variations in the degree of matteness (Pics 1, 2 and 3) which are readily fixed through application of successive clear coats (Pics 4 and 5).

I found that I needed to lighten the Tamiya DSG a tad after applying an initial coat straight from the bottle. This allowed the opportunity to apply a bit of a post shade weathering finish to this colour. The Dark Green was applied straight from the bottle over the grey and the finish is a bit patchy by virtue of the application method, which I think actually looks realistic for a wartime aircraft.

I'll now allow the Future to cure before moving any further on this. In the meantime, I have a question regarding late war upper wing roundels. It seems that at some point late in the war, type C roundels replaced the B roundels on the upper wings. Without knowing better and by looking at various photos, straight C type roundels would be appropriate for Sheddan's rig in May 1945. However, Eduard show the scheme with type C1 roundels with the yellow outline. Though I`ve not yet found pics to support this roundel type on Tempest V`s, I have seen photos of late Spitfires with the C1 roundel. What would be correct?

 

[Airframes]

It's looking good Andy.
The upper wing roundels would definitely be Type C1 (yellow outer ring) in May 1945. They changed from Type B, Blue/Red, early in 1945.
I can't remember the exact date without looking it up, but from memory the change was ordered to be in effect from January 14th.
The yellow outer ring was omitted, making Type C roundels, much later, and again I'd have to check dates, as RAF Germany and RAF ADGB changed at different times - very late 1945 and early 1946 if my memory is correct.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Good info Terry thanks. Saves me from having to trim the yellow off!

 

[rochie]

Nice work Andy

 

[JKim]

The paint job looks super sharp Andy!

 

[Gnomey]

Looks great so far Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks all. Flipped it over and spritzed the bottom with Future so all surfaces are covered. No work til that is cured.

With golf season starting Friday, my weekends will see even less modeling time so progress may be slow.

 

[Airframes]

Get a geriatric golf partner - then you can do a bit of modelling in between strokes !

 

[Donivanp]

And I continue to even try, Why?

 

[Crimea_River]

Terry, I am the geriatric golfer.

 

[fubar57]

Looks great Andy. Snow still on our course and the closest one that's open is 2 hours away. This is a photo of the Duxford Mk.XII. A restoration photo but I look through the books to find a period one.

This one is from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum before it was destroyed.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Geo.

 

[Wayne Little]

Good work Andy.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Wayne.

Something I probably should have done before spraying the Future but it doesn't matter I guess. Studding the one photo I have of Sheddan's rig, it's apparent that the aircraft had a Sky band that was crudely painted over, leaving a band of a darker green and grey. To replicate this, I masked and painted the Sky band and then airbrushed darker versions of the colours over the band. A bit of brush touch up was also needed and it added to the effect. Future was then applied over this and it is now curing.

 

[Airframes]

Nicely done Andy.
I forgot to mention the removal of the 'Sky' tail band when discussing the upper wing roundels. Again I'd need to check dates, but the tail bands were removed in early 1945, I think after the addition of the new roundel style, but certainly by April - May 1945.

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves the date was the January 3rd 1945.

 

[Airframes]

Ah, so same time as the change to the Type 'C1' upper wing roundels ( I can never remember, without checking, if that was January 3rd, 4th or 14th !!). For some reason, I thought the change to the tail band came later, along with black spinners for RAF Germany fighter aircraft.