Chris Kethan

Good Riddance!

The big brown model truck showed up this afternoon and dropped off my 1/48 Gand Phoenix F3H-2N Demon and my 1/48 Trimaster Me-262 NachtJager. On close inspection, the demon kit looks gorgeous. It includes a resin cockpit and exhaust, eagle strike decals, Photoetch, and paint masks for the canopy. I can hardly wait to start this kit. Chris

Commando, I'd score Floquil "reefer white" as a 10. This stuff is liquid gold! I'm not sure if you use enamels, but if you do, this is the stuff you want to use. Chris

Here is another good trader! Mike and I traded a 1/48 F4F for a 1/48 Fw-190 F8. The kit arrived in a timely manner and it was packaged well. Thanks, Mike! It's a testament to the people that post and deal here that I can mail a kit halfway around the world, to a guy I've never met, and feel confident I will get exactly what I traded for. Chris

Airbus, I use the Laguer thinner that they sell at Wal-mart..... Klean-strip is the brand name. I'm just starting to play around with it..... Floquil airbrush thinner is still what I use the majority of the time! Chris

Andy, I have one airbrush...... A Badger 150. I ran into the same problem as you for a while. Here are the settings that seem to work for me. Thinner....... I use Floquil airbrush thinner. Recently I have played around with using laquer thinner, and I like it. I mix my paint pretty exactly. I use a eyedropper and measure it out drop-by drop into the cup. I start at a ratio of 2:1 (paint/thinner) and work my way upwards. After I mix a batch of paint, I practice on a piece of paper. This is for me to get the airpressure adjusted correctly for the thickness of the paint. I adjust

Thank you Dani!

I am in the final paint prep stages on my 1/48 PBY-5A. I need to replace the rivet detail on the leading edge that I lost in sanding. What is the best way? I hope I don't have to go replace every rivet with a sewing needle in my vise. I have heard of a "pounce wheel", but I looked at a few websites and I couldn't find one of these gadgets. Any suggestions? Chris

Don, I tried it on my 1/48 TBD devastator. I used it for the clear windows on the belly and I was very pleased. I followed the instructions on the bottle after the model was flatcoated. The results are very convincing - (much better than my masking and polishing skills were at the time!) Give it a shot. I think you will be pleased! Chris

I just got my issue today also. Nice to see someone we know in FSM!

I tend to use the same method as DA. I start with aircraft interior black, then I drybrush with RLM 66, followed by drybrushing with "steel". I find it is the most realistic metal color. It is not too bright looking. It gives a nice worn look to metal that I like. HTH Chris PS... I'm going to have to try DA's Graphite dust drybrush and the black ink knob trick. Those both sound like a great idea.

I don't really use masks for the camo unless it calls for a hard demarkation line. When I bought my airbrush, I didn't know about the masks for soft edges, so I just started freehanding it. I didn't know any better. Here are a few things I found helped me.... 1. Thin paint (I use an eyedropper to mix the proper ratios 2. Correct air pressure... I can't give u an exact value, but it will vary with the pain consistency 3. Hold the airbrush perpendicular to the surface being painted. 4. The closer to the surface you hold the airbrush, the finer the line. Be careful about hold

I use a combination of pastels and Tamiya "smoke" paint. The pastels are applied like Mike said, and I use the airbrush to apply the smoke paint. The key is sublety. Overdo it and the stains resemble those from a flintlock musket. (I have to credit Greg Wise for that analagy! He said it first.) Chris

Zmey, I get good results from my Badger 150 dual action.... Above all, I think that PRACTICE is the thing that really makes the difference! Good luck. Chris

No you didn't, chalk it up to a shaky camera. Ray, Remember when the guys were talking about tact 3 days ago? This is a prime example. Alot of us were thinking the same thing you said....Think before you type. Chris

Mike, I use the Floquil airbrush thinner on both floquil paints and MM enamels and I have had good results. BTW, I really like that reefer white for my Navy paint jobs! Chris PS.... We should get together and talk models and drink some beers!

Mark M, I paint with MM enamels, then I clear gloss coat with future. Quite a few LIGHT coats, and I make sure to let it cure for at least 24 hours. After that, I use the "sludge" method, as outlined in FSM. Basically the sludge is water, acrylic paint, and a few drops of diswashing liquid to help the paint removal. I liberally brush the sludge in all panel lines and recesses and after letting it dry for a short time, I wipe the model clean (in the direction of airflow) with a clean rag, q-tips, and micro brushes for the recessed areas. It really is easy, and it certainly makes the

Hate to disagree Mike, but the Navy planes ashore are not kept in hangers unless they are being worked on by maintenance. They are still kept outside in the sun! Josh, remember when you weather Navy aircraft, they can be dirty, and they WILL have a splotchy appearance due to the anti-corrosion spot painting, BUT, there will be no bare metal showing on a USN aircraft. The Navy is VERY concerned with corrosion, and will remove it and spot paint it immediately. Also, think about the amount of dirt and grime you add to your model. All Navy planes are on a wash schedule. They are washed

Zosh, I've tried the bare metal foil and the Tamiya tape method, and I prefer the Tape...... The foil works really well, but when you peel off the foil, you are left with residue from the adhesive on the canopy that can be challenging to remove. Thats why I started using the Tape. Chris

I thought I might share this one with all of my online friends here at ARC. Someone else might have thought of it, but I've never seen or heard anyone talk about it, so here goes! For fine sanding of my models and seams, I use one of the flexible foam sanding blocks that they sell at Sally beauty supply. These things work great! They conform to the complex shapes of aircraft, without leaving a flat spot where you don't want one! I was watching my wife do her nails one night, and the light bulb illuminated over my head (much like Beavis)! I tried the block and was very pleased with it

Drew, I've been a Bare metal foil masker until my last project... I tried the tamiya tape, and having tried both, I think i am going to the tamiya tape in thin strips atound the edge, with liquid mask in the middle. Chris PS..... doing that sb2c-4 helldiver canopy and windscreen with baremetal foil nearly drove me insane. It took me ours to mask the canopy and cut around the frames!

Hands Down the best white is FLOQUIL REEFER WHITE. This stuff is great. Use it, I guarantee you will be satistfied. I do alot of Navy subjects (only natural for a Navy man) and this stuff is great. Chris