1/48 Airfix Sea Vixen FAW.2

[IanG]

Ok, my recently started MiG-21 is now on the back burner, and I will return to it from time to time.
The reason is I'm starting Airfix's 1/48 Sea Vixen, as part of the a Group Build.
Aftermarket I'll be using is Eduard's cockpit and canopy mask sets.
Also a couple of PJ Production resin pilots figures.

IMG_5956 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

IMG_5956 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[aur0ra145]

Looking forward to seeing this build. I have one of my own I haven't started yet.

[IanG]

Looking forward to seeing this build. I have one of my own I haven't started yet.

Thank you. I does look a good kit in the box, and seems to be one of Airfix's better kits.

[IanG]

The cockpit is now completed. The Eduard PE has set it off nicely.
The pilot is an excellent PJ Productions resin example, the observer is one of the kit figures. Not very good detail on the him (I've nicknamed him "Blob"!), but being he'll be virtually unseen, so I'm not too worried.
Seats are the kit ones, and not badly detailed. The upper belts are made from thin yellow masking tape.
Paints used were Hataka Blue Line for the tub, seats, and detailing on the pilots. Pilot flightsuits are Red Line RAF Blue/Grey, lightened with white. The pilots faces are various Vallejo flesh tones.

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0268 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[DrSprue]

Wow great looking pit (man that offset in that plane is odd but cool!, lol)

[IanG]

Wow great looking pit (man that offset in that plane is odd but cool!, lol)

Yeah, it’s a bit of a dark hole for the observer. Even the observers canopy got painted black. From what I understand, it’s so as keep the area dark, for better vis ability of the the instruments.

[IanG]

Added a load of weight in to the nosecone, plus a couple of my nuts!!
The cockpit tub is now cemented into the upper fuselage. Then the fuselage halves were cemented together, nosecone added, and the first of the tailbooms clamped in place.

DSC_0277 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0277 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[IanG]

Had a cracking weekend at the bench. Managed to get some good progress.
I bought some Master Model pitots and refuelling probe, to replace the kit ones.
The probe is very detailed. I simply cut off the moulded probe, from the refuelling boom, drilled a 0.5mm hole. The Master probe was then superglued in place. The boom is dry fitted, for photo purposes.
The mounts for pitots had a similar size hole drilled into them, and the Master pitots, for now, are also dry fitted.
The fuel tanks, rocket pods, and Redtop missiles, which were all assembled earlier, have now had their joint lines sanded, and smoothed off.
On the Redtops, I've sprayed an red, and yellow band around the missiles body. I will then use some thin masking tape over the colours. Once the rest is painted, I'll remove the tape to leave a red and yellow band.
Final bit of work today was to get some of Ultimate's black primer on.

IMG_5963 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0287 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[IanG]

This afternoon was spent doing the pre-shading.
I used Hataka Blue Line Insignia White, and for panels around the engine areas, Hataka Red Line Leather Brown, and Army Desert Sand.

DSC_0310 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0310 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0310 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[aur0ra145]

Wow, off to an excellent start I see!

[ElCapitan]

Great work so far, the cockpit looks amazing!

[HIghAltitudeScale]

That is so nice. I have this kit and I have heard some bad things but you make it look easy. Gives me hope for when I build mine! Thanks for sharing.

[IanG]

Wow, off to an excellent start I see!

Thank you, it's coming along nicely.

[IanG]

Got some paint down.
Hataka Orange Line Traffic White, for the underside.
The upper surfaces are Hataka's Red Line Extra Dark Sea Grey.
All the underwing stores have also finished being painted.

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0319 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[IanG]

Exhausts have been painted with Vallejo Metal Colour Exhaust Manifold.
Got a couple of coats of Aqua Gloss on today, in readiness to start the decals.
Finished the Model Master refuelling probe, using Vellajo Metal Colours.

DSC_0337 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0337 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0337 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[trjcampbell]

This looks fantastic. Such an interesting aircraft and you're doing a cracking job with it!

[DrSprue]

Man thats coming out nice!

[aur0ra145]

Moving along nicely! Very good work so far!

[IanG]

Finally finished the decals, and worked out that it's taken about 8-9 hours in total!
I've now started to tone down the decals. On the upper surfaces, I used some very thinned out Extra Dark Sea Grey (20% paint, 80% thinner), and sprayed a couple light coats, just enough to take the starkness out of the markings, and stencils. The process was repeated, with white, on the underside.
The red "Keep Off" hatching decals, over the engine covers, were given a heavier coat of the EDSGrey, to blend them in more. The few colour reference photos I've found, looking down on the top, show that these red hatch markings are only just visible.
Once the decals have dried, I will seal them, ready for the start of the weathering process.

DSC_0348 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0348 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0348 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0348 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[matto21]

Great work and great photography!

Is there a reason you use Hakata paints? Only wondering because I've not seen them used often but they look good.

Matt

[Cymru]

WOW 8 hours of decalling Great progress.

[DrSprue]

Wow that stuff looks great!

[aur0ra145]

Really nice work!

[IanG]

Great work and great photography!

Is there a reason you use Hakata paints? Only wondering because I've not seen them used often but they look good.

Matt

Hi Matt

I first tried Hataka Red Line acrylic paints about 15 months ago, on an HAF Recce Phantom special scheme. And was very pleased with the results. Before that, used Vallejo Model Air, but I found their paints inconsistent.
I now use both the Red Line, and the Orange Line lacquer based paints. I get onsistent results, and because you only use light coats, you can build up the colour to cover how you want, giving good flexibility with the finish.

[IanG]

With the decals finished, I used some very thinned out paint, and sprayed a mist coat over the upper (Ex Dk Sea Grey) and lower surfaces (White). This helped to blend the decals, and reduce their "starkeness". The paint was thinned 20:80 in favour of thinners.
Afterwards, everything was given some coats of Alclad Aqua Gloss, and let that dry for 24hrs.
Then I went about doing the wash. For this I used Ultimate's Dark Dirt, which dries in about 20 minutes, and then the wash was cleaned off with a moistened cloth. Once done, it was sealed with a couple of coats of matt varnish.
With the flat coat dry, the next step was further weathering. This was a combination of differing shades of AK Interactive pigments. Burnt Umber, Rust, Smoke and Road Dirt shades were used, and they were gently blended in. When finished, a further coat of matt was applied.

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_0356 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[NormanD]

Cracking work Ian, not the easiest kit to build, but you have mastered it.

[DrSprue]

Wow what an amazing build!

[TommyKillander]

Wow!

That looks absolutely amazing!


Tommy

[demarcation]

Looks the business, top job sir!!

[IanG]

Thank you guys.

[IanG]

And I'm done!
Weapons and tanks were fitted, the undercarriage built up, and wheel bay doors attached. Also the lowered flaps were fitted too.
Lastly the refuelling boom, and Master pitots were added to the wings.
Painted with Hataka Red Line Ex Dark Sea Grey, and Orange Line Traffic White.
For the display, Gary Morton of Coastal Kits Display Bases, printed me off a blurred HMS Eagles carrier deck. The catch cable is made from 1mm plastic rod, and some clear acrylic rod was used to mount the Sea Vixen.

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=24252

Ian G-1 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

[sheppsea]

Fantastic work

[DrSprue]

Wow just beautiful!

[IanG]

Thanks guys.