Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

Realised my first comments on the Blenheim build may have sounded a little like teaching Granny to suck eggs ? Apologies if it did so but I was really aiming the comments at modellers like myself who are probably in the middle (or muddle in my case) of the modelling spectrum. It is such a nice kit that you are tempted to move quickly whereas the method of construction needs some patience as there are a lot of parts in the various sub assemblies and you need to let them dry properly before moving on to the next stage in the sub assembly..

Having said that the sub assembly method does mean you can work on stuff whilst others are drying and it is a lovely kit.

[Radish]

Hey....who you calling "Granny"

[NARSES2]

Sorry Gramps 

Anyway went to the Dr's this morning for my quarterly B.P. check and whilst there the nurse (who definitely puts my blood pressure up  ) grabbed my arm and said "ah you might as well have your flue jab while you are here". So before it kicks in and I get a couple of manky days (doesn't always happen) I did a little bit of work on the Blenheim. Started to get the engines pre painted and ready for assembly. They are another sub-assembly you can do and put to one side. You get the option of closed or open cowling gills as well 

I'm also on the look out for a decent "dark leather" shade of acrylic paint as the Humbrol one is very light and the various leather shades I have in the old Authentics range aren't what I want either. So I look at the GW website for the Citadel range. Now do they speak English over there ? Various types of paints and finishes but can I find something that would suit, can I heck. gave up in the end and will resort to horror of horrors mixing a shade I want 

[NARSES2]

"ah you might as well have your flue jab while you are here". So before it kicks in and I get a couple of manky days (doesn't always happen)

Flue jab kicked in. Brain not in the same place as my body today (had a real "moment" whilst travelling this a.m.  ) so no progress

[NARSES2]

Well the flue jab lurgie lasted about a day so back modelling on the Blenheim.

Very unusually for me this is the only kit I have on the bench. It's modular/sub-assembly nature means you can work on various bits whilst waiting for others to dry. Once painting has started I will start on my Danish Hurricane.

Anyway the sub assemblies all came together this afternoon and it went very well  So painting can start this week. Must admit however I think all my work on the innards wont be that visible. Shame because it looks both busy and good. Makes you realise how cramped the Mk I was. Still no problem I enjoy working on interiors even if I am the only one who knows they are there. I think it's the detail painting. Takes me back to my wargame figure painting days ?

One thing I hadn't mentioned about this kit is that the numbering on the sprues is sequential, so on sprue C for instance part C1 will be on the left hand side of the sprue and the numbers work sequentially to the right, none of the usual crazy number jumble, so well done Airfix.

Also while building her I noticed the family resemblance to the Beaufighter. She really is the latter aircraft's little Granny. I think it's the fact you assemble her without the canopy and nose that makes this stand out. Anyway that got me thinking of a dedicated, solid nosed mark I fighter rather then the gun tray slung underneath. Twin seater, pilot and air gunner. Maybe 2 x 20mm and 2 x 0.303 in a solid nose. A baby Beau ?

[kitbasher]

Check page 1 of this thread, Chris: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922730-pdu-blenheims-193940/

[PR19_Kit]

Check page 1 of this thread, Chris: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922730-pdu-blenheims-193940/

Blimey, that thread's a can of worms if ever I saw one. People trying to determine actual colours from B&W ortho film photos are REALLY pushing their luck!

[kitbasher]

Check page 1 of this thread, Chris: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922730-pdu-blenheims-193940/

Blimey, that thread's a can of worms if ever I saw one. People trying to determine actual colours from B&W ortho film photos are REALLY pushing their luck!

Only pointing Chris to the turretless Mk.I, Kit, nowt else.

[PR19_Kit]

Check page 1 of this thread, Chris: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922730-pdu-blenheims-193940/

Blimey, that thread's a can of worms if ever I saw one. People trying to determine actual colours from B&W ortho film photos are REALLY pushing their luck!

Only pointing Chris to the turretless Mk.I, Kit, nowt else.

I guessed that Dave, but one just HAS to ead the rest of the thread.  

It looks as if they modified two Blenheims without turrets, all in the interests of low drag, and they only gained 18 kts!  

[NARSES2]

Check page 1 of this thread, Chris: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922730-pdu-blenheims-193940/

Blimey, that thread's a can of worms if ever I saw one. People trying to determine actual colours from B&W ortho film photos are REALLY pushing their luck!

Only pointing Chris to the turretless Mk.I, Kit, nowt else.

Very much so. Thank you sir  She's a pretty little thing with the "solid" nose and I'll have to build her now. Malta based ?

As for the rest of the thread. I'm afraid I work on the principle of LTS (Lifes to short) unless you are truly interested in such things and I skip read it. Best of luck to them however if they can improve our knowledge, although you get the impression they will just get more confused ?  Research like this is a nightmare and you can never get everyone to agree.

[NARSES2]

Thinking about a solid nosed Blenheim fighter I suppose she would be a competitor for the Gloster F9/37 ?

[NARSES2]

Well the Blenheim is now drying after her wash prior to commencing painting. I see Eduard have produced a canopy mask for this kit now, may well think about it for my second one. See how my standard painted tape method goes with her, but there's a lot of framing.

Thing I hadn't mentioned was that there are a fair few unused parts on the sprues. Bits for the forthcoming Mk IV, which I was undecided about but having built this, I definitely will be adding to the stash.

Whilst awaiting for the Blenheim to dry I started on a P.72's innards

[NARSES2]

Had a bit of   with the Blenheim. Not the kits fault but a combination of things. I wanted to do the undersides Aluminum to go with the Belgian AF Hurricane. Started on it with an aerosol of Humbrol 56 and "pzzzzzzz"   So no worries as I've a tin (is a plastic tub a tin ?) which was duly shaken/stirred until it had no idea what day of the week it was. Unfortunately no matter how much it was shaken it just didn't come out at all well. The paint seems to need shaking/stirring every 30 seconds or so as it quickly thickens up. It also dries quite quickly and this causes problems with brush strokes (I've had this with Tamiya as well). To cap it all it has dried very grainy and there were specks of what I can only call metallic pigment on/in the surface layer causing an exceptionally rough finish  

So after looking at it a few times, waiting overnight and trying to convince myself it could be saved with a few coats of Future/Klear I bit the bullet and decided she will have a light grey underside which is what the Battles had, although I've seen at least one profile of a Belgian Battle with a light blue underside.

I also opened the Airfix Battle box to look at the transfers and they are absolute ****, really are unusable. Now this kit is from what I tend to call the Airfix "Americas Boxing" period when they had photos of a built model on the box top. It's also in a rather turgid dark green plastic similar to some Heller kits (was this the tie up period ? - just looked and it's made in France so probably was). No problem with the plastic but the boxing does remind me of some of Airfix's darker days. Not a problem however as I have loads of suitable Belgian markings and the individual aircraft markings are easily found on many a generic sheet.

Also got the P.72 assembled and it went together very well. Fuselage seam needs very little attention whilst the wing root needs more but it's a gap easily dealt with.

[kitnut617]

When I did my Nottingham GR2 a few years back, I brush painted the aluminum on. At first it looked terrible, but I then 'wet&dried' sanded it with very fine grit sandpaper, painted it again, did the 'wet&dry' again painted again --- did that about six times and got a great finish

[Mossie]

Also try a coat of Klear between every metallic coat.  I use Citadel Paints metallics and they go on lovely but don't overcoat well, a coat of Klear sorts this out.