Model Airplane International – September 2019

68 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - September 2019

KIT BUILD

straps. Initially, I had planned to replace the

straps with aftermarket parts, but instead

chose to use what was offered, painting them

as if I were painting a fi gure. Now that they are

done, I have to say that I love the completed

picture, feeling that the straps are a real

highlight of the cockpit, especially once fi xed in

place over the seat’s parachute.

Moving On...

Having dealt with the cockpit, the instructions

turn to the wings, so that’s where we’ll head

next. The kit offers you two major set-up

options (three if you include the retracted

undercarriage and the use of a separately

available display stand): wings out, or wings

retracted. You can then decide on the small

features such as dropped fl aps and the

aforementioned undercarriage. Whatever

you chose to build, you are in for a lot of

The competed cockpit, test-fi t once more against side of

the starboard fuselage half. The inner walls of the cockpit

were painted to match the fl oor and rear bulkhead,

splashes of primary colours helping to break up the fi nish

and draw the eye to the fi ner details.

We discussed the core of the engine within the introductory text. Here it is built

and painted, the metal areas with Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver and the grey

with Tamiya Light Grey. Details were picked out with a carefully applied oil paint

wash, fi ner details being picked out with GW acrylics.

The two banks of cylinders were carefully assembled (they are

moulded in two halves that need to be carefully lined up) and then

basecoated with Gunze Sangyo Super Metallic Superfi ne Silver,

darkened with a little Super Metallic Iron. Once dry, some shading

was added at the base of the cylinder with a thin layer of Iron and

then the part washed with a mixture of Raw Umber and Black oils.

The fi ns were then drybrushed with GW Runefang Steel to bring

out the detail.

The two banks of cylinders painted and weathered along with
the curved push-rod insert. The push rods were fi rst airbrushed
in Superfi ne Silver and then each one picked out with GW Black,
thinned with Tamiya X-20A thinners. Dark grey was then brushed on
in fi ne lines to create the illusion of turned metal components.