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Author Topic: 1:48 Mauve P-40N "Lope's Hope"  (Read 56155 times)
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« Reply #45 on: February 14, 2019, 05:22:28 PM »

That's some excellent work!
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Mark Joyce
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« Reply #46 on: February 14, 2019, 11:26:26 PM »

Glad to hear the cockpit is pretty much done so you can move on.  Are those photoetch rails specific for the Mauve kit, or will they work with any 48th scale P-40?  I usually make my own out of styrene for those kits that have none, and although not 100% accurate at least add some detail.

When exactly is the show?
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Vince_M
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« Reply #47 on: February 15, 2019, 06:02:01 AM »

Mark,
Those rails were specific to the Mauve but might be adaptable.

The show is March 9.
It's still doable but I won't compromise quality after all this time spent on it.
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« Reply #48 on: February 19, 2019, 01:32:47 PM »

Mark, I took your idea about using a Sharpie to cover the edges of the canopy.
Here is a photo while the epoxy sets up.  I had to clamp in the sides of the fuselage.
The canopy was about 0.5mm too narrow.  It ended up creeping back the next day but it is really not too bad.
The sharpie looks good but it is pretty black so it looks almost like eyeliner here!  It should suffice tho.


Here's one way to avoid gaps at the wing root.  Glue the wing top halves first!
I purposely left a small area of the fuselage towards the tail unglued...for potential spreading.
You can see a toothpick holding it open now.



GAME ON!!!

First glue trailing edge then leading edge.
As of tonight I'm sanding.  Body work is priority.
The contest is March 09 and It is really going to be a struggle.  I wanted to painting by now...
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« Reply #49 on: February 19, 2019, 11:06:24 PM »

Getting close to the end and looking good, Vince!  Hopefully you'll finish it by the contest.

I forgot to mention that Sharpies come in all sorts of colors, including a light brown, almost a tan, and a green, so you don't have to use just black for those edges.  I've tried to use a color close to the exterior color(s) so to reduce the contrast, but to be honest I don't know if it really matters. 

I know gluing the top wings on first will definitely eliminate the gap but have never tried it myself;  I always worry that I then wouldn't be able to fit the bottom wing section on!  On those Mauve/Eduard kits I've used a 'spreader bar' in the fuselage to get a better fit.  It was an idea I got from Tom Cleaver over on Modeling Madness.

I forgot to ask if you had any problems installing or the fit of the True Details cockpit.  I have one I plan on using on a future Mauve P-40 but won't be able to use the seat and headrest, since mine will be with resin nose to make an "F" and not an "N" like yours.
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Vince_M
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« Reply #50 on: February 20, 2019, 12:03:25 AM »

Getting close to the end and looking good, Vince!  Hopefully you'll finish it by the contest.

I forgot to mention that Sharpies come in all sorts of colors, including a light brown, almost a tan, and a green, so you don't have to use just black for those edges.  I've tried to use a color close to the exterior color(s) so to reduce the contrast, but to be honest I don't know if it really matters.  

I know gluing the top wings on first will definitely eliminate the gap but have never tried it myself;  I always worry that I then wouldn't be able to fit the bottom wing section on!  On those Mauve/Eduard kits I've used a 'spreader bar' in the fuselage to get a better fit.  It was an idea I got from Tom Cleaver over on Modeling Madness.

I forgot to ask if you had any problems installing or the fit of the True Details cockpit.  I have one I plan on using on a future Mauve P-40 but won't be able to use the seat and headrest, since mine will be with resin nose to make an "F" and not an "N" like yours.

Mark, the True Details cockpit fits like a glove!
Well worth the money.
Actually, it fits like a glove into the fuselage.
I had some minor issues because of the way I did the boxing of the wheel wells.  I chose to box all four sides but I think the cockpit floor part is supposed to be one of the four sides.  Refer to my photo.  So I would watch out for that because I had to grind down some styrene at the end.
The wheel well detail on the Mauve is poorly made.


The forward canopy fits well enough but I like the way Hasegawa tackles this issue by moving the glue joint (thus avoiding what I did)...
« Last Edit: February 20, 2019, 12:45:48 AM by Vince_M » Logged
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« Reply #51 on: February 21, 2019, 11:38:46 PM »

Mark,

You mentioned a new formula for Squadron putty.
I threw my squadron green and white tubes in the trash years ago.
They would sand up nice but over time would continue to shrink.
So even if I had sanded thoroughly, I'd get a sink mark months later.
Tamiya putty does not do that and is about the same hardness of the surrounding plastic so, for now, I plan to stick with them.
Does the new Squadron putty do a good job?

Vince
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« Reply #52 on: February 22, 2019, 07:34:50 AM »

Mark,

Does the new Squadron putty do a good job?

Vince

I’ve not actually tried the improved Squadron putty, Vince, so don’t know how well it works personally but have read pretty good things about it. I’ve not heard anything about shrinkage over time, but then again it might be too soon to tell.
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Vince_M
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« Reply #53 on: February 25, 2019, 10:40:04 AM »

Another reason why this thing drags on...
Mauve had inadequate cooling gills.  So I used theirs to make a perch for some new ones I made myself.
They are not too hard...just need a razor blade and a ruler.  The harder part was to curl them just a little.
Also, note the Master brass machine guns are now permanent.  They too were fiddly here at the end.
One thing is that using them allowed me to sand the leading edge of the wing to my satisfaction of smoothness.



Here is the sliding hood I made with scrap plastic and a candle.  Actually I made a spare one too.
It's called the crash method and I didn't need to use any vacform machine.
The Eduard masks are in place and are a time saver but take several tries to fit right...



Here is my spare sliding canopy!  I'm sacrificing it to mask the cockpit.  It actually fits like the real thing against the Griffon metal canopy rails!  It's a bit satisfying as I nearly went blind and crazy installing them.



PRIMER!!!
You can see my messy workbench.  LOL
I told myself that if I didn't get the primer on this weekend that there is no way it will be done on time.
There is still a lot of painting and such to go...
This is Tamiya Fine Surface Primer White sprayed with my airbrush.
It is really stinky as it's lacquer based; but is such a nice product.  It should "snuggle" down and reveal my rivets I spent so much time doing (I hope)...



« Last Edit: February 25, 2019, 12:18:47 PM by Vince_M » Logged
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« Reply #54 on: February 25, 2019, 12:50:57 PM »

Looks great with the primer on, Vince!  Next time I use that Tamiya primer I'll definitely airbrush it.

I've made plenty of those flaps out of styrene myself, such as the AMtech P-40F I'm currently working on, but can never get them to bend well if at all.  One thing I noticed in the photo of the flaps and barrels is that there's no air intake hole in the wing root.  I'm pretty sure the N had those holes in both wings, so if you're inclined to drill one out you might double check your sources and confirm it was present.

And your workbench is nowhere as cluttered as mine!
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Vince_M
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« Reply #55 on: February 25, 2019, 10:25:04 PM »

Good catch, Mark.
I need to very carefully drill the cockpit air inlets!
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Vince_M
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« Reply #56 on: February 26, 2019, 10:09:01 PM »

I got those air inlets added to each side.  Yes, most photos of "N" showed both sides had it.
Looks good.

I also sprayed the neutral gray on the undersides.  I used Testors Model Master Acryl which a lot of folks really don't like.
It mixed with Future beautifully and makes a smooth, hard coat.  So, for me, I like it and will buy more.

As for airbrushing the Tamiya fine surface primer, I don't know.  It is actually smoother out of the spray can.
So I need to experiment with thinning ratios and air pressure to be able to airbrush better.
The coat was alright but a little rough in places.  I used 0000 steel wool and got it back to nice and smooth.

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« Reply #57 on: February 27, 2019, 01:40:15 PM »

Hope to see a photo soon of it with the OD and those green splotches on.  I usually use enamels, but it seems Model Master acrylics have a love/hate relationship with no middle ground.  Glad they worked out for you, Vince. And for what it’s worth, I usually end up having to lightly sand any primer I use to really smooth it out.
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Vince_M
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« Reply #58 on: February 27, 2019, 11:07:52 PM »

Had a rough night last night.
I have an old jar of AeroMaster OD that I have never used.
It seemed fine in my experimental tests mixed with Future.
So I intended to strain it but was in a hurry and did not do that....
The coat was really a poor and impatient coat.  When spraying anything with Future in it you have to be patient and put it on carefully.
I put on too much in spots due to clogs...caused by lumps in the old paint.
ANyway I stayed up late and stripped it off with Windex.
So lucky that the Tamiya primer is not affected by Windex so it was not too difficult just a lot of swearing.
I did another coat this time straining the paint.
The coat came out about how I wanted with a few imperfections here and there due to the first coat.
I won't win any award because if they see any paint flaw it's out.
Will I finish?  Don't know.  I have to take my daughter to a play Thursday night and my wife's cousin is staying with us Saturday night.
That's basically two nights I may not be able to work....


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« Reply #59 on: February 28, 2019, 12:23:14 PM »

Sorry to hear about the setback, Vince.  It sounds like you didn’t have to strip off the neutral gray, although I’d like to know how you accomplished that. When I screw up a paint job I end up having to strip everything off, which is why I dread mistakes so close to the end. 
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