Another Salamander ***FINISHED***

[carlos]

After finishing a very fiddly kit in the Twin prop bomber GB, I decided to pick something bigger, and newer from the stash for my next build.
Something that will go together without having to 'fettle' every single part before fitting.
Was undecided between Revell's new 1/32 Spitfire IIa, and the relatively recent Salamander in the same scale - I'd have probably gone for the Spitfire... until I realised this GB was just starting, so that decided it.

It's a fairly big kit, but not that complicated so long as I do it OOB (All I'll be adding is maybe a few extra pipes and wires around the engine - and a pair of Hakenkreuz on the tail, from an aftermarket decal sheet)

Boxart - This is the re-release version.


The usual Revell booklet style instructions - Decals are marked "Printed in Italy" so I guess they're by Cartograf.


Parts are fairly clear of flash, and have some nice detail - Not exactly to the standard of their newest kits, but a world beyond the old 'ZTS Plastyk' kit I've just finished.




Only 4 transparent parts for a simple canopy, a gunsight and a small window allowing the pilot to see if the front u/c is deployed.


Won't be doing anything until at least Tuesday, but expecting have more time for modelling than usual after this week is through.

[TobyC]

Wow. A giant salamander

[carlos]

Wow. A giant salamander

It's a big-un alright!
Though not all that many parts for the scale - and nothing that looks 'fiddly'

Only really got going with it last night, built up the interior sub-assemblies, and the seemed to fall together all by themselves - a real pleasure after my last build. Finished off by giving them an overall spraying of RLM-02
I was originally gonna go with the Tamiya equivalent (XF-22), but then on Saturday in my LMS I spotted their Humbrol enamels display had extended to include the new-ish RLM colours, and I came home with 10 of 'em
So I decided to try the RLM-02 on this build, it seems to be the new faster-drying formula, and sprays quite nicely.

Then today I've been painting some details - State of play just after lunch:

That IP doesn't look right in black, I might paint it over with grey before putting it all together.

Interior sub-assys blu-tacked in place temporarily

Just a grimy wash and some highlighting needed - and look at that big area behind the seat, plenty of room for weight to hold the nose down (The instructions call for at least 45g )

I wanted an uncomplicated, less fiddly build to rekindle the mojo a bit - and doing this mostly OOB has hit the nail bang on the head - I've even started another build that I'm doing while waiting for stuff to dry on this one... (See the P-47 GB)

[iggie]

That looks a nice kit, and as you say, bang on for mojo regeneration!

[jssel]

Nice progress. Noticing the nose gear has more detailed than the Tamiya 48th.

Good stuff.

[carlos]

I'd been waiting for a few bottles of 'wash' from Flory Models (I wanna use it to dirty-up the interior before closing the fuselage) - popped out for less than 15 mins, and this was sitting behind the door when I got back......

Typical of my luck




I notice it says I can collect it the next working day, after 2pm
Well next working day is Monday, but they close at 12:30pm, so it looks like I might not be able get it until Tuesday
Annoying because I can walk to the sorting office in less than 10 mins.

Anyways - I went back out this afternoon, and found a local dept. store selling Revell's MicroWings 1/144 Messerschmitt 262 for the princely sum of One Pound Sterling.
Would have been rude not to pick up a couple - and I'm gonna squeeze one into the GB instead of twiddling my thumbs waiting for the sorting office.
See thread "Karl's Itty-bitty Schwalbe"

[carlos]

Apologies for the lack of updates, but with other commitments, and trying to do 3 GBs simultaneously, uploading pics has kinda fallen by the wayside a bit.

These are the last couple of pics I've taken of this:

You can see some white plasticine in the gap behind the seat bulkhead - the instructions called for 45g of weight, but I erred on the safe side and there are 60 squashed airgun pellets (at 0.8g each) embedded in that plasticine - so that is 48g of lead, plus probably half that weight again, in plasticine


Engine is together, and the main body of it painted - I do want to add some more wires though, and pick out some of those moulded ones in black and yellow.


Since these were taken, the airframe is complete, canopies masked, ready for the main paint-job, probably Friday (busy again tomorrow)
Fingers crossed I'll squeeze this one in just in time, to complete my 3rd GB for the month.

[TobyC]

The engine looks top notch. Nice work so far.

[carlos]

Airframe painted and glossed, ready for decals.
I'm starting that now and will be burning the midnight oil, well into the wee small hours...



Planning to close the starboard side of the engine nacelle, and leave the port side open, hence the added extra wires.
If I can stay alert long enough, I'll have ger ready for a final flat coat before I turn in - otherwise, it'll be tomorrow.

[carlos]

Finally done! At 2am.

All OOB, except for a few extra wires added to the engine, and a couple of Swastikas from a Techmod sheet.







The engine


Cockpit

Instrument panel was just a decal, but settled very nicely over the raised detail on the part.
With only instruments, on a transparent background, it gives a decent impression of the panel when it's settled in place.

[TobyC]

Wow. That is a bit special

[iggie]

That's excellent! Nice additional detailing as well