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HK B-17G WIP Update 9/27/18 Guns and Small Bits


Dennis7423

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Time for another update, albeit a small one (or maybe it is significant? I dunno).

 

After much humming and hawing, I decided to try out the AK Extreme Metals paint for this beast. After testing on a few small pieces, I got cracking on the fuselage (wings are still awaiting sanding and rescribing). The results were very, very impressive!

 

42702703720_3e1517d5d4_k.jpg20180903_140122 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

There were some imperfections and dust in the paint, so after a good few days curing, out came the sanding pads and polishing rags again. Lather, rinse, repeat...

 

42702704140_7d23daeb0b_k.jpg20180903_102202 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

And here's one with flash, same photo, just for kicks:

 

42702704580_d2453bf0dc_k.jpg20180903_102156 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

After I was satisfied with the base coat (base layer black, then matte aluminum), I highlighted a few panels with different shades of metals (white aluminum, basic aluminum, and polished aluminum), and the results were subtle, but beautiful, just like I wanted:

 

42702700930_fe63dba3f9_k.jpg20180905_105034 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

42702703190_a1c3d35464_k.jpg20180905_105048 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

42702702960_eb61594ba3_k.jpg20180905_105106 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

42702702730_d44aa6e18f_k.jpg20180905_105139 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

42702702200_48a9356f49_k.jpg20180905_105251 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

For the many concerns I read about AK Metals not being durable and peeling up with Tamiya tape, those fears were quickly relieved. This stuff is super durable, and I haven't had any issued with paint peeling.

 

As this is a late-war 96th BG bird, there's a logical next step. I wonder what that could be...

 

42702701570_e7ea8dd837_k.jpg20180905_184513 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

43601990665_a37310ded0_k.jpg20180905_184531 by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Stay tuned, more paint coming soon...

 

As always, comments and critiques are most welcome. Thanks for checking in!

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

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41 minutes ago, Out2gtcha said:

Looks great!  I have yet to try the AK Extreme stuff yet on any kind of major project yet. 

 

I can highly recommend it. It goes on so smooth, and you can really pile it on without and adverse effects. I found it best to give the black base coat a long time to dry (a few days is good), and then shoot the metal at 10-15 psi. Worked like a charm. Only down side is you power through a bottle of the stuff quite quickly, and it isn't too cheap. I used almost two bottles on the fuselage, and broke open a third to get the engine cowls and touch-up painted. I want to try the polished aluminum on an entire airframe, and I have a resin 1/1 scale Terminator T-800 forearm that their chrome should look incredible on.

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

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Dennis,

 

That is spectacular! I have used the Extreme Metal range for limited applications like brush painting and an F-16 afterburner, but your work gives me confidence. What black paint did you use as primer?

 

Cheers,  Tom

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7 hours ago, Uncarina said:

Dennis,

 

That is spectacular! I have used the Extreme Metal range for limited applications like brush painting and an F-16 afterburner, but your work gives me confidence. What black paint did you use as primer?

 

Cheers,  Tom

Tom, I just used their black base primer, available with their Metals paints. I burned through it fast though! Two whole bottles just on the fuselage. The coverage was spotty, but I was okay with that. It gave a somewhat spotty appearance to the metal, but very subtle and convincing.

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

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What do you do when you have a few uninterrupted hours in the middle of the week? Well, you airbrush red and olive drab, of course.

 

44481918122_e80db02b16_k.jpg41045759_573396976425563_6324215403488739328_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

I love the look of good airbrushed red, and Model Master Insignia Red sure does the trick. What I don't love about red is no matter how good a masking job you do, it always seems to weasel its way into some little nook or crevice, right onto your natural metal paint. Some touchup will be required, but I am pleased with the results:

 

30661764998_cd0878d069_k.jpg41326627_187749092020355_5987434437850169344_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

Different B-17 manufactures painted different styles of anti-glare onto their birds. This particular plane was manufactured by Douglas, and fortunately Eduard provides some awesome masks for their 1/72 and 1/48 B-17 kits to mask the correct anti-glare panels based on the manufacturer of your particular bird (Boeing, Douglas, or Vega). I simply used their instructions to create my best effort to recreate Douglas' version. I am pleased with the results:

 

44481917962_9faadaba04_k.jpg41097933_893272344191837_983004253255630848_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

You'll notice the little bit of red on the front of the cheek gun. This was painted red on my Grandfather's bird, so I recreated it here, too. The forward window on the opposite side of the nose had a red outline painted around the window itself, and I will recreate that with brush painted Insignia Red.

 

Next up: Deicer boots on the tail and horizontals (this plane had them), and then, clear coat and decals. Now, where did I put those wings...

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

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Removed the masking after painting the deicer boots on the fuselage, and I am quite pleased with the results!

 

43875490824_58f39aef8f_b.jpg41418398_10102634811119612_2424225514915889152_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

44594148641_716a8ae9f3_b.jpg41332473_10102634811164522_4122621743154069504_n by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

 

I do have a few places to touch up, and I need some recommendations... the Tamiya tape left some adhesive residue on the matte aluminum paint (only the matte aluminum, none of the other shades) and using Tamiya tape to pull up the excess isn't quite working. Rubbing it gently with my finger seems to be working, but it sure is time consuming and quite tedious (what isn't in this hobby?). Any other recommendations that won't mar the finish, and won't affect the Alclad aqua gloss clear that's to follow? My hope is to gloss coat this Friday, let it dry over the weekend, and then get some decals on her on Monday.

 

Thanks for taking a look folks!

 

- Dennis S.

  Thornton, CO USA

 

 

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