"Century Series" #1 "The Hun" 1/48 from Trumpeter

[Edbert]

For those who do not know, the nickname "Hun" was not a reference to Atilla or The Bosche, it was a shortened version of the one hundred. I've barely started, planning on taking my time (if I can) and will not even try to emulate that 2nd photo.

 

[Tommergun]

Oh man, I was literally just thinking yesterday that after the F-105G, IF I were to build another 1/48 Monogram kit (for nostalgia, but I'm into 1/72 now) it would be the F-100. I'll definitely be watching.

 

[Edbert]

My intent is to complete the entire series. Halfway through now, the 102, 104, 105 are done.

This 100 is from Trumpeter, and is a pretty nice kit. I have the 106 from them too, and my 101 is from Kitty Hawk.

Only looking through instructions and sealed bags, the KH seems like it might be the nicest of them all, but I have heard some horror stories about that brand too.

 

[Edbert]

When it comes to Monogram nostalgia, I have a 1/48 F-8 Crusader from them with all the raised panel-line glory that I am afraid of starting.

 

[Tommergun]

When it comes to Monogram nostalgia, I have a 1/48 F-8 Crusader from them with all the raised panel-line glory that I am afraid of starting.

I think that's one of only a few of the Monogram 1/48 that I never built. I think because it came out after I was married. I had the Monogram catalog pretty well covered by 1986. Monogram were the dominant kits in my area.

 

[Edbert]

Monogram was the main brand when I was young as well. Then there was "Revell/Monogram", and I got the Tamiya Tiger-I for Christmas I think about 1977. It was the big one, all trashed decades ago but I'd guess it was about 1/24 scale. I could not have afforded it at my age even from mowing the neighbor's yards.

Monogram is how I discovered Sheppard Paine, and Military Modeler Magazine.

 

[Tommergun]

My big Christmas kits around that same time (I'm 61) were the Revell 1:96 USS Constitution and the Cutty Sark. They were massive! My mom worked at the local K-mart and scored me some sweet kits from time to time. That original is long gone now, but I picked up another Constitution several years ago. Doubt I'll ever build it.

Nice reminiscing with you Edbert.

 

[Edbert]

I'm still way down on the slope of the learning curve when it comes to new materials. Trying different things is interesting, and great when they work out. This was not one of those times.

I bought these intending to use them on my F-4B build and ended up not using them. They've been sitting there in my rack saying "use us".

So I did.

I found it hard to get full coverage without puddling. It is not that my brush was spitting blobs, but that is what it looked like. I think the effect was similar to surface tension, causing thick and thin spots. The contrast of silvers is definitely too strong here, I could work with that and tone it down as I applied more. but the pebble effect was getting frustrating.

Here's a better example of what I was seeing.

That is not the fault of surface-prep, unless one bottle of this product cannot be applied on top of another. This is an example of the darker silver on top of the lighter silver. The piece above was me quitting, so the top color is not fully applied. Yeah I see the hairs too, I had given up at this point.

Same effect, less zoom, and this one was a full coat.

This one does not have the darker silver, but shows the same effect again, even with heavy application. Unacceptable!

Now they are soaking in stripper. Will try again with a different paint. Think I'll search YouTube for tips on that product, hate to throw it away.

 

[Jakko]

My intent is to complete the entire series. Halfway through now, the 102, 104, 105 are done.

This 100 is from Trumpeter, and is a pretty nice kit. I have the 106 from them too, and my 101 is from Kitty Hawk.

What about the 107, though? (Of course, somebody told me a few years ago when I built the Trumpeter kit that there isn't one in 1:48, at least not in plastic.)

 

[Tommergun]

Interesting. I've been using those and have had no issues. I use them straight from the bottle, @10-15 psi, typically over an acrylic primer (Createx Auto Borne Sealer, or Vallejo Gloss Black Surface Primer) and I've done multi-color layers. Not sure about your issue.

 

[Jakko]

I found it hard to get full coverage without puddling.

Is this first a coat of silver-coloured paint and then a darker one over the top, that puddled? Then the first layer is probably to blame.

I was painting empty shell cases for my Cuckoo the other day (the relevance of this will soon be apparent ) and had painted them in Vallejo Model Air Aluminium for a first coat (brush-painted on). When I then tried to shade this with an overall coat of Army Painter Soft Tone, using a brush, that formed puddles too, immediately. Wiping it off with a cloth, I also took off the silver in many places. After repainting that case, I tried again with their Strong Tone and had the same result. I then used Tamiya Smoke instead, which is similar in colour to Strong Tone but gloss, and that went on as it should.

The moral of this story is that metallic paint can cause this puddling effect to other colours applied over it, but you can probably solve it by using a different paint over it than you did now. Of course, the strange thing in your case is that it's all the same brand and even type of paint.

 

[Edbert]

What about the 107, though?

I'll get that one done after the 103

 

[Tommergun]

Interesting. I've been using those and have had no issues. I use them straight from the bottle, @10-15 psi, typically over an acrylic primer (Createx Auto Borne Sealer, or Vallejo Gloss Black Surface Primer) and I've done multi-color layers. Not sure about your issue.

Sorry, mine are Vallejo Airbrush Colors.

 

[Edbert]

Is this first a coat of silver-coloured paint and then a darker one over the top, that puddled? Then the first layer is probably to blame.

Yes, and I think you are right. The darker color puddled in a more obvious way due to the undercoat not being polish-smooth. The issue was the lower coating.

I'm considering another try with these. Maybe a black-gloss (thinking X-1) for a base coat?

Then again, that AK-Extreme definitely works well. Letting the parts dry for a bit, think I'll wash them again with a week amount of Dawn before anything else.

 

[Littlemarten]

I'm considering another try with these. Maybe a black-gloss (thinking X-1) for a base coat?

Metallic paints are a whole different animal, and often require a different skill set. Metallic paints are VERY hard to formulate, compared to other colors, primarily because of the different nature of their pigments. Now make it with an acrylic polymer, and you have a real can of worms.

Like Tommergun, I've had no problem with these. However, I use Vallejo black gloss primer as a first coat. I would not recommend Tamiya X-1 gloss in that role

The problem is that different paint brands are often NOT compatible, whether mixed in the liquid state, or one applied over another, and this is especially true of metallic paints. I recommend using the brand's specific primer for metallic paint, rather than another brand's primer or paint.

Do you have one or more "paint hulks"—old bad kits that you gave up on, or even just parts from them? That's a great way to learn how a specific paint or combination of paints will work. If that's not a good option, just a few sheets of styrene as test panels works just as well. When finished, throw them in a bath of cleaner while you work on a kit, rather than having to clean the paint off a worthwhile project.

 

[Jakko]

 

[Edbert]

Do you have one or more "paint hulks"—old bad kits that you gave up on, or even just parts from them? That's a great way to learn how a specific paint or combination of paints will work. If that's not a good option, just a few sheets of styrene as test panels works just as well. When finished, throw them in a bath of cleaner while you work on a kit, rather than having to clean the paint off a worthwhile project.

(sorry IT joke)

I have one built kit I am thinking of turning into a mule, but I do not want to give up on it. There's a 1/48 Tamiya SpitVb on my shelf that is finished, but it is pretty messed up, it could be a good candidate, once I finish the Kotare one. No display is allowed to not have a Spitfire in it.

But your point is taken, when trying new materials particularly, but also techniques.

 

[BOATMAN]

My intent is to complete the entire series. Halfway through now, the 102, 104, 105 are done.

This 100 is from Trumpeter, and is a pretty nice kit. I have the 106 from them too, and my 101 is from Kitty Hawk.

Only looking through instructions and sealed bags, the KH seems like it might be the nicest of them all, but I have heard some horror stories about that brand too.

yes Edbert i had a very bad fittin jag in 1/48th from K/H an i would never buy another of their kits looks good when you open the box but then when you start to build its all downhill from there on but i managed to build it but had to do a lot of cuttin to make things fit so good luck when you try an build it but you maybe lucky an get a good kit an yes love the F100 S/S
chrisb

 

[Edbert]

I am happy with the way the "AK Extreme Metal" went down. This is all solid color, the lighting is odd as I was trying to capture the finish for the camera, and that causes some to look bright silver and other parts dull gray..

But now i can see small waves or imperfections in the plastic, control panels on port wing to be specific. Thinking maybe I'll do the South East Asia paint scheme where it will not be as noticeable.

Not that specific one above, just the camo.

 

[Edbert]

Think I will leave the silver down and try some chipping. Must remember this is not IJN/IJA paint from the '40s, so i cannot go crazy (cheeze-whiz or no) however the conditions were indeed at the same level of "harshnish" if you will.

These workhorses were rode hard and put away wet.

 

[Jakko]

View attachment 147818

(sorry IT joke)

Appropriate, though I don't generally do "test models" or things like that — I just go for the real thing, and if I screw up … well, there's usually ways to fix it, and in the worst case, you can always repaint from the beginning.

OTOH, much of this is probably down to experience. At some point you pretty much know that the thing you're going to try for the first time will probably work as you have in mind, and if not, you'll have a good idea of how you can fix it.

 

[BarleyBop]

experience

...if they could only bottle that!

 

[Littlemarten]

and if not, you'll have a good idea of how you can fix it.

I think I already said that mastery of this hobby consists of the ability to fix your own screw-ups as if they never happened—but it bears repeating.

 

[Jakko]

There's quite a bit of truth in both of those remarks, I think

 

[Edbert]

Most of the Zinc Chromate will be cleared after the white portion is finished, this is just a color-coat, and the fuselage halves are not glued, many of those parts go in between the halves anyway.

Wings resting overnight in the jig, for alignment reasons only.

I think the above photo shows the strange surface textures. While not the root cause of my earlier trouble, they did make it harder, and ultimately helped me make the decision to go with an SEA paintjob.

White undercoat started. Since I did no pre-shading, I started with pure white and will add color later. Thinking I should clear 1st, in case I want a re-do. Ego says push forward, but I've learned not to always listen to that narcissist, he gets crazy sometimes.

Will let this sit for ~24h before I molest it, sometimes I make up my mind while sleeping

 

[Steve Ski]

I think I already said that mastery of this hobby consists of the ability to fix your own screw-ups as if they never happened—but it bears repeating.

Hey, that's the sign of a good carpenter, hiding his own mistakes. You sure we ain't related, Marten?

Edbert, excellent birdy choice, I love this puppy! The heat intensity in the aft fuselage is wild, wow!

 

[Littlemarten]

Hey, that's the sign of a good carpenter, hiding his own mistakes. You sure we ain't related, Marten?

I do all my own carpentry, too.

 

[Steve Ski]

I do all my own carpentry, too.

Lol, me too! Ok, as time goes on, we're gonna find a few more things, Ruck On!

 

[Edbert]

This document was authored by a member of my local IPMS chapter, you might find it useful to the discussion of metallic paints.

It might explain my issue early in this thread, first time using Vallejo metals, and I did see pooling and poor adhesion, but I also did not use a flat primer.

 

[Edbert]

My Hun has been post-shaded on the white lower surfaces. I clear coated it with X-22 yesterday evening, so I want to wait at least 36h before putting masking tape on it.

Plan is to not paint the 3-color SEA camo next. I want to mask and paint the 4 to 6 shades of metallics, burnt bronze to steel and some silver, then some blue, orange, and maybe a touch of yellow on top. I think when I am happy with that I'll gloss clear it with LP-9, using the lacquer should seal that work from the XF colors I'll be over spraying it with. I will probably cover it completely since the metal colors coming through will have to be done by rubbing away the XF paints, and from my experience LP-9 is rock hard, at least as far as paints go.

See anything wrong with that plan?