Andy, the main problem is that the Czech planes of fabric skin were coated with a couple of layers of Cellon lacquer what changed the hue of a paint. Therefore the sample of the colour may seem to be lighter. I had to go to my basement for a SuperModel magazine with a list of Czech paints printed. According to the list of colours for the Czechoslowakian AF in 1926-1939, the Avia planes were painted with Light Khaki FS 34082 .. Humbrol 102 or Tamiya XF61. Other manufacturers used Dark Khaki FS 34079 ... Humbrol 116 or Tamiya XF27.
**** DONE: GB-48 1/48 Avia B-534 Series III - Military A/C before 1939 (incl Spanish Civil War)
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- #42
Crimea_River
Marshal
That's informative, thanks. I'll spray out some samples of the Tamiya paints. No way I'm buying any Humbrols.
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- #43
Crimea_River
Marshal
OK, decision time. As discussed, I've already ruled out anything close to FS 33070 as being much too brown which leaves the two FS numbers suggested above in post 41:
I sprayed out 4 samples of Tamiya greens all appearing in previous posts. Under shop lighting:
Direct sunlight:
Natural light shade:
Coincidentally, XF27 and 61 is what I use for RLM 70/71. In fact, XF27 is labelled as "Black Green" and I think it's a good match for 70. Too dark for my subject. in my opinion. I also think XF 67 is too light which leaves XF58 and 61. The latter is browner and so I think I will go with XF 58 which seems a decent match to FS 34082 and can arguable resemble an unfaded version of the fabric sample. Incidentally, FS 34079, the darker of the two, is often quoted as the match for RAF Dark Green.
I sprayed out 4 samples of Tamiya greens all appearing in previous posts. Under shop lighting:
Direct sunlight:
Natural light shade:
Coincidentally, XF27 and 61 is what I use for RLM 70/71. In fact, XF27 is labelled as "Black Green" and I think it's a good match for 70. Too dark for my subject. in my opinion. I also think XF 67 is too light which leaves XF58 and 61. The latter is browner and so I think I will go with XF 58 which seems a decent match to FS 34082 and can arguable resemble an unfaded version of the fabric sample. Incidentally, FS 34079, the darker of the two, is often quoted as the match for RAF Dark Green.
XF 58 would be my choice Andy
fubar57
General
As soon as I saw the patches, my eyes went to XF-58
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- #47
Crimea_River
Marshal
Excellent. You're all to blame if it's wrong! 
Seriously, thanks for the input guys. Appreciate your interest.
Seriously, thanks for the input guys. Appreciate your interest.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
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- Mar 26, 2007
Yup, mine too
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- #49
Crimea_River
Marshal
With the colour settled, I was able to get the prop finished. On the real aircraft, the prop is all wood and has part of the grain exposed with the rest being covered by camo and squadron colour bands. I started by spraying the whole prop with Tamiya XF-57 Buff. A close study of photos shows 10 plies of alternating light and dark wood bands. I didn't feel that I could achieve this with a paint brush freehand and so cut some very thin slices of tape and carefully placed these on the prop.
The tape didn't need to go right to the end as this area will see a band of camo paint. With the masking done, I sprayed the blades again with Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth and peeled the masks.
The blades were then gloss coated and set aside to cure (this was a couple of days ago as I studied camo colour options). Now that the camo colour is chosen, today I masked the prop for the remaining paints:
The camo colour XF-58 was painted on all exposed areas first. I then realized that I had forgotten that the spinner and inner band should be sprayed with either a bright blue or green for the scheme option that I liked (references and the Eduard instructions are not definitive, saying the colour could be one or the other). I like the bright green for something different and tried to mix something with my Tamiya paints but could not get the colour I wanted. The only thing that I had on hand that looked right was a bottle of Testors green enamel that I use for nav light bulbs. Hmmm, thinned enamel over acrylic.......not ideal. So I tested some on the colour swatches I made earlier and, seeing no reaction, I went ahead and sprayed the enamel over the XF-58 on the spinner and inner band.
Once the enamel had set, I peeled the masks and mixed up a number of Tamiya paints to make something that looked like brass for the leading edge plating. This was hand painted with a fine brush and then the decals were put on. Here's the result:
It's my first try at a wood grain prop and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Meanwhile, back on the rest of the model, I finally finished the seam work around the radiator fairing, This area was assembled rather awkwardly with a slightly misaligned fuselage seam and annoying steps at the points where the radiator housing faired into the fuselage and it took me quite a few passes of filing/sanding/filling to get this all put to bed. The lost panel lines and fastener details have been rescribed but there is just one small area not easily seen in the pic that I need to fix before I can spray the silver and so that will be my next focus.
Thanks once again for following along and for the great feedback.
The tape didn't need to go right to the end as this area will see a band of camo paint. With the masking done, I sprayed the blades again with Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth and peeled the masks.
The blades were then gloss coated and set aside to cure (this was a couple of days ago as I studied camo colour options). Now that the camo colour is chosen, today I masked the prop for the remaining paints:
The camo colour XF-58 was painted on all exposed areas first. I then realized that I had forgotten that the spinner and inner band should be sprayed with either a bright blue or green for the scheme option that I liked (references and the Eduard instructions are not definitive, saying the colour could be one or the other). I like the bright green for something different and tried to mix something with my Tamiya paints but could not get the colour I wanted. The only thing that I had on hand that looked right was a bottle of Testors green enamel that I use for nav light bulbs. Hmmm, thinned enamel over acrylic.......not ideal. So I tested some on the colour swatches I made earlier and, seeing no reaction, I went ahead and sprayed the enamel over the XF-58 on the spinner and inner band.
Once the enamel had set, I peeled the masks and mixed up a number of Tamiya paints to make something that looked like brass for the leading edge plating. This was hand painted with a fine brush and then the decals were put on. Here's the result:
It's my first try at a wood grain prop and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Meanwhile, back on the rest of the model, I finally finished the seam work around the radiator fairing, This area was assembled rather awkwardly with a slightly misaligned fuselage seam and annoying steps at the points where the radiator housing faired into the fuselage and it took me quite a few passes of filing/sanding/filling to get this all put to bed. The lost panel lines and fastener details have been rescribed but there is just one small area not easily seen in the pic that I need to fix before I can spray the silver and so that will be my next focus.
Thanks once again for following along and for the great feedback.
fubar57
General
The prop look great
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
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- Mar 26, 2007
Indeed the prop looks like it is the real thing.
That prop is superb Andy
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great work there Andy - looks brilliant !
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- #55
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks very much chaps.
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- #56
Crimea_River
Marshal
A few small details were added to the radiator bottom - a couple of rods made of stretched sprue and what's likely a drain valve made of brass tube. A small amount of sanding has also been done at the wing root to remove a bit of protruding primer.
With that done, it was time to lay down a coat of Alclad Semi Gloss Aluminum:
Here's the area around the radiator outlet again with the paint on and the mask over the PE grille removed:
I'm glad I take pictures because just before posting them, I always seem to remember a forgotten detail. This time, it's a small PE T-shaped piece that replaces a moulded part that I had removed in the radiator outlet. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with how this area turned out given the amount of time I spent on it.
Thanks for looking.
With that done, it was time to lay down a coat of Alclad Semi Gloss Aluminum:
Here's the area around the radiator outlet again with the paint on and the mask over the PE grille removed:
I'm glad I take pictures because just before posting them, I always seem to remember a forgotten detail. This time, it's a small PE T-shaped piece that replaces a moulded part that I had removed in the radiator outlet. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with how this area turned out given the amount of time I spent on it.
Thanks for looking.
le_steph40
Chief Master Sergeant
Excellent work so far Andy 
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Incredible work on the prop.
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- #60
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys.
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