Hello again my fellow modelers:
Here's the week update that due to the work in the end of the year, the advance hasn't been as good as I would have wish. As you can imagine, hectic is the correct word.
Well, based in the experience gained in the D-11 kite, I decided to give it a try with the decals on the 152 kite. The learning curve dictates the following:
- Apply decals preferably only one panel at a time.
- The decals are preferably applied with the base color applied in order that once the decals are dry and treated properly, the final paint works are good to be applied.
- Scale and print the decals .02% of the original size in order to avoid applying one decal above another. This will not do by any means.
This is what I did during the last week. I decided I wanted to emulate the Gelbe 1 flown by Reshcke on April 1945.
In order to emulate this camo, also the lower fuselage is desired to be applied as the following image where several panels remained in aluminium:
Then in order to apply the aluminium panels, first this panels were applied the Alclad II and then received the riveting works. It is also important to note that beside the Alclad II, some surfaces will also receive real aluminium foil in order to gain some contrast with the metal surfaces. This foil will be applied once the paint work on the belly are over.
First the wing section received the magnets in order to present them on the display base on the final works. These neodymium magnets were strongly glued to the interior before closing the 152 fuselage.
Another task that was performed before closing the fuselage, was the location works of the engine exhausts that were protected with some liquid masking:
Once the fuselage was closed and positioned, then in order to receive the landing covers in a closed position, some plastic putty was applied in order to position one piece at a time:
Also the engine upper cowling was detailed and primed in order to continue with the decal applying works.
This is how the kite looked after applying the riveting on the metal surfaces. The decals are to be applied only where the RLM 76 panels are found:
Here the metallic panels were masked in order to apply the RLM 76, which I found a hue that is well greyish (despite maintaining the blue color) that I really liked a lot:
Here´s how the kite looked with the RLM 76 applied so far with the newly print decals (after performing several corrections to the scale):
This is how the kite looks so far after applying the decals almost on the entire surface where these decals will receive a fine gloss coat in order to protect them and then proceed to remove the masking along with the aluminium foil applying works, as well as to apply the final layer of the RLM 76 paint and the weathering works:
This is the advance so far and guess that this week the upper fuselage decals will be applied if the seasons parties allow me to continue.........
Have a great one everyone and hope you all begin the festivities safely.
Gerry