BarryWilliams

Interesting that you say you use the AK markers for touch up on the MRP lacquers. How do the colours match and are there any tips getting the best out of them for that purpose. I always do localised masking to touch up my MRP when needed.

I have not compared them but I use MRP primers all the time and find them excellent. Several very useful colours are available and they do the job.

You could do the Tamiya 1/32 P51 in the colours of 112 squadron RAF using aftermarket markings including their signature shark mouth.

A Merry Christmas and Happy Modelling New Year to all.

I have never had a clogged needle with MRP, though, of course your climate may mean it’s different for you. I don’t use a gloss over MRP before recalling but do, do a sealing gloss coat. I suggest spraying a light coat of MrLT over MRP. It can really improve the finish as it reactivates and levels the paint. Specially so of your MRP salad down as a dry coat.

I have never used Solt but I have used several decal solutions including Microsol, Mr Softer and Mr Setter with no problems.

Wow then water based acrylics must be a massive problem where you are. There never can be accounting for all extremes.

Tip dry is something I have never had in what, 8 years, of spraying MRP lacquers exclusively.

I have about 25 on display, most 1/32 aircraft and half dozen 1/48. Since I got back into the hobby I have built well over 120 models over 90 of them 1/32 scale. For me the enjoyment is in the build, painting and weathering, not the displaying. Therefore I have no sentimentality about built kits and regularly cull my display and will either give them away to children, bin them or in the case of half dozen, give them to a museum. I still have photos.

I love 3D Decal sets and they can be far superior to etch as well as easier to use. All 3D decals should be attached with glue, decal is a misnomer as they resemble decals by being carried on paper. That said I am not impressed by the sets provided by Kits World. I have found them lacking in a number of areas. Placement instructions are poor and often only available online from their website for download. In this case I refer to the 1/32 HB B24 set in particular . Trying to work out where they go and even identifying the right piece is far from easy. Their definition is, at best only ‘so so’ and on some sets it can be way off. They can also sometimes be off register. I found that with my 1/48 Airfix Buccaneer. The level of detail also is poor compared to others. There is a huge difference in quality between a Quinta Studios set and Kits World. Quinta set the standard while Red Fox and Eduard are trying to catch up. Kits World (whose normal decals I have liked) are way behind the pack.

I am with you 100% on that. When I first signed up to this site I tried to set up an image hosting site and had all kind of problems. These days I simply cannot be bothered with it. I have even forgotten what the site was.

I see that you use Mr Dissolved Putty but this is not meant to be for gaps. You mentioned shrinkage, but think of it as being self-levelling and this is one of its benefits. For example if you get a gluey finger mark in the plastic, it happens to all of us, lightly sand it and then apply MDP and leave it for 24 hours and it will have sunk into the ridges, another light sanding and, sometimes a repeat and the job done. This self-levelling combined with its fine pigment are a really useful feature. I also use it on very fine ‘ghost seams’. for wider gaps I have several options depending on the situation Vallejo Plastic Putty Mr Surfacer 500 and Ammo Black c.a. It is very much horses for causes.

I build 7/8 models a year and try to keep my stash down to 10 (all 1/32). It did rise to around 23 once but that was when I had a ‘spurge’ on 1/48 scale. Right now it is at 10 and I will be getting the HKM A20K when it’s available so it will rise to 11. As I am currently building the Border Lancaster I won’t be building the usual 7/8 over the next 12 months so the stash may get bigger, but only if any really interesting new releases arrive. if my stash falls below 6 I do get a bit twitchy!!!

But it’s not just a matter of enamels vs acrylics! For one thing there are vastly different ‘flavours’ of acrylics. The best performers through an airbrush are the acrylic lacquers and these are as different to water based acrylics as enamels are. My choice, lacquers through the airbrush (primer, paint and varnishes), water based to paint fine detail over the lacquers, enamels as pin washes.

Either, both were used by the RLM and Messerschmidt interchangeably.