chuck540z3 Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share Posted October 19, 2020 (edited) October 19/20 With all the major components of this build complete, it’s now time to prep the model for painting. After a lot of bad experiences with leaking masks and tiny parts that don’t fit, I now have a method that reduces the occurrence and stress of these events happening again. Not much that I will show will be new to you and they are old tricks that I have learned from others, but you may find something here that could be helpful on your next project. The first step has been done already. During assembly, I have painted within the front intake and the wheel wells, including the edges of same, so they can all be masked off. With tiny and fragile lead wiring in the wheel wells, I filled that cavities with good old wet Kleenex to provide a backing for masking tape. Foam can work as well, but cutting the foam is hard to do accurately and it might interfere with the wiring. After the Kleenex has dried a bit, next is the application of masking tape along the edges to provide a sharp demarcation line, with additional tape over the interior on top of the tissue. This is followed by a liberal coat of liquid mask to fill any remaining gaps, but also to provide a solid mass to hold all the little bits of tape together so they don’t peel back later. More on masking solutions below. This model comes with vinyl masks for the wing lights, but for some strange reason not for the central fuselage light. This is where this tire and wheel masking set from Maketar comes in really handy, because it can be used for a lot more than wheels. There are literally hundreds of different circular vinyl masks in each set and finding the perfect one is always easy. As you can see, I’ve used a few already and the one on the left covers that fuselage light perfectly. While you guys with Silhouette vinyl cutters can make your own masks, this set cost only about $20 and will last for years. I also bought their set for masking bombs with curved shapes. Now a little info on 3 liquid masking solutions I use: Mr Masking Sol R, Mr Masking Sol Neo and Microscale Micromask. The only big difference I can see with the 2 versions of Mr Masking Sol is that the Neo is much thicker than the R and slightly a different color, but it may be that the Neo is just a newer version? In any case, there are significant differences between these products when compared to Micromask as shown below: Mr Masking Sol Micromask Viscosity Thick Thin Color Green Blue Dilution with water Yes Yes before drying Dilution with water No Yes after drying Adhesion Good Strong Ease of application Fair Excellent Ease of removal Excellent Fair to poor As a result of the above properties, I use both liquid masks for different tasks. If you mask tiny areas with complex detail, don’t use Micromask because removal is very tough, but thankfully, Micromask can be dissolved with water after it dries if you need to remove residue. Mr Masking Sol on the other hand, comes off easily, but once it has dried it will not dissolve with water. For my future paint chipping, I will be using Mr Masking Sol. Now a bit of a walkaround on other masked areas. The rear landing gear well was super easy with just tape and a bit of liquid mask. Same with the cockpit area, but those canopy rails required some thin application of tape and Micromask. After painting everything gloss black, the rear area behind the seat will be sprayed with dull coat, then masked off again. The intake, gun holes and exhaust were all pre-painted, so they were covered accordingly. This is where Mr Masking Sol is perfect, because it can be removed from the gun holes and complex parts of the radiator, likely in one piece. Micromask would stick to all these parts too much and removal would be difficult. Those wingtip and other lights have a sharp edge of thin tape and liquid mask for the balance. Gluing the lights on beforehand and dealing with glue and gap issues early, will make a much better presentation on the final model. Part of painting preparation is the location of small parts like aerials, pitot tubes and other small items, especially when they don’t fit very well to begin with. The boarding step I39 requires a square hole to be created which is simple enough, but the blade antenna I9 requires an oval hole to be created which you wouldn’t want to be doing after painting. The pitot tube I43 needs a hole drilled as well. Now a very interesting discovery I made that I bet is not very well known. The super thin radio antenna is from the Photo-etch fret, using a tiny base (PE16) and mast (PE18). For ease of installation at the end of the build, I drilled a hole into the fuselage top behind the canopy for this antenna, but where should it be located exactly? The instructions are very vague and have a location in the middle, roughly between the canopy and the tail. Reviewing many pics of Tempests and even Typhoons, I found that when viewed from the rear, the antenna is definitely offset to the starboard side. So I did the same. This antenna is just dry fit into the hole, so angle will be adjusted later. Where exactly? Checking many photographs, it looks like it should be on the second set of rivets behind the canopy in the fully open position, and slightly inward of the longitudinal panel line on the right side. Another smaller “discovery”, although not as noticeable. A few days ago I had a PM discussion with Peter Castle (airscale), who was trying to help me with the canopy gasket detail behind the cockpit. Using this pic of a Typhoon, it’s clear that the center rail is still within the canopy cross member mechanism when the cockpit is open. The central kit rail appears to be a bit too short and there is no cross member on the kit parts. The rail does not extend to the very rear of the canopy frame when opened, however, as shown in this pic, so adding an rail extension is not necessary. The solution is to make a cross member that goes on either side of the rail on the inside, which I will do later. So that’s about it before I apply the first coat of gloss black lacquer to the upper surfaces, followed by dull aluminum. This initial part of painting is really stressful to me when I first start it, but I find it fun thereafter as I add paint layers and tweak what I’m doing. Stay tuned! Cheers, Chuck Edited October 19, 2020 by chuck540z3 Uncarina, chrish, Rocat and 17 others 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Excellent! I know all about masking and priming, sanding, smoothing, repeat..... I'm at the near same place with my Ki-45. Looking forward to paint! chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squizzy 78 Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Awesome work Chuck! I always learn from ready your build thread, this time on how you mask before paint. Thanks! And now I think we’re all ready to see another masterpiece paint job performed! chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Molitor Posted October 19, 2020 Share Posted October 19, 2020 Well done Chuck. Looking forward to some color applied. chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Troy Molitor said: Well done Chuck. Looking forward to some color applied. How about gloss black!? As I have mentioned too many times, I like to use Tamiya Gloss Black Lacquer (TS-14) as a base whenever I can, for two main reasons: 1) It reveals every single tiny flaw, so I can fix them early 2) It provides a primer coat for Alclad paints to stick to This paint also attracts dust like crazy, both before and after painting due to the glossy finish and static electricity it creates, especially in our dry climate during winter. A modeling friend of mine said that the Car Guys who paint glossy finishes all the time, like to place a wet towel underneath where they are painting to reduce static electricity, so I thought I would give it a shot. Using a new polyester car towel, I sprayed it down just enough to get it damp without soaking it, then placed the model on top of it. I can say that this experiment was a great success. While some crap still wound up on the model (and continues to be attracted to it as you can see on the left wing), I bet this was reduced by 75% when compared to my prior gloss black (or gloss yellow) painting attempts. Here I have also painted two “mules” to experiment with paint chipping before I commit to the model. For this first coat of paint, you want it thick enough to cover, but still thin enough that it doesn’t fill any detail, which is why it’s a bit patchy. After repairing newly revealed flaws, you will need to shoot another coat of paint anyway. All of that rivet detail I enhanced appears to have been worth it. But there are still some inevitable flaws that you could never see on bare plastic. I will let this paint dry for at least a day before handling it. After repairs, I will spray another touch-up coat, followed by Alclad Aluminum. I only do this on the upper surfaces, because chipping from below is rarely seen and quite honestly isn’t worth the hassle. Cheers, Chuck Edited October 20, 2020 by chuck540z3 Dragon, Anthony in NZ, Out2gtcha and 24 others 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvrobeson Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Awfully pretty in gloss black. Maybe do it like your F-5 and make it an aggressor Tempest. Matt chuck540z3 and fastterry 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 (edited) 23 minutes ago, scvrobeson said: Awfully pretty in gloss black. Maybe do it like your F-5 and make it an aggressor Tempest. Matt Ha! It is a shame to paint over it sometimes. Here are a few prior examples that were black for only a short time. Note the moulding flaws next to the aileron. Cheers, Chuck Edited October 20, 2020 by chuck540z3 nicolas96, chukw, Anthony in NZ and 12 others 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaxos345 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Totally speechless Chuck!!! John chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Molitor Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Lovely efforts going on here Chuck. Well done as usual. chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vvwse4 Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 Looks great Chuck, looking forward to more. chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 (edited) Thanks Guys! Funny, I was afraid to start painting (as always), but once I start, it's addictive! The first coat of gloss black was mostly to reveal flaws, blemishes, seam remnants, etc. Despite my prior attempts to eliminate same, this model still had plenty of them, so it was back to sanding! That big one on the wing I showed above, but I also had a long seam-line on the top of the fuselage, along with the usual crap and other small boo-boos. After removing all the dust, it was back to the spray booth. All better now. A few close-ups... After this dries for another day, I'll hit it with some Alclad Aluminum. Cheers, Chuck Edited October 20, 2020 by chuck540z3 Buster99, AlbertD, John1 and 17 others 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Beautiful gloss black finishes...ever thought of doing a Vandy-1 Phantom or Tomcat?:) Great tip on the damp microfibre towel - will try that. And I take it you're decanting the TS-14 and shooting through your airbrush? Jens chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 I can't even imagine how you achieve this immaculate gloss finish, Chuck. Absolutely amazing. Cheers Rainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Nice sheen, Bro'. Sincerely, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted October 21, 2020 Author Share Posted October 21, 2020 (edited) October 21/20 Thanks guys. Painting gloss black has been a long journey where I’ve made a lot of mistakes, so here are some tips: 1. Start with a very smooth plastic finish. Primers will help, but I never use them because I don’t like to fill any detail. If you have scratches you want filled in, sand them instead. 2. Wipe the model down with Tamiya lacquer thinner, to remove any oils from your skin. 3. I can’t speak for acrylics, but a good lacquer gloss paint is easier to use than a gloss enamel, because it sprays on thinner and it dries quicker. I use Tamiya TS-14 Black decanted from a rattle can, but the new lacquers in a jar might be just as good, like Tamiya LP-1. Once I use up my 3 cans of TS-14 I’ll give it try. 4. After decanting and de-gassing the paint, I thin it with about 1/3 Tamiya lacquer thinner. You need to keep adding thinner to the jar over time, because some of it evaporates, making it too thick. 5. Get rid of all dust and use canned air just before you spray to remove any residual dust. You may have to repeat this several times, as the paint can attract new dust from the air, hence my new use of a wet towel under the model to reduce static electricity. 6. I have two excellent Iwata airbrushes: a CM-C Plus with an ultra-fine 0.18MM needle and an HP-CH Plus with a 0.3mm needle. While the 0.18mm needle is fantastic for fine detail like cockpits and wheel wells, it will eventually sputter when painting large areas like the entire model. For these gloss black finishes, I use the 0.3mm needle airbrush instead. 7. Air pressure is about the same as I always use, which is about 21 psi when shut in and 12-14 psi while spraying. The viscosity of the paint will obviously affect these pressures. 8. Like most airbrushing, spray on wet then move on, but with gloss finishes, spray the paint on extra wet. This is another reason that fast drying lacquer is great, because it won’t run unless you really load up the paint. 9. You may have noticed that the wing roots are not dull and dusty due to air turbulence and quickly drying paint. Spray the wing roots from front to back and not directly at the fuselage, which creates this turbulance. 10. If you get a piece of crap land on the paint while spraying (and you will!), ignore it and keep spraying. With fast drying lacquer, you can gently sand it out and respray in only ½ hour. 11. While the paint can feel dry to the touch and give you the ability to do small repairs in ½ hour, don’t handle the overall finish for at least a day. Oils from your skin can leave fingerprints that will need repairs. Now back to this build. The Barracuda nose comes with its own prop that fits and with better single piece blades, vs the kit ones that need to be assembled from 8 parts. Cleanup of the nose cone can be tricky, so take your time. Assembly of the prop comes with supplied jigs to get the angle and position of each prop blade correct, which can be done before or after painting. I chose before painting, so that I can paint everything as one piece for ease of handling. You can download the instructions from the Barracuda site, which will include a template for you to glue the jigs to. It turned out that my printer printed the template at about 95% of what was called for, when comparing the 1 inch legend in the lower right corner, which is cut off this pic, so make sure the printer is adjusted accordingly. Sand and clean up all parts before assembly. The nose cone needs to sit flush with the central hub, so I had to trim both the hub and the inside of the nose cone for them to mesh with each other properly. All 4 prop blades glued in with CA glue. Make sure the little dimple at the base is on the front of each blade. The nose cone hits the prop blades every so slightly, so the hole for each blade should be trimmed and deepened accordingly. Now some 1/32 Tempest Gold! I want to use the same HGW Wet Transfer Stencil decals I used on my Spitfire, but found that they were out of production (OOP) when I started this project back in April. Further the Spitfire Mk IX decals were also OOP! Thankfully, I thought, I found a set in Eastern Europe, but paid over $50 Cdn for them delivered, presumably because they were OOP. Fast forward a few months, they never arrived, so I got a refund from Paypal, thinking I was out of luck for these decals. Searching around for them again, I found a set at one of my favorite hobby stores, UMM-USA and they were only $16.95 US, so I bought 2 sets! FYI, I rechecked the HGW website and the Spitfire decals are now listed again, but not the ones for the Tempest which are still OOP. Will they come back? Who knows, but if you want a set, get over to UMM right away. John Vojtech who runs and owns UMM is one of the nicest guys I have ever dealt with and he’s also a master modeler, so I don’t mind giving him a plug when I can. While you’re at it, buy one of his “Mega Tool” riveting tool sets, which I went over earlier. Cheers, Chuck Edited October 21, 2020 by chuck540z3 Brett M, scvrobeson, airscale and 18 others 20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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