Went to the stash and pulled this kit. I wanted a 1/48 selection that was not going make me 'wrestle' it together and 'fix' to build it. I started this last Saturday so I believe it qualifies for 'Corona' build.
The kit, the box art is top notch. My progress. It will be box stock. I am trying to pick-up my build pace a bit. I have eliminated base coating and applied Alclad directly to the styrene. I only applied Alclad to areas of the airframe I plan on chipping. The top photo shows where I am presently. Alclad applied to to leading edges of the wing, engine cowls, walkway, cockpit edges, armament service doors, fuel filler caps and leading edges of the tail planes. Ammo by MIG scratches fluid has been applied to those areas that have Alclad applied. Some pre-shading on the upper surfaces has been completed.
Today my objective is to complete panel line pre-shading on the lower surfaces, wash the engines which have been metalized, finish the landing gear, which I fabricated brake lines, and paint and mask the 'theater' markings in preparation for top-coat paint. I am going to try a new product I procured from Uschi van der Rosten, https://www.uschivdr.com/shopping-categories/shop-photo-etch/ I will post-up and let you know how well this effect does or does not work.
Mean while, Duck and Cover........wait, wrong generation thing....... Social Distance safely!
Ok - this is weird on two counts: first, I just got the itch to build this same aircraft, after seeing one posted on iModeler. You'll see in my build post that I've got something else lined up first, but I may get to this in time for the Corona build. Second, I was just looking at a similar tool at some online store, and wondering if it would be worth a try, especially for some of the more monochromatic Phantom schemes I'll get to soon! So - I'm watching closely. Be sure to post some really good "here's how I did this" posts with your use of the tool, and critique the tool for pros/cons, as I know there are other versions. So explain the "scratches" fluid a bit - is that just Mig's name for chipping fluid, so you can get to the Alclad once you've top-coated?
MIG markets 'Heavy Chipping Effects" and "Scratches". I have found that the HCE is too much for smaller scales or some larger scale applications. I applied it over the Alclad to expose the metal after the top coat is applied.
What's your technique to reveal it - to get the chips and scratches? What tool(s) have you found work best to get realistic scratches and chips - pin, knife blade, stiff brush...?
To get the 'scale' chipping I slightly moisten the area to be chipped. Make note that the longer the top coat has dried on top of the chipping fluid it takes a bit more effort to activate the fluid. For me this produces smaller more random chips. I use a short a short squared-off brush for this process. It is a real cheap Chinese hog hair brush. The bristles are real rough and stiff. Before moistening I use a wooden tooth pick to lightly make scratches in the top coat. Or use the brush in a light stabbing motion. Both of these procedures compromise the top coat to allow the moisture to get to the chipping fluid layer below quicker. Let the slightly moistened area set for a few moments as the chipping fluid activates. Continue to slightly 'stab' the area until you achieve the level of chipping that looks good to you. A word of caution, as the fluid activates/softens, it starts to chip big and quickly. So be careful you don't overdue it.
Such a cool plane, but can we talk about those printed mixing ratios? I'm just over here haphazardly mixing paint in the cup of my airbrush to the "consistency of milk". Clearly I need to rethink my life...
CFL