Hello everyone,
I hate being beaten by an inanimate object. I've spent the last three days on this spinner, and am gonna call it a lesson not to be repeated. I'm feeling the frustration.

Through making my own decals, and applying them in small pieces at a time, I was able to get this result:

It looks less bad to my naked eye, and the digital camera isn't forgiving at all. I'm working with some decal related materials that may be less than optimal. But I really hate to throw them away without making serious effort to get a better result. I'm waiting on Microscale decal film arrive to replace the Testors Glosskote I'm using now. depending on what happens with that, I may pitch my current decal paper and get some from a different source. I'm hoping that more touch-up with a Sharpie will help. Anyway, I don't want to blame everything on the tools.


This Hasegawa decal set has a lot of stencils.


The Hasegawa Jug I built had a lot of stencils, too. I hadn't really realized just how many their were until I put them on.

This picture is upside down. This happens when Apple products and Microsoft products don't agree.

I'm having trouble with these simplified hollow crosses. They keep silvering in the middle despite the fact that I've blotted with a damp, soft cloth. I peeled them off, and used the second set that came with the model. This time I cut out the center before I sunk them into water, and applied them as four separate decals. I'll show a pic at my next update.

Thank you for looking,

Gary

Gary, have you used any softener under the decals? And if yes, which one? Softeners don't all work in the same way ... After trying many different softeners the closest solution was the best. Since a few years I'm very satisfied with how Decal Soft from Revell works. I use it under and on the decals. It really sucks away the little air bubbles under the decal. But here it seems to be too late. You may try to cover the white parts of the crosses with Parafilm M and airbrush the space inbetween again. Parafilm doesn't hurt the decal when you take it off again.

Torsten

Hi Torsten,
Thank you for writing! Does the Revell softener say anything about acrylics? The softeners available at my LHS are by Mr. Hobby. The one that goes under the decal is too strong for the acrylic paints I used. Even Future isn't able to withstand it. Unfortunately, all of the writing on the bottle is in Japanese. If there is a warning about acrylics, I'm not able to read it. I will do some web searching to see if I can find something that won't ruin the paint.

Best Wishes,


Gary

Gary,
I can't offer any help with the spinner as I have enough issues with just the yellow stripes on bombs.

As for your decal issues, since they seam to be basically clear film, have you given it any thought to cutting out all the clear and just applying the small "L" shapes individually? Of course you would have to do a little measuring and marking to make sure that they would be applied correctly.

I use a combination of the Micro system followed by Solvaset on just about every decal. It's made a vast difference in controlling silvering and flash. And believe me I've had my fair share of those issues. Also the smoother and glossier the surface, the easier it is for decal solutions to suck down the decals so that there is no trapped air under them.

Joel

Hi Joel,
Thank you for your advice. In the end I did cut out the clear portion and positioned the 8 L's separately. I would like to get to a place where I can do creditable stencils in the future. I think I'm actually going to buy a paper guillotine because I can't cut straight at all.

I reckon your bomb circle issue could be solved with decals. My spinner has about twelve pieces of decal on it. But it still didn't come out as I'd desired. I've touched it up with a sharpie, and I'm hoping that a wash will help some more.

Best Wishes,

Gary

Modelling isn t alwas straight forward, Gary. But you are on a good way and i am you will solve your decal problems !

Here is my way, before i put decals on the model surface, i give the kit a slight and wet sanding, after the layer of gloss.
This makes the surface really smooth and the decals look like painted on. Works, not always but i am satisfied.

The spirals, used by the JG 53 are a pain to apply, i guess.

Best
Bernd

Hi Bernd,
Thank you for the advice. On Gustav #2 I will try that method, because I want to improve my finish. Yes, the Pik As spirals are difficult. I may try again some day in the future.

Today I applied the pin-wash. It was difficult for me because I always fear dirtying up the finish.

I boldly continued with the black pin-wash when I moved to the ventral side. Do you think it is too overstated? Then in a fit of madness, I used white wherever an access hatch was covered by the black of the cross.

I also used white on the first aid access hatch and the fuselage crosses. I tried to be subtle, because I realize a full white line would look ridiculous.

I'm beginning to appreciate how the pin wash accents the panel lines making the aircraft more interesting. My next steps will be oil streaking, touch-up, sealing the finish with Testors and then I can finally added the detail pieces.

As always, your thoughts, advice, and opinions are appreciated.

Thank you for reading,

Gary

Gary,
A most impressive start to your weathering process. Pin washes offer the best bang for the buck of any of the washes. As you've found out, recessed panel lines, and raised or recessed parts become what they are intended to be, separate pieces that should have some sort of shadow effect.

The only issue I've found with the later is that the shadow effect usually goes all the way around. In real life the shadow has a start and ending with the full shadow in the middle. I have no idea on how to replicate that, nor have I seen anyone successfully do it on small parts other then just with partial scribing.

Joel

No, they don't, Gary. But this softener is developed especially for their Aqua Color Series and I've tested it many times. Because we don't get Future here in Germany (at least not the easy way ... ) I use Erdal Glänzer, a derivate, which works the same way. Decal Soft doesn't hurt the surface of Future. If you have really a glossy suface, you won't have any problems with silvering. But I see that others here have also good tips for you.

Hi Everyone!
Just a small update.
Joel, I don't think I'll ever try shadowing. I reckon that's why the models are 3d...to provide that effect. And if it involved scribing, my most hated thing to do to a perfectly good model, I'll pass just out of fear.

Thank you for the information, Torsten. The more tips I get, the better chance I have of building better models and getting more enjoyment from the hobby.

Yesterday started out with a 'smart' idea that cost me a decal that's already applied. Because I have foto frisket, I was itching to try some stenciling. Let's just say the result doesn't deserve being pictured.

I got the exhaust staining done:


I didn't want to go over the top with it, so I kept it light.

The next shot I'll attribute to Matrixone. He inspired me to to play with some oil:

Thanks Les! Now, if I can learn to paint a straight line, it might look real. You can see that my G6 is now becoming a G6/R6.

A combo shot of the drop tank. I have seen some photos where the entire front of the tank is black and glossy with leaked oil.

I'm dying to know if you think it looks believable, or if you have an idea that may help it look better.

A shot from the underside of the tank. The tank is just held in place by bluetack at the moment.


Thank you for looking!

Gary

Hi All,
I've finally reached a resting point for Gustav Yellow 13 of of 9./JG53 flown by Uffz. Hans Jegg over Italy during the summer of 1943.

Today I finally mastered the spinner problem.

Tamiya makes a wonderful masking tape that can be stretched around some curves. However, the tip of the spinner still required some touch up since the outer edge of the tape could only stretch so much. It comes in 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm sizes. Here, I used 2mm.

This is probably the most work I've ever put into the underside of any model intentionally.


I ruined a decal on the starboard side of the aircraft. Here I used foto frisket and painted in another. Then I put a decal over the mask to change the tone of the yellow. It still doesn't look as pretty as I'd like. I'll use it as an excuse to buy a future Hasegawa G6, someday.




There are some small things yet to do, but I will let them go for a while. Give paint and glue a few days to cure. Then finally I'll give it a coat of dullkote and an aerial and it will be done. Pesky aerials...I swear that they always find ways of breaking.


Thank you for looking!

Gary

Edit: typo

Hi Everyone,
Back with some sprue shots of the KA Models 109G6. This kit gives you lots of ways to customize your aircraft and end up with some 109 spare parts.















Thank you for looking!

Gary

Edit: Link

Gary,
Just caught up with your finally pictures. I've seen the Tamiya curved tape on listed on the Sprue Brothers site, but haven't ordered any of yet. After seeing it in use on your spinner, I'm going to get the 2mm and 4mm sizes.

The various pin washes and light weathering really looks quite good. On black or very dark colors going with a lighter color really helps so that the panel line just doesn't disappear. In real life light reflecting off of the top of the panel creates that lighter effect.

As for the shadow effect, the 3D casting process creates issues what should be two separate parts actually look like one part. By running a pin wash between them, you created that illusion of a little space between them as in real life. The issue I brought up of shadows, I haven't exactly figured out either. But the fact is that shadows never go around anything in 360 degrees. We just accept it in modeling as that's the way it is.

Joel

Hi Joel,
Thank you for your kind words. I spent quite a while on the pin washes. Some of the smaller access hatches were a bit of trouble because i always feared the wash drying in blobs on the areas where they didn't just wick in. I still feel I should try to give it a dusty wash, but as usual I'm combatting my fear of ruining my best effort so far.
I was quite impressed with the 3m tape. It does have limitations, though. At the very tip of the spinner I had to jam the tip of a round tooth-pick in the cannon's muzzle to keep it in place for that last few millimeters of curve. I also made some minor slices on the inner curve at the very tip because the tightness of the curve caused some puckering. I've put a lot of effort into that spinner. I Even tried contact cement on a rubber band, but ran into the same problem at the very tip of the spinner. Still, I bought 3 rolls of the stuff because I can see it having lots of uses.

Gary

Hello Friends,
Construction has started on the KA Models Gustav. The most interesting thing about this kit is that you can build just about any G2 to G14 (Excluding G6AS, G12AS, G10, G12) without major scratch-building.

Conversely, that also means you need a filler that fills fine grooves without taking a lifetime to dry.

There are also plenty of small partially tapped holes to help you reach the conclusion of any G or K.

As with the Hasegawa Gustav, the Beule needed to be blended in. Their weren't any gaps in the fit, but it didn't look like one piece of contiguous wing surface, either.

I get to do the same thing with the forward fuselage Bumps as well. Yay!

The specific engine cowling of two parts and the lack of an Erla canopy are the only things stopping you from being able to build the entire late war suite.

This is a combo shot of the Front end without cowls attached. You can see I've glued some sprue from side to side to add strength to the engine room floor(hopefully).

Then, because the front of the cowl has nothing to adhere to, I used some sprue from the corners.

I've used a blob of Blue tack to hold the exhaust heat shields in place. They'll be added to the machine much later.

Same thing on the other side. Added a piece of shaved sprue to add strength to the top of the cowls.


The barrels of the MG 131's are joined as a U-shaped piece meant to be added on at this point of the build. They'll go in later after the major painting has been done.

Don't look too deeply into the cockpit. I'll add seatbelts later as I've recently learned that the attachment points are higher than the actual cockpit assembly.

I really don't like putting much effort into cockpits if they aren't going to be easily visible.
The entire thing is splinted up like a Marine's leg at a first-aid training course.

Heh...back when I was a young Marine and the Corpsman asked how to save the simulated-wounded Marine from our unit during first aid refershers, some fella would always blurt out: "Tourniquet around the neck!"

Good Times!

Thank you for reading!

Gary

Edit: Added photo link.

Gary

Hello Gary, Congratulations for your finished Hasegawa Gustav, looking fine !
What is KA Models ?
The sprues look like the Fujimi Gustav kits, back from the 1990s
You have lots of options with this kits, happy modelling !

Bernd

Hi Bernd,
Thank you for stopping by and your kind compliment.

I don't know much about KA Models. I have read that these molds are ex-Fujimi. They are half as expensive as Hasegawa, so I had to give it a try. I hope I can make it presentable.


Gary

Gary, you did a great start on this one ! The Fujimi 109s were deafening expensive, as they came out in the 1990s, have still the "Hungarian Puma" kit in my stash, with markings for some very colorful hungarian Gustavs.
Some thoughts about it:
Before you close the wings, have a look for the pin holes, from the upper wing bulges, this will be seen after the wing is together.
You find a smaller bulge under MG breech on the right hand cowling panel. This was for the G-5, may you have a reference for your 109, you want to build.
There were more produced G-5 cowling panels, than -5s so they were used on the G-6 as well. Some had it, some not.

The spinner don t look too bad, but its may too conical, as you said. Guess there are some replacements for it available.

Build the Fujimi 109 after they came out, the end result looked a bit "heavy" after the finish, but that was probably me.

AFAIK, the small extra bulge and air intake was a feature of Bf 109s powered with the DB605A engine (and the older style cowling w/ MG breech bulges), so they were used on many variants in addition to the G-5, e.g. G-6, G-8 and G-14.

Interesting how the small bulge seems to be moulded in with the right cowling half. I presume the right MG bulge has the corresponding details to line up with the cowling bulge?

Overall, that kit looks to follow a similar modular approach as Hasegawa's, but trying to squeeze out even more variants using the same moulds. Hasegawa at least made different fuselages, while this one has the cowlings moulded separately.

Yeah, the spinner looks misshapen to me as well, to such extent that's replace it with something better.

Bernd and Eetu,
Thank you for stopping by. It's been a long time since I knew what that bulge on the right hand side was for, but since it's already part of the kit, and seen on many late G6 and G12, I have left it on. If I had evidence of it not being on the machine I was building, I would go to the trouble of removing it.
The cowls themselves are a bit thick, I think. Of course, thinning them would put them at odds with the wind screen. So, I've left them as they arrived, hoping that I can fair them in with putty.
The spinner will have to be replaced. I will either make a cast of the Hasegawa spinner (only dry-fitted for now) or try to reshape the KA spinner.

Best Wishes,

Gary

Hi Everyone,
Just a mini-update. With the beginning of the NFL season, I'll lose some bench time as I sit through three or four three-hour games per week.
Go Lions! Yeah, I know...we lost to the Chargers.

As mentioned before, the spinner had to go. So, I made a casting of the spinner from the Hasegawa kit.

Seeing that the casting came out this complete makes me wish I had a pressure pot to squeeze out all of those air bubbles. Swiss cheese doesn't make a good aerofoil!

After some filing, scraping, drilling, and sanding, I was able to add my new spinner to the KA spinner base and propellers.

My resin is kinda old too. Been sitting around for a while with some serious settling.


Thank you for looking!

Gary

Gary,
I'm quite impressed that you were able to caste that spinner. Looks pretty good to me after a little work.

As for the spirals, the ones in the last picture do look so much better then your 1st attempt.

Joel

Hey Joel,
Thanks. There were a lot of trials and tribulations in that first spinner. A lot of failed attempts ranging from decals to stuff raided from my wife's sewing box to a small purchase at my local hardware all to no avail. A chance click of the mouse put me onto the Tamiya tape for curves, thankfully.

The casting is really pretty easy, and the stuff to do it was available from a local art and craft store. I was more fortunate that I hadn't completed the Hasegawa Gustav so I had left the spinner only dry fitted.

Best Wishes,

Gary

Hi Gary,
I was gonna say something nice about your builds until I saw your last lot of photos with the Broncos backdrop.Ive never forgiven Alfie Langer for his comments about my team not being able to play ,after a grand final can't remember the year but it was mid late nineties, and he was pissed. Yes I'm St George Illawara fan.(I really must let things go)

Awesome builds and really enjoyed following along waiting for more.


Cheers


Chris

Hi Chris,
Thank you for writing. And thank you for your kind words about my builds. I'm glad you stopped by.

I didn't move to Australia until 2001, and didn't start following Rugby League until a few years later. So, I missed Alfie Langer. But I'm sorry that he's given you bad feelings about the club.

Best Wishes,

Gary