The Mule

[The Wooksta!]

Mine is nearly ready to close the fuselage up, but is going to be a lot more colourful when done.

Looking forward to seeing it done.

[Gondor]

Wheels touched up and tail wheel painted. Realised that the radiator outlets needed fitted so they are now on. I had previously painted them but decided to remove the paint on the outer sides to help with glueing, not a problem to touch up later with the Xtracoluor X201 I have used as the main colour as the leading edges of the tail planes look as if they could need a bit more paint on them   
Plan is decals tomorrow at the moment.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Started to put decals on the kit. Thought I would go for the tail markings first.

The well known red and white tails of the 101 Squadron are only printed in RED   

Off they have come as I would rather try to paint the rudder white and try again with the decals which I do realise may not be inclined to have a second go at getting wet. I did check out the eduard dual combo box I have of this aircraft, only to find that they are the same, paint the rudder white then apply the red as a single sheet which is at least something better than individual red bars. There are after market decals available so using the eduard ones will not stop me building an Israeli option of the eduard kit.

So the fuselage bands, parallel sets of coloured white bands with blue in the middle, no good for going around the fuselage of one of these aircraft just in front of the tail, so more masking and painting.

Not exactly what I needed with only one day to go befor the Scotish Nationals, glad I have tomorrow off work.

Gondor

[Gondor]

White has been painted on, not particularly happy with it so far. May decide not to finish this just yet.

Gondor

[Gondor]

As I was not happy with the white for the fuselage band and tail, I decided to mask off the fuselage forward of the band. Big mistake as I had not given the decals a coat of varnish and some of the serial number listed with the Tamiya tape I was using but needed to reposition. I think I can save the serial using other decals and the majority of the aircraft is now varnished so there should not be any more decals lifting, I hope.

Gondor

[Gondor]

So after applying a coat or two of varnish I got around to applying a little bit of masking...



And then a bit more 



I'm hopeing that is enough as I have sprayed white onto the model in the areas that need it. Will find out later I suppose 

Gondor

[Gondor]

Oh dear 



I was not too worried about the little bits of paint getting under the masking tape on the tail surfaces, its the fact that more decals lifted when removeing the masking tape that is getting my goat as it were.
I am simply going to have to get the sanding sticks out and rub some parts down again and then repaint the green/grey. I was trying to get this ready for the Glasgow show next weekend, doesn't look like I will get it finished in time though 

Gondor

[Gondor]

I am thinking that this model is trying to tell me something?

Such as it doesn't want to play



While sinding the excess white paint from where it got under the tape on the tail, one of them fell off 
About the same time I notices that one of the undercarriage legs, the Port one, was wobbling as I was sanding, sure enough it fell off as well   

I also sanded off the remains of the aircraft code to the rear of the fuselage, the kit has a second set of numbers that I will use. The colour scheme given for them is completely different to how I have painted the aircraft but as it's a whiff am I bothered?
I will glue the tail surface later, then much later the undercarriage leg will be sorted out, probably just a blob of super glue, maybe just a dab of Liquid Polly on both surfaces as that has a habit of melting the plastic a little so it coould provide a firm joint. the problem will be sorting oout a jig to ensure everything goes back in exactly the same place.

Gondor

[Rick Lowe]

  

Some seem determined not to be built, don't they?!

[NARSES2]

 

Some seem determined not to be built, don't they?!

Yup 

[Gondor]

This was built before the decal for the fuselage band decided to disintegrate on me. Everything since then has simply been a result of that. At least when I get around to building the eduard kits I have I will know to spray the white before I do anything else paint wise to the exterior.

However, first things first, reassembly!



The joint for the tailplane was cleaned up and then the nozzle for my glue was cleaned out    A length of wire being pushed gently through the tube to stop about 1mm from the far end 

Out with my pack of very small drill bits and a 0.5mm drill used to clean out the dispensing tube. Push the wire through again, and it stuck again about the same place    Repeat the whole process again and this time the wire managed to go the distance 

A small amount of glue was applied to the part which was then fitted in place and the unlikely location found to prop the aircraft to make sure the tailplane stayed where I wanted it.

Tomorrow I will try to get the undercarriage leg back in place    This could lead to all sorts of antics to keet it in the correct position, or maybe I should deal with the paint first and leave the undercarriage until last 

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

Paint, then gear. It only gets in the way.  I speak from bitter experience.

[killnoizer]

I believe THIS model needs a strong hand .   

Since i use a little bit standard Procedere for the paint job these kind of problems became less for me  . But i believe you all are much more expierienced than me and i know that there are these days ...  carry on .

[Wardukw]

Al this sounds like either Humbrol of Contacta professional glues .
I use Contacta alot and learned a few great tricks with it.
First off I never use the cap..mine always has a .5mm piece of piano wire in the tube ..bent at the end ..the glue always flows but when I didn't do that I'd use a lighter to burn the blockage out.
Burns out very fast and doesn't set the rest of the glue on fire .
Since I started using the wire I've never had another blockage 

[NARSES2]

First off I never use the cap..mine always has a .5mm piece of piano wire in the tube ..bent at the end ..the glue always flows but when I didn't do that I'd use a lighter to burn the blockage out.
Burns out very fast and doesn't set the rest of the glue on fire .

I remove the dispensing tube/needle and then hold it with pliers while I burn it clean.