Hi Rowan,




Yes, you are right, my bad. Eduard did the coolant drains, I've checked on the original kit's part...



The model is ready for painting now. I have masqued the cockpit and landing gear bay openings and masked the clear parts as well...





I usually don't buy extra masks for the clear parts and do the job myself but when some are included in the kit it saves a lot of work! I have also prepared the attachment point for the aerial wire on the rudder...



I won't be able to work on the kit tomorrow so the next update will happen during the week-end...

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

Neat work on the tiny wire loop! I did things the easy way and thinned and drilled the top of the attachment:



Weekend's aren't good for me these days, so I'm hoping I will be able to do a bit of work on the kit tomorrow. I'll try to get a bit more done tonight too.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,




I don't think what you did is easier, I would rather say the contrary! But it sure does look good!

Jean-Luc

Cheers Jean-Luc

It might look nice, but it's also very frail - as I discovered when I forgot all about it and put the model upside-down to work on the underside! So, I've built the tip up with a drop of "supafiller" and will drill a new hole - and try to remember it's there this time!

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,




Yes, I can imagine. But I would rather have thought it would have been too frail to hold the tension of the aerial wire. What will you use by the way?




Mmm, I wonder what cartoon caracter ChuckW would make of it...

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

My build will have the late-style canopy open, so the aerial will be totally slack (there was no tensioner), but I think it would be fine for a taught aerial too - if I hadn't broken it! I haven't totally decided what to use yet - maybe lead wire to drape convincingly.

Yes - Supafiller would make a great cartoon character!

All the best

Rowan

In addition to eliminating seams, Supafiller would pack herself into a series of very revealing outfits.

Where can a guy get some of this lead wire?

Hi there

Well, the stuff I use is produced by PlusModel and is available in guages from 0.2mm up to 1mm.

I think lead wire might also be used by anglers, so you could try a fishing tackle shop if you can't find the PlusModel wire.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

I didn't get a chance to make much progress yesterday, but I'll start painting as and when there's a free moment this weekend:



Meanwhile, as could have been expected, the original rudder turned up - just as I'd pretty much finished its replacement! This being a Review-Build it seems only fair to use it, even though I'd got quite attached to my version, so I've filled in the triangular parts of the framework to match photos of the real thing better, and softened the rib detail a tad:



And now one just for shock value! The propeller:



What's that hideous colour?!? Well, I was wondering how to weather the wooden propeller when I found photos in the JaPo Part 1 book on the Dora showing a propeller blade recovered from a crash site with a rather lurid yellow-green primer under the RLM 70. It'll almost all be hidden on my model (maybe just a hint on the leading edges of the blades to show this was a very well-used aircraft) but I couldn't resist spraying a full coat just to see what the effect was...

All the best

Rowan

Hi all,




If you mean the wire I used for the tiny antenna loop, it is fine copper wire I found in an old electric device. I have enough for several lifetimes!



I have started to paint my Dora today. We often say, Rowan and I, that we are twins, so I have decided to buy the same spray booth as him. This is the first time I use it...



It won't make my airbrushing better but at least my workroom won't be foggy after a painting session anymore! I have sprayed the underside in RLM 76. First I have pre-shaded the model with Tamiya XF50 (Field Blue) and the applied my own mix of light blue. Finally, white was added into the airbrush cup and a lighter final coat was applied...



I will try to paint the camouflage tomorrow...

Jean-Luc

Thanks Jean-Luc. I was asking about the wire he's going to use for his antenna. Reproducing a natural looking loose wire like what he'll have on his open canopy has eluded me for a long while. When he mentioned the lead wire my eyes perked up because I knew he had a winner. I just didn't know how to obtain any.
I found some on ebay in the UK that I think I'll order up. Looking forward to using it. And thanks for the info, guys! Build on! I'll be watching.

Hi all,




Sorry, I misunderstood. But remember, I'm French!

I have painted the camouflage today. I had some problems with the aluminium paint and with my airbrushes. Maybe it is too cold in my workroom which is located in the basement. I was told that colors don't like too low temperatures. Anyway, after many touch ups it is finished now...



I will let it the paint cure until tomorrow and then paint the Black/white/black fuselage band.

Jean-Luc

Nice one Jean-Luc

I got a bit of painting done too - I'm about halfway through. There wasn't time to take pics, but they'd only pretty much duplicate what you've already illustrated so well.

I had fun adapting to painting with acrylics (as someone who's almost exclusively used enamels for airbrushing, I both loved and hated the quicker drying time acrylics give! LOL!), so 'll try to get the rest done today and show the results.

All the best

Rowan

Well guys, great work. My congratulations to of both of you. The build blogs like this one makes me like Aeroscale so much.

Many times I have to strugle with myself not to buy every model you are building, this time is Dora.

Hi again

Just a quick pic to show where I've got to:



Jean-Luc, good to see your spray booth up and running and converted to the continental electricity supply with no problems.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan and Jean-Luc , nicely done by both of you sa far ! This has been very enjoyable watching you guy's .

I'm getting really excited here on seeing Rowan with a finished model

Cheers Terri

Perhaps I'm making progress because I have a secret helper...



If getting used to acrylics was one challenge, modelling with cats around is another!

Anyway - with paint drying and the sun shining, I took a break and went back to my idea for making a cylindrical drop tank. I'd previously filled the cut-down ball-point pen body with Araldite (epoxy glue) and let it set for a good few days. This afternoon I stuck it in an electric drill as a crude lathe and got to work sanding:



There's obviously a lot more work to do (the nose needs to be more rounded for a start), but I think the idea is sound and it's going to work...



And this evening's general state-of-play pic:



I'm taking a few liberties with the camouflage and markings because there don't seem to be photos of the overall scheme to prove matters one way or another. My painters have been lazy (i.e. human!) and just left the tip of the fin in its original finish rather than paint 'round the W.Nummer (a photo of a similar aircraft shows the same thing), and I'm going to add a few other touches of the former camouflage showing after the aircraft's re-paint.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,




Well, my little son Vincent is starting to throw balls and other stuff in my workroom. So far my Dora has escaped the Flak but I don't know for how long...




I like that! I took some liberties too...

Anyway, I have sprayed the black/white/black fuselage band...



Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

Very tasty! The two-tone mottle on the cowling looks excellent!

Ball-games in the workshop sound potentially disastrous... but I just hope Vincent doesn't decide model aircraft are meant to fly!

So far I've managed to keep the cats away from my work and painting areas, but they've definitely figured out that there's something going on that they're being shut out from, so I reckon a catastrophe of some sort is inevitable sooner or later...

All the best

Rowan

>>>CATastrophe.....very funny... seriously beautiful jobs so far from both of you..as always


Keith

You both did very nice and clean painting, nice mottling.

Hi all,

Here is the current status of the build...



I have applied a coat of Klir varnish (French Future) over the model and most of the smaller parts were painted in their appropriate colors. Next step will to apply the decals. This is what I like the most...

Jean-Luc

Hi again

It's no surprise that I've got a bit of catching up to do to reach the stage Jean-Luc's at.



I've got the tail stripes painted (they'll need an overspray after the chevron decals are on to represent "painted out" markings), and I'm having a bit of fun by adding a bit of RLM 75 around the wing crosses as if the ground crew couldn't be bothered to totally repaint everything when the colour scheme was changed. Totally my artistic licence, but it'll add a bit of character and "back story" to the finished model.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Well, I think I've got the last of the basics painted, so I'll let it all cook in the sun for a while before giving it a gloss coat. I'll use Com-Art varnish - it worked really well on the interior, but this'll be my first test of it for an overall finish.

All the best

Rowan