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Still working on this one, I am cleaning up the props in preparation of priming and paint, I will post pictures this week, but it is a pretty delicate operation just getting them off the sprue, and it looks like they will be models in them selves with all the decals. I have also done some test painting on a large rocket nose cone to see how the colors look together. I need to draw the pattern I want to use.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally made the time to get back to this build. I had a few other things going on, but now with some time offI can finally wrap this one up.

The bit of assembly to perform is the props. These are delicately molded so care is needed to get them off the sprue and clean them up

I figured the best way to work with them in this case was to actually cut far away from the part and leave sprue on the part, in order to prevent taking a chunk out of the prop, which would be much harder to fix.

IMGP7841-vi.jpg

There was also just a tiny bit of flash on the edges, and it was hard to see from certain angles. lots of trimming and carefull sanding with a brown sanding stick got them nice and clean

IMGP7843-vi.jpg

The hubs were glued in place, they mate to a ring on the back of the prop. These will need to set, then be washed carefully before priming. I got a lot of skin oil on them handling the props.

IMGP7844-vi.jpg

Thanks for looking

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Ok, moving into the home stretch ... Painting!

First up is the grey.

I am using Gunze Mr. Color. I have used this paint before with no issues. I started painting the underside and noticed cobwebs forming. I have had this issue in the past with Poly Carb paint for Radio control car bodies, and with MM fluorescent paints, but never with any other paint. A quick look on the internet indicated the solution was to thin the paint more. So I thinned the paint to a point I would other wise think would be too thin. However, it covered much better

IMGP7894-vi.jpg

I will need to do some touch ups on the areas with the cobwebs. I am using a profile with one side, so I pretty much had to make up the pattern as I went. I based the ideas on the top side pattern for the Two color pattern in the instructions and from Euro I camo pattern on a phantom.

I also painted the props

IMGP7896-vi.jpg

hopefully the paint will be dry enough tomorrow to continue

Edited by Kurt H.
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Shaping up very nicely Kurt. Wonderful work on the prop blades. I'm not really familiar with the A-400. Do the prop tips have to be painted yellow? That could be time consuming...

Keep up the good work.

Mike

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Just paint the last 1/3rd of the propeller blades yellow, then mask the yellow with thin stripes and spray everything black. Remove the tape and it's done in less than 5 minutes!

http://www.worldwide-military.com/Military%20Aircraft/Tactical%20Transport%20plaatjes/Groot/A400M_07.jpg

Edited by Lancer512
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I got the first green on

IMGP7898-vi.jpg

Still pretty much winging the camo scheme. I managed to break the refueling probe again .. and one of the nose wheels. This will need touch up, but that is inevitable with freehand camo. I ran out of the grey, and had to order some more from Sprue brothers.

Till next time

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I am liking where this scheme is going. the colours look good together.

I am amazed I have not broken the HF antenna on the tail of my 135 off yet. I have heard that plastic ping sound a few time while handling it during painting. Maybe you are taking the hits for me Kurt! :D

Mind you I broke the probe off my RAF Hercules C.1 off 3 or 4 times when building that one.

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  • 2 weeks later...

All right!

I finished the camo pattern, I needed another round of light grean,

IMGP7900-vi.jpg

I will need to go back over the demarcation lines with my VL equipped with a #1 needle to clean it up a bit. I also need to touch up the gray, and deal with a nice big thumb print I put on the tail. :bandhead2:

I have the last two weeks of the year off so hopefully I will have enough time to dedicate to finishing this one by 1/1/16 . I also plan to make the time after work each evening this coming week.

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Augh!

I have suffered a set back ...

I was touching up the demarcation lines and some paint spilled out of the color cup

lUWxpzUHQQ3yrr873y9bRTIEeFVejZ-vi.jpg

Ugh!

so I had to stop and now I need to wait for the paint to dry so I can sand it and try again. It also seems every time I look at the model, there is another spot with uneven coverage I have to touch up.

The finishing stages of this build have been so frustrating. Much of it is my own doing, not the fault of the kit, but sheesh I can not wait for this one to be done.

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The finishing stages of this build have been so frustrating. Much of it is my own doing, not the fault of the kit, but sheesh I can not wait for this one to be done.

That sounds familiar. I spilled the gloss clear coat out of the color cup onto a wing of my large 1/32 F-16 just before the decals went on. :bandhead2:

It is very annoying, but it can be fixed. Just take your time. There is no need to rush it now.

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I think I am done with airframe decals. I started a few days ago, then got busy with Christmas festivities and got back to it today, the day after Christmas.

Ofvr6PtWQQ2C5KokOoIx6whdhXwO-vi.jpg

I suffered several setbacks, including spilling my microset 3 times during the first session , which emptied a full bottle. My work bench still smells like vinegar. I also broke off the rest of the wheels. The landing gear legs came out pretty easily, and I have a set of SAC metal landing gear legs. I am not sure whether to use all the sac parts, but It will help.

I need to finish decaling the propellors. There are two different props between the four props, they have opposite pitch, so I need to be careful to get them right. There are quite a few decals for each 8 bladed prop.

This is exciting because, quite frankly I do not get to the end very often, I seem to start more models than I finish.

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I spent about two hours with the decals on the propellors

I5O_inJC3-vi.jpg

3 decals per blade ... 8 blades each ... 4 props... but it is done. next up is a semi-gloss clear finish for the airframe and under carriage rebuild. I want to let the decals completely set for another day

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I am getting closer!

Here is the SAC white metal landing gear

IMGP7901-vi.jpg

I was happy to see these parts required very little cleanup. A few parts were bent but I was able to straighten them. I have since primed and painted the parts.

And the clear coat is on..

IMGP7905-vi.jpg

I used testors semigloss clear lacquer. testing on a paint hulk showed it had the "just right" sheen to my eye. We will see how it looks.

I am in good shape to finish by Friday.

Edited by Kurt H.
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