spitfire model accident

jspitza · 11-03-2008

hello:
look what I just did! I was using heavy auto primer-with which I've used with great success in the past to assist with a few large gaps when it leaked through the tape masks. When all hell broke loose and removing the tape, the wing roots and undercarriage separated at the seems. I'm probably not going to proceed with it due to the enormous time and work involved-filling, shaping and recreating all the detail. I'm still a little dazed from this accident so please share your thoughts! I could always use this kit as a test canvas too s

o maybe all is good.

alan2525 · 11-03-2008

Blimey - You've killed it! Was that a celulose based primer? I'd stick to model paints, acrylic or enamel. Looks like it's started disolving the styrene!

Scale Modelling can sometimes be a bit of a pain in the butt!

jspitza · 11-03-2008

Thanks Alan. um ketone I think it was but I swear I used it with great results, same company-Revell of Germany and can't belive this happened. I'm to blame though as I should have thought this outsooner. It a good lesso. I've always relied upon MM primer but should have used proper filler. I might be able to sand it down, fill and then add a few bits. Or just rip out the under carriage and see if I can rejoin. BUT, I'll give it a go not expecting great results. My wife will $@#%T on me for this as I just purchased a old airfix Grief 1/72 !!!!!!!!

**GEEDUBBYA** · 11-03-2008

Howdy Jeff,

Where I work, we still use a chemical called "methylethylketone" (M.E.K. for short) it does amazing things to all sorts of plastic. Its primary use us as a degreaser/solvent and it is some bad stuff. At work we have dissolved styrofoam cups in it, leaving nothing behind, we use small paint brushes for glue, the company bought plastic stemmed brushes.....ate them too along with the synthetic "hairs" or bristles, it has eaten cheap gloves that were thought were rubber but turned out to be synthetic.
Other than for degreasing parts, we have only found one other really good use for it, it will cure poison ivy, poison oak....etc with one application.
But, back to your model. My suggestion is for you to use the model in a diaroma, we have all seen diaromas with "crashed, shot down" aircraft in them, here is a prime canidate for that role if you arent going to try to repair it.
Go ahead and paint her up, maybe take a large needle in a pair of pliers, heat it and create bullet holes in the fuselage, take a heated butter knife and create a "shell hole from an imaginary flak hit, ad the smut from a lit candle and you have flame damage with burnt areas.

just some ideas, have a good day,

Greg

jspitza · 11-03-2008

Thanks Greg! I'm going to have to do that at a later date-its beyond repair at this point due to the crazing To add further frustration to my day-the washing machine repair man just left and now my unit won't even fill up!!!! This day sucks but at least I have my little around to really laugh!

**GEEDUBBYA** · 11-03-2008

Howdy again jeff,

Ok, I have some photos here from this website of "damaged" aircraft diaromas you might want to look at for ideas. The site is found here: Welcome to Model Aircraft Magazine

These photos are from the 2005 IPMS Modelworld

I also have some photos of a B-17G that is in a crash landing/shot down diaroma that I just uploaded from my camera, but it will take me awhile to get them processed for show here. But these should give you some ideas on what you can do with a model you are "less than satisfied with".
Thats not to say these models above where placed in these setting for that reason, and I am sure they were intentionally placed in these diaromas in their condition.
If you would like to see more of the 2005 show, change the "007" in the address above to 006 or 005 or 004 etc and so on.

Have a good day,

Greg

edit: the B-17 photos didnt turn out, maybe another time

Lips McGee · 11-03-2008

You might be able to use this as an opportunity to either kitbash, or even modify your kit to a special version/variant.

jspitza · 11-03-2008

Thanks lipps:
Very good idea but there is now more damage than I thought. The wing roots are pretty mauled up. I am just going to box it up for now since I have yet to build a diorama.

Lips McGee · 12-03-2008

Makes for a good item to throw at the neighbor's annoying cat.

**Bunkerbarge** · 12-03-2008

It looks to me like the paint has reacted with the glue or filler that you have used. Did you get any glue on the plastic surfaces of the model? If not then it may have reacted with the plastic of the model but at the moment it looks like it has reacted with the glue.