Hi All,
Now the Kulula Boeing 737 is finished, I looked in the 'Pile' and came across this Revell Airbus A319 in 'BMI' colours which I had for one of those days.
The kit is moulded in white and clear, with some very fine panel lines. The Decal/Transfer sheet is printed by 'Daco' for Revell and is superb.
So far I have painted the undercarriage bays, stuck the wings together , but the fuselage needs some attention at the nose on my kit, as it seems to not meet at the very nose without excessive force, so a little work will be needed.
For now, I have taken a few pictures to show the kits contents, the parts are reasonably few in number, but I think this will let me get onto the painting stage quickly, something I relish.
Bigkev
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Looking forward to seeing this one take shape.
Hi All,
Just started to prepare fuselage in readiness for filling the windows. I intend to use the decals provided in the kit for the cabin and cockpit windows. (the kit does not provide any cabin glazing anyway, you need to use a glazing medium such as Clearfix or Kristal Klear if you want transparent windows).
I will use Milliput to fill the apertures, applying it from inside and pushing into the apertures so it comes slightly out of the fuselage. To prevent unwanted filler in the panel lines I have applied thin strips of Tamiya tape over the panel line. On the main doors, I have put some thicker strips to protect the door/panel lines and hinges on cargo doors.
I have put some photo's here to clarify.
Bigkev
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Hi All,
just a couple of pictures showing Milliput in place and 'pushed through' to seal windows.
Bigkev
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Hi all,
just to let you know that I have placed excess filler at nose to aid balance on undercarriage.
Bigkev
Hi All,
Well, the Milliput has set and I first cleaned off most of the excess with a sharp curved blade, then used wet n dry to sand smooth. I will also use some Mr Surfacer 500 to cover any miniscule gaps and clean up when airframe is put together.
For the nose area I have stuck in place a piece of plasticard, which has been sanded to a feather edge on one side. the excess will be cut away once it has firmly set.
You will also see in the pictures that I have added tabs to the insides of each fuselage halve to give extra strength to the joint when glued together. Airliners because of the long fuselages are difficult to prevent gaps appearing in the joints. This added tab solution will help prevent any flexing in the joint.
I have stuck in place the nose wheel undercarriage bay.
The wings have had the unrequired flap fairings removed and sanded smooth, a final clean up will be necessary once main airframe is together.
Coming along nicely........
Bigkev
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It´s great to see how these things are put together professionally. I can certainly learn a lot from you guys. Thank you for posting your work!
Hi Kiteman,
Thanks for your comments, but professionally built, sorry I'm not in that league.
More progress pictures and descriptions to come over the next few days.
Bigkev
Hi All,
Well now the tabs have dried I checked the wing to fuselage join and could see that there would be a small gap all around the forward edge. Rather than use just filler I decided to glue some 0.10 plasticard to the front edge. I glues it in place ensuring it stood proud of the contours of the fuselage shape. The excess will be trimmed off when dry. It will probably still need some filler but now it will be a surface job not a deep fill.
Whilst the wings were in place I checked the balance of the aircraft to check it would stand on its undercarriage okay. By balancing the model on two fingers where the undercarriage legs fit, I found it was almost there, with the excess Milliput I had added earlier. So to make sure I added some plasticine and some .177 Air Rifle pellets to the front of the nose. It now has a definite nose heavy tendency.
You can also see the wedge added to the nose, which filled the gap described earlier. The excess was cut away and roughly sanded to shape before the fuselage halves were stuck together.
Finally I lightly sanded the exposed tab edges to make sure that they did not force the fuselage out of shape when joined. Next I used Revell Contacta cement with the long metal needle type applicator, and Tamiya thin cement to glue both halves together. Lots of Tamiya tape was used to help bind the two halves as well as Berna clamps, and a 'G' clamp where the fuselage refused to mate up cleanly.
I added the windscreen at this time too. It will be covered with a decal so I was not too worried about glue on the clear part, rather aiming to ensure a good fit.
That's it for now, have to leave it for a day or two to really set.
Bigkev
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Interesting stuff Kevin. Yes, I am back from the wilds of Northumbria.
I've now got the fuselage and wings together, and filled. I've used 'Green Stuff' as a filler initially as it shows up well against the white of the kit moulding.
I have used 'Wet'n'Dry' to rub the gaps down, revealing where filler was required. Once rubbed down with a finer grade I use TOOTHPASTE to clean off the parts.
This is because the cleaning action, not only removes any grit, waste, but puts very fine scratches into the plastic, which will help the paint to adhere.
A coat of primer will be next and any remedial work undertaken, before 'proper' painting can begin.
Bigkev
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More Pics
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Coming along nicely.
Keep the nose to the grindstone.
Great modelling.
Looking good! Can someone please tell me what the green stuff is that is to be seen in the Joints.
Squadron green putty!
or in Kevin's case, pound notes!
They do white as well but it seems to be more granular, lots of toluene to inhale though!
thanks, is this a putty that is put on the joints before putting the bits together or is it a filler for making good afterwards? I have never heard of the stuff.
It is a filler for filling gaps after the parts have been joined usually.
Thankyou gentlemen for your comments.
Dave, I chose 'Green Stuff' as opposed to 'White Stuff' only because I could see more clearly where I had sanded. White would have been easier for painting afterwards, but I suppose a couple more passes with airbrush won't harm to cover it.
Terry, it is a filler produced by Squadron and comes in a tube like a toothpaste. You can apply it with an old knife or in my case a nail manicure tool. Applied in thin layers it goes hard enough to sand in about 30 mins.
Cost is about £3.50 per tube. Smells nice, but should NOT be inhaled deliberately as it can be detrimental to ones health. I have used it for over thirty years model making, NOT the same tube.................it doesn't come in mammoth sized tubes!!
Bigkev
Manicuring your models now.
Did you say the toluene in green stuff had done you no harm?
That is a matter of opinion.
keep inhaling those solvents.
I sometimes think that we are just a bunch of glue sniffers.
I am just getting used to manicuring now, I can probably fit you in 3pm next Tuesday................?
As to Toluene, yes I think it has had an effect on me, those really weird dreams, you know those when you think you have completed a model.........................!
I reckon Sniffers of the World...........................UNITE!
Telford just around the corner, shopping list is growing
Bigkev
many thanks to you both. I use the revell variant at the mo, I take it that the squadron filler is better or you wouldn`t have used it for 30 years. Will have to get me Hands on sumuthat.
Hi Terry,
Yes I've used other fillers, but this one seems to do it for me.
Get that scallywag Dave to buy you some for the next time he visits!
Bigkev
Well, I've now started the final preparation before painting. As you can see I've applied a base coat to the area's where I have applied filler. I could see that there were a couple of hairline cracks on the top of the fuselage, but more importantly some bigger gaps around the cockpit were easily seen. These will need refilling with Green Stuff and re-sanding, the hairline gaps a thin application of Mr Surfacer applied with a brush then lightly sanded should do. The cabin windows too will need a small amount of Mr Surfacer in a few windows, nothing much, just to tidy things up.
The other parts of the airframe, wheels, undercarriage, engines, fans, tailplanes were also given a quick blast just to highlight any area's needing a little more work. As such a tailplane showed some flash, which I had not noticed, again a light sanding will sort.
Until next time,
Bigkev
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Well I have done a little bit of correction work on the A319. The gaps made obvious by the primer have been filled, with Green stuff on the larger gaps, and Mr Surfacer on the smaller imperfections.
I have attached some photo's of a before and after. As you can see, after careful sanding, the primer coat has rubbed away in some place to reveal the filler required. A nice feathered edge is achieved by using fine wet and dry, with a soap lubricant.
The model is now ready for painting. I have painted the exhaust end of the engines and engine rears in a mix of Alclad II Aluminium and Pale Burnt Metal, the fan fronts just in Aluminium. The hubs still need picking out in black.
So far so good.................
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Mind the gap eh?
Great work.
Oh the Gaps, the Gaps!!
Painting can now begin!!
Bigkev
Ex gaps! I am watching with envy.
Progress so far. I have begun painting the airframe now, and I am quite happy with the filling and sanding work carried out.
I have applied a first base coat of Matt and Gloss white. I use a mix of about 40% Matt to 20% Gloss plus about 40% thinners to spray. I am using Revell White Enamels, and equal amounts of White Spirit and Cellulose Thinners.
The paint is pre warmed in quite hot water, which helps make it smooth to apply. The mix gives a smooth satin finish, which once gently rubbed down with some very fine wet n dry, is ideal for subsequent coats of Gloss white.
As I progress with the white gloss, I will reduce the Matt paint to around 10% to 50% Gloss and the thinners
will be have less cellulose to white spirit mix.
A final coat of Gloss white will be applied that will be only Gloss white and white spirit for a high gloss finish.
Bigkev
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As always, your attention to deal astounds me.
Does Chris know about the pegs?
I keep telling her its the Magpie's stealing them!
Bigkev
Very naughty those magpies.
Hi Zak,
Wait till I tell her I came across some reversed 'Dick Turpin's' at Telford, who made me take things home with me!!
Bigkev
Crikey! It's looking VEY good Kev. All that science about mixing gloss and matt paint warped me head a bit but the result is worth the effort. Green stuff purchased and inbound to Havixbeck, subject to cloud cover, favourable met forecast and diversionary raids on Hamburg.
Is that the posh way of saying VERY?
Maybe its Withernsea speak?
Off to Telford tomorrow so no more modelling or posting on here for a day or three.
Bye
Dave
Hi All,
Back to the workbench after Telford. I have now finished the Gloss white, and painted the tailplanes Red.
The engine nacelles are painted and ready for assembly.
Next job will be to mask out the upper fuselage ready for the blue upper portion. Biggest problem will be mixing the correct shade of Blue, but Revell do provide a colour match portion of decal which helps. It can also be used for patching any damaged areas of blue decal that may appear.
Bigkev
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Keep at it.
The light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter as the tunnel gets shorter!
But it could be a bloody great train coming!
Hi All,
Well progress has been a little slow of late, but now have got engines assembled and filled where necessary.
the tailplanes have been given a coat of 'kleer' and are now ready for transfers/decals. Though natural metal leading edge strips are provided on the decal sheet, I am probably going to use Alclad II to paint them in as I have experienced problems in the past with the very tight curve around the leading edges of wings and tailplanes. The decals tend not to conform easily.
Bigkev
It is usually best to conform I find.
I presume that is with the other half.
Bigkev
Especially the other half!
Hi All,
The new year got me going again, and I'm nearly there. Since my last post, I have managed to paint the blue upper fuselage, and apply the decals, (all 150 of them!)
The decals are by Daco for Revell, but are VERY GOOD, I thought the tail would be a problem but no, It settled down over the detail brilliantly without any bubbling or silvering. They were tough too, and were forgiving of being handled sometimes..................roughly!
Now I am at the point of washing the decal solution off the airframe and then affixing the undercarriage, tailplanes and wheels. I hope to have it fully completed by next meeting.
For now I have attached some photographs of work to date.
Cheers,
Bigkev
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It`s good to see you back producing, but I see no photos !!!
Hi Kiteman,
Sorry about that. Got as far as resizing then my computer had an off day.
All okay now, and have added them to post.
Bigkev
Looks brilliant.
Thanks,
Hopefully next pictures will show it more or less together. Have given it a bath, and waiting for it to dry out before some touching in here and there.
On track for being finished for meeting, have still to sort a base though.
Bigkev
That really is looking good!
Very posh!
If anyone is interested, the Beverly garden centre is flogging Airfix land-rovers with about 60% off.
Haddock.
Hi All,
Well nearly there.
Engines added, tailplanes added, hairline gaps between engine nacelles filled, last minute touch up paint done.
Now awaiting Undercarriage and doors (already painted and ready) and last will be winglets for end of wings and aerials and navigation lights.
Then a suitable base to mount on if I get time before meeting.
Cheers,
Bigkev.
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Superb, clean looking job.
Fly me to somewhere drier please.
the epitemy of clean work...superb!
Hi Guys,
Well its finished!
The undercarriage has been attached, the aerials in place, the anti collision light created from clear sprue and then painted, new 'correct size' winglets scratchbuilt from plasticard and attached. a final touch up with the paintbrush on the winglets and navigation lights and there you have it...................................
An Airbus A319 in British Midland International colours, more or less straight from the box.
Hope you like the pictures of the finished article,
Next Project.............................................
Revell BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde in 1/144th.
Bigkev
Enjoy!
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Last two pictures. You may have noticed I have not created a new base for this model yet, using an existing one for the photo's. I am on with it but it won't be ready for a few days.
Bigkev
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Fabulous work.
That is a photo of a real aircraft superimposed onto a diorama Background.....wow!
Hi Kiteman,
Thanks for that, but sadly it is a model.
A decent base always improves displaying a model. Enjoyed this project a lot, something about airliners for me...............!
Bigkev
You certainly like your Airliners and we certainly like seeing you build them....Keep em coming!