A J Rimmer Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 Hi All, I completed this kit about a month ago - Airfix's little 1/72 Spitfire mkVb, dressed using an Xtradecal 'Fighters over the med' set as an aircraft from number 4 sqn SAAF. Sicily 1943. It as the first kit I've painted using Humbrol acrylics for a number of years, since I went over to other brands. I was quite impressed with the new gen paint, but I HATE those dropper bottles - bring back the screw-top jars! Personally I liked the kit, not quite as good as the mk.I kit, but a nice build none the less. I do have another to build as the USAAF shark mouth boxart version. This is the boxing I used - one down, one to go 😄 Cheers! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 I have these kits I like the finish on yours so I htink I may do the same thing with my kits. Randall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 7 Author Share Posted August 7 23 minutes ago, SD45elect2000 said: I have these kits I like the finish on yours so I htink I may do the same thing with my kits. Randall Thanks Randall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Very good result, well done. I like posts like this because they make me think, and I’m thinking where did Xtradecal get the information for this scheme. On the face of it, there seem to be numerous contradictions. 1. Only the upper roundels have the orange (SAAF) centre. Why not the other national insignia? 2. Were the upper and lower colours correct? There’s a lot of conjecture about different colours here. 3. Is the fin flash back to front? I know of only one aircraft where the was the case - a 609 Sqn Spitfire in the BoB So, once again, thank you for making me think 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Sorry, I meant to say the BoB Spitfire with the reversed fin flash was from 610 Squadron. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Re the fin flash, I suspect someone made a boo-boo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 Thanks Gents. You may well be right in regards to the fin flashes and roundels. To be honest I've no idea. I don't generally let things like that concern me too much - it's just a cool scheme that's a bit out of the normal for a Spitfire mk.Vb. I do know however, the aircraft in North Africa and especially in the Med theatre were a real mish-mash when it comes to heritage and schemes. The roundels and fin flashed being mixed up I can totally believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 I think the fin flash being the wrong way round is down to Xtradecal as that is what they show in their callout. Also they don't seem to provide underwing roundels with orange centres. Here's an artists view of the aircraft in question so your colours look pretty good AJ Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 I like the setting for you photos as well 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 A J that is the most amazing spit Mk V trop I have ever seem. Well done 👏👍 👌 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 38 minutes ago, modeling maniac said: A J that is the most amazing spit Mk V trop I have ever seem. Well done 👏👍 👌 Wow, Thanks MM. I'm not massively into AM stuff but I do like getting after-market decals sets that give some more 'off-the-wall' marking/painting options. Xtradecal are normally quite good for this. Their 'Fighter's of North Africa and the Mediterranean' and 'Yanks with Roundels' sets spring to mind. Other than that, it's just brush painted Humbrol acrylics. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 1 hour ago, Valhalla said: I think the fin flash being the wrong way round is down to Xtradecal as that is what they show in their callout. Also they don't seem to provide underwing roundels with orange centres. Here's an artists view of the aircraft in question so your colours look pretty good AJ Ian Awesome - thanks for sharing that. It's defo Xtradecal's fault then (assuming this profile isn't wrong 🙂 ) as I actually checked a moment ago and I have built mine to the call-outs. Thanks Muchly. I do like Humrol's #230 PRU Blue - it's such a nice colour & paint. So any excuse for using it is okay in my book. Personally I think it's a reasonably good match for the Blue-painted Malta Spitfires, if you didn't care too much about accuracy and wanted a quick build. Especially if you weathered over it. I might have to try that. I can't remember off the top of my head what the grey was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 1 hour ago, Valhalla said: I like the setting for you photos as well 🙂 Thanks! It's a Coastal kits 'Soviet Shelter' background that I originally got to photograph my Albanian Mig collection, but looks so rough it seems to work for most subjects. I got mine from ebay Cheers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 4 hours ago, A J Rimmer said: Wow, Thanks MM. I'm not massively into AM stuff but I do like getting after-market decals sets that give some more 'off-the-wall' marking/painting options. Xtradecal are normally quite good for this. Their 'Fighter's of North Africa and the Mediterranean' and 'Yanks with Roundels' sets spring to mind. Other than that, it's just brush painted Humbrol acrylics. 🙂 You are very welcome, the only way to make better models is to show people and take feedback. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul71 Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 good build AJ a nice finish with the colours 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 1 hour ago, paul71 said: good build AJ a nice finish with the colours Thanks Paul! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper271085 Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 An excellent job, well done 👏 A quick couple of questions if you don't mind... Was the overall finish brush painted or airbrushed?? If airbrushed, did the Droppers need any thinning? Secondly, I have just ordered myself some of the Humbrol droppers for my next build (1:72 Mosquito) after using Tamiya & Vallejo for the last couple of years. I was a die-hard Humbrol enamel user until the range started deteriorating so I made the decision to move away from enamel altogether. The only problem I came across when trying the Gen2 Droppers before using Tamiya & Vallejo was a bad test with Humbrol 33 & 90 having awful coverage... have you come across any coverage issues?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 13 Author Share Posted August 13 On 09/08/2024 at 21:47, Casper271085 said: An excellent job, well done 👏 A quick couple of questions if you don't mind... Was the overall finish brush painted or airbrushed?? If airbrushed, did the Droppers need any thinning? Secondly, I have just ordered myself some of the Humbrol droppers for my next build (1:72 Mosquito) after using Tamiya & Vallejo for the last couple of years. I was a die-hard Humbrol enamel user until the range started deteriorating so I made the decision to move away from enamel altogether. The only problem I came across when trying the Gen2 Droppers before using Tamiya & Vallejo was a bad test with Humbrol 33 & 90 having awful coverage... have you come across any coverage issues?? Thanks! 🙂 I'm afraid not, this was brush painted. That being said, I find that Humbrol acrylics always need thinning, regardless of the application method - it's part of the reason why I hate their dropper bottles and wish they'd go back to pots. I personally never got on with Humbrol acylics when I first stopped using enamels as I had nothing but coverage issues. I went over to using mainly Hataka blue and red lines. That being said, all of the models I've painted this year have been with Humbrol (a mix of Gen1 and 2) as I wanted to give Gen2 a try (I've moved and have a few LMS's that sell Humbrol). The Gen2 paint is a LOT better than the earlier paints. Yes, you 'll need to thin it in my humble opinion (well if you're painting large areas anyway) but the coverage and the density is much better - if a little grainy still. I can't speak for Humbrols thinner, I suspect it's okay, but I haven't used it or tap water. I normally pull the top of the dropper bottle with pliers and add some Hataka thinners (as that's what I have) and give it a good mix before putting the dropper lid back on. I also generally use a wet palette but that's not essential. If nothing else you could do what I do sometimes and put dollop of paint on a pallet, and then add a drop or two of thinner and mix it in. You should hopefully be okay for your Mossie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper271085 Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 22 hours ago, A J Rimmer said: Thanks! 🙂 I'm afraid not, this was brush painted. That being said, I find that Humbrol acrylics always need thinning, regardless of the application method - it's part of the reason why I hate their dropper bottles and wish they'd go back to pots. I personally never got on with Humbrol acylics when I first stopped using enamels as I had nothing but coverage issues. I went over to using mainly Hataka blue and red lines. That being said, all of the models I've painted this year have been with Humbrol (a mix of Gen1 and 2) as I wanted to give Gen2 a try (I've moved and have a few LMS's that sell Humbrol). The Gen2 paint is a LOT better than the earlier paints. Yes, you 'll need to thin it in my humble opinion (well if you're painting large areas anyway) but the coverage and the density is much better - if a little grainy still. I can't speak for Humbrols thinner, I suspect it's okay, but I haven't used it or tap water. I normally pull the top of the dropper bottle with pliers and add some Hataka thinners (as that's what I have) and give it a good mix before putting the dropper lid back on. I also generally use a wet palette but that's not essential. If nothing else you could do what I do sometimes and put dollop of paint on a pallet, and then add a drop or two of thinner and mix it in. You should hopefully be okay for your Mossie. Many thanks for your input 👍 I've got a pallet so that should be useful to mix with the thinners. I have some Humbrol Gen2's & Acrylic Thinners coming through the post soon but did manage to get myself a No.90 at my local Hobbycraft (LMS doesn't stock their Droppers). First impression when shaking it is that it doesn't feel (or sound) as watery as the one I tried a year ago, maybe that one was a Friday afternoon duff one? 🤷♂️ The trouble is in my head I've always been a Humbrol user, after sampling other brands for around a year although I've found no issues with them I do struggle with all the number conversions from the Airfix instructions which obviously are Humbrol numbers. That's why I want to give the Gen2's a proper go before fully converting over to Vallejo full time. Tamiya are OK but their range isn't as big as Humbrol or Vallejo and can't really be bothered with all the mixing of colours 😂 Think I'll change the sample build to a Spitfire though as that'll be quicker to put together 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 14 Author Share Posted August 14 1 hour ago, Casper271085 said: Many thanks for your input 👍 I've got a pallet so that should be useful to mix with the thinners. I have some Humbrol Gen2's & Acrylic Thinners coming through the post soon but did manage to get myself a No.90 at my local Hobbycraft (LMS doesn't stock their Droppers). First impression when shaking it is that it doesn't feel (or sound) as watery as the one I tried a year ago, maybe that one was a Friday afternoon duff one? 🤷♂️ The trouble is in my head I've always been a Humbrol user, after sampling other brands for around a year although I've found no issues with them I do struggle with all the number conversions from the Airfix instructions which obviously are Humbrol numbers. That's why I want to give the Gen2's a proper go before fully converting over to Vallejo full time. Tamiya are OK but their range isn't as big as Humbrol or Vallejo and can't really be bothered with all the mixing of colours 😂 Think I'll change the sample build to a Spitfire though as that'll be quicker to put together 👍 A lot of mine don't sound very watery, that's why I try and take the top off to add a bit of thinners. I have sometimes wondered about buying a pack of ball bearings and adding one of those too to aid shaking. Playing around with them and seeing how you get on seems the best option though. Strangeley, the Spitfire I built was painted with really old Gen 1 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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