60 Sqn Lightning F6 VGA

[The Wooksta!]

Knew you'd like it.

I'm happy enough with it to use it as a primer on NMF finishes.  I switched to it about ten years back and never had an issue with it, although once you get to about half full, it's never quite as good.

[Gondor]

Who is that masked aircraft?

Well I hope I have masked it well enough 







Gondor

[zenrat]

The Aluminium looks pretty good.
But bear in mind that there is more than one Nissan "silver" and that particle size and shade will vary widely between all automotive silvers and metallic greys.

[Gondor]

Got the aircraft painted this evening, my hands too 



I'm quite pleased with the outcome, but did the cockpit stay paint free? 




It did !!!! YaY !!!! 

Gondor

[DogfighterZen]

Looking very good!

[Gondor]

I took the rest of the masking off today, very pleased to say that I made a good job of the masking as there was very little aluminium getting under the tape



This was the worst part



So its onwards and upwards with this 

Gondor

[zenrat]

Coming along nicely.

[Gondor]

Pre empting myself with decalling. Never used this rattle can before so not sure if I need to Klear the surface prior to applying the decals or not or for that matter if I should use something else other than Klear? 

Plenty to paint in the meantime 

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

Every little helps. (Where have I heard that before?)

I've used that same Halfords paint and a coat of Klear prior to decaling doesn't so any harm, and helps the decal lie down too.

[Gondor]

Every little helps. (Where have I heard that before?)

I've used that same Halfords paint and a coat of Klear prior to decaling doesn't so any harm, and helps the decal lie down too.

Thanks for the info Kit, it will get a bath of Klear prior to the decals going on which will be a mix of Airfix Lightning F6, F2A and Kits DeKals 

Gondor

[Gondor]

This is really moving along....... for me

More painting done this afternoon/early evening

First a general shot of the model showing of the repainted black spine and fin along with the repainted combing, including the HUD. Next step will be adding the canopy and windscreen.



Here is a view from above. Hopefully you can see the difference between the forward swept wing position and the swept back position. That area I painted with Tamiya XF-16 Matt Aluminium and brush painted it on to give a subtle difference. I will probably give it a second coat tomorrow.



A low down picture showing the model from a lower angle. I'm quite pleased that the Humbrol 191 is standing out from the Halfords Aluminium quite well but not too sharply.



More tomorrow but not much as I will be out in Glasgow at the Botanical Gardens looking at Dinosaurs

Gondor

[Gondor]

Feels as if this build is a case of two steps forward and one step backwards. I keep thinking I am making progress only to find that I need to do something else. The main undercarriage is on and painted, although I may change the colour that I have painted the main undercarriage as it looks too dark    the same with the stubs that the Red Tops are fitted to. I am hoping that during the coming week I will get the basic decals on, still got to work out a serial number for the aircraft or I could simply use the one from the kit and say its re-manufactured but in reality the level or rebuilding would warrant a new serial as it's really a new aircraft. Anyway, progress is progress and each part that is done is a step nearer completion. It's certainly not the best model ever put together and I have certainly put some models together far better, but I have also done worse, but the important thing is that I am learning and it should look interesting when finished.

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

XS939-XS940 and XS942-XS943 are at the end of a block of the last F6s, but unallocated numbers.  Hide it there?

[Gondor]

XS939-XS940 and XS942-XS943 are at the end of a block of the last F6s, but unallocated numbers.  Hide it there?

Thanks Lee

Gondor

[Gondor]

Managed to find the time to make some progress and take a few pictures at the same time.

On its wheels



The paint brush is acting as a nose weight in this picture.

So I started adding nose weight. First I added weight where the radar would be



Then I added more weight to the inside of the radome and stuck that on



And that's as far as I have gotten with the airframe tonight. Other work that is done is the Redtop's are assembled and painted but they will be some of the past parts to go onto the aircraft.

Tomorrow I should get the canopy on and some decalling done, mostly stencils with the anti-glare panel painted this coming week. Now where are the crossed fingers smilie when you want one?

Gondor