Another of my hobbies.

[Dogsbody55]

Thanks Lewis. That RAAF P-40M was my second attempt at air brushing. The kit is a bit basic as I like to see the engine in this scale too, but otherwise the kit is well done and builds into a nice model. The P-40E is about 20 years old, as you can tell from the cracking decals. The kit was originally released about 1969 or '70, and this was a late 90's re-release and is a bit clunky. Still a fun build, though.


Cheers,
Mike

[Lewis - A2A]

Very nice indeedy. You hinted at it but didnt say, so you mean the 1/32 P-40 in the Aussie colours doesnt have an engine modelled!? I really would call that basic for a 1/32 model

cheers,
Lewis

[Dogsbody55]

That is correct, Lewis. No engine in that model. It's not uncommon, but in 1/32 and 1/24 scales, an engine is modelled more often than not, especially if it's a radial. But that P-40M is one by Hasegawa, and they tend to simplify their kits although within that, they're well done. Alas they haven't released anything new since the 1990's in these scales; just re-released them repeatedly, and no-one has yet released a better P-40.


Cheers,
Mike

[Dogsbody55]

Progress to date.



Still quite a ways to go.


Cheers,
Mike

[Killratio]

Looking good! I like the wear marks.

[Lewis - A2A]

Very nice indeed, and yes the subtle metal shining through with the weathering is very cool and noticeable

cheers,
Lewis

[LoidLiu]

Wow, that looks cool! How long did it take you to make?

[Dogsbody55]

Wow, that looks cool! How long did it take you to make?

It's taken two months to get to this stage, but I'm not very happy with it thanks to some problems with the windscreen. Thankfully, one of the members of my modelling forum is helping me out with some new parts so I'll post a picture again once I've got it sorted.




Cheers,
Michael

[Lewis - A2A]

What's the issue you have with the windscreen?

thanks,
Lewis

[Dogsbody55]

What's the issue you have with the windscreen?

thanks,
Lewis

Glue clouding is the issue.

The engineering of this kit is less than impressive in some areas. You have to glue the clear armour glass to the clear windscreen, then both to the top of the fuselage gun cover. This brings up two issues as gluing clear to clear is ill advised because of clouding of the clear parts at the joint, then there's no windscreen frame to glue to the top of the fuselage and paint over, so more possibility of clouding the clear parts. Most kits these days will have the gun cover and windscreen in one clear part, eliminating that joint and it's clouding issues, and the armour glass will be attached to the instrument panel, avoiding another clear to clear joint.

Aware of this, I applied glue vary sparingly via a pin from a drop of glue laced on an old ceramic tile. This is how it looked a day later. All fine here.



Then I did the same attaching the screen to the gun cover, and a couple of days later I applied some masking to aid painting after checking for clouding. I could have separated the parts and polished it all out before painting if I'd seen any problems. Two weeks later, all painted, varnished, decals applied and varnished again, I removed the masking to find this:



First reaction was to throw the whole lot in the bin. But this kit has been a swine to build, and I've put many hours into correcting and improving it. Then I put out a call on my modelling forum which was thankfully answered and I have a new kit on the way from a member who only wanted the cost of postage. Some of the main parts are messed up as he tried a finishing technique which didn't work, but the bits I need are OK, and I have an idea for the remaining parts. When I get it, I'm going to use PVA glue, as that doesn't mess up the clear parts and dries clear. Then all I have to do is patch up the paint and varnish which is easy, if time consuming.

The next project is a 1/32 scale Spitfire MkVIII in RAAF markings. But I anticipate that will take six months to finish. The kit is superb and the detail out of the box is stunning.


Cheers,
Mike

[Lewis - A2A]

Ahh yes, Ive never ever ever ever managed to do a none clouded canopy lol

[Dogsbody55]

Ahh yes, Ive never ever ever ever managed to do a none clouded canopy lol

This is something that hasn't happened to me in decades. I'm always very careful applying glue to clear parts, but what puzzles me most is that clouding normally shows up as the glue dries, which is in a couple of hours. Yet in this case, it took days to show up. But the worst part of it is that requesting info on how to purchase new parts from this Chinese company has yielded total silence, so I won't be buying any more of their products. Airfix, Tamiya, Revell, and most of the other well known brands are brilliant at customer service, so I've decided that life is too short to deal with such companies.


Cheers,
Mike

[Lewis - A2A]

Yes fair play to you indeedy, to be expected with certain companies I am sure.

[rosslandman]

To Dogsbody55

I'm also a modeller but mainly of HO scale 1940s vintage railway rolling stock. From one of the forums on Groups.io, here's a comment from one expert re: window-fogging and glue:

I have always used MicroScale's Micro Kristal Klear. As the name implies, it dries crystal clear and, in addition to gluing in plastic windows, can actually be used to make a small window without any plastic. To do this, you put a small glob of the glue on the end of a toothpick and work it around the edges of the opening. You them pull it together until the surface tension lets it fill in the whole opening. Don't put it on too thick or it will dry cloudy. If you are careful, it drys into a lens with a little distortion that makes it look like old float glass. I use this technique all the time for the windows in the door of the 'flat-end' of F-units.

Just wanted to offer that as I think it was borrowed from the model aviation community and wasn't sure if you were aware.

John

[Dogsbody55]

To Dogsbody55

I'm also a modeller but mainly of HO scale 1940s vintage railway rolling stock. From one of the forums on Groups.io, here's a comment from one expert re: window-fogging and glue:

I have always used MicroScale's Micro Kristal Klear. As the name implies, it dries crystal clear and, in addition to gluing in plastic windows, can actually be used to make a small window without any plastic. To do this, you put a small glob of the glue on the end of a toothpick and work it around the edges of the opening. You them pull it together until the surface tension lets it fill in the whole opening. Don't put it on too thick or it will dry cloudy. If you are careful, it drys into a lens with a little distortion that makes it look like old float glass. I use this technique all the time for the windows in the door of the 'flat-end' of F-units.

Just wanted to offer that as I think it was borrowed from the model aviation community and wasn't sure if you were aware.

John

Thanks for the tip, John. I'll try and get some today.


Cheers,
Michael