Zenrat's Flying Circus

[zenrat]

Thanks Kit.
I did a quick test on the first thing that came to hand - one of the hardwood blocks I keep on the bench as spacers/props/stands.  No prep, just scribbled on the wood - looks very good.
Tomorrow I will see what happens if I clean up the flash on the 1/72 Merc bumpers and then paint some Molotow straight onto the plastic.

Transfers are on the Eggraptor and the pilot is partially painted.  Fiddly bits next.  Egg planes are such nice quick builds.  I may attempt my planned inflight MiG 15/F-86 eggfight diorama next.

The secret project is nearly there.  I should get it up onto its legs tomorrow and then, if the rattle can gloss white plays ball and dries, finish painting the doors and get it all together for photos on Sunday.

[jcf]

The Molotow pump-pens are a very good version of the type, I have some
in other colours.

[zenrat]

Molotow pump pens.  Store tip up or tip down?
I painted some parts of the 1/72 Merc with the thing today, and also touched up sprue attachment points on 1/24 chromed rocker covers.  Initial thought is I am very impressed but I've been fooled before by chrome paint which soon lost its lustre.  And by another which rubbed off when handled.  So we'll see.

Eggraptor got cleared, pilot painting continued and fiddly bits got a lick of paint as well.
Eggraptor WIP 19-09-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Mi-4 got some colour on its tail boom.
Mi-4 WIP 19-09-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The secret project got its wheels and some green dielectric panels.  UC doors are painted and ready to attach and I fitted the canopy.  It has a nicely moulded and very obvious pitot on the forward fuselage which pinged off into my bench top detritus as I was trying to fit it.  Bugger.  I had to carve a fresh one from evergreen.

[PR19_Kit]

Molotow pump pens.  Store tip up or tip down?

So long as you click the cap back into position properly it doesn't matter apparently.

[zenrat]

Thanks Kit.  I habitually store texters tip down but given these have liquid paint in them I wanted to check.

[zenrat]

The secret project is finished.

I also demasked the Mi-4 and removed the doors i'd only temporarily attached.  One side is going to be all closed up and the other is going to be all open.
Mil Mi-4 WIP 20-09-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

I'm not a great fan of helicopters (unnatural beasts  ), but that does look good. Particularly like the internal colour, akin to IJN Aotake

[PR19_Kit]

Particularly like the internal colour, akin to IJN Aotake

When I was chatting to the Captain of the Soviet Su-27 aerobatic teams support Tu-134 (as you do.... ) he said that that colour was devised by the Soviet Central Colour Bureau (or somesuch body) to keep the crews relaxed and at one with themselves, and as a result the cockpits of all Soviet era aircraft were painted with it.

The look on his face said they hadn't got a CLUE what they were talking about. 

[TheChronicOne]

One tip I have... is about the ehh.. tip. Sometimes it seems to work better when you apply the chrome paint by sort of "rubbing" the tip on the project (kinky). Instead of applying the paint with the very end of the tip, as you would if you were writing with a marker for instance, sometimes it works better to let the SIDE of the tip be the part in contact with what you're painting. This is the method I used when I painted the rounded "rings" of the engine de-icers on the DC-9 engines. The larger "field" area on the exhaust I applied in the traditional manner.

[PR19_Kit]

I'd agree with Brad's tip-top tip. 

I did the chrome strip in the edge of the bonnet (hood...) on the Secret Project using the side of the marker, it was much easier to apply that way than trying to keep the tip exactly aligned over the chrome trim piece.

[zenrat]

Thanks Brad C & Kit.  I'll keep that in mind.

The internal paint in the Mi-4 is my own Soviet Cockpit mix.

[PR19_Kit]

The internal paint in the Mi-4 is my own Soviet Cockpit mix.

That's pretty darned accurate! 

I was chatting to the Tu-134's Captain in the cockpit of the Tu-134, and that blue stuff was all OVER the place. Very strange indeed when you're used to green, black or grey cockpits.

[zenrat]

I see it more as green than blue.  But to each his or her own.  We all see colours differently.

[NARSES2]

But to each his or her own.  We all see colours differently.

Amen to that brother 

[jcf]

It also depends how one defines the colour turquoise.