Next up..


Got this kit for Christmas and have always wanted to build a he111 (cheers mum) I'm unsure as to what finish I will go for. The box art is very attractive and the black underside will be new to me, but the north African finish in sandgelb looks nice too and isn't seen too often. The build will be mostly oob and I will try to show my process more. I will add the sunshade above the pilot and will probably use rice paper to try and get a suitable thickness.

Looking forward to your build James






Terri

Good choice with a striking boxart.

If you go with the torpedo bomber from KG 26, check it out if these aircrafts had the bomb sight still installed.

James,
Your Messerschmitt turned out great, so, I will gladly follow Your build in my favourite scale!

Oliver

Oliver, Bernd, thankyou for popping along for this one..

First up. The seat had belts added to it from 1mm tape



Ejector pin marks were filled with games workshops "green stuff" in a paint pot. I think this is really just thick acrylic paint. I need a new filler as it doesn't really work well. I then preshading the interior with tamiya black mixed with screen wash and sprayed the cockpit tamiya German grey, lightened a bit. And the rear compartment life colour rlm02.



Then second photo was not the final coat.

I painted the straps sandgelb and the seat valley of leather brown. I picked out the switches white then painted over red and yellow.


This will go together a lot quicker than the me410.

Thanks all
J

I just have to say the shading work is just outstanding James. And that I just love the new Airfix kits they are just fantastic. The internal detail is just stunning for a 1/72nd scale kit, I'm loving the build so far. As for putty the results Terri has achieved with Vallejo acrylic putty have been quite encouraging.

Chris thankyou. And I will get some valley of putty asap !
The shading on the interior was a little slapdash if I'm honest but you will barely see it inside. This kit falls together so far and I'm my own worst enemy, I started this kit today and the wings are already on. Overproductive builder I must be. The wings although I have no pics as yet went together well although there was a small issue with the gap where the wing joins the centre section on the underside. I have to get some new putty . Looks like I'll be trying valley putty.
Here is a pic of the cockpit. Shiny from a wash..

Hi James

great progress. Have been quietly following along. I have this kit in the stash am interested to see how it builds up!

Russell it's falling together. Easiest build so far that I have done in a while !

Small update. I have had a little trouble with the wings and their fit.






But nothing a little sanding an my trusty scriber couldn't fix...








That's all for now. J

Looking good so far, James.
Looks like a straight forward build and there is nothing that some putty and some sanding can t cure.
Masking all the clear parts will be a challenge.

Thanks Bernd that's where I am now, masking off. It shouldn't take too long

Your off to a good start on this one ! Looking good so far and the added seatbelts really dress up the pit .



Terri

Thanks Terri , hopefully youll be able to see them through my bad masking..

Update progress hooray.

Base coat. Lifecolour rlm 71 over black preshading with rlm 71 and Russian 7k green yellow 60:40 mottled over the top


Secondary camouflage colour. Rlm 70 schwarzgrun over black preshading mottled with rlm 70 and rlm 04 60:40





I'm painting this in a modular way so I can keep on top of masking and not confuse myself.

J

nice, fast, progress James

Thanks Russell... day off today so I will probably get a lot more done after run a few errands.

Here she is as of 9am.


I'm using humbrol clear still at the moment and am getting a micro sandpaper texture in some areas. I did hit it with a flat clear before to protect the delicate lifecolour could that have been it ?

James! I'm following your build with a smile on my face! Great progress and it looks really good!

I've done two 111:s in the 1980's, one was a Matchbox (I went for the Romanian option), the other one was Italeri's kit that I did as a torpedo bomber in North Africa camo. Could really be time to do another one now ...

Regarding that sandpaper effect, I tend to get a bit of it randomly here and there no matter how I try to avoid it, maybe that matt coat is the culprit, maybe not. I would get some MicroMesh sanding pads (or a nail polishing stick!) and carefully get rid of the worst of it, then maybe touch up the affected areas with another shot of gloss if I thought it was necessary. The final satin- or matte coat is also a bit forgiving when it comes to hiding this kind of imperfections!

Regarding that flat clear protection coat, I'm not sure that would be necessary since it won't help LifeColor adherence (my main gripe with LC paints) and you are anyway shooting a layer of gloss clear!

No matter what, I think you're doing a great job on this one and I love the look of that camo, breaking it up look with preshading and mottling.

Finally: have you used ready made masks for the canopy or did you cut them by hand?



Magnus

Magnus thankyou I have always wanted to build a 111. It's a funny looking aircraft yet so sleek at the same time. I think under the flat coat you won't see the texture it's just me being picky. I need to get some micromesh polishing cloths but at the moment I'm all out of budget! I don't have a lot of trouble with lifecolour coming off . I preshade with tamiya and maybe it grips to that. When it does come up its usually very tiny spots. Probably where I have been handling the model before paint.

Canopy masking. I hate it with a passion. I used the technique used in the video ( with a more slapdash approach) on this page of the forum. Masking tape. Burnish and trim. Arduous.

Quick photo of what I mean


This area turned out much better


Using very low psi so it doesn't part dry and working very close a thin very wet coat is what I'm doing.

Decals are going on in a bit !

Your Heinkel looks really nice James.

My builds get a slight polish / wet sanding before i apply the decals. Gives a very smotth surface and the next layer of varnish will do the job.

Here is a question regarding Lifecolor, i had some problems with spraying these acrylics. What are you using as thinner ?

Have a great weekend

Bernd

Airfix seem to have come along way since most of us started out in the hobby, some nice kits getting updates, and your HE 111 looks brill, my only moan is not your build but Airfix, looking at the photos i would say the panel lines are way too deep in 1/72nd, you could plant potatoes in them.

James -

Wow ! You don't waste any time do you ! Do you do all these builds AND find time to strum a Gibson ?
Cheers- Richard

Decals and clear coat down



Bernd thankyou I will start sanding on the next one see hot that fares what problems do you have with lifecolour ?

Keith, thankyou I know what you mean some of the new airfix have very refined lines but some like this one are trenches. If you hit them with Mr surfacer that usually solves it. But I'm usually happy with how they turn out order paint etc.

Richard thankyou. I am too speedy and miss things or glaze over details I should really pay attention to..
Unfortunately no les Paul's in the house anymore. I run a prs se cu24 with bareknuckle pickups a hags trombone viking and a fender strat through my orange rocker 50 nowadays. Very happy with my set up but I'm doing way more acoustic at the moment.

Ciao

Hey folks I started weathering the main airframe. I want to keep it as in scale as possible and I'm doing it in sections so as not to burn out and start bobbing the chips on.
Left wing as of now just a clear coat


Here I laid down small chips of hellgrun on the lighter green and green grey on the darker green then filled in the bigger ones with 50:50 black and brown and I will add metallic to the larger ones around access panels. I also used a burnt umber/ ultramarine for the wash on the wing.


I'd like to say the finish line is in sight but I have a lot more to do . J

Ok folks I have been holding my breath for this bit... light wash on the underside. My usual mix of burnt umber and ultramarine mixed with naples yellow for a grimy underside.

Her it is drying. We will see when it's dry how it looks. *holds breath *