F_IV's Tempest MkV vs V-1 Doodlebug

[F_IV]

Here's my entry into the GB. I didn't think I'd have a chance of finishing two models in the same round, but oddly my most busy time at work seemed to coincide with one of my most productive bursts of model building. Not quite sure how that happened, but best put it down for a dire need of distraction from the daily grind. Seeing as though a bit of an extension is in the wind. And seeing as the pics I posted of the Tempest disappeared in the last forum crash, I thought I might recap below...


I started with the recent F-Toys Hawker Tempest which I stripped down and reworked (with obligatory matchbox for scale). Filling the panel lines is always a pain but well worth it on such a smooth airframe as this.




Some shots of progress prior to this.
Filling and rubbing back panel lines in progress. Reshaped spinner is in the foreground - minus the prop blades which I removed and thinned down for reattachment later. Next time I'll thin them down mostly while still attached so I have something to hold onto. Added cockpit detail to the thinned down fuselage too, with instrument panel, rear armour, seat, framework etc.



New canopy using the original one, filed down and used as a master then plug moulded in acrylic. I borrowed a technique for replicating the flared edges of the hood from a 1/32nd scale modeller here: http://paulbudzik.com/models/tempest-co ... page3.html



Started on the painting and masking a few weeks ago. Nice sharp prop blades can be seen in the foreground.



Masking...



Masking...



Masking...



Phew, Done! Thank god for that



Aw crap. More masking...



And some more..



That's quite enough masking thank you



Right. So here's where the chaser is as of now. I still have line washes and whatnot to do. Plus new undercarriage doors from 0.1mm sheet, tailwheel and doors, exhausts, intake and a few other things. Pretty pleased with it as its got a lot of improvements over the Spitfire Mk.I that I did earlier in the year. Time to set it aside and get onto the Snitch.

[F_IV]

Here's the second part of the entry. Another FT offering.
I gave it a very heavy coat of primer and started sanding it back right at the beginning of the build, then promptly lost it. Looked everywhere until I finally found it the other day among an embarrassing number of primer-coloured airframes.

Time permitting I'm hoping to paint it in that wavy edged camouflage and scratchbuild the trolley for it as well. Here's a shot of it's modest progress so far. With a suitably sinister newspaper from July 1944 as a backdrop.

[Mark_W]

Tempest really looks great!

Like the historical touch with the V-1 as well...

Mark

[cowleyi]

That's looking good

Ian

[ajmm]

Wow. That is one sharp Tempest. Amazing work.

[pbhawkin]

Lovely job.
Could easily be 1/72 and maybe 1/48 as well!
The Canopy and framing really looks good.

[TonyG2]

Nice. Very nice. Seeing the results of the work its hard to believe the starting point was the F-Toys model (not that I have anything against it, I have a set of them myself).

Aw crap. More masking...

A sentiment I suspect we all feel quite often....

Just curious. What did you use for stripping the paint off the original model?

[F_IV]

Thanks fellas, glad you like the Tempest.
Peter, I get the same feeling when looking at the Walrus you built. Looks like 1/48 to me.

Tony, I didn't strip the paint from this one. I wet sanded it with 1200 grit and plenty of dish washing detergent to get the surface smooth. Then primed and sanded again as normal.
Sometimes the FT paints dissolve with Tamiya lacquer thinners. Their I-16 and Ki-9 can be stripped with ease. The Tempest and several others seem to be coated in something much tougher though and nothing I've tried seems to budge it.

Here's a bit more from last Sunday. Started on the V-1's trolley and cut new U/C doors for the Tempest. I was going to leave them plain and started to prime them in black to prevent light showing through, but decided to add some of the internal structure.

[pbhawkin]

Even better!
In the above shot the panel line wash looks very realistic. How did you do this one?
You know that you can get turned Brass 20mm cannon barrels of various types in 1/144 now too?
Thanks for the Walrus comment too.

[herbarnold99]

Awesome job! This is how you make a 1/144 model look real!