Merlin Hma.1 - Page 2

**GEEDUBBYA** · 04-03-2008

Howdy bunker, lips,

I just led at the photos of the bikes for the first time bunker, great looking models....with an outdoor setting like some trees behind it, it could pass for the real item too.
I once used sand paper many years ago when i was married for a display base for a patton tank. I hadnt thought about it until you mentioned it lips, thanks for the inspiration. And thanks to you too bunker for the visual image as well as the inspiration.

have a good day,

Greg

jspitza · 04-03-2008

Absolutely stunning, Greg! Great work!!!!

Task Force 57 · 04-03-2008

Greg... your kits just keep on blowing my mind, this is (in my humble opinion) the best looking merlin kit I have seen to date.

Just once ,I Would kinda like to have a helo I have built to look this good! My last 1/48 longbow (airfix) was ok (ish) but was def not going to be mistaken for the real thing!!!!

Ps... your rate of output is nothing short of amazing!

Gaz · 04-03-2008

This may be a stupid thought, (nothing too unusual there though) But why dont you just butcher 1 sheet of your tarmac, cut it into 6 bits using the dark lines as a guide, then glue the crater free segments onto the cratered segments on another sheet..

maxidad66 · 04-03-2008

Great model - Greg. One of the best I've seen you make - and you've done a lot of great models!

**GEEDUBBYA** · 04-03-2008

Howdy Jeff, Russ and Gaz,

First off, thanks for the kind comments, its much appreciated. As i stated earlier in this thread, I printed my own tiger stripe decals using the second page of a two page commercial decal I found online. The tiger stripes were originally meant for a Fiat G.91 "Gina" jet fighter and made by "flight deck decals" Carpena decals - Carpena Model decals-48 scale Carpena jet decals Complete DECAL Listing! , specifically these: Carpena Decals,Fiat G-91R3 (1) Air Force No 5465 Tiger Meet.Overall yellow with black decal Tiger Stripes 48100, 72101 . I simply took the second page of decals I found online, and using my photo editing program altered them to fit the Merlin on my computer, then printed them out on water slide decal paper, applied bonding spray and let them dry before cutting them out and applying them.
I actually made two pages of the stripes and added a few extra smaller stripes to each sheet.
As for the painting, the over all colors were fairly simple, machine primer gray (light color) and Krylon gray primer (darker gray details).
And gaz, as for taking the 4 sheets and creating some without "bomb craters" it looks like that might be what i have to do. I was in Little Rock, Arkansas today for a Dr's appoinment and looked for more sheets of "tarmac" but failed to find any so, I will probably just scan one of the sheets i have, remove the bomb craters in my photo editing program and then print out a couple sheets for photography purposes for my models. I may use a few for displays in the house too .
Oh and no, that wasnt a stupid idea, in fact it was the same idea i had driving back from the dr's office.

Thanks again guys and have a good day,

Greg

ps: oh yeah i forgot to mention that I "lightened" the dark stripes to a gray color, but that goes without saying really.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 04-03-2008

Howdy Richard,

We must have been posting at the same time lol. But I wanted to thank you for your comments too. This model does rank as one of my better ones and one of my favorites also. I reckon my most favorite I have built recently would be the US coast guard version of the HU-16 "Albatross" from about 2 months back.

Thanks again,

Greg

rjwood_uk · 05-03-2008

wow very nice greg!!!

the only thing i would say is that the nose is painted the same colour as the stripes and also the trailing edge of each blade is painted the main colour.

and the white numbers and markings are correct!!!

supurb! love it.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 05-03-2008

Howdy RJ,

Thanks for the comments, its much appreciated. Would you believe that i had originally painted the leading edge of the rotor blades gray like the heli itself. lol But I went over one where I had a "smudge of paint" with flat black paint and ended up hitting them all with the black.
And as for the nose,....well, i ran out of decals and didnt want to waste a sheet on more until i decided what all I need to put on the sheet.
Being that waterslide paper is abit on the high priced side over here, I have to pick and choose what I want on the sheet before I print it, I try to get as much on one sheet as I possibly can. That means "cramming" as many decals as i can of whatever type be they roundels, stripes, numbers, letters etc.... on one sheet.
Thats where i messed up, when i printed the stripes, although i did add some extra ones on each sheet, i didnt use the space i had on each sheet as wisely as i should have so i didnt want to use another sheet on one small decal and i hadnt decided at the time what other decals i wanted on the next sheet.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing yours soon. I am not sure which one you habe, mine was the italeri and it was a dream to build, i hope yours goes as smoothly.

Have a good day and thanks again,

Greg

rjwood_uk · 05-03-2008

ah ok...well you could just paint the nose dark sea grey?

mine is the revell one. nice kit indeed.

Richard