Hurricane IIb, Revell 1/32 - finished

[MikeMaben]

Should look better under a flat or satin coat.

[Sepp]

4 hours ago, MikeMaben said:

Should look better under a flat or satin coat.

 

Yes - fortunately for me, the top coat usually hides all sorts of horrors.

[Sepp]

Me again.

 

Recalling this minor hiccup:

 

If it helps anyone, I first very lightly sanded round the edge with 6000grit cloth, then gave it a soak in warm water followed by a good dose of MicroSol. The offending item then lifted off good as gold. Replacement went on nicely - better than the first go, thankfully.

 

After a satin coat, I gave it my first go at battering-up a subject - bear in mind I'm still in "learn as you go" mode; some things worked, some didn't.  Wear and tear was Uschi silver metallizer, aplied as dry as I could get it with a cocktail stick.  Not-quite-worn-through paint was metallizer applied very dry with a micro cotton bud.  You can tell I started on the left wing - much too heavy-handed; by the time I reached the right wing-tip, I was very much more comfortable with the process.  After that, and faaaar too much oil/dirt streaking on the underside, I added more filth and exhaust staining with pastels.  Pictures suggest that muzzle staining didn't extend much beyond the tape patches, so I didn't add any (btw, inner patches are Tamiya tape, outer ones are papier maché made from newspaper and white glue, formed over the parts from my other Hurricane).  I should've left the cartridge chutes alone, too, but by that stage I was... enthusiastic. 

 

 

Lesson learned: less is more.  I've seen people write that when you get to the stage of thinking "just one more...", stop, walk away, and revisit later. This is good advice.  

 

I originally intended the kit to have the HF aerial, but the kit depicts the stub seen on VHF-equipped aircraft.  I made the taller spring retainer/mast from flattened Albion tube pinned into the top of the rudder, once the stub was cut off.  I then changed my mind, so no wire, but she retains the "old" HF mast.

 

After that, it was just a case of adding the various flying surfaces, gear and fwd mast.  Funny how one moment you have a pile of disparate bits, and the next - done.  The three handles on the canopy (one ext, two int) were made from Albion brass rod.  Exhausts were coloured using pastels with the stub ends highlighted with HB pencil.

 

I'm glad to be finished with this one. Not my best work, but a valuable learing experience.  The kit and I fought each other from day one - it's a perfectly reasonable product, but it has its foibles and I need to exercise more patience.  Anyway - at least I finished it in the same year I started   Proper RFI pix to follow, once the merriment has subsided.

 

Thanks for all the encouragement and for stopping by; I hope all have a very happy New Year, and a productive and satisfying 2024.

 

Sepp, out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 1 by Sepp

[Hoss FL]

Nice work Sepp! Great way to wrap up 2023. Congrats. 

[mozart]

Well done Sepp, you’ve built a really fine looking Hurricane and just as importantly learned several lessons in the process. I look forward to the RFI pics. 

[Grunticus]

That is looking great Sepp!

[Sepp]

As promised, RFI is now here.