Shaun's Von Werra's Express *** FINISHED***

[aeroplanegripper]

Outstanding 109 Emil and a cracking Paint job, well done.

[Martin R]

Shaun,

Now that looks rather special. Good job!

regards,

Martin

[AndrewR]

:

He's actually finished a Group Build with a finish! And what a finish too!

[mightymikeD]

He's actually finished a Group Build with a finish! And what a finish too!

11 days to go.. reckon you could knock out another one, Shaun?

[ShaunW]

Thank you very much for your kind words gents. This was a nice little kit and my main gripe is really about those sprue gates. It might just be me but I found them to be overly large and to place unnecessary strain on the smaller parts when removal was attempted. I didn't rush the completion of this model by any means and I've never lost so many parts from a kit simply by trying to remove them from the sprue. I think the final appearance of the model has been spoiled to a certain extent by the loss of some of the finer details and in particular the wing guns, which are very nicely done IMHO and certainly far better that the 70's style sprue tubes that are attempting to pass muster on my example!

I did paint the canopy frames by hand Mike using Tamiya XF-61 Dark Green. I used an old technique of applying the paint as carefully as I could but not worrying unduly about overspill of paint from the frames onto the glass. When the paint was dry I used a fresh cocktail stick to remove the excess paint from the glass areas and to tidy up the edges of the frames. Care is needed as it is easy to slip with the cocktail stick and remove chips of paint from the frames, thus leading to the need for a repaint. It's not a perfect technique but on a canopy this small is less fiddly than masking with tape. On larger canopies I prefer to use masking tape. I was tempted to try another before the end of the GB but I'm too slow to finish before the end and also I want to try out the new tool Spitfire that has been patiently waiting attention at the side of my bench. The 109 is a kit I am likely to revisit though, particularly in the tropical boxing that Chuck is building in the GB.

[AndrewR]

I want to try out the new tool Spitfire that has been patiently waiting attention at the side of my bench.

Funnily enough, I have one of those waiting in the wings too...

[Marek]

Shaun, your machine flies loud and high! Excellent one.

[ShaunW]

Funnily enough, I have one of those waiting in the wings too...

Are you trying to tempt me into a shared build O Great Leader?

[ShaunW]

Shaun, your machine flies loud and high! Excellent one.

Thank you Marek, you are a mighty fine man.

[AndrewR]

Funnily enough, I have one of those waiting in the wings too...

Are you trying to tempt me into a shared build O Great Leader?

I think we deserve a break from collective builds at the moment. I have to make a Revell Swordfish which Graham got me as a birthday present last year, and finish the Skyray, once I've got the tiny Kettenkrad, the Emil and the Tempest done. Phew!
Productivity might reach an all-time high in the first quarter of this year

Cheers

Andrew

[ShaunW]

That's OK, I just thought I'd check as I want to make a start before the weekend. With a bit of luck I too might hit stratospheric levels of production in the first quarter - by my standards anyway! Anything more than 6 completions in a year is a Big Year as far as I'm concerned

[Marek]

I am with you, lately I struggled to finish anything really. 12 finishes would put the nametag 'The year of the bee' on a 2013. Where did all good times go (I mean the ones I could finish 2-3 a month)?

[AndrewR]

That's OK, I just thought I'd check as I want to make a start before the weekend. With a bit of luck I too might hit strato
spheric levels of production in the first quarter - by my standards anyway! Anything more than 6 completions in a year is a Big Year as far as I'm concerned

I'm looking forward to seeing your build of the Spit.
I'll try and get round to mine in the summer! Or once you've finished... Whichever is the earlier

[ShaunW]

I'll try and get round to mine in the summer! Or once you've finished... Whichever is the earlier

Cheeky man! Well I have made a start on the Spit and will post up some pics on my workbench window thread, hopefully before the weekend. It's another cracking little kit, Airfix deserves to do well out of these new tools if they're all as good as the 109 and Spitfire. I note that there's also a new tool early Hurricane coming out and not forgetting the Bf110 kit so I'm thinking of doing a little theme of early war Western Front fighters using these Airfix new tool kits. And I said I'd given up on the Gentleman's Scale for fighter aircraft.....

[ntrocket88]

Very sharp painting Shaun! Really excellent work.