Hello
this is my second submission to ARC and this kit was primarily a test project
with metalizer paints namely, Humbrol’s Metal-Cote product range.
This kit was an experiment and somewhat of a practice as I have never
attempted to use metalizers before. Later this year, around Christmas I hope to
build one of the famous Airfix 1/24th scale range, most likely the
P-51 Mustang, which I will finish in bare metal like the box art. I read an
article on ARC about this kit on the gallery section by Holger Papke, which was
very good.
Anyway
enough of my reasons and future projects, and onto the model in question.
This was an extremely good Airfix kit for its scale. Usually 1/72-scale models
by Airfix lack detail, and such basic necessities as recessed panel lines and an
averagely detailed cockpit and undercarriage. This kit came in dark grey/metal
plastic colouring, which was of the usual standard of Airfix kits.
Firstly
I spent time adjusting the cockpit adding ejector seat release handles onto the
seat. I installed the cockpit,
which was nicely detailed; however some dry fitting of the cockpit would have
proved useful. There is enough room
on this kit for detailing such as opening up gun bays.
There is also some interesting detail on the insides of the air brakes.
Next
I cleaned up the wings and fuselage and assembled the rest together with tail
planes also. I converted the
cockpit canopy so that it could be opened up to allow the cockpit detail to be
seen. I then masked off the canopy with small strips of masking tape with
Humbrol Maskol painted on the area inside the strips, then stuck it down and
masked off the cockpit. I then
primed the whole model in Tamiya XF-2 Flat
white. As usual I preshaded this model kit with Tamiya XF-1 Flat black
along the panel lines. However,
they were somewhat lost through later processes.
From an article read online about metalizers I then lightly thinned down
Metalcote-27003 Polished steel and went over the whole kit, letting show through
the preshading. Next I sprayed on
Metalcote 27002 Polished aluminium. However
I now realised I should have thinned the consistency down more thoroughly to let
the shading show through.
This
kit was an experiment, so mistakes are to be learned from.
I also found out later that gloss black paint for priming bare-metal kits
gives a smooth surface for a great shine, so I may make another bare-metal kit
using that technique or a variety. I
could not remember if I had left out a black spot on the nose but I’m not
bothered by it. A warning for this
kit is that the wings are prone to break off from the fuselage even with
superglue used, I’m not sure why but it did happen 2 or 3 times.
After
all the paint coats were dry (only after 20-25 minutes or so) I was ready to
polish as instructed on the tins. It
produced a good shine that look better in the pictures than it is, but the metal
effect is good but I feel next time I will do better.
I finished it off, then decaled the kit although some proved old and
adhered strangely so some became awkward and slightly wonky in place.
I then enhanced the panel lines with a pencil.