Big Kev Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 I bought the most recent boxing of the Airfix Caravelle off eBay recently, and have just started to put it together. It's actually my first airliner kit (normally 1/48 WW2 yada yada), and I'm planning to go with the kit decals, for better or worse. I was thinking of sanding off the (albeit very fine) raised lines and using foil for the NMF. Is it worth it on this kit? Or should I just reach for the nearest silver paint and be done with it? I've never foiled a kit before and figured this kit might be a good place to start, but I'm concerned that it might produce a result that's over-the-top in this scale and size (way too shiny and all that). Any advice or guidance appreciated! Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 Probably not, reach for the silver paint - far easier. Here is my painted Caravelle - accompanied by a foil bellied VC-9C conversion. The foil is a bit bright for an airliner - which would be flying every day. The VC-9C is a polished VIP transport - with plety of polishing time between flights. Here's another look. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bugs3144 Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 If you want to use foil, turn it over and use the non shiny side. Have done that a couple times and seems to work ok. Frank Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pingu1 Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 If you want to use foil, turn it over and use the non shiny side. Have done that a couple times and seems to work ok.Frank Since BMF has adhesive on the non-shiny side, but not on the shiny side, I'm not sure how well this would work. If you look at piccies of Air France aircraft, you'll see that keeping them clean and shiny doesn't seem to be a high priority, so I'd say that, in 1/144, even dull aluminium BMF would be way too shiny. I'd go for the aluminium paint of your choice, which in my case would be Humbrol Metalcote Polished Aluminium, and, when the decals had been applied, maybe tone it down with a light overspray of matt varnish. Cheers, Chris. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 8, 2007 Author Share Posted April 8, 2007 (edited) OK, that settles it then. It will be a quicker build that way anyway. I do have a commercial sheet of BMF that I was intending to use, but I think bugs3144 was referring to the use of everyday kitchen foil, which many folks use. It generally has a shiny side and a slightly textured, less shiny side. I've heard that you can use this dull side and give it a quick polish with scotch pad or similar to remove any noticeable texture or grain. Never done it myself of course! Humbrol Metalcote Polished Aluminium is also my nearest silver, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. Will post photos when it's done. Kevin Edited April 8, 2007 by Big Kev Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 8, 2007 Author Share Posted April 8, 2007 (edited) Probably not, reach for the silver paint - far easier.Here is my painted Caravelle - accompanied by a foil bellied VC-9C conversion. The foil is a bit bright for an airliner - which would be flying every day. The VC-9C is a polished VIP transport - with plety of polishing time between flights. Here's another look. Thanks, I see your point. Beautiful job on the Caravelle by the way! What did you use for the corogard? I take it they're the kit decals? Same aircraft, anyway. I found some good pictures of it at airliners.net. Kevin Edited April 8, 2007 by Big Kev Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Thanks, I see your point. Beautiful job on the Caravelle by the way! What did you use for the corogard? I take it they're the kit decals? Same aircraft, anyway. I found some good pictures of it at airliners.net.Kevin The Caravelle is straight from the box. Coroguard is a grey aerosol primer, followed with carefully painted flap & slats. The VC-9C is an Airfix DC9-30 kit with Liveries Unlimited decals. Wings are grey with foil slats, then coroguard decals - I think from Liveries Unlimited again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 The Caravelle is straight from the box. Coroguard is a grey aerosol primer, followed with carefully painted flap & slats.The VC-9C is an Airfix DC9-30 kit with Liveries Unlimited decals. Wings are grey with foil slats, then coroguard decals - I think from Liveries Unlimited again. Thanks Tim. I've started building mine now, and apart from filling sink marks and seam problems, it looks like it will come together quickly. Did you paint in the front office glass? The kit part isn't even long enough to fit the cavity, so I plan to glue, fill, sand and paint it - any advice on the best approach? Also, how were the decals? I've been advised that the Airfix decals can be tricky as they like to fold up on themselves. Yours look great. Sorry for what seem like newbie questions! Kevin PS Just won a Minicraft 707 on eBay, and bid on 737 and 757 kits from same, as well as an Airfix VC-10. What do you guys tell your wives? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 Thanks Tim. I've started building mine now, and apart from filling sink marks and seam problems, it looks like it will come together quickly. Did you paint in the front office glass? The kit part isn't even long enough to fit the cavity, so I plan to glue, fill, sand and paint it - any advice on the best approach?I always paint the glass black inside, then fitted it with Humbrol Clearfix. Can't remember any fit problems, so masked the outline and sprayed the plane. removed masking and painted the vertical frames later.Also, how were the decals? I've been advised that the Airfix decals can be tricky as they like to fold up on themselves. Yours look great.May have been a different batch - I built that model about 8-10 years ago. Don't let the decals fold. Put the wet backing sheet onto the model, and slide the decal onto some wet Klear. Get it to the right place, then very lightlly press it down with an old tee-shirt. The Klear fills the space between the model and the decal - eliminating any airgap for silvering. then you can press a bit harder. The thinner that gap - the quicker the Klear dries, setting the decal to the model.PS Just won a Minicraft 707 on eBay, and bid on 737 and 757 kits from same, as well as an Airfix VC-10. What do you guys tell your wives? Haven't built the 707, I had one and sold it to a colleague for conversion to an E-3C.737 is a GREAT kit - I built this one for a neighbour who is a 1st officer for Jet2. 757 is not as good - but I've built this one, to hang at my desk. Nobody is in any doubt - when I'm waiting to go to Tenerife in the real thing! Airfix VC-10 is a VERY rare beast (unless you're getting a tanker). I've got the tanker in my stash - and S&M decals for British Airways. Bit of a conversion coming up. You don't want to know what I told That Woman - when we split up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Thanks again Tim. I'd say the Caravelle moulds are somewhat worse for wear ten years on - the canopy on mine doesn't go all the way back along the sides of the cavity, and in removing some flash at the top of the cockpit opening, I inadvertently widened it on one side. I didn't think of painting it black on the inside - I might give it a go and if it doesn't work out, plan A is still available to me. Still not quite sure how I'm going to handle the passenger windows, but I've already blanked them off with styrene sheet, and will probably fill the holes with something clear after decalling. Speaking of the decals, I've been told that my kit is last year's boxing, but obviously they've been using the same Air France livery on this kit for some time. I hope the decals were freshly minted with the boxing though! There is something 'Airfix' about them however, so I'm a bit anxious about the decalling stage on this bird. The eBay VC-10 is indeed the tanker. I guess it's a bit of work to make it a civil version? No matter, I'm happy to build it either way. Getting quite a collection happening at the moment (supposing I win the auctions that is). Sooner or later I'll have to return to rescribing my Revell 1/32 Fw 190D-9 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I just won one of those kits on eBay, and I plan on using the PLD decals for Thai International. I had to wash the kit in bleach water, as the kit had been stored in a HEAVY smoker's home. I wound up photocopying the instructions, and throwing the originals away, as well as the box. I got another set of Thai International decals for my Revell 1/100 Caravelle, which I will finally be able to start on. I will probably use the silver paint method on my kits, as well. Larry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 I just won one of those kits on eBay, and I plan on using the PLD decals for Thai International. I had to wash the kit in bleach water, as the kit had been stored in a HEAVY smoker's home. I wound up photocopying the instructions, and throwing the originals away, as well as the box. I got another set of Thai International decals for my Revell 1/100 Caravelle, which I will finally be able to start on. I will probably use the silver paint method on my kits, as well. Larry I wasn't aware there was a Revell 1/100 Caravelle! I knew only of the Airfix kit, and the 1/72 Mach 2 kit. I'm finding mine quite crude in places, but in this scale and with these subjects, I don't see it affecting the end result too much. Looking forward to finishing all the damn filling and sanding, and getting on with the painting! Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I wasn't aware there was a Revell 1/100 Caravelle! I knew only of the Airfix kit, and the 1/72 Mach 2 kit. I'm finding mine quite crude in places, but in this scale and with these subjects, I don't see it affecting the end result too much. Looking forward to finishing all the damn filling and sanding, and getting on with the painting!Kevin It's one of the old "S" Series of kits, mine is dated 1961. Surprisingly, it has fine, engraved detail, looks better than the Airfix kit. Larry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 Interesting - thanks Larry. For those of you following the earlier part of this topic, I just lost both eBay auctions, for the Minicraft 737 & 757 kits. Oh well. Currently still winning the Airfix VC-10 tanker kit. I don't mind building the tanker version, but how easy is it to convert to a civil version, assuming decals are available? Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Interesting - thanks Larry. For those of you following the earlier part of this topic, I just lost both eBay auctions, for the Minicraft 737 & 757 kits. Oh well. Currently still winning the Airfix VC-10 tanker kit. I don't mind building the tanker version, but how easy is it to convert to a civil version, assuming decals are available?Kevin I thought I had seen a gallery entry - that was a VC-10 tanker conversion back to airliner, BUT can't find it now. I've also got the VC-10 tanker kit in my stash, and plan to convert it to an airliner. I've got S&M decals for British Airways and there are others available in the S&M range. Surgery part of the conversion is to: fill all windows (decal windows in S&M set), omit wing tanking gear, and fill fitting slots, omit RF probe and fill location slot, same for camera fairing and any aerials, surgically remove the hose fairing from the rear fuselage, and make good any holes, check photos for shape of wing fence - I've heard the kit fences are the wrong shape. S&M also include cockpit decal, so that glazing can be properly filled and faired in - without concern for clarity or finish. Don't know where you are Big Kev - but S&M decals are available from The Aviation Hobby Shop near Heathrow. Website http://www.tahs.com/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 Thanks Tim. I'm in Australia, and having really only just got into airliner modelling, I'm not sure what's available locally. Before I buy too much else on eBay, I probably need to get out to some hobby shops and make sure I'm not paying too much! I think I remember seeing that civil conversion you mention, but I can't remember where (and it was only in the last couple of days too!). Kevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 (edited) Well, as it happens I lost nearly all my eBay auctions over the last few days, including the Airfix VC-10. I'm probably better off waiting for the next swap-and-sell rather than playing the lottery that is eBay anyway. Unfortunately I just can't afford or justify new kit prices at the moment. [EDIT] Just prior to losing the auction, I saw the Airfix VC-10 in a hobby shop for exactly the same price that I would have paid for it on eBay with postage, so I guess I could just run down to the shop and pick it up (well, it's not that close actually), but I think my wife wants a moratorium on kit buying for a while :-) Kevin Edited April 16, 2007 by Big Kev Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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