(DONE, pics pg 16/17) NATO Reporting name "Bull." Cuban Tu-4 Heavy Bomber

[TheChronicOne]

Trudging along... I had to pretty much re-do the bomb sight. There's just no way to have it fit where it's supposed to be and actually stay the same shape as the original. All I can do is simulate the thing by making a much flatter (thinner) facsimile. Still, better than nothing!  What I had to do was snap off the two pieces I put on there and replace them with a single, thin piece of sprue (the number tabs). The same type of stuff I'll use to make charts, checklists, clip boards, placards, etc. Troublesome part of that is none are in the bomber Im using pictures from (why would there me... that stuff is in some Russian landfill decades ago... LOL  ). I think I can probably surmise where they would go just by using common sense but still I might have a look at some B-29 pics (instead of Tu-4) to see if anything strikes my fancy. But yeah, I think I have a usable bomb sight now.

Not sure what the hell I'm thinking here..  I told myself I would avoid scratchbuilding and going to lengths to make interior detail but I figure as long as I'm having fun doing it and WANT to do it.. then why not? The minute it stops being fun, I can simply stop adding detail.

I went to the LHS and my favorite lil paints were on sale!!  Yeah buddy, at less than $0.50  a bottle I went ahead and bought.... uhh....   Well, like... 12 or something. Here, I'll take a picture. I played it safe on my greens and blues and picked up multiple hues  (tints, shades???  Hues?? I can't ever remember which is the proper term to use at what time. . . ).  I also picked up a true red, a nice orange color, a plum purple looking color and a nice mid range grey.  (yeah, easy enough to mix up my own grey but I just saved myself that much more time and effort in the future.)



"Collecting" paint is pretty enjoyable. I love looking at the colors and one day I'll build a glorious rack to hold them all so I can maybe one day have a nice hobby place like everyone else. lol

Nest up, the test bed I build is pulling its own weight again....  I picked a couple colors that looked to best to my eye and I put down the blue first. It needds to dry maybe another 5 minutes then I'll do the green. I'll also paint at least some of the light grey underside to see what it looks like.  So far, I really like this blue....  it looks pretty good.  Oh wait, I see now that I should put a second coat of the blue on. I'll do that real quick. It'll be thinner so should hopefully still dry up pretty fast. I'd like to lock in my paint colors and set them aside. One less thing to worry about later!



Also, I'm currently in the process of securing some transfers. A shee with 1/32,1/72, and 1/48 sized roundels, flash, and other good stuff for Cuban planes. I was entertaining ideas of just painting it all but I'd have to use transfers anyway for the white stars (trimmed from US roundels) anyway so I may as well make life easier and just use transfers on all of it.. . .

[TheChronicOne]

OK, I sat here and held my lil bottles of paint up to the screen next to a picture of a MiG-21 that had the scheme w/ colors I liked most and settled on a couple of colors. I think I pretty much nailed it. I know I like the blue. Perhaps the green could be a touch lighter.  Thoughts? Opinions?  I'm thinking these will darken up once I put varnish on. Should be OK with the blue but may have the green becoming too dark.


Anyway, the plane with the new attire, we'll start with a "before" of how I had it painted last time:














Still having fun . . .   

[NARSES2]

Still having fun . . .   

And that's the whole point of the exercise 

[sandiego89]

I have found the craft store paint is great for color variety and price, but tends to show brush strokes, especially on large areas like a B-29 where I would get inpatient.  You might try to cut the paint a bit with some water to thin it out a bit.  Experiment. 

Keep it up! - Dave

[TheChronicOne]

Thanks fellers!!

Yeah, I found most of these work a better when thinned every so slightly (suits me... as far as I concerned, every time I add some water to these it means I get that much more paint). Some colors are different than others, naturally, but so far not many give me problems. The dark green here for instance goes on pretty well right out of the bottle but should have a second thinned coat to "fill in." That blue there is definitely a two coat ordeal any way you slice it but it sure turns out nice after that second coat.

I'm like you, Dave, I get impatient on big areas so the plane for now is to do the thing in sections. I'll use one of my larger flat brushes for it and hope for the best.

[sandiego89]

Sounds like a plan.  Rattle can is a good option as well especially if you want to paint the main color overall.  Spray on a coat of primer first.  Cheap hardware store primer and spray paint usually works just fine. You can get a can of spray paint primer for under $4.     

[TheChronicOne]

Sounds like a plan.  Rattle can is a good option as well especially if you want to paint the main color overall.  Spray on a coat of primer first.  Cheap hardware store primer and spray paint usually works just fine. You can get a can of spray paint primer for under $4.     

Yeah, Dave! That's my preferred method.. to spray primer then go. I was using a made-as primer (Rustoleum 2x primer grey) until it ran out. I had been reading up on model stuff and a lot of folks were talking about how they like to prime with black, wanted to try it myself, and just so happens my $1 a can (Wal Mart) black works as a MARVELOUS primer. It finishes kind of sandy and takes paint beautifully. I also have some Rustoleum "camo" paints that work great as primers, as well. My last F-4 Soviet thing I used the tan color as primer overall and left some as one third of the camo. In fact, considering the colors I'm using, I'll probably prime with the tan. Very light grey underside, that blue, and then the green. I think they'll work better on top of the tan than the black, especially the almost white shade of grey.

I've managed success doing an entire plane with rattle cans on a three color camo (The F/U-2 H.A.W.K.) and I will definitely be doing it again the future (I came up with my own EASY method of making camo with masking tape by just eyeballing and cutting it with scissors.. goes fast and turns out great!! )  but I'm also trying to hone my skills with the hairy stick. I know a decent product can be made by brushing and I've even done it before as a child... I'm slowly but surely remembering the things I learned all those years ago and also gaining new knowledge. With a two-tone scheme I'm sure I can knock it out of the park and can't wait to try. The paints seem good, it all just comes down to how well I deal with the time it takes and if I can remember all the correct details such as thinning and brush care.

[Captain Canada]

That is funky ! Love the shape and colours. And for sure, have fun !

[TheChronicOne]

Thanks, biggin! I really like that lil Ju 88. It's turned into a mighty fine side-kick;  ..  helping me along the way..      

[TheChronicOne]

I've learned one thing scratch making interior components on a 1/72 scale model; just when you think you have it the right size, MAKE IT SMALLER.

After about 6-7 iterations I think I finally have a bomb sight that will FIT in the thing and also looks reasonably like what it represents. Good enough for me, one who normally doesn't care too much about interior detail.  I also went ahead and glued all the provided cockpit stuff together so I can see just how much room I actually have to add in my own extra detail.




Bomb sight... paint still wet!  Looks... uhhh... well...  good enough!    I'll glue it directly to the inside of the nose piece.

Next task is to get back to the cockpit pictures and decide what I can add to my interior aside from the lever and bomb sight. With luck I can get it all done by this evening (I SAY THAT, because as soon as I'm done with this, I have to sit down and do my taxes.. so..yeah..      ). 

Ohhh... yeah, almost forgot. I did the half and half with another shade that is close to some of the pictures I've seen. Not sure if the differening shades are due to being out in the sun for years or if they actually used different paint.  Who knows. I know which one I like best but they both have merits..







Cheers!

[TheChronicOne]

Dry fitted the current iteration of the cockpit interior into the fuselage halves.  Some conclusions drawn after, including going back to simple paint to simulate the insulation, instead of tryin to make something else for it. It's nearly impossible to see ANY of it once the thing is assembled so making that can be dispensed with.



I found stuff to put panels on both sides of the bombardiers station and on both sides of the pilots. Also, the two thinner taller pieces will be used behind the  bulkhead (or divider or "wall"... whatever the hell it is) as 2 dimensional representatives of the stuff behind the cockpit.. no need to build full on stuff because there's no way to see the sides so just a "facade" will work. Also, I grabbed a couple of pieces to fill in the hollow spaces behind the pilots' insturment panels. I'll paint this stuff and get it glued on & take another picture of it when done... should look pretty cool!


Anyway . . .


So far, while it consists of tedium and and non structural building, I'm sticking with the instructions. So, I gathered up all the parts I need for steps 2-5 which all consist of guns and turrets for them.  Again, we're all accounted for and no missing parts! Sweet!  Motivation to get the cockpit done so I can move on to this and get it knocked out of the way. I do believe I just need to glue it all together, no paint necessary for the stuff that sits inside....   I THINK. I'll double check first, of course. The turrets and guns I'll paint when I do the overall paint.

Before I get TOO carried away, after all this, I'm going to probably get the wings together and glued on to the fuselage halves. I want to do that before I start sticking interior bits inside  that will prevent them sitting flat on a table so I can have the wings done properly (90 degrees shooting straight up and braced). Also..... starting to think about what to do to eliminate tail sitting. A support stand type apparatus would work, as mentioned, but I don't fancy that so I'm wondering just how much lead I can cram in the front of this thing. A third option would be to utilize the stand that came with this. Not a bad option, really..  probably be good anyway to save space on the shelf. I'd definitely want to weigh the thing down with good ol' rocks, though.   

[TheChronicOne]

Quickie update with the painted panels. (also getting placards and checklists done too but too small to pick up to place in the picture).

[TheChronicOne]

OK! I'm done with the cockpit. I couldn't add much more detail even if I wanted to, and I don't.

I'm glad I took the time, however, this looks a lot better than the bare bones stuff I had going.

Before:



After:
















I made sure to be careful as to have all this stuff make clearance when everything comes together. I know my Lil Buddies inside are sure happy to have adequate insturmentation.   

[PR19_Kit]

I hope the altimeters are calibrated in metres, and not feet, this being a Soviet aircraft. 

[McColm]

You'll find gaps in the engine nacelles best dry brush the cylinder heads before gluing them in place.
You may find that it's easier to add the main landing gear to the lower wings before you glue the two halves together as it can be a bit fiddly adding them afterwards.
Tip tanks can be added or auxiliary jet engines if you prefer.