AIR Modeller - Issue 59 (2015 04-05).pdf

MENGAIRMODELLERAPRIL/MAY2015 59APRIL/MAY 2015 • £6.50 UK $15.99 www.mengafvmodeller.com DORNIER’S ARROW Kevin Futter builds the new HK Models 1:32 Dornier Do 335 B-2 AIR 59 cover_Layout 1 10/03/2015 15:18 Page 1

AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 11/03/2015 09:50 Page 222

1 2 Coming or Going? Kevin Futter gets to grips with a test shot of the new 1:32 Dornier Do 335 B-2 from HK Models. 10 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.1c Jamie Pastor models a heavily weathered RAAF aircraft based on the 1:48 Tamiya kit 18 P-38 J Lightning ‘Master of Metallics’, Michel Gruson tackles the Eduard special edition 1:48 kit. 26 Finnish MiG-21 BIS Armour modeller Jari Hemila trys his hand at something with wings. 36 Big Bird B-17, Part 10 The Editor continues his build of HK Models spectacular 1:32 Flying Fortress. 44 Air Born New releases. 58 Big-Buck Buccaneer Part 2 Andrea Vignocchi describes the painting techniques used on his 1:72 superdetailed Buccaneer. CONTENTS Meng AIR Modeller welcomes contributions from interested parties, but cannot accept any responsibility for unsolicited material. The contents of this publication including all articles, drawings and photographs originated by AFV Modeller ltd become the publishers copyright under copyright law. Reproduction in any form requires the written consent of the publisher. Whilst every care is taken to avoid mistakes AFV Modeller ltd. cannot be liable in any way for errors or ommissions. Meng AIR Modeller is published Bimonthly by AFV Modeller ltd Old Stables East Moor Stannington Northumberland NE61 6ES Tel: 01670 823648 Fax: 01670 820274 email: david@mengafvmodeller.com Editor and Designer: David Parker Deputy Editor: Mark Neville Sales Director: Keith Smith ISSN 1747-177X We are now on Facebook, ‘Like’ us to follow what we are doing and follow our build projects. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 11/03/2015 14:10 Page 1

Coming or going ? Kevin Futter builds a test shot of the new HK Models monster Dornier Do 335B-2 The Dornier Do 335 was unique in the annals of military aviation, being a twin- engine aircraft of unusual push/pull configuration. Featuring an elongated fuselage with an engine at each end, it was also one of the fastest piston-engine fighters of WW2. It was conceived and designed to fulfil a number of roles, including fighter, fighter-bomber, heavy fighter (Zerstörer), and extending to two- seat night fighter and trainer roles. Only 70 examples of all types were completed by war’s end, with none entering squadron service. The HK Models kit represents the heavily- armed Do 335B-2 “Zerstörer” version of the aircraft, which featured a 30mm MK103 cannon in each wing, housed in large, protruding fairings that were characteristic of this variant. A third MK103 was mounted within the forward engine block, firing through the spinner. When combined with the two MG 151/20 20mm cannon mounted atop the forward fuselage, the resulting firepower truly earned the description “heavily armed”! The kit itself is something of a beast, being large and highly detailed. Some parts, such as the roof of the nose wheel bay, feature an amazing level of moulded-in detail, and require careful painting to do them justice. The kit is also designed in a modular fashion to accommodate other versions. For example, the fuselage spine is a single, separate piece, which can be swapped out for the two-seat spine. Similarly, the large cannon fairings for the wings are supplied as complete, single-piece inserts for the wing leading edges. As we will see, this approach caused me a few fit issues during the build, though some of these issues were definitely self-inflicted! 2 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:58 Page 2

3 This kit was an early test shot from HK Models, and arrived without instructions, decals, photo- etched parts and nose weights. It was also pulled from moulds that were not 100% complete or finalised, so I had a few challenges at the outset. During the early phases of the build, I was able to obtain some of the missing elements, and later still, an example of the production kit, from which I borrowed a few parts. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:58 Page 3

My twin goals for this build were to stick as close to out-of-box as practical, and to showcase as much of that lovely internal detail as possible. Working from an early draft of the instructions, I started by building up and painting the internal structure for the fuselage. I mainly used Mr. Metal Color for the wiring and plumbing, as it brush-paints very nicely, and can be polished with a cotton bud for a more metallic effect. Better still, stray brush strokes can be cleaned up with a pointed implement. In my case, I use the eye-end of a sewing needle, where the end of the eye has been cut down to form a lopsided ‘U’ shape. It’s fine enough to do the job, but no so sharp that you risk digging it to the base paint layer. As an aside, I also use this tool for placing CA glue. The next phase involved the cockpit, which by Luftwaffe standards was relatively spacious and highly visible, so I was keen bring out its best. I started with the seat, which itself is made up of several components, and it was here that I had my first deviation from a strict out-of-box approach. The production kit comes with some photo-etched harnesses, but I had yet to receive them at this stage of the build, so I elected for a set of HGW generic Luftwaffe belts. This turned out to be fortuitous, as they are vastly superior to the kit offerings, and are a real focal point in the cockpit. I took a relatively austere approach with the main cockpit tub, beginning with a base coat of Mr. Paint RLM 66. This turned out to be too dark, and lacks the characteristic blue tint of the real paint. To compensate, I gave it an unusually heavy dry-brush with Vallejo’s Model Color White. I would normally dry-brush a dark base colour with RLM 75, which produces some nicely subtle highlighting, and is quite difficult to overdo. The extra contrast afforded by the white worked very well in this instance though, and really helped lift an otherwise drab cockpit tub. Details were picked out with various shades of Vallejo acrylics. The final touches were a couple of cockpit placards from airscale’s AS32 SCH set. The next task was to tackle the rear engine, as it needs to be installed prior to the fuselage spine being fitted. The two engines are largely identical, and can actually be assembled and painted at the same time. The engines are highly detailed, and I elected not to add anything to them, other than some airscale placards on the coolant tanks. With the engine completed, I was able to combine all the sub-assemblies that comprise the main internal structure, and then begin working on the remaining fuselage internals. This consisted mainly of the rear ducting, rear bulkheads, and the rear propeller drive shaft. On with the build The level of moulded-on detail is amazing! The internal structure and details for the fuselage coming together. Mr. Paint’s RLM 02 has been used throughout. The completed cockpit tub, mounted atop the nose wheel bay. The assembled rear engine. Each engine is made up of around 20 or so parts. The main internal structure completed, and test-fitted into the port fuselage half. The JH Models jig is very handy for these situations! The red bands on the blue cylinders are from some spare red decals. 4 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:58 Page 4

Painting the engine block started with a primer coat of Mr. Surfacer 1200, followed by a base coat of Mr. Paint Base Black. This was highlighted with Mr. Paint RLM 66, then a wash with Paynes Grey oil paint, and finally a very light dry-brushing with Mr. Metal Color Aluminium (aluminium). Details and moulded-on pipework were picked out using Mr. Metal Color Aluminium, with the coolant tanks and additional piping airbrushed with Tamiya AS-12. Straps and fasteners were painted with Mr. Metal Color Dark Iron. More fantastic moulded-on detail, this time on the rear engine firewall. The internal nose weight fitted into one half of the forward engine. The backing part for the instrument panel was missing from my test shot, so I cut the supplied decal into three parts, ready to be inserted into the rear of the panel. This is what it looks like from the rear. Note that the decals remain on their backing sheet! I fabricated a rough backing sheet for the panel, and added instrument bodies from styrene rod and tube. I decided to add some MDC manufacturer’s stamp decals to the insides of the open cowl panels. 5 Aside from the seat harnesses, the only other part on the photo-etch fret is a small grill for the rear ducting, and it was at this point that I decided to put the build aside and wait for this part. I believe that this was ultimately a mistake, as I suspect this grill in part caused my subsequent fit issues, being around 1mm too tall. I eventually dealt with this by removing as much material as I could from the internal bulkheads, so that I could push the fuselage spine more-or-less into place. Next time I’ll either reduce the photo-etch grill, or leave it out altogether! Once the delayed nose weights had arrived, I proceeded to assemble and finish the forward engine, which offered no surprises. With the internal weight fitted, I was a bit concerned that the engine assembly would be too heavy for the tiny mounting lugs to keep it attached to the firewall, but test- fitting proved my fears to be unfounded. My test shot was missing the backing piece for the instrument panel, to which is applied the instrument decal, so I had to improvise. Rather than fabricate a replacement backing piece and risk getting the decal out of alignment, I decided to cut the decal up into its constituent panels, and fix them directly into the rear of the instrument panel. I then fabricated a rough backing sheet for the panel, and added instrument bodies from styrene rod and tube. Lastly I added some wiring to the rear of the instrument bodies, as they are visible through the windscreen on the finished model. Another area that required some extra work due to the preliminary nature of my kit was the rear propeller spinner. It was malformed at the tip in my test shot, and needed some remedial work. I used the part from the production kit as an exemplar to work from. The annular radiator face in the forward engine cowl is devoid of any detail, so I decided to stray yet further from the out-of- box path and spice it up. I cut some templates for the curved shapes using Tamiya masking tape, and then laid them over some Tasman stainless steel mesh (Super Fine), and carefully cut them out. They were applied to the model with CA glue, which is unfortunately visible in a couple of spots. It still looks much better than the bare plastic however! AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:59 Page 5

Moving on to the wings, I was pleased to find that assembly was largely straightforward and trouble-free. I did discover though, that the leading edge inserts required some shimming to obtain a gap-free fit. I found some Evergreen styrene strip that was perfect for the job. I had to perform a similar shimming job in a couple of areas at the wing roots too. Early on I had decided to build the M13 airframe with the extended wing tips, so these were fitted at this stage as well. Once the rear empennage was installed, I gave the model a couple of light primer coats with Mr. Surfacer 1200, and repaired the inevitable blemishes. I took the opportunity with this build to test the relatively new Mr. Paint range, and ordered their RLM 65, 70, 76, 81 & 82 colours. I decided I would choose between RLM 65 & 76 for the lower surfaces once I’d seen each colour applied to the model. The Mr. Paint RLM 76 seems to represent the less-common, late-war “sky green” version of the colour, and feeling that this wasn’t appropriate for a Do 335, I elected to use their RLM 65 instead. While planning the paint job, a friend brought to my attention the fact that the undersides extended wing tips on M13 were actually left unpainted, with the panel and rivet lines puttied over. I went with the bare metal, but decided against replicating the puttied lines – mainly out of laziness! The rest of the paint job consisted of a standard late-war scheme of an 81/82 splinter camouflage on the upper surfaces, and RLM 65 on the lower surfaces. I’m not a big fan of pre-shading, and rarely use it these days, preferring to find more organic ways of breaking up the finish. I’m still on this journey, so I kept things pretty simple with this build. The next phase started with an airbrushed coat of Flory’s Dark Dirt wash. Removing the excess left the exquisite surface detail nicely highlighted. This was followed by a couple of light coats of Future floor polish in preparation for decalling. The kit decals are by Cartograf, and are excellent. I did have some minor silvering due to inadequate surface preparation, but I really can’t fault the decals themselves. I sealed the decals with a couple of light coats of Tamiya X-22 Gloss Clear, in readiness for the next stage: oil dot filtering! Some judicious shortening of the internal bulkheads, plus a little bit of shimming, sees the fuselage spine sitting as intended. The wing roots needed shimming in a couple of areas too. The fine surface detail is evedent in this shot and features throughout the kit. The wing leading edge inserts required some shimming with styrene strip to achieve a gap-free fit. Note again the delicate rivets. fasteners and panel lines. The distinctive teardrop in the canopy is well moulded as are the frames and rivet detail making for an easy masking job. Realistic RAL Colours 6 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:59 Page 6

Oil dot filtering is a method of breaking up the monotone nature of a paint finish, and involves adding ‘dots’ of artists’ oil paints to the surface, which are then blended in to create a subtly variegated patina. I made the mistake this time though, of experimenting with Crimson; it turned out to be much too strong, even after blending, and I had to remove most of it. This left the effect so subtle that it’s barely noticeable, but this is preferable to one that looks overdone. After a flat coat, I added some strategic paint chipping with a silver pencil, but kept it pretty light, as my aim was to create a used-but-not- abused look. Mr. Paint RLM 65 applied to the undersides, with the wing tips in natural metal – Tamiya AS-12 in this case. The upper surfaces received the standard late-war splinter camouflage of RLM 81 & RLM 82, again using the Mr. Paint colours Spotty! This is called ‘oil dot filtering’, and looks quite ridiculous prior to being blended. The finished result, fully blended. Due to the dominant effect of the Crimson, I had to remove most of it unfortunately. Even so, it has still created subtle variations in the finish. Midway through the process of blending the oil paint dots. It looks like a Monet painting at this stage! I decided to trial the relatively new Mr. Paint range of colours for this build. 7 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:59 Page 7

8 All that remained was to add all the small components, and fix all the separate panels in their open positions. This turned out to be trickier than I imagined for the front engine panels, as I couldn’t get the support arms to meet their respective mount points at both ends, and ultimately had to fake it. This is the only part of the kit that I was dissatisfied with, and next time I’d replace the support arms with aluminium tubing. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:59 Page 8

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this kit and look forward to building subsequent versions. The high parts-count and high level of detail make for a demanding build in places, but the finished model has a substantial presence. Now, where to put it? Conclusion 9 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:59 Page 9

Modelled by Jaime PastorT he extreme weather conditions in Port Moresby, mostly the sun and the tropical rains, and the numerous raids undertaken by these aircrafts meant that they had a very worn appearance. The upper camouflage turned quickly, and in a few weeks it was heavily faded. The aircraft which I have built in this article - serial number A19-34 - was delivered to New Guinea in its original RAF colours of Dark Green, Dark Earth and Sky Type S. Once there, it was allocated with the letter “J” which was painted over the original code letter. This Beaufighter, belonged to 30 Squadron, operated in New Guinea from 1942 to 1944. The climate, heavy use and the lack of replacement parts meant many repairs were required in the case of this aircraft, four times before the moment that I have represented, just before having a forced landing on March 22, 1943. After this new repair, it was repainted using the Australian Foliage Green and it received a new code letter: LY-D. The kit To build the Mk.Ic version in 1:48th scale the best option is to adapt the Tamiya Mk.VI. The quality of the kit is excellent, but it lacks interior detail and the some details for the undercarriage and wheel wells. This is not a problem but an incentive to build and improve them from scratch. It is important to have drawings and scale plans to show the Mk.I features, because there are several variants according to the variations in armament and the series production. 10 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:56 Page 10

11 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.Ic A19-34/J, 30 Sqn RAAF, Port Moresby (New Guinea), March 1943 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:56 Page 11

12 After reviewing photos and drawings I chose to rebuild some cockpit parts such as the radio operator’s seat and its structure using plastic sheet and rods. The main cockpit has added a pair of details which will be visible through the transparent parts: a small lamp and the open/close mechanism for the lateral window. The radio operator’s dome was cut from the fuselage and I added the interior structure with plastic rod and the locks with metal plates. After that the transparent must be masked inside and out. Is worthwhile to improve the main undercarriage. I used plastic rod of different thickness and a lot of patience to place them in the right positions. This photomontage shows the four sides of the finished main undercarriage. It is important to thin the seats with sandpaper. A good idea is to add seat cushions - modelled using putty. The belts were made with paper and photoetched belt buckles by Extratech. The kit viewfinder must be replaced, I built one with transparent acetate sheet. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:56 Page 12

13 I wanted more interior detail, it should be enhanced a little. However, with references and patience it is easy to do. There is a big gap in the rear fuselage wall at the wing root which would be visible. It is important to cover it. You can make the cable bundles by interlacing two or three thin copper wires. Before the main interior colour I applied a generous black layer as primer. After that, the Interior Green must be airbrushed from the top so that the primer could to make the shadows and emphasize the interior structure. After airbrushing the main colour, I brushed the small elements, such as boxes, dials, pipes and tubes with Vallejo Model Color mixed with Agama acrylics. To enhance the elements you can mark the edges with a light grey and the recesses with a thin line of black or apply a dark wash interchangeably. The instruments panel has been painted with different grey shades and the dials have a small drop of glossy varnish. Finally, a dry-brush emphasizes the elements. There are a lot of instruments scattered around the cockpit. To make the circular rims I used thin cooper wire shaped around a rod of the specific diameter, then cut using a sharp blade. Both the copper wire and plastic rod are fundamental to detail the cockpit, you should choose them according to the situation. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:56 Page 13

The main peculiarity of the Bristol Hercules engines is that the exhausts were oriented to the front and they are centralized in the cowling. I made the exhausts with plastic rod 0.75mm diameter. First I applied a light coat of primer to show any flaws, then I airbrushed a black layer and using the dry-brush technique I painted the cylinders. Finally some weathering was added using pigments. The Mk.Ic version had some differences from the kit, you must study the plans to correct the panel lines and the empty shell case chutes. Another nice modification is to place the control surfaces in a different positions. Using a sharp blade you can separate them carefully in order not to damage the pieces. I used the Mk.VI horizontal- stabilizers instead of buying an aftermarket. The Mk.Ic ones were shorter and completely horizontal. Despite the size of this model it is worth investing time to rivet it, the result is much more eye- catching. The first painting step is one of the most important: the primer and the preshading. It should be slightly visible at the end of the process. I added some thick pipes to the wheel-wells using electical flex and a small circular cover. I applied the same painting techniques utilized in the cockpit, but keeping in mind the heavy weathering. Some putty and sanding was required to join the main parts cleanly. Notice that the exhaust collector were painted in bronze colour with Agama Metallic Paste. The base colour for the undercarriage is a metallic-grey made by mixing aluminium and grey from Agama. I brushed the different elements, then a black wash to enhance the details and finally some mud splatters and paint chips. To simulate the weighted effect on the tires I sanded the base and filled the sides out with putty. The climate conditions mean that the tires were very worn, for that reason the tire colour should be lightened and heavily dirtied. 14 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:57 Page 14

This Beaufighter A19-34 was delivered in the RAF original colours Dark Green and Dark Earth for the uppersurfaces and Sky Type S. I airbrushed them freehand with Agama colours. Before the markings I painted the both patches where the “J” letters have to be placed, this time in Australian colours Foliage Green and Earth Brown. The maskings were drawn in Tamiya tape and cut with a compass-cutter. I used a sharp brush to paint a lot of marks along the panel lines randomly, focusing the effect on the movable panels. The undersurfaces have the same painting process. The matt varnish reveals the final colours, it is important to apply several thin layers in order not to flood the surfaces. Finally the maskings of the transparent parts were removed, the engines, its covers and the main undercarriage placed in their final position. For gluing the transparent parts I use white glue which creates a flexible union without messy residues. The base colour is ready, so a gloss varnish coat serves to place the decals, (only the serial numbers) and to mark the rivets and panel lines using black oil washes. If you dilute the paint with around 90% of solvent you can airbrush several semi-transparent layers without hiding the pre-shading effect. 15 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:57 Page 15

16 I airbrushed the engine cowlings with a semi-transparent layer of dark grey over the bronze coat in order to simulate the black colour as if it is heat damaged. The Mk.Ic did not have the well known porcupine exhausts. I build the new ones with round tube and painted them as if they are rusted. Using AK effects I added some heavy fuel stains just on the starboard engine. Several photos show that the exhaust stains were very dark and they cover a large area. I added them by airbrushing different dark shades and using black pigments. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:57 Page 16

17 Conclusions: I am very satisfied with the result that I have achieved on this aircraft, I think that the paint effects are appropriate, However I made a mistake with the cockades on the undersurfaces. I found a new photo of this aircraft showing them but too late for me to change them. AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:57 Page 17

This limited edition kit by Eduard is basically the original Academy kit with the addition of Brassin resin parts, a photoetch set and a magnificent decal sheet to allow the modeller a couple of striking schemes, both in the European Theatre of Operations. My choice was the P-38J-25 serial n° 44-23677, "Little Buckaroo", mount of Major C "Buck" Rogers who commanded the 392nd FS and who gained five kills in a single mission when he destroyed Junkers 52s while on a straffing operation. The natural metal airframe was achieved with my tried and tested ‘Rub’n’Buff’ method producing realistic and pleasing results with subtle shading and weathering. Lightning 18 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 18

Michel Gruson 1:48 19 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 19

The cockpit is composed of many delicate resin parts and is a pure joy to assemble. Interior green, Gunze H-58 is the dominant colour, some dark washes are used to create shadows and the final touch is a dry brush with Naples yellow oil colour to make all the details stand out. The cockpit does not fit very well and a lot of trial fits and sanding are necessary to get the proper alignment. Similar difficulties are to be found around the wing roots and the nose, and, once again, the goal being to use a minimum of filler. The wing joints are improved with many coats of Mr.Surfacer after masking the surrounding areas to avoid filling in and re- scribing any surface detail. Assembling the booms went pretty well, I choose to replace the photoetch parts from Eduard around the superchargers with aluminium foil, riveted once in place. Lots of dry-fits and sanding are required to get the cockpit to fit, only then can you enjoy painting all of that detail. Thin metal foil is better suited than rigid photoetch to detail the area around the superchargers, rivets can be added after the piece is in place. 20 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 20

Eduard’s decals were applied straight to the buffed metallic finish with the aid of some Micro-Sol setting solution. Weathering and shading was mostly achieved with pigment powders. The Academy kit lacks finesse in some areas, like for instance the moveable parts of the boom radiators. It is not difficult to remove the kit parts and to built new ones using aluminium from a drink can. Each radiator flap is equiped with the moveable arm made from streched sprue. Once in place, a coat of Mr Surfacer allows and final prep to be made and provides a safe key for subsequent colours. The photoetch grilles are easily put in place and the numerous scoops on the front part of the engines are hollowed out and detailed. The front undercarriage leg is a bit basic and is crying out for more details. The double "U" is made from copper wire, the flat photo etch parts being useless. The retraction arms are replaced with streched sprue. Not too much work is necessary on the main landing gear but brake lines and clips bring detail to another level. Brassin resin wheels come with a separate hub and makes the painting process a real pleasure. The wheel bays are equiped with their photo etch parts and more tubing and wiring is added to simulate the numerous hydraulic lines before spraying the whole area with Interior green. Some oil washes give the ‘bays the worn look found on operational aircraft. 21 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 21

The whole kit is covered with Rub 'n’ Buff using a finger for the large surfaces and brush for the hard to reach places. Then using a soft cotton cloth, the whole model is polished to give the realistic Aluminium shine. Anti glare panels are painted after masking with many light sprayed coats of olive drab, first heavily tinted with yellow until we get to pure OD. Decals are put in place direct onto the buffed finish and fixed using Micro-sol. To break the monotony of the aluminium finish, some panels are masked and lightly sprayed with Tamiya X-19 to darken the metal shine. Prop blades are first painted gloss black to make the decal process easy, tips are sprayed X-19 from Tamiya. An aluminium dry brush and some dark pigments are followed by a Matt varnish spray. Following a colour photo of the plane the spinners are different colours: Black and Yellow for the right one, natural metal for the left one. 22 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 22

Now comes the hardest part of the process: Rub'n'Buff does not like turpentine washes, so my only option was to use dry pigments from CMK, removing the surplus with a soft rag. Light and dark tones are then sprayed without being systematic. The areas closest to the ground receive more attention. Once the compressors were painted and weathered they were put in place and the long trails of exhaust staining duplicated with Tamiya X-19 and light beige. Around the engines some fluid stains are simulated with a fine brush and some water diluted pigments. To add further realism some matt varnish was airbrushed in some selected places to break the monochromic effect of the aluminium. The lateral canopy glass was replaced with some thinner clear acetate, the right side being fully open while left side is only half open. Landing gear check mirrors are made using chrome ink with the MGs replaced by the turned brass set from ‘Master’ and a piece of tube used for the cannon. The final finishing touches such as landing gear doors, the antenna and the canopy roof were all put in place bringing another enjoyable project to a close and the unique P38 added to the collection. Fuel and exhaust stains give a realistic and used appearance to the Lightning. Pigment powders help enhance the panel lines and surface details. The anti-glare panels were airbrushed in gradual layers. 23 AIR 59 April-May 2015_AFV/26 Jan/Feb 06 10/03/2015 14:54 Page 23