Bowcat's 1/48 Tornado F.3 ADV

[Steve Jones]

Good work on overcoming the build issues. Hopefully things will be a little easier soon

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Steve.

Had more issues at the back with the tail, soon fixed with a bit of shim and filler.

Got some weight in the nose and finished off a few odds and sods, so that's now most of the building done. I've still got to put the gear, doors and ordnance together but that can be done while paint dries.

Speaking of which, got the primer down. Couple of small fixes to seams to fix, but generally I'm pretty happy.

It looks mean in black.

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[flyjoe180]

Looking mean and fantastic in black Bob!

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Joe.

Started a couple of bits of the top coat. I noted the areas of the wings that are hidden when swept back are a darker grey. I wasn't sure how to mask them so I figured if I painted the darker grey first then move the wings back the kit will mask itself. We'll see how than plan works out.

While I had the colour mixed I also did the nose cone (radome?).

I'm also planning to try a new to me technique of black basing so I had a bash at the tail planes.

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[papa 695]

Very nice work Bob

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Ian.

[Mr Bowcat]

Well the self masking seems to have worked. I moved the wings to the swept position and went over again with the black primer. The result is some nice clean lines.

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[stillp]

Your post #34 confused me, but now I see - I think you meant to write "lighter grey", not darker?

Pete

[scottie3158]

Bob,
Nice work so far

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers guys.

Pete, I did mean darker, but darker than the rest of the top coat, not the black base.

Speaking of which, stage 2: mottling is now complete.

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[stillp]

Ah OK Bob, that now makes perfect sense. Presumably the areas that are more exposed would fade quicker, or were they painted in different shades?
Nice mottling!

Pete

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers.

As far as I can see from Google they were painted the darker colour, although that may not be the case for all of them.

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[Dave W]

The curved fairings above and below the wing form a tight seal against the wing. The dark grey paint is in the area where the two surfaces rub together during wing sweep movement.

[Dave W]

The slots in the fuselage aft of the wing contain inflatable bags that seal the hole in the fuselage that the wings move in and out of when they are swept back or forwards.

[Mr Bowcat]

Good info, cheers Dave.

So is the darker paint a result of the rubbing, or purposefully painted a darker shade?