Airfix Stuka - 1/48

[RM6239]

Colin, I agree.

Richard, welcome mate.

Jim, yes starting to look like a stuka now.

Airfix provide you with 2 options for the canopy, open and closed, I'm going with open but I thought I would be clever and use the closed canopy while painting and remove it at the end. All I can say is the closed option is not something you could use as you will see. Primed and waiting the 48 hours that Vallejo primer needs to be safe for any sanding.

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Really Airfix, $50 for that kind of fit, it's not even close. The only option I can see that could work is to paint as is and after painting sand that front section and as the open canopy doesn't have to marry up with the front it should be ok. I can't do it now as that would then leave a gap along the top as well as to the sides and that would make painting very problematic at least now with some clever angled AB work I shouldn't get any overspray in the cockpit. Also I noticed while priming that one of the arms on the flaps underneath is just not there, there doesn't seem to be a break nub on where it's supposed to be and I can't find anything in the plastic bag so I don't know what happened to it.

All the external bits are painted and will be added after painting.

cheers
Ross

[RM6239]

For some reason edit is not working but further thought on the problem and I should of just masked off the cockpit and painted the canopy sections off the plane, like I have with the open section.

cheers
Ross

[Jim R]

Hi Ross
Could almost be the canopy from a different kit the fit is so bad.
Jim

[rtfoe]

Hi Ross, can the canopy be the wrong side up?:thinking:

Cheers,
Richard

[Steve Jones]

Sorry to hear about the issues. Hopefully it will turn out well in the end

[RM6239]

And the prize goes to Richard, yes I had the canopy the wrong way up, so big apologies to Airfix there, excessive air gap between the users ears. Still not the greatest of fits with the closed canopy but much better than it was.

cheers
Ross

[RM6239]

Good news, I found the little rod thing for the flaps, had to destroy the box to find it but it's now in position.

Preshading done, some people's panel line shading is perfect, I'm not one of them. :smiling4:.

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As you can see, some thick, some thin, some very wonky :tongue-out: and some even almost perfect, painting will fix it all up. As you can see I've painted the white rudder and wingtips, a couple of hours to be sure it's cured then masking and onto the underneath.

cheers
Ross

[RM6239]

I don't know if I've ever shown this before. You often hear people say I can't get my preshading right or they over paint it, well I don't always get it right myself but this time I did and I took photos of the process I use.

This photo I've already done the tail planes, flaps and up part of the fuselage.
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Here I go back to kindergarten and colour in between the lines.:smiling5:
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This time I go outside the lines, no gold star for me.
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Here I start to focus on the lines and blobs themselves. Painting up to and over the black preshading.
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The final result. This I just paint as normal, broad strokes all over the wing as if the preshading wasn't even there.

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So 4 or 5 thin coats expanding out from the centre of the panels, gradually working towards the preshaded lines, until finally broad strokes treating the whole wing as one section.

I hope this helps and makes sense. This is why I don't care too much about the actual preshading, whether it's dark, light or wonky, thick or thin, this process allows me to fix that all up to get the result I want.

cheers
Ross

[rtfoe]

Fantastic Ross,

You've gotten the pre-shading technique precisely spot on. Many have chosen this route as it's easier to control the amount of shade with the base paint covering a broader area rather than trying to simulate and spray thin darker lines to the panel lines. :thumb2:

Cheers,
Richard

[Steve Jones]

Exactly what Richard said. Spot on mate:thumb2:

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Ross
Great pre-shading.....more or less how I do it as well....
I’ve found I can enhance the effect even further by ghosting a slightly faded version of the main colour in the middle of the panels outlined by shading. Just ghosted though, no hard edges.....

[Steven000]

Thanks for sharing your pre-shade-method here Ross, I haven't done much aircraft in years so I learned something from it

Cheers, Steven

[Si Benson]

Hi Ross,
Completely missed your build, along with many others!
Glad you sorted the canopy issue...paint coming along nicely :thumb2:

[Jim R]

Hi Ross
As someone who has failed many times with preshading that method and the photos are really useful. Thanks
Glad the canopy is sorted. We all have those moments when the old brain just has a off day.
Jim

[RM6239]

Richard, thanks mate.
Steven, thank you.
Tim, exactly, I like the control it gives you.
Steven, glad to help mate, that's what forums are all about.
Si, No problem mate, welcome.
JimR, sad to say they are becoming more frequent though mate.

Well almost a perfect mask and paint. No noticeable bleed through but in one spot the paint lifted. I will have to fix that and fix up areas that weren't covered around the cockpit. Anyway now that the bottom is done I can stick the wheels on. NOW there's no mistake on what kind of plane it is.

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cheers
Ross