Fred's GR5 **DNF**

[fredk]

Running well behind schedule on this.
I finally had time this evening to mask it up and apply one coat of dark green.
It'll need at least one more coat but I'll have to let the first coat fully dry overnight.

[Dazzled]

Running well behind schedule on this.

That's pretty realistic Fred. When I worked on the real thing we were always behind schedule

[fredk]

Running well behind schedule on this.

That's pretty realistic Fred. When I worked on the real thing we were always behind schedule

I hope you never had my next problem.

I thought I'd be running tight to the deadline as I'm away out all tomorrow, but I reckoned on a bit of time today, this evening and finishing it off on Sunday.
Today was to be finishing off the loads for the pylons, completing the undercarriage and decaling this evening and doing the white splodges on Sunday.

But its not to be.

I got a second coat of dark green on, did a lot of touching in of the light green and white




I sprayed on some Humbrol acrylic gloss varnish from a rattle can and this happened;

The whole of the upper facing top green has been affected as thats what I was first spraying. I've never had this happen before with a rattle can of the Humbrol acrylic varnish. In fact I've always got a loverly finish out of them. I reckon it happened because the tin is nearly empty and there was a higher concentration of solvent

Anyways, it was off to the kitchen sink and some applications of Revell model paint remover. I invested in a bottle of Revell's paint remover a while back. Its excellent stuff.
After 20 minutes or so I'm at the first stage;

I'm hoping I can just remove the dark green up to the edge of the non-affected light green then when I apply fresh green paint, as its enamel, I can make the old paint dissolve into the fresh coat and not leave a hard edge.
The time that was to be spent, plus more, on the weapon load now has to be spent on paint stripping and repainting.

I don't want to be a DNF, but unless I get an extension till end of Wednesday [at the latest] I will be.

[fredk]

Despite the extra days this is still looking like a DNF.
The paint stripper also removed the fillers, so that had to be re-done, then the light green where it meets the dark green. That took an age to dry, as did the dark green.
First time round the dark green was totally dry after a few hours, second time around after 36 hours the dark green is still soft to the touch.
I hope to get a gloss varnish on today as well as the weapons load and wheels.

[fredk]

As it sits tonight. Some small parts fitted. I had to give the dark green a second coat which I hope will be fully dry tomorrow morning.
A lot of fettling of parts yet to do and touching in of paint.
The HUD sits too high for the windscreen canopy to fit down, the sliding canopy is too wide, the lens for the nose is missing.
Both parts of the canopy have small bubbles in the plastic.
Why does no one make vac canopies for Harriers?



Hopefully, if the dark green is dry tomorrow, I can get brushing on some gloss, then put on the decals. Once those are on I can put the white on.
Fingers and toes crossed I might just get it finished in time.

[AndrewR]

Nice save Fred.

[fredk]

I have to declare this a DNF.
Even yet the top green paint isn't hard enough to handle this without leaving finger prints embedded. It'll take more time to harden up.

[iggie]

That's a shame Fred as this was looking the part nicely; I hope we'll see it finished soon though

[fredk]

Well, on the good news side Airfix emailed me to tell me they have sent the replacement frame for my SHar FRS1. So once that arrives it makes it a viable kit again rather than a box of spares.

[Old_Tonto]

Shame you didn't finish this one Fred as it was looking very nice. Great save with that paint mishap.
I love the colours on the GR.5. It looks like a Harrier on steroids.