Construction

Palo M
Thank you, Roland!

Palo M
There are usually no gaps, but it's not a Tamiya model, the fit is "suboptimal". It usually doesn't matter, but if the pieces are detailed (like one just behind the wings), it's not possible to fix without major scratch building. I'll leave it at "steps" on the edges where parts come together instead.

Rui S
Looking great 👍

John
I tried the paper masks on the old OEZ Su-7 (which I still have yet to finish, may never) and held them off with pieces of looped tape to get a softer edge but still tight. It was a lot of hassle but it worked well and the edges looked good. Nothing else on that cursed kit did, but camo edges, hey, they were ok. Gotta look for the positives.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice effects.

Palo M
Thank you John and Villiers. I also had the paper masks held by tape loops. The small overlap of two different colours created an edge that looks like painted with a felt tip pen 🙂

Palo M
Any opinions on the brown paint shade? This is MRP's SEA brown out-of-bottle. On some photos of F-111, it's spot-on, on others the real paint looks more yellow. Do you think it needs a few droplets of yellow, or is this close to what it should look like?

Palo M
Interesting point over DM: maybe the paint shade is spot on, but looks a bit different when at such small scale.

John
Hard to say. With the effects of sun fading, etc. you could make a case for either. Did the Aussies have access to U.S. paint stocks or did they brew their own? Did the paint mixer enjoy a beer or six before getting to work? There are many factors invloved.

I think the straight paint looks correct but the yellow added seems richer so would make a good model. I don't think either would be "wrong."

Palo M
Thanks John. I went with the original after all, but did a thicker layer. I think it's good enough, just shame about the lost preshading in the process.

David Culp
I think the SEA colors look great. Your F-111 is going to be a beauty.

John
Beautiful camo pattern and the color turned out really well. 👍

James C
Looking fantastic! 👍

Palo M
Update, realized the tank cover should be closed. Currently doing damage to try and get it fixed. Wish me luck 🙁

Michael Kohl
Good enough looks pretty good to me.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice work.

Skyhiker
This is my favorite plane. It must be pretty big in 1/48. Cool camo.

Michael Kohl
Yeah, I had to learn it the hard way too, not to use regular painters tape on my models. Keep up the good work.

Palo M
Put on some glossy varnish yesterday, didn't go well at all. Any advice on how to fix orange peel? 🙁

John
Let it dry for a couple of days. Sand lightly with 600, then 2000. Apply another light coat. What is your gloss varnish and airbrush air pressure? I like to use X-22 and a levelling thinner like mr. color at slightly lower air pressure. Orange peel a lot of times is caused by the varnish drying so fast it builds up and can't level out and make a smooth surface.

Palo M
I used VMS acrylic varnish. I admit, the pressure started at the same level as MRP paint, probably a mistake. Later tried higher and lower pressure, but didn't help much. It should be higher pressure for more "dense" liquid, right?

John
I tend to run gloss coats a little less dilute than paint and yes you'll need higher pressure to push it out of the airbrush without spitting. If the mix is too thin at higher pressure it dries so fast it sets up orange peel. I also try to run lighter coats with gloss to give it a chance to settle. I think if you give it a few days to fully dry and sand it down lightly so you don't break through to the paint and give it a couple of light varnish coats it should give you a good glossy finish. 👍

Palo M
Thanks John, wish me luck.

John
Meant higher pressure in first post, good luck!

Palo M
Progress - higher pressure worked, sprayed a wet, uniform layer. Unfortunately all panel lines are now evened out 🙁

Palo M
Contacted Chris from VMS (contact form) who gave me some tips in how to remove the varnish. He answered within 30 mins on a Sunday morning!
Long story short: had success with Vallejo Airbrush Thinner - just put some on, wait a minute or so, then with a paintbrush, cotton buds or paper towels remove.
With alternatives I had at hand: X20A damaged the paint, Harder&Steenbeck airbrush cleaner took many more tries.

Michael Kohl
A tip to remember. Thanks for sharing

Slavo Hazucha
Seriously cool airbrush work on the camo 👍 Happy it did not get ruined by the varnish...!

Also noticed - is the WALKWAY/NO STEP marking not inverted? It´s good on the central rectangle, but then it would suggest one is supposed to walk on the edges of the wing/fuselage and the flaps and not on the center mass, which does not seem right... I have it the other way around on mine, just noticed this here... Does not by any means harm the model as such, just curious... In case I am right - good job & a barrel of whiskey to HB decal design department! 😄

Palo M
Yes, Slavo, the decals were wrong 🙁 I could have cut them up, but gave up and went with it as it was.