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Revell 1/48 scale PV-1 Ventura


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Joel - your paint looks great so far - based on what you described the second coat to blend everything will really help things to pop. Looking forward to more!

John

ps- After receiving some decals I was waiting for, I put the 1/72 A-6 back in the stash and I'm doing a 1/48 MiG-21MF in Hungarian colors. Then back to the -104

John,

Thanks for stopping by and agreeing with my concepts and ideas. Sure hope that they work out as I've planned.

So the A-6 is back in the box. Tough going from 1/32 and 1/48 scale back to a 1/72 build. The Mig -21MF sounds like a build more in tune to what you prefer to be building. I'm assuming it's the Eduard kit.

Joel

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Hey Joel!

Been awhile since I stopped over here, I LOVE the work you've done with the Ventura! Finally, another joins the darkside of blotchy black basing! The underside looks lovely :)

What are your plans for weathering?

Cheers,

Colin

:D

Edited by Banana11000
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Hey Joel!

Been awhile since I stopped over here, I LOVE the work you've done with the Ventura! Finally, another joins the darkside of blotchy black priming! The underside looks lovely :)/>

What are your plans for weathering?

Cheers,

Colin

:D/>

Colin,

Thanks for stopping by, and appreciating my efforts to learn the "darkside of black priming", better known in these parts as Black Basing. I do find this evolution of combination of primer and base coat as a major step towards a better representation then just pre and post shading. A combination of all three is the direction that I'm heading. If I had the painting skills and artistic talent of Jorge, I'm quite positive that the overall effects would look just that much better.

Joel

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Hello Joel! The Ventura is coming along well! I seriously think the "old and slow" moniker just doesn't fit you! This is the 4th? kit for 2015! Your work just keeps getting more consistent with every new project that you get involved in. Very SOLID building, painting, and (most importantly) completion!

-Mark

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Hello Joel! The Ventura is coming along well! I seriously think the "old and slow" moniker just doesn't fit you! This is the 4th? kit for 2015! Your work just keeps getting more consistent with every new project that you get involved in. Very SOLID building, painting, and (most importantly) completion!

-Mark

Mark,

Thanks so much for stopping by. I do like the reference to consistency, as it implies that my modeling has improved to higher base point. Just finishing a build a few years ago was a big deal for me. Now I've attained the next step or two up my modelers ladder.

As for this being my 4th active build that should be completed within the physical year, I've been averaging about 3 months or so to complete mostly OOBs build with some enhancing. None does come close to achieving the level that your building at. But I'm slowly getting there. At my age of 68, I do tend to model most every day for a few hours up to 8 hrs depending on my work schedule. I watch sports on my computer which is right next to my workbench, so I have the time, believe me, I have the time. Especially when you factor in that my wife and I have been married 36 years, and she doesn't share my modeling nor history interests. She doesn't even like Baseball nor Football. Now can you believe that :beer4:/>

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Mark,

Thanks so much for stopping by. I do like the reference to consistency, as it implies that my modeling has improved to higher base point. Just finishing a build a few years ago was a big deal for me. Now I've attained the next step or two up my modelers ladder.

As for this being my 4th active build that should be completed within the physical year, I've been averaging about 3 months or so to complete mostly OOBs build with some enhancing. None does come close to achieving the level that your building at. But I'm slowly getting there. At my age of 68, I do tend to model most every day for a few hours up to 8 hrs depending on my work schedule. I watch sports on my computer which is right next to my workbench, so I have the time, believe me, I have the time. Especially when you factor in that my wife and I have been married 36 years, and she doesn't share my modeling nor history interests. She doesn't even like Baseball nor Football. Now can you believe that :beer4:/>/>

Joel

Hey Joel! Absolutely, the "consistency" comment was meant to be understood in that way! Higher point indeed. Honestly, the path that you have taken is probably more what I should have started with returning to the hobby. To me, yours is a more natural progression of skill sets and "tools" for the toolbox rather than going "all out" as I have been trying to do. As for the Mrs. ....... I have heard somewhere that opposites attract. It's nice to be able to share some of your interests here with the ARC community. I appreciate it! So ...... thanks for sharing your interests with all of us!

-Mark

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Hey Joel! Absolutely, the "consistency" comment was meant to be understood in that way! Higher point indeed. Honestly, the path that you have taken is probably more what I should have started with returning to the hobby. To me, yours is a more natural progression of skill sets and "tools" for the toolbox rather than going "all out" as I have been trying to do. As for the Mrs. ....... I have heard somewhere that opposites attract. It's nice to be able to share some of your interests here with the ARC community. I appreciate it! So ...... thanks for sharing your interests with all of us!

-Mark

Mark,

Thanks so much for insight.

My main goals when I got back into the hobby this time (hopefully for life), was not to make same mistakes I made the last time that literally caused massive burnout. And that was an obsession with competition on the regional and national level. For me that just killed the enjoyment I was getting out of my builds, the hobby, and my local club. I became obsessed with looking at a model to fill a slot in one of the 3 categories I would compete in the following year. Each model was chosen not by my interest, but how well that kit offered opportunities for detailing that would hopefully impress the judges who for the most part I knew, as I was one myself. It just wasn't fun anymore, and one day I just had enough and walked away. My leaving the hobby had literally nothing to do with family, work, or home. Just a modeling attitude and focus that wasn't right for me. As Janne would say, I lost my Mojo. When my Mojo slowly returned, the internet as a whole offered me sites and forums that literally became my clubs, which I really enjoy.

My focus now was to be able to consistently build the perfect OOB model, with any enhancements I felt maybe necessary. I even used kit decals, which in hindsight wasn't the best of ideas since almost all were Tamiya's rather thick ones, so now AM decals or kits with Cartograf decals are the norm. I display my builds in my display case, and share them will all the member of ARC and Aeroscale. For me that's enough. And the feedback I get has been not only positive, but has helped to guide to the next level, where I'm at now. And you my friend are one of those cornerstones.

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Time for what is becoming my weekly update.

I finally attached the vertical stabilizers to the horizontal stabilizer after just a little filing and sanding to remove paint from the mounting surfaces.

Next up was glossing the entire PV-1 to get ready for decaling. For glossing I've been using Winsor & Newton's Artists' Acrylic Gloss UV Varnish cut with Tamiya's X20-A thinner. The tack coat was thinned 1:1. The 1st wet coat was thinned 2:3. I gave that a day to dry, then a final wet coat thinned 2:4. After a few days to cure, I polished the gloss out with a 12,000 mesh pad followed by a old soft piece of T shirt. A tack rag removed whatever lint was left.

The Canadian PV-1 Ventura GR.V 2185 M 149 Sqn. circa March 1944 is from the Aviaeology decal sheet " Venturas in Canada 3", there is a wealth of resource material as well as pictures printed on the instruction sheet. Something to this extent that I've never seen before.

As for their decals, the colors and registration is absolutely perfect. Each decal is individually printed which a bare min of flash around it. Even the letters are trimmed rather then printed on a square. That makes the silvering that much less of an issue. It also makes handling them, and working them into position a rather delicate operation. I did manage to tear one "M", but the leg lined up perfectly, and you can't see the repair.

Each decal was soaked in warm water for 30 sec, then placed on a piece of paper towel till the decal moved freely.

As with my last few builds, I've adopted a modified decaling procedure that Paul Budzik uses. Basically it's the Microscale system with Solvaset as the 3rd and last step. Works perfectly every time.

The Aviaeology decals aren't the thinnest, but certainly by no means are they too thick. Just seams to me to be the perfect thickness so that they don't stretch or tear easily. But you can tear them as I did, if you're not careful enough.

There aren't many markings on the PV-1. Roundels on the top of both wings, each fuselage side and with the Sqn. letter and plane number. There are no markings at all on the bottom of the wings. Something that I found as rather strange considering it was war time, and every other aircraft I can recall had marking on at least one lower wing.

PV-1%20001_133.jpg

PV-1%20001_135.jpg

PV-1%20001_134.jpg

I'll give the decals a few days to really dry, then a coat of gloss varnish again. And then start the weathering process.

Joel

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Nice work there, Joel. Especially with the decals. I've used individual letters and digits in the past, and I must say, I find it quite nerve-wracking to get them all aligned along all three DOF.

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Nice work there, Joel. Especially with the decals. I've used individual letters and digits in the past, and I must say, I find it quite nerve-wracking to get them all aligned along all three DOF.

dnl42,

Thank you.

The aircraft number is one decal. But I've dealt with all individual numbers and letters before. To get them to align I use a piece of tape as a guide. In this case the recessed panel line works perfectly.

Joel

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To get them to align I use a piece of tape as a guide. In this case the recessed panel line works perfectly.

Damn, why didn't I think of that! Would reduce the swearing coming from my desk significantly :unsure:

I usually manage to tear at least one decal each build, even when the centres are not cut out.

Almost every build I also have to cut individual letters and numbers from my spares or an Aussie Decals sheet and apply them individually (see point 1 about swearing :D )

Anyhow, your build is coming along nicely Joel.

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Damn, why didn't I think of that! Would reduce the swearing coming from my desk significantly :unsure:/>

I usually manage to tear at least one decal each build, even when the centres are not cut out.

Almost every build I also have to cut individual letters and numbers from my spares or an Aussie Decals sheet and apply them individually (see point 1 about swearing :D/> )

Anyhow, your build is coming along nicely Joel.

Thommo,

Thanks for stopping by, and appreciating my efforts.

Yep, the tape as a guide works perfectly. Been using it since the 70s. It's especially handy for individual numbers and letters, which is what we mostly had back then. The vertical alignment was still as real bear for numbers like 0 or letters like a S that didn't have a flat base to lay along the tape line.

Joel

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I really like your builds Joel! you make it look doable and even easy, however is not when I try it lol!! and you choose those non tipical models! I always keep track of your work cause it inspires and pushes me to build better models everytime!!

Regards

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I really like your builds Joel! you make it look doable and even easy, however is not when I try it lol!! and you choose those non tipical models! I always keep track of your work cause it inspires and pushes me to build better models everytime!!

Regards

Kiki,

Thanks for stopping by and liking my work to date. Your words are truly humbling and most appreciated.

Joel

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Joel, Nice job on the PV-1. I finished this kit in the blue/gray scheme a while back and when the Aviaeology decal sheet " Venturas in Canada 3" came out I considered doing another in the Atlantic scheme. (I like their decals especially because of their detailed instruction sheets with a bit of history and reference photos mixed in). You do great work and it is showing up as the Ventura gets closer to finish. Looking forward to the next stage as you do justice to the weathering.

Cheers,

David

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Joel, Nice job on the PV-1. I finished this kit in the blue/gray scheme a while back and when the Aviaeology decal sheet " Venturas in Canada 3" came out I considered doing another in the Atlantic scheme. (I like their decals especially because of their detailed instruction sheets with a bit of history and reference photos mixed in). You do great work and it is showing up as the Ventura gets closer to finish. Looking forward to the next stage as you do justice to the weathering.

Cheers,

David

David,

Thanks so much for your more then kind words.

As for the weathering, the more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to be way more on the conservative side then most of my more recent builds. By late war and the fact that these aircraft flew out of Canada, they were most likely better maintained and cared for, then aircraft in combat zones. The Black Basing has done a nice job of color variation especially which respect to the weather worn White. I've done the upper surface panel lines with a light gray, and will do the white with a med gray but no darker. From there honestly I'm not sure what to do, or what I should do other then some exhaust streaking.

Joel

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally, I've accomplished enough for another update. Lately, work has demanded more of my time rather then less, even though I'm semi retired. Go figure.

After a final Gloss coat to seal the decals, I needed to decide if I wanted to further weather the PV-1. The blotchy Black basing air brushed over the AMMO gray primer really had a most realistic fading effect on both the top and bottom of the aircraft, so I didn't see the need for any additional weathering besides exhaust smoke, and a little dirt and grime once the landing gear has been installed.

Time to pay some attention to the recessed panel lines. The faded dark gray could either be done with a very dark gray or even black or a lighter gray pin wash, while the white sides and belly would be done in dark gray using a dark gray sludge wash to just dirty up the bottom of the aircraft a touch more.

I decided to see how a light gray would work for the top side panel lines. I was pretty happy with the final results, although I'm sure I would have felt the same way if I went with a dark gray instead.

PV-1%20001_137%201024%20x%20683.jpg

PV-1%20001_139.jpg

PV-1%20001_138_1.jpg

Here's a closer picture of the upper wing and fuselage.

PV-1%20001_140.jpg

I gave everything a day or so to dry, then I applied a dark Gray sludge wash using Flory's dark weathering wash.

PV-1%20001_141.jpg

Now it's on to finishing the turret assembly, the main gear, and tail wheel assembly, and finally detailing the Quickboost engines.

Joel

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Joel, the alternating dark & light panel line washes have worked out really well,

Thommo,

Thanks for stopping by. The more I look at those panel lines, the more I like the alternating colors myself.

Joel

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Looks great Joel! The variation of washes really does it for me!

Keep it up!

Cheers,

Colin

Colin,

thank so much for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. Most of the variation of tones is from my own interpretation of Black basing. I start with the traditional Gray primer, in this case AMMO's acrylic primer. Then a blotchy application of thinned flat Black. The goal is to have as many variations of tonality of the Black that the color coats are applied to. Takes all the pressure of when it comes to post shading.

Joel

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This really isn't an update, but rather the fix to a decaling error by yours truly. A few days ago my good Aeroscale friend Rowan pm'd me inquiring about the placement of the port fin flash on the vertical stab. He wanted to know if it was specific to the aircraft that I was building. Now I've looked at those vertical stabs dozens of times and honestly, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Here's what Rowan noticed:

PV-1%20001_135_1.jpg

You will notice that the fin flash is on the rudder, not the vertical stab as it should be. Well, I've already sealed the decal, then lightly weathered the vertical stabs, then Matt coated it. So removing the decaling would be a major issue. I really didn't want to strip and re-paint, as I was 100% certain that I'd damage the paint on both sides, destroy the de-iceing boot, and most likely cause some damage to the horizontal stab as well. So I decided to see what would be the result if I just re-painted the stab with as many light coats as it took to cover the decal. Hopefully the Gloss seal coat and Matt coat helped to blend in the edges.

The other issue is that air brushing on Tamiya XF-2 flat white would be to white compared to the white over the black base. So rather then starting with the black base again, I mixed a shade of off white the best I could. Took 3 or 4 tries, but I think it's close enough.

I then carefully masked the de-icing boot and the horizontal stab tip as well. A cardboard hand held mask was used to prevent over spray from getting to the fuselage and the main section of the horizontal stab. Here's the vert. stab after painting:

PV-1%20001_149_1.jpg

I gave the paint a day to dry, then re-decaled it:

PV-1%20001_151%201024%20x%20680_1.jpg

While the fix isn't perfect, I think it's good enough. I also decided on the starboard side that the demarcation line between the white and extra dark gray needed more definition as it looked like this:

PV-1%20001_139.jpg

So I air brushed on more of the white mix, and got it to look like this:

PV-1%20001_150.jpg

Now it seams that I need to darken up the extra dark gray a tad.

Joel

Edited by Joel_W
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Looks great Joel! You did a great job rectifying the vertical stabilizers. Before you painted them white did you do any sanding over the decal to level it out with the rest of the stab? or something similar? I find that when I paint over decals, you can still sorta see the outline. Anyway It looks spectacular!

Keep up the great work!

Colin

:)

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