1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109G-14 Hartmann Double Chevron

[Beaconroot]

Absolutely love following your builds. Always informative. Keep the updates coming.

Jim Root

[Thunnus]

With the Shiden Kai in wait mode as the HGW seatbelts are en route from the Czech Republic, I finally pushed myself to put the white wash finish on the G-14.  I decided to apply chipping fluid (MIG Heavy Chipping) to all of the upper surfaces to try and create wear on the white and that was a mistake.  For some reason the fluid decided to pool into little balls as if I had waxed parts of the 74/75 finish.  I tried dispersing it with water and MIG Scratches Effect fluid but I couldn't get it to level out.  Hairspray and the various chipping fluids tends to evaporate without leaving a physical trace but I now knew that the treated areas were not completely covered.  So after the chipping fluid dried, I pressed on with the white.

 

 

As feared, the chipping didn't work out very well.  Because the white coat is in blotches and not uniform, the chipping aggregated in the dark areas where the white paint is the thinnest.  And so I started to develop a pattern of chipping that followed the edges of the blotches... not a good look. So... avoiding the dark areas and concentrating on just the wing roots, I did as much chipping as I could and then started repairing the other areas.  After the originally chipped areas were repaired, I tested out applying chips with a sponge and got acceptable results.  So that's the direction I'm heading in right now.

 

 

Not what I had envisioned when starting this project but modeling is often an exercise in adaptation.  The chipping will be developed slowly so I'm not worried about the haphazard and incomplete look of it now.

[scvrobeson]

Maybe some really fine sandpaper to wear back the white splotches?  I think I've seen other modelers use that effect, and it seems to work well for layering purposes.

 

 

Really like how the white looks on there.  Can never get stuff like that to work right, white is just a tough color to airbrush.

 

Matt 

[Thunnus]

2 hours ago, scvrobeson said:

Maybe some really fine sandpaper to wear back the white splotches?  I think I've seen other modelers use that effect, and it seems to work well for layering purposes.

 

 

Really like how the white looks on there.  Can never get stuff like that to work right, white is just a tough color to airbrush.

 

Matt 

 

Yes, that is possible but the underlying chipping fluid layer presents some issues.  When dry, it forms a thin elastic layer and not very conducive to sanding.  It may lift the top layer off in pieces.  I'm experiencing some of that now.  In those cases, I'm removing as much of it as possible and performing corrective paint work.  I can work this to my advantage if it can be used to add to the patchwork quality of the white wash finish.

[turbo]

6 hours ago, Thunnus said:

 I decided to apply chipping fluid (MIG Heavy Chipping) to all of the upper surfaces to try and create wear on the white and that was a mistake.  For some reason the fluid decided to pool into little balls as if I had waxed parts of the 74/75 finish.

 

I've had this beading problem with MIG chipping products too John, so have reverted to good ol' hairspray which doesn't seem to have the same problem. I don't know if hairspray has some surfactant component that the MIG products don't that help it to cover better?

 

3 hours ago, Thunnus said:

Yes, that is possible but the underlying chipping fluid layer presents some issues.  When dry, it forms a thin elastic layer and not very conducive to sanding.  It may lift the top layer off in pieces.  I'm experiencing some of that now.

 

I've successfully combined sanding with hairspray chipping before, maybe another qualitative difference between hairspray and MIG products or just layer thickness or something?

 

 

In any event, as you say sometimes you can get these problems to work to your advantage and I'm sure with your skills you will!

[Troy Molitor]

Stick to your awesome efforts and gut intrusions John.  The over weathering concern on this particular aircraft just isn’t there.  ALL the period photos for this particular Bf 109G-14 just don’t show excessive winter weathering.  I love the efforts so far and Hartmann didn’t fly with this group for a long period.   My two cents worth.  

[MikeMaben]

10 hours ago, Thunnus said:

         For some reason the fluid decided to pool into little balls as if I had waxed parts of the 74/75 finish. 

 

Sounds like the fluid has too much capillary action. (beading up)

Adding a tiny dab of dish soap will release the capillary action in

water so try a little in the chipping fluid to see if that works.

[Thunnus]

It's going to be one of those two-steps-forward-and-one-step-back episodes, I'm afraid.  As much repairs as I've performed (by micromeshing past the chipping fluid layer), there are other areas that are showing up as compromised during the masking process for the the other markings.  So far I've painted the yellow ID band and chin colors as well as the double chevron but the masks have pulled up paint that needs to be repaired.

[Thunnus]

Here is an example of some of issues I'm dealing with.  If the effects were on a smaller scale, I'd be able to utilize them but the areas of white paint that were lifting were too big.

 

These areas were resprayed with RLM 75 and the white overspray was re-established over that.

 

Concurrent with the repairs, I've been trying to push ahead and have painted the the yellow areas under the nose and the yellow ID band around the rear fuselage.

 

No masking problems for the yellow areas but the black chevrons revealed some new repair areas.

 

[turbo]

That looks like it's giving you some grief John, interested to see what you come up with! 

[chrish]

Aaaaargh! I hate when it does that!

[Troy Molitor]

Easy fix for you John.  This is another stunner in the making.  The RLM 04 is really popping on this G-14.  

[Thunnus]

Here's a sample of the paint repairs that I'm performing at various locations.  Since this one runs into a hard-edged marking, there are more steps involved.

First I remove the compromised white paint layer with tacky tape.  Honestly, if I were to really try, I could probably remove most of the upper fuselage paint this way but I don't want to start completely over.  Understanding that there are no more adhesive masks to be applied in this area, I TRY to constrain the removals to a small area. The area is scrubbed with Micromesh to reduce the hard edges of the chips.

 

The darker base color is sprayed onto the repair area.  I am using the lighter RLM 75 color because this shade sprays smoother than the RLM 74.

 

The white is then sprayed over the RLM 74.

 

Once this is dry, I mask off the black chevron.  I can also cut another mask using the Silhouette Portrait but the Oramask is very tacky and I'm afraid of lifting more paint so I choose to use Tamiya yellow tape for this.

 

One area repaired!  There is a bit of black overspray above the chevron that I need to take care of but it looks good otherwise.

 

In addition to paint repairing various areas, I want to get the black tulip around the nose as well.  I know that the extensive masking required for the tulip will probably lift more paint but I'm hoping for the best.

 

After spraying the black, I removed the tape as carefully as possible.

 

A bit of paint lifting on the engine cowling but thankfully, it is well away from the black tulip.

 

Better results than expected, paint lifting-wise.  I'll let this dry completely before I perform the touch-ups necessary.

 

Look at that spot on the port wing.

 

Like I said, two steps forward, one step back...

[Troy Molitor]

The heavy lifting is all done.  The easy clean up is easy for you to manage.  Looking brilliant as usual.  

[chrish]

masterfully repaired! at least it was in depot and not out in the field hey?