Aircraft Edition ENGINE COWLING
Due to the magnificent detail of the Falcon
engine supplied in the kit, the instruction sheet
suggests leaving off the cowling for display. Even
though I painted and detailed the engine and it’s
surroundings, I still wanted to display the finished
model with its cowlings all buttoned up. I spent
a two full days of valuable modelling time trying
to get the cowlings to fit over all the engine and
components. I admit putting copper loops where
I shouldn’t have in the engine compartment, but
even after removing those and repairing the
damage, I still couldn’t get the cowlings to fit over
the engine and mate up with the fuselage properly.
It was only after much trimming and the use of
Flexi-weld model glue that I was able to align and
fix the cowling adequately.
WEATHERING
To mention a few of the weathering steps I took
during the kits progress, I made use of plenty of
thinned oil paint washes on just about all of the
smaller components and sub-assemblies. Washes
were also used to enhance some of the fuselage
detail near the cockpit. I also toned down the
appearance of the kit’s decals by taking a very
dilute amount of the base colour they were
surrounded by (for instance PC 10 in the case
of the upper wing roundels) and misted on a
Small sections of
0.4mm brass tubing
represented the
rigging attachment
points, and RB
Productions etched
metal parts were
used for turnbuckles.The radiator had to be repainted with Alclad Polished Brass several times after test fitting the engine and components.The propeller was
given a wood grain
look using streaked
oil paintssuggestion of that colour over the decal surface.
I airbrushed Tamiya X-19 Smoke in and around
the joints of the control surfaces and engine
cowlings to show accumulation of muck acquired
in service. I also airbrushed smoke onto the
windscreen since plain glass looks more scaled
down using this effect. The exhaust pipes were
initially painted with Alclad Steel ALC 112, and
then were given a dusting with powdered earth
and brown coloured chalk pastel. The pastels
were also used on the wheels and undercarriage
components.PILOT AND OBSERVER FIGURES
I enjoy painting figures and displaying them with
an aircraft model. It gives a sense of size and
gives a bit of life to the work. Model Cellar had a
pilot and observer figure set that was exquisitely
sculpted by Mike Good which I picked up as soon
as I saw them. The resin figures were base coated
in Tamiya XF-1 black, after which the leather coats
and uniforms were painted using various Vallejo
acrylics. For interest I tried to show a tartan style
pattern to the observers scarf. The faces and hands
were done using oil paint.The engine cowlings were quite difficult to fasten in place properly, and needed help by trimming the insides and
using Flexi-Weld plastic cement.
The Lewis gun mount was detailed with bungee lines made from stretchy thread sold by WnW as British
Flat flying wire.