Leave it to Beaver

[BlackOps]

Ooops wrong Beaver  

OK, here's the scoop, my In-laws just returned from an Alaskan cruise. While on this cruise my Father-in-law saw bunches of floatplanes zooming in and out of the harbours and he fell in love with them. Upon his return he shows me a 1/48 Hobbycraft Beaver Floatplane he bought while on the cruise and he asked me if I'd build it for him.

Well odly enough I get along very well with my Father-in-law so of course I said I'd build it, so here I am. The good news is he's not picky about colors or anything, he said whatever I want is cool with him.

So I've decided to give him a vanity plane - decided to make him his own floatplane tour company

Here is a rough of the logo - it will become a decal.



Here is the rough proposed scheme for the plane so far:



Most of the scheme will be painted. I'm trying to tie in the paintjob to the logo art.

Here is what I have done so far:



Interesting kit, the main body is molded in clear, what you are seeing is the interior colors through the body.

[cthulhu77]

  This is stellar.

[The Rat]

She looks like a beauty Jeff!

I love beavers, all three kinds...    

[Brian da Basher]

Wow Jeff that's a killer logo and an absolutely fantastic paintjob you've got planned for this Beaver! I can't wait to see more!

Brian da Basher

[Gary]

Awww crap that's cool!  when I compaire that to Pomerleau water bomber thingy I know I gotta go back to the drawing board!

Dang that simply rocks!!!!!

[Sentinel Chicken]

She looks like a beauty Jeff!

I love beavers, all three kinds...  

But don't eat the Venezuelan Beaver Cheese!

Interesting kit, having the fuselage moulded in clear does offer some advantages. I wonder if anyone has done a "Visible DHC Beaver" like that old "Visible Mustang" kit from Monogram from the 1970s.  

[Ollie]

Whoa, Beaver!

   

[John Howling Mouse]

Boy, am I glad you explained that it was molded in clear.
Thought for sure I was having yet another "episode."

This is going to be terrific, I can just feel it!    

[F-32]

Thats sweet, your dad is going to be made up when he see's it.

How do you make your own decals?

[BlackOps]

How do you make your own decals?

Step 1 - create artwork in graphics program - I favor CorelDraw and Photoshop    but there are lots of others that work fine.

Step 2 - If you don't own a good quality inkjet printer find somebody who does. Print your artwork on waterslide decal paper. (I use Micromark paper)

You need to think ahead for this part, there are two kinds of decal paper, clear or white if you need white in your decal try to plan your decals so that you don't have to trim around text...white letters will not work unless you have a printer that prints white or you have a background color on the decal itself that is easy to trim around.

Step 3 - Once the decal sheet is printed, spray it with multiple light coats of clear acrylic - Krylon makes one that works great. After it is dry, cut out and use like any other waterslide decal.

Mind you I have only done this once so far but it seems pretty simple once you get going.

I think Greg might have some tips if I forgot anything, he makes his own decals too

[John Howling Mouse]

I made my decals using the Testors and MicroMark papers but it is REALLY hit and miss for me.

Sometimes they just self destruct.  Seems to work best when I use MicroScale's decal film to protect the ink in the end.  You just have to cut the decals really close to the subject.

[Captain Canada]

Looking good !

Seems to be the general consensus around here....we all love Beaver !

Looking forward to that fancy paint scheme !