Trumpeter 1/32 TMB-3 Avenger

[BarryW]

I am progressing well with the painting.

Underside painted white, the sides intermediate blue and she is masked up ready for sea blue.
[ATTACH]317517[/ATTACH]

I adopted my usual method of base coat application for darker colours.

First an overall application then I mix the base colour with a little white to spray into the middle of panels and in areas that would catch the light.
[ATTACH]317518[/ATTACH]
Next it all needs blending in and toning it down with repeated mist coats of thinned base coat until you get the effect that you want.[ATTACH]317519[/ATTACH]
You just have to be careful not to overdo these mist coats.
I then end with a final mist coat of Mr Levelling Thinner. This helps even out the paint and makes sure it is nice and shiny for decals. All paints are MRP of course.

here she is with some of the masking removed. The rest will be removed when I have finished the matt coats after weathering..
[ATTACH]317520[/ATTACH]
There are just a few areas where I need to touch up. The touching up will be done by airbrush using Clever Putty for local masking.

Next I will be painting details before decalling.

[Guest]

All paints are MRP of course.

I had to look that up, but conclude you’re referring to Gunze-Sangyo Mr. Paint?

[dave]

I am fairly certain Barry is actually referring to Mr Paint (http://www.mrpaint.sk/) a slovakian company, and not the Gunze-Sangyo paints

[BarryW]

Thanks Dave - yes thats right, the MRP range, not the Gunze products.

[BarryW]

I had to look that up, but conclude you’re referring to Gunze-Sangyo Mr. Paint?

If you are interested Jakko here is a review I did of them on this formum a whiel back.

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/mrp-paint-detailed-review.28812/

[Guest]

A quick search turned up some hits for Gunze-Sangyo, probably because some people like to abbreviate “Mr. Paint” to “MRP” I suppose, and since you also mentioned using Mr. Levelling Thinner, it seems plausible. I didn’t know there was a paint brand by the name MRP — thanks for pointing it out I just read your review and will now probably try some if/when I come across this brand somewhere.

[BarryW]

I have several marking options both masks and a.m. decals. Trumpeter’s decals have always been appalling but I noticed that the kit ones are by Cartograph so I decided to go with a kit option.

I used masking tape to help position the decals. It is a really good way to do this but be careful to allow for the carrier film.
Here is some of the fuselage masking tape in position
[ATTACH]317768[/ATTACH]
Nose number positioned
[ATTACH]317765[/ATTACH]
Here is the starboard side done.
[ATTACH]317767[/ATTACH]

The declala are OK but I still had considerable issues with them confirming the complex shapes even with the copious use of decal solution.

One particular problem was positioning the Port star and bars over the vent on the side of the fuselage.

[ATTACH]317766[/ATTACH]

I will wait for the decal solution to cure off to see if it draws the decal down to the surface. I had to cut it and even if it does draw in there will be the need for some paint. We will then see how close the decals are to MRP insignia colours.

This really confirms my thinking that masks not only give a better result they are easier than decals. I should have used them.

[Jim R]

Hi Barry
Just caught up with this. All looking very nice. Very impressed with the preshaded colour coat and interesting to read how you achieved it.
Jim

[Alun Wells]

I have several marking options both masks and a.m. decals. Trumpeter’s decals have always been appalling but I noticed that the kit ones are by Cartograph so I decided to go with a kit option.

I used masking tape to help position the decals. It is a really good way to do this but be careful to allow for the carrier film.
Here is some of the fuselage masking tape in position
[ATTACH]317768[/ATTACH]
Nose number positioned
[ATTACH]317765[/ATTACH]
Here is the starboard side done.
[ATTACH]317767[/ATTACH]

The declala are OK but I still had considerable issues with them confirming the complex shapes even with the copious use of decal solution.

One particular problem was positioning the Port star and bars over the vent on the side of the fuselage.

[ATTACH]317766[/ATTACH]

I will wait for the decal solution to cure off to see if it draws the decal down to the surface. I had to cut it and even if it does draw in there will be the need for some paint. We will then see how close the decals are to MRP insignia colours.

This really confirms my thinking that masks not only give a better result they are easier than decals. I should have used them.

Hi Barry
Had exactly the same issue, have used microsol to get them down and to soften, but have struggled with them.
Too late now. I am finishing decals over the weekend.
Cheers
Alun

[BarryW]

The decals have been a massive problem. It was a mistake going with them, I really should have used the masks.

I spent the whole weekend and Monday dosing them repeatedly with strong decal solution to try to get them to conform. I got there is the end but all of them were damaged in some way so last night I carefully used Clever Putty to mask them to do a paint repair. Clever Putty is great for this purpose as it has minimal tac but it does need some patience and careful positioning. Also I have to say that the MRP Insignia Blue and Insignia White are good matches for the decal colours, that is not always the case.

The port wing needed spray paint repair to the inner bar leading blue edging and the white where it had torn behind some detail. It looks good now. The port fuselage decal, at the top did not conform well at all to the vent and that area needed extensive masking and painting. All decals were pricked all over in the process prior to the final application of strong decal solution.
[ATTACH]318047[/ATTACH]
The starboard side stars and bars needed most work. It laid so badly that even Clever Putty's minimal tac lifted some decal in the repair process. That has never happened before, I was amazed and that probably demonstrates just how bad these decals were. Consequently about 35% of the decal, white and blue areas needed repair. I got there in the end. here is a pic of that side and all looks pretty good now.
[ATTACH]318048[/ATTACH]
But, up close, you can see that there is a need for a little more work when I get back to it fresh tonight. Should be straight forward enough given the scale of challenges that decal gave me.
[ATTACH]318049[/ATTACH]

All in all a very testing process and the markings are not as good as I usually like to see but under coats of varnish, washes and other weathering they will look fine.

[flyjoe180]

Looking good Barry, bit of a battle with the decals though...

[BarryW]

It has indeed Joe.

I have applied the first matt coat after applying pin washes and got on with streak effects and smoke. A bit more to do but overall the underside white is looking pretty good
[ATTACH]318375[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]318376[/ATTACH]
A final matt coat to apply soon

[Guest]

Incredible work my friend

[scottie3158]

Barry,
Very nice work.

[Mini Me]

Barry,
Your bird is the bomb. How did you apply the streaking around the wheel wells and what media was used?
Cheers,
Rick H.