Martin Baker MB5B Monsoon PR3 build thread

[PR19_Kit]

Overall PRU Blue, with PDU unit markings in white and Type D roundels.

I like that too Lee, 6C codes of course. 

[The Wooksta!]

Of course!  Could the back story have her flown by a guy called Spackmann?

[NARSES2]

What about doing it in overall pink as per the low level Spits ? 

[PR19_Kit]

Of course!  Could the back story have her flown by a guy called Spackmann?

Sadly no, he (and me) were out in Egypt by the time the MB5 would have made it into service.

What about doing it in overall pink as per the low level Spits ? 

I did think about that Chris, but at the end of the war, when the MB5s would have been in service, the 'pink' ones were VERY pale pink, almost white in fact, and my other MB5 will be mostly white too.

[PR19_Kit]

I've got the first coat of PRU Blue on the Monsoon, but why didn't Xtracolor specify the drying time when they started making these otherwise good paints?

Some of them NEVER dry, even after 24 hrs. and that includes their PRU Blue, so I lose patience after about 12 hrs. and go over it all with a coat of Kleer, and that dries it all off in 5 mins. or less.

Meanwhile I've de-flashed the remaining white metal bits like the landing gear etc., and I'll start painting them later today.

[The Wooksta!]

Change to their Acrylic paint.  Far superior.

[TheChronicOne]

De-flashed the white metal bits? What's that? I have a couple kits with white metal stuff like props and the like. I have zero experience with it. Does that just mean you primed them or is there something that has to be done to metal parts before they can be primed or painted?

[Gondor]

De-flashed the white metal bits? What's that? I have a couple kits with white metal stuff like props and the like. I have zero experience with it. Does that just mean you primed them or is there something that has to be done to metal parts before they can be primed or painted?

Flash on white metal is the same as flash on plastic. That is excess material the seeps between the two half's of the mould to form very thin excess to the parts. Usually seen on old kits that have been used a lot or in kits that use fairly cheap moulds.

Gondor

[TheChronicOne]

 

Oh!! I'm overthinking things yet again.  Thank you.   

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, exactly as Gondor described it. Luckily the Skybirds MB5 had its white metal bits cast by Aeroclub as far as I can see, they're typical of John Adam's superb work and needed very little de-flashing.

I usually prime white metal parts with the same primer I use for the styrene bits, although some people reckon you should use special etch primer I've never found it necessary.

[Gondor]

Yes, exactly as Gondor described it.

Nice to know I can get something right once in a while 

Gondor

[TheChronicOne]

Yes, exactly as Gondor described it. Luckily the Skybirds MB5 had its white metal bits cast by Aeroclub as far as I can see, they're typical of John Adam's superb work and needed very little de-flashing.

I usually prime white metal parts with the same primer I use for the styrene bits, although some people reckon you should use special etch primer I've never found it necessary.

Thanks for the tip! Glad I don't need to run out and purchase anything or take special precautions. I want to build my Pegasus 1/72 Fokker D.23 pretty soon and it has 4-5 white metal parts.  Good thing is, the last time I took a look at them, I didn't notice any flash. 

[PR19_Kit]

Thanks for the tip! Glad I don't need to run out and purchase anything or take special precautions. I want to build my Pegasus 1/72 Fokker D.23 pretty soon and it has 4-5 white metal parts.  Good thing is, the last time I took a look at them, I didn't notice any flash.

I've built that kit and it's pretty good.

AFAIK Chris Gannon, Pegasus' proprietor, had Aeroclub do his white metal bits too, so you're onto a good thing there.

[TheChronicOne]

Thanks for the tip! Glad I don't need to run out and purchase anything or take special precautions. I want to build my Pegasus 1/72 Fokker D.23 pretty soon and it has 4-5 white metal parts.  Good thing is, the last time I took a look at them, I didn't notice any flash.

I've built that kit and it's pretty good.

AFAIK Chris Gannon, Pegasus' proprietor, had Aeroclub do his white metal bits too, so you're onto a good thing there.

Fantastic!  I actually have two of the kits, I was considering building one (oob) and keeping the other as a collector's item but I'm also considering whiffing that bad boy.

Got any pictures of yours?    ....As we slide further off topic..     

[PR19_Kit]

Got any pictures of yours?    ....As we slide further off topic..     

I know I've got one of it somewhere Chronic, and if I can't find it I still have the model in 'bulk storage' too. Those who attend the UK Whiff SIG shows will know what I mean by 'bulk storage'...... 

Heading back on track, I decided to do the second paint coat with a different tin/bottle than the Xtracolor stuff, and found I had no less than FIVE of them in stock! 

One relatively new Humbrol tin was like a PRU Blue concrete brick inside, so that was out.

A really ancient Humbrol tin looked like Light Aircraft Grey even after 10 mins. stirring, no trace of blue at all, so that was out too.

A tin of Daco 'PRU Blue' looked more like 'PRU Light Grey', as did a bottle of DBI PRU Blue, once I'd got the lid off the bottle anyway, which left me a choice of one!

Luckily it was a tin of Precision PRU Blue and it's superb! Went on like silk and looks wonderful, and it even dries too! What's not to like? We're getting near decal time, my second best area of a model build.