**** DONE: GB-35 1/72 UH-1 B ‘Huey” - Vietnam French/American War 1950-1975

Crimea_River · Oct 15, 2017

Michael, get yourself some decal setting solution and apply it to the red stripe over the grille. When it's seated down properly and fully dry, get a pin and pierce the decal in the grille holes and apply deal solution again if necessary. Myself, I would have masked and spray painted the stripe but you are past that now.

Airframes · Oct 15, 2017

It's looking good Michael.
I agree with Andy about the red stripe. As part of it is over the PE grill, it might be possible to cut the decal stripe, and carefully remove the part over the grill itself. Then, seal the entire area with a coat of clear varnish and allow to harden for at least 12 hours, before masking for the stripe section over the grill perforations, and paint the remainder of the stripe, thus allowing the grill pattern to show through.
However, if you think this is not possible, or perhaps difficult to achieve, then follow Andy's suggestion.

Wayne Little · Oct 17, 2017

Looking good man....great suggestions above...

parsifal · Oct 19, 2017

Very quick update, before I hit the road for Sydney. Ive nearly completed the decaling process, put the starboard side clearshield wiper on, touched up some of the unfinished painitng (like that rooftop fin thingy). I tidied up the side hatches. I think I will leave them in the open position, to improve view into the interior, but the fit into the hatchway is just not that great.

Ive fitted the engine turbine and the exhaust Looks pretty good to me, so the engine inspection hatches should be fixed in the open position IMO. I finished up taking off the decal on these hatches and spraying the red stripe on. It looks a lot better to me

Its getting pretty close to finishing, but I still have the rear bumper to fit, the nose antennae and some bits at the rear near the tail,

I still cant make up my mind about the tail boom antennae. I can still fit them if I want to, but I just cant make up my mind about whether they were there or not there in 1968

Crimea_River · Oct 20, 2017

Glad to hear you got the stripe sorted. Looking forward to some pics.

Airframes · Oct 21, 2017

Me too.

parsifal · Oct 23, 2017

here are some photos of the decaling process and a shot also of the hatch covers

I'm disappointed with the discolouration that is affecting the "5" on the nose. I'm considering using one of the spare "5"s in the decals to put over the top of this digit.

The retouched hatch covers unfortunately are still not right either. When I removed the masking it revealed a degree of bleeding into the white paint. The stripes are also uneven and not straight. Some of the grills are blocked by paint as well. I will need to go back and try again I think

Crimea_River · Oct 24, 2017

Easy fixes there I think. Not sure why the colour is bleeding on the decal but covering it with another should do it. Make sure that the decal solution you are using (if you are) isn't dissolving the paint. When masking always remember to burnish the edges of the tape with a toothpick or something similar.

parsifal · Oct 24, 2017

Youve actually hit the nail on the head about the decal. I applied the solution, a little too thickly and this was the result. it just seems to bleed a bit. I was mostly referring to the red striping and how it sort of discoloured the white next to it.

Wurger · Oct 24, 2017

Looking good though.

Airframes · Oct 24, 2017

Looking good overall Michael.
For the red stripes, just mask over the red, and re-paint the white.
Looks like the demarcation between the colours on the pilot's doors may need retouching, especially the vertical frame on the port door, but easily done.

rochie · Oct 24, 2017

Still looks pretty good though Michael

Wayne Little · Oct 25, 2017

Doin' good.

parsifal · Oct 25, 2017

have repaired the nose decals and retouched those stripes on the access hatches. I think they look better. photos soon

Crimea_River · Oct 25, 2017

Good stuff.

Gnomey · Oct 25, 2017

Lovely work so far!

fubar57 · Oct 26, 2017

Looking forward to it and some good suggestions here

parsifal · Nov 7, 2017

so, I apologise firstly for not being more diligent with my diary, but I have more or less finished this build. I will post my finished thread tonite, but thought people might like to see my competition finished shots......