spejic

This looks very dynamic and the support of the helicopter is well hidden. It really looks fantastic. But using baking soda was a mistake. It's going to yellow, and it decomposes into a nasty goo in time when it is mixed with paints or glues.

It doesn't say on their web site how they are printed, but they don't say to put a sealing coat before applying so I assume it isn't water soluble printing. So I would just use the decals as they are now.

This is on a home-printed decal, right? I don't think it is a fatal problem. But you will probably need to spray the Decal Bonder on top to actually make it waterproof, and you will end up with a very thick decal. The Decal Bonder is some kind of lacquer, very similar in smell and look to their Gloss Cote, but it isn't quite the same. I've tried using Testor's Gloss Cote as a decal sealer on ink-jet printed decals and it didn't work. I've since switched to Microscale Decal Film, which is a little trickier to use but makes a thinner surface and doesn't yellow.

That is hilarious.

Freetime Hobbies used to have a massive storefront in Georgia, but they recently changed to a private warehouse. They are still a good internet store, especially for ship models.

I just hold little bits of sandpaper in tweezers. It is useful for many sorts of fine or awkward applications depending on how you fold the paper.

I was worried enough that I bought a rest-of-my-life supply of the non-toxic glue last month (which I like because of its very slow setting time). Now, that happens to be a single one, but still.

Every modeller knows not to put body parts in front of a blade while cutting. This is always learned the hard way.

You can coat clear parts in gloss finish (and it might help make clear parts more clear), but flat will turn them opaque. That would usually be terrible, but there are occasions you want that. If you are making a house for a diorama with lights behind the window but you don't want people to see inside the house you can cover them in a flat coat to frost them.

It's possible to spray complicated sticky-out bits properly on the model. Just use low pressure and keep hitting it from every possible angle. You are better off moving the airplane and keeping the airbrush still because it's awfully easy to spill the contents of the airbrush cup on the model by moving it too much (I learned the hard way so you don't have to). The larger the model the harder that is, so I'd also do the landing gear separately first in 1/48. You may need to spray again after the gear is installed to cover any glue showing from installing the gear and doors. If you'v

You did a very nice job on all three Skyhawks, especially with modifying the paint to both make the decals show up properly and still look right. I really like the little details you added, like the brake lines and the canopy hooks, and the larger elements that people often miss like that band around the fuselage belly by the tailhook.

Yeah. That gives us the time to complete, like, two more models.

Take a pin or other sharp implement and lightly score all the panel lines. That should give the wash some grip. Alternately, use some other kind of implement to clean the wash that doesn't get into the panel lines. Try a coffee filter, which does not leave fibers behind and has no give so it will stay on the high surfaces. Fold it a few times you have a kind of paper block.

This is very well done. The fix for the slat wells looks flawless. The wash is just right.

I try to match the colors of the pre-printed part, which can lead to some weird paint choices. I have the Eduard's set for the A-4 Skyhawk, and it wasn't even close to the correct FS36231. It is instead a dead match to RLM 76.