piescoffer Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I have just bought this kit and am fairly new to modelling - now I have taken a look at it I'm not sure if it will be too difficult for me. The top half of the plane has to be painted blue and it curves all the way around the plane. I'm ok with asking and painting straight lines but this looks like it will have to be done freehand with no guidelines. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to paint this? Am tempted to sell it back on ebay and get the BA version as this looks easier. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Don't sell the kit. Just get some different decals if the BMI version is beyond your abilities right now. However, the only way to build a skill is to practice it! Actually, I find masking straight lines on airplanes to be much harder, since they are a mass of compound curves. Getting straight lines to stay straight is very hard. This scheme would give you a lot more wiggle room. Try some Tamiya (brand) masking tape and just use a thin strip to mask the curve, then fill in with larger pieces. It might be a lot easier than you think! J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin_sam_2000 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I am with Jennings. Masking a line isnt that hard. Practice on the kit, if it doesn't turn out just strip it and get new decals for an easier scheme. Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fischer Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I build that kit some time ago. At first I thought it was going to be extremly difficult, but using good references and some masking tape, it's possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Thanks for the reply's guys, I might have a go at it - if not where would I be able to purchase an alternative set of decals? Are there online shops that sell decals? Up to now I have been painting by brush but am guessing that if I am going to take this up as a hobby I should invest in an airbrush of some sort as I'm sure you guys will have. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RICH W Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 hi i have done the A319/320/321 in the bmi livery for masking i would recomend the the really thin about 2mm width masking tape that you can bend arround corners i got the best result using that . similar to this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Masking-Tape-Micro-4...=item53e56b6bbf As for the Blue take no notice of the Revell colour guide i got the best match by mixing Revell 52 with a little bit of white paint the model all white first then mask off the blue heres a picture of the finished A321 model i did using 2 sets of Revell decals hope this helps Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) That looks great! - I hope mine turns out that good. How did you paint the blue - did you brush or spray? Also - did you fill the window holes in before painting? Thanks for the advice by the way Edited January 21, 2011 by piescoffer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RICH W Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 That looks great! - I hope mine turns out that good. How did you paint the blue - did you brush or spray? Also - did you fill the window holes in before painting?Thanks for the advice by the way yes i always fill the windows its better then you get the correct window configuration using the window decals , i sprayed it using my Airbrush , you will get a lot better finish Airbrushing than brushing it on Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Living Legend Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Hello welcome to airliner modelling. Its fun. As the others have said give the BMI a go. If it doesnt turn out well either strip the paint or use it as a learning experience and keep sake. If you want other choices http://www.airline-hobby.com/shop/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Is there a way to strip the paint off plastic models? I wasn't sure if this was possible. Also, I glued the top and bottom wing sections together but there seems to be a thin gap on the rear at either side where the flaps are - I'm not sure if this should be there because there are small raised pieces of plastic inside the wing itself that hold it there, but wasnt sure if should have ground them off prior to glueing - any ideas? If not I will have to fill them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wild Weasel V Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hi there! I'm not quite sure what you mean by raised pieces inside the wing - are you referring to the locating pins on the lower wing section? The two wing halves should fit together snugly with no gaps at the flaps. The assembly should look something like this: Or do you mean at the trailing edge of the inboard flap where the upper and lower halves meet? If you have a gap here then it should be filled as the inboard flap is one piece. Also, to correctly represent the A319 wing configuration (as above) you need to make sure you remove the small flap fairings and fill the lines for the double slotted flaps. These are only seen on the A321 so need to be deleted for the rest of the family: On to the painting, the blue can be matched by using the provided decal on the kit's sheet. It's the big triangle near to the RH fin logo. The colours on the sheet are a dead on match for the actual livery (I have paint swatches) so can be safely used for mixing your own. The Ensign red on the cowlings and horizontal stabiliser is identical to Xtracolor X014 Red Arrows red. To strip paint you can use various chemicals; the most popular is oven cleaner but various others are used: brake fluid, other cleaners or something like Modelstrip http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MODSTR01 . If you have a look round the Tools & Tips forum there's plenty of options listed. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions on the kit just ask away! Jonathan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 If I had known last week I would have taken a lot of photos for you, BMI has a maintenance hangar next door and one was in....... if you need their 737's with the baby on or the new baby design that is not a prob, also the 320 321's are doable, one in paint at the moment. BTW the A320 shown has no registration on it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 I had no idea that building a model from a box would be so complicated - I noticed in the instructions that it said to remove the small flap fairings and couldn't understand they would put them there and then instruct to remove them. I guess they need cutting off with a knife - not sure how neat I will be able to make them look. On the note of filler I was going to purchase a tube of the humbrol model filler - is that any good or should I go for something different? Thanks for the advice so far - think I will need to purchase some more stuff before I continue - need a weight for the counterbalance, a new modeling knife, filler, an airbrush - not sure if to go for a small one that attaches to a can of propellent of if to invest in an electric compressor - any advice on this? Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Revell uses the wings for their other 'Bus kits, and the A321 has the extra flap fairing. Not too hard to remove. You can cut them off, then use a sanding stick to smooth everything out. I bought a pair of cutters from the hardware store for about 5 bucks and they are great for removing parts from the sprues or cutting things like flap fairings off of models. Here is the expensive one from Micro Mark. Mine looks just like that for less than half the price: http://www.micromark.com/PROFESSIONAL-SPRUE-CUTTER,9277.html Not sure about the Humbrol filler. You'll get about 500 different opinions on the best filler. Squadron's shrinks as it dries, so you may need multiple applications. I wouldn't be surprised if Humbrol's does, too. Some people like 3M's glazing putty for cars because it doesn't shrink as badly. Any of these should be used in a well-ventilated room. You should apply thin layers, because the solvents will attack the plastic and soften it. A two-part epoxy putty can work well, too. It's just more labor-intensive to use. For tiny cracks or scratches, I use liquid typewriter correction fluid. Dries fast and sands easily. I'd avoid the cans of propellant. They get cold as you use them, which very quickly lowers the line pressure. You'll get a lot of opinions on compressors, too. I use a noisy 2-gal hardware store bargain because I'm a cheapskate. Helpful hint for white airliner models: if you can find some, prime with Tamiya's white primer from the rattle can. It covers well, dries fast, and you can mask over it and go on with your next color. It saves you the step of priming, then going back with multiple coats of gloss white. HTH. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 The canned gas is an expensive way to go, you can pick up a cheap airbrush and compresser on evilbay, though I still use a hairy stick for painting, for spraying your airliner, what about a rattlecan if you wish to go that route? modern acrylic paints though tend to dry flat without much brush marks though, a coat of an aerosol varnish to seal it also helps in that department. There are many types of filler so I will leave that answer to those that no, some wet and dry and a sharp caft knif is a good move though additive isn't it...... Remember we all can make my mamma hates me up's at first, but we learn from them and you will be supprisded how quick that happens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hi Piescoffer. I built the A320 in that livery after flying in it to Paris. I described the masking routine in this review: http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/civil/mansa320.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I see you both have different coloured wings, one Boeing light grey and also BMI dark grey, both are correct as I think it was £10 grand per wing to put them in the Boeing colour so several of them were left in the old scheme colour as no one looks at the wings Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hi Piescoffer.I built the A320 in that livery after flying in it to Paris. I described the masking routine in this review: http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/civil/mansa320.htm Your model looks great - shall I just post you the kit and you can do mine! I will put pictures of my finished result on here when I get it done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piescoffer Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Am starting to make a bit of progress with this now - first sprayed a coat of white gloss using a Humbrol rattle can.... Then masked using 2mm masking tape and painted the blue with a brush, just need to tidy the edges up a bit, but it's getting there and the blue wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Looking good B) see it worries the poo out of you then when you try it, it all falls into place. ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richellis Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Ello TonyT! Come on lets see some of those new Baby tail pics! Or ill have to come over and get some my self! Nice model, The BMI livery isnt that hard. I will be doing an A321 soon, to go with my British Midland A320, and bmibaby 737-3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Hi Rich, you have seen it, the baby with the lobster look.. they just repainted one of the B Meds into the BMI scheme the other week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richellis Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Ah, I know that they will be doing more at some stage, any news on the 757? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyT Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 nope. u mean the 767....still standing here, bringing in camera most days Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richellis Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 DOH! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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