Mosquito Night Intercepter Mk XVII. Tamiya 1/48

[Ian M]

Well after the fight with the Airfix Seafire, and while I await some decals from them so I can finnish it off, I have started on one of the kits in the stash. Tamiyas' mossie night fighter.

A quick look in the paint box tells me I might be asking a few questions.

The ambiguos interior green. Have we covered that recently or not LOL.

Well not having any of the 'correct' colour, I took a few bottles of Vallejo and mixed a couple and ended up with this;

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This is the base of it anyway, there will be a few shadows and highlights in the corners and on the high points. Am I in the general region, or miles off?

The next question is regarding Night Black: Was the mossy just painted matt black or was it indeed night black? What it night black. I have read that it was infact an incredibly dark blue which I find beliveable. I have also hear that it was a grey so darl that it was almost, but not quite black.

Could some one claer that up or am I going to have to buy a bottle and find out for my self???

Any way, The Engine thingies are done and just starting to get on to the cock-pit (where does that phrase come from?!). Every thing is still pretty much on the sprue at the moment so not much to how.

Ian M

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[stona]

I think you've got an acceptable scale interior green there. Is that the correct colour for the Mossie? I'm in Dublin this evening and my books are in Birmingham but I'll see what's on this machine. Night was indeed a very dark blue. I can't remember the formula but it was a black paint with Ultramarine added. Xtracrylix do a very good one. It certainly wasn't grey though many modellers use a grey for scale effect.

Cockpit.....I think it is a circuitous derivation. Originally it was simply an enclosed area for fighting cockerels. Next it went nautical as a steering well on a small vessel,an obvious link, and then junior officers quarters on a man 'o war. I guess that from there it went to the cramped "office" of an airplane (think WW1 vintage) and then racing car etc.

Now for joy stick!!!!

Good luck with the Mossie

Cheers

Steve

Edit: Interior green it is (by my own guide compiled from all sorts of sources over far too long). I thought I'd seen a reference to black interiors somewhere but it was probably just senility setting in.

Steve

[Ian M]

Thanks Steve. Looks like I was lucky again!

Might just have to look into the Xtracrylix. Have just placed an order with John. Lets hope that the air traffic dont get screwed again by the ash!!

(hope I get them just as quick as you lot in blighty get theirs!!!)

Ian M

[Ian M]

So, I have gotten as far as I can and am now waiting for some paint. Pitty its a bank holiday here on monday, so not only do I have the day off work, the postman does too!! Darn it!

Any way. The canopy. Is that a pig to mask up or what. Normally there is some form of ridge you can cut to. Not on this one. The frames for the window panes are so finely done you can hardly see them, let alone use them to cut along! Oh! And half of them are INSIDE the canopy. There are decals provided to put on for the inside lines, so thats different.

I have now masked, cut and ripped off for the fourth time now. The offending part is now sitting under a plastic dome, with a fresh coat of Klear, once that has dried, I will try again.

If anyone that has built this bird, has some good tips, or a mask I sure could use them.

Ian M

[Guest]

Rather than try to cut the masking tape along the panel lines, try cutting very thin strips of masking tape and run these along the edges of the lines. Once done, fill in the gaps with bigger pieces of tape.

[Ian M]

The story so far;

The paint arrived tuesday, many thanks John. Postdanmark also had the day off monday, as it was a bank holiday! So no painting for me that day.

Right then, My first thoughts on Xtracrylix. Once I have cracked the thinning ratio, i'm sure I will get a better result, but as it is a first time with them, I am quite happy with the result. One thing I have found out - the hard way - Is they are rather translusant. I have gotten very quickly used to Vallejo's almost opaque covering! So there was a few cusses in the air after painting the Medium sea grey three times and still finding "thin spots".

Also I am rather surprised that the clean up is much worse than expected for a water base paint. Thank heaven for Xylen. That stuff disolves any thing!

Well you are all reading this thinking yer yer wheres the photos? Well my camera is my mobil and that is in my desk at work!!! So tomorrow lads. Besides the Dark green is really in need of another coat or two befor the masking comes off!

So apart from the rather labour intense cleaning of air brushes and a really buzz from the fumes from the Xylen, I am quite pleased with the new paints. Not sure If I am a convert though!

Ian M

[Guest]

How odd, I have found Xtracrylics to have great coverage and as easy as Tamiya to clean up. The Interior green (US) XA1117 covered very well. What are you thinning with?

[Ian M]

Good old distilled water! Have tried with and with out retarder. The paint that is still liquid is simple enough, its the paint around the inside of the cup and the nozzle that are a bit more stubbern!

Will just add that the paint had had a real good shake and then stired. Thinned down to the infamous milk like thickness (or thinnes).

Still I'll fire a couple of pictures off when I get home. Gave it another coat of the green last night and that seams to have done the trick.

Ian M

[Gern]

You could always look at it this way though Ian. If the dry paint is difficult to remove from the surface of your brush; it should be just as difficult to remove from your model! That makes it a good paint. LOL

Gern

[Guest]

Have to say that Xtracrylix does handle better than Tamiya. Even using the foam 'cradle' by now I would have expected to see rubbing with Tamiya paint but there is no sign of it with Xtracrylix.

[Ian M]

Gern: To true. It does seam to be pretty tough stuff once hardend! And that's a good thing yes!

Graham: Used Tamiya once and binned it did not like it at all. Kits are great, and they should stick to that. Could you imagin if Dulux started to sell models?

Right then. I remembered to take my mobil home today.

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Ok I like to whine a bit with new things, but I think the end result is sort of ok.

Now its just got to harden off so I can mask the top and paint the bottom.

Talking of masking; this time I put the msking tape out on the masking pattern that comes in the box, cut it out and weeded it. Stuck the tape directly onto the model and sprayed the green. Not one flake of grey can away when I removed it. So it is pretty good paint in that respect too!

Ian M

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