Something 1/72 scale, yellow and free from Heller

[stona]

Quick update as I now have something resembling an aeroplane.



It's worse than it looks in the picture, there will be a bit to be done before I can add engines and the last few bits before priming.

I'm optimistic that the kit can be bashed into shape, not so sure about the decals.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Gern]

Looks like you've already started with the filler Steve. How bad is it?

 

[stona]

Looks like you've already started with the filler Steve. How bad is it?

It's variable.

For example, the fin and horizontal stabilisers fit very well, but the wing centre section doesn't. The fuselage went together reasonably well, with the exception of the part that makes up the front of the hull. The white plastic parts come on a separate sprue, are in a different plastic, and are a bit approximate too.
Overall it is not really bad, I've seen far worse, but it's not great either, just very...average.

It would also be easy to compound the issues without careful dry fitting, trial and error etc. Some major parts could be fitted badly without you trying too hard to do so.

If the kit is forty years old there's not much to complain about. I'm guessing it was engineered without any sort of CAD!

The decals are a worry. If worse comes to worse I can spray the red and white markings, walkways, etc. but some of the lettering will get left off. Honestly, I'm not dying for authenticity! I was given this kit with a 'see what you can make of that' instruction, so I have carte blanche to do what I like.

Cheers

Steve

 

[yak face]

According to Scalemates , this particular boxing dates from 2011 so the decals will be nine years old at the most Steve. Mind you Heller decals have always been a bit strange, they perform well enough but are usually VERY matt and seem to suffer from very yellow carrier film ,even when fairly new . What do these ones look like ?

 

[Jakko]

Yellow film should not be a problem here

 

[stona]

According to Scalemates , this particular boxing dates from 2011 so the decals will be nine years old at the most Steve. Mind you Heller decals have always been a bit strange, they perform well enough but are usually VERY matt and seem to suffer from very yellow carrier film ,even when fairly new . What do these ones look like ?

The only ones I've used (some of) are the IP decals. They were extremely thick and not particularly adhesive. They weren't yellowed. The ones for the exterior come in very large parts and I'm not sure how well they will work over the raised detail, albeit somewhat reduced by my sanding. I'll give them a go anyway.

 

[stona]

This is now something grey and free from Heller.



The primer has revealed one or five things that need attention, but I'm hoping that tomorrow I can convert this into something white and free with a second coat of primer. I'm not worried about losing surface detail, it might even be a bonus!

After that I'll make it yellow and red. I'm not sure that the colours will be exact, it really depends which yellow and red paints I can dig out of my collection!

Cheers

Steve

 

[colin m]

Thing always look better with a slap of primer. Not that it looked bad before, it's just that yellow, it was a bit offensive to the eyes.

 

[stona]

it's just that yellow, it was a bit offensive to the eyes.

I couldn't agree more, truly horrible. Whatever yellow it gets sprayed won't be as bad as that!

 

[stona]

Well, this is remarkable.

Last night I sprayed a coat of grey primer, and this afternoon I followed it with a coat of white primer. I don't flood the model with paint, these are just primer coats.

Imagine my surprise when, following the white coat, the model looked like this.



That yellow refuses to die!

It's a good job that most of the model will eventually be finished in...errr...YELLOW.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Jakko]

That looks like it could be something I described in this thread earlier this year. Like you say, not a problem if you’re going to put a different colour of paint over it anyway. A lot of trouble on something that should be white, though.

 

[stona]

It looks exactly like your earlier example Jakko.
Since the model will be sprayed yellow and red it won't be an issue. It's not something I've ever had happen before...at least, not that I remember
Cheers
Steve

 

[stona]

It's yellow again, though a slightly more muted shade than the original plastic.



I'll have to do some post shading I suppose, and then spray the walkways in an effort to keep decaling down to those I really have to use.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Jakko]

Don’t worry, it will become less muted when you add the semigloss varnish to replicate the real thing’s finish

 

[stona]

I haven't given up on this one!

I have now applied the decals. Well, I say decals, and they are in that you wet them and slide them off the backing paper and onto the model, but they are actually more like stickers without the benefit of any stickiness. They go on alright, but most of them have been stuck down with Klear varnish. They seem quite impervious to decal softeners, though I may give them another few goes before giving up.

I doesn't look terrible, but it could be a lot better.

 

[spanner570]

Me like!
Nice crisp build.

Your servant,
Dusty

 

[scottie3158]

Steve,
That is looking good.

 

[papa 695]

Looking very good Steve.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

very nice indeed!

 

[Gary MacKenzie]

Lateral info.

Quebec is presently helping California put out fires with Quebec Fire Fighters