Mike W's workbench thread
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Mike W's workbench thread
Hi All,
Apologies for the absence of late, hope you are all well?
So I thought it time to start a new thread for my in progress stuff and update what I have been up to....
Latest commission job...
This was great fun, like modelling of my youth. Though these new tool kits knock spots off the old Spitfire and '109 I built 30 years ago.
These kits are a breeze to build and in a break from the norm for me I installed the pilots and put the gear up to use the supplied stand, as requested by my customer.
I used Gunze acrylics for the paint work except for the yellow on the Bf109 which is Humbrol enamel. Weathering was oils and Mig wash with some Gunze Soot for the staining through the airbrush.
They are literally straight from the box except for the aerial wires which are just Aeroclub rigging thread.
The little Airfix logo was hand painted too as it looked a bit rubbish just black.
I must admit these little kits have really grown on me as I have been building and painting them and I am really pleased with how they turned out.
Apologies for the absence of late, hope you are all well?
So I thought it time to start a new thread for my in progress stuff and update what I have been up to....
Latest commission job...
This was great fun, like modelling of my youth. Though these new tool kits knock spots off the old Spitfire and '109 I built 30 years ago.
These kits are a breeze to build and in a break from the norm for me I installed the pilots and put the gear up to use the supplied stand, as requested by my customer.
I used Gunze acrylics for the paint work except for the yellow on the Bf109 which is Humbrol enamel. Weathering was oils and Mig wash with some Gunze Soot for the staining through the airbrush.
They are literally straight from the box except for the aerial wires which are just Aeroclub rigging thread.
The little Airfix logo was hand painted too as it looked a bit rubbish just black.
I must admit these little kits have really grown on me as I have been building and painting them and I am really pleased with how they turned out.
Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Very nice. I've yet to do any kind of Dogfight Double kits!
Daren
Half-assed Spitfire builder!
Half-assed Spitfire builder!
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Thanks Daren, get yourself some they are great little models and a fun build.
- Stuart
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Very nice builds Mike. They both look super and I'm sure your customer was very happy with them. I agree, they are nice kits and it's always nice to build them gear up sometimes.
Painting the Airfix logo was a nice touch.
edit: The sub looks great too
Cheers
Stuart
Painting the Airfix logo was a nice touch.
edit: The sub looks great too
Cheers
Stuart
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
I have been having some fun with an old classic, the Airfix Vulcan in 1/72 scale I was asked to build on commission.
So it arrived from my customer with the wings together and the tail on the fuselage and a Flightpath etched set for added extras.
The etched parts really help the undercarriage legs as you can see here...
The customer wants it rescribed too, which is handy as it will be easier to reinstate the lost details after filling and sanding as there will be plenty of THAT!
Here are the wings, left as per kit, right is rescribed...
The fuselage is together and the cockpit has some rudimentry details from the Flightpath set, but naff all will be seen anyway,there is also an etched canopy frame which is a rubbish fit. Also you can see here the Twomikes resin intakes inside too.
I primed one half to see how the wing join looked and the check for the blemishes on the rescribe and the sanded and polished it back. The rest of the major joins were also primed and filled and re-sanded etc until I got to this stage and added the etched antenna etc and the resin jet pipes that needed a lot of work to fit but look infinitely better than the kit parts which were short shot and had very soft details.
Here she is pretty much ready for the final primer coat before major painting can commence.
As you can see I left that awful canopy frame off and masked up normally and used copydex to mask the round porthole windows.
But the biggest pain in the butt was getting the intakes smoothed out.
Finally ready for painting.
This has been a real pig to get to this stage. But its so worth it is its an iconic aircraft, just hope my customer appreciates the effort. TBH it has been a labour of love as I have built this kit three or four times and I always enjoy the fight when I see the finished article.
So it arrived from my customer with the wings together and the tail on the fuselage and a Flightpath etched set for added extras.
The etched parts really help the undercarriage legs as you can see here...
The customer wants it rescribed too, which is handy as it will be easier to reinstate the lost details after filling and sanding as there will be plenty of THAT!
Here are the wings, left as per kit, right is rescribed...
The fuselage is together and the cockpit has some rudimentry details from the Flightpath set, but naff all will be seen anyway,there is also an etched canopy frame which is a rubbish fit. Also you can see here the Twomikes resin intakes inside too.
I primed one half to see how the wing join looked and the check for the blemishes on the rescribe and the sanded and polished it back. The rest of the major joins were also primed and filled and re-sanded etc until I got to this stage and added the etched antenna etc and the resin jet pipes that needed a lot of work to fit but look infinitely better than the kit parts which were short shot and had very soft details.
Here she is pretty much ready for the final primer coat before major painting can commence.
As you can see I left that awful canopy frame off and masked up normally and used copydex to mask the round porthole windows.
But the biggest pain in the butt was getting the intakes smoothed out.
Finally ready for painting.
This has been a real pig to get to this stage. But its so worth it is its an iconic aircraft, just hope my customer appreciates the effort. TBH it has been a labour of love as I have built this kit three or four times and I always enjoy the fight when I see the finished article.
- PaulBradley
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Great stuff! Good to see you back here, Mike - we've missed you!
Paul
За демократію і незалежний Україну
"For Democracy and a Free Ukraine"
За демократію і незалежний Україну
"For Democracy and a Free Ukraine"
Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Really good work Mike and good to see you around again.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Very impressive!
...and one of my favourite aircraft too...
Cheers,
Asoka
...and one of my favourite aircraft too...
Cheers,
Asoka
Skill, Patience and Humbrol, with a hairy stick!
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
This was another commission build, not sure how I talked myself into it but there ya go.
Not the easiest of builds!
Kitech repop of the Hobbycraft 1:48 Vought F7U-3M Cutlass. It an "only game in town" kit as far as the Cutlass in 1:48 is concerned at least in injection moulded, there was IIRC a Collectaire resin kit but they are very hard to get hold of.
I reshaped the nose and used SAC metal gear legs, the national markings and intake warnings are decals the rest of the markings are masked/sprayed after I had them made for me via AdAstra masks in Canada, superb service from Ian over there too. My customer was very pleased with it so that is the main thing.
I'll let the pictures talk for themselves......
Not the easiest of builds!
Kitech repop of the Hobbycraft 1:48 Vought F7U-3M Cutlass. It an "only game in town" kit as far as the Cutlass in 1:48 is concerned at least in injection moulded, there was IIRC a Collectaire resin kit but they are very hard to get hold of.
I reshaped the nose and used SAC metal gear legs, the national markings and intake warnings are decals the rest of the markings are masked/sprayed after I had them made for me via AdAstra masks in Canada, superb service from Ian over there too. My customer was very pleased with it so that is the main thing.
I'll let the pictures talk for themselves......
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Truly wonderful builds Mike, very professional looking - I'll give up now and go back to bass playing or fishing
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
- Stuart
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
That does look really nice. A quality finish and a really interesting Aircraft.
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
- TobyC
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Wow. What a great result. I'm going fishing
Enjoyment over accuracy. That's my motto
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Re: Mike W's workbench thread
My long term (ie, No Rush at all) commission build of the Academy 1/350 RMS Titanic is creeping along. The funnel stays are aeroclub rigging thread stained with vlack ink. The superstructure section is just resting on the main deck here, next up is glue it together and sort the masts and forecastle.
Re: Mike W's workbench thread
Always wanted to do a model of the Titanic!
Daren
Half-assed Spitfire builder!
Half-assed Spitfire builder!