INTERMEDIATE BUILD
B-25 MITCHELL Mk.II66 Airfi x Model Worldwas made, since the aircraft being
modelled wasn’t fitted with a
plexiglass cone. Masking duties
were significantly speeded thanks
to Eduard’s pre-cut self-adhesive
mask set and, once these were
all in place, H58 US Interior
Green was sprayed across all the
transparencies to provide the
inner framework colour.Decorating in drab
Being just two colours overall,
the initial paintwork was simple.
Beginning with the underside,
Tamiya’s XF-53 Neutral Grey wasselected; the upper surfaces were
then painted with XF-62 Olive
Drab. The latter was applied in
an uneven and patchy manner,
with the underside demarcation
sprayed freehand. A light coat
of X-22 Clear was applied at this
point to protect the finish duringapplication of D-Day stripes.
Marking out the D-Day stripes
was simply an estimate, based
on the online reference photos
being used. The whole area was
masked, with a circle added for
the fuselage roundel – to avoid the
stripes peeping through the decal66 Airfi x Model Worldwas made, since the aircraft being
modelled wasn’t fitted with a
plexiglass cone. Masking duties
were significantly speeded thanks
to Eduard’s pre-cut self-adhesive
mask set and, once these were
all in place, H58 US Interior
Green was sprayed across all the
transparencies to provide the
inner framework colour.Decorating in drab
Being just two colours overall,
the initial paintwork was simple.
Beginning with the underside,
Tamiya’s XF-53 Neutral Grey wasselected; the upper surfaces were
then painted with XF-62 Olive
Drab. The latter was applied in
an uneven and patchy manner,
with the underside demarcation
sprayed freehand. A light coat
of X-22 Clear was applied at this
point to protect the finish duringapplication of D-Day stripes.
Marking out the D-Day stripes
was simply an estimate, based
on the online reference photos
being used. The whole area was
masked, with a circle added for
the fuselage roundel – to avoid the
stripes peeping through the decal With all masking in place, Interior Green was applied to all window areas. As can be seen,
this was extended to a light spray over the seams to check everything was satisfactory.
Basic paint colours were Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab and XF-53 Neutral Grey. The
transparent nature of the former allowed me to apply a patchy finish, without pre-shading. Mr. Hobby’s H94 Clear Green replicated the effect of tinted glazing. While the fit was
good, Mr. Surfacer and several thin sanding sticks were used for a perfect finish.
Eduard’s masks always seem to need trimming to fit perfectly – and this can take time –
but they can be a great time-saver when there are as many windows as on a Mitchell.