A few of my latest 1/72 scale aircraft

Some WWII single engined props

 

Two more WWII fighters and a WWI biplane

 

A few assorted jets

 

Great work.Nicely detailed.How did you shade the panel lines?They really stand out.Also,how do you mask the canopies?I'd build more WWII aircraft,but I hate working with the canopies.I can do it,I just don't like it.

 

I don't mask canopies much, it depends on what I have to work with. Most of the time I paint canopies freehand, or use masking tape some places. I rarely do the whole canopy with masking tape.

As for the panel lines, which are a bit more subtle to the human eye ( at least mine ) than to the camera, I use Citadel waterbased ink. I use a very thin brush, mine is customized as I have never found a brush thin enough in a store, and wipe off any excess ink with Jif ( or Cif as it known as in some countries ).

 

Great work.

 

I tape off separate parts of the canopies myself.I also use Citadel washes for shading.Great minds DO think alike.

 

Awesome planes. Good work!

 

Beautiful models Skua - lovely crisp finish.

I used to do panel lines by undercoating in black, then when the topcoat was on you score the panel line with a pin. You get a nice black line, but if your hand slips...

 

Thanks!

 

those are super, skua!!!
nice finishe on them,

 

They look damned good. Thakns for sharing the pics mate.

The detail makes them look like 1-35 scale.

I loved the j-1, such an interesting model.

Kym

 

Thanks!

Fitting the upper wing on the J1 was a bit demanding on my mental health by the way. Every time I managed to secure one pylon, another just popped off. But after a few days keeping the wing firmly in place using a makeshift arrangement of books and anything else I got my hands on it stayed in place. For now.

 

That is why I stay away from biplanes if I can help it. :evil:

 

I love biplanes, but they are never easy builds. I have two basically finnished biplanes in store, the only thing left to do is to fit the upper wing. I just need to find some mental strenght first and get my yings and yangs in order.

 

A word of advice, if you start getting frustrated, stop right there!


What I ended up doing was just glueing in the struts so they looked about right, then adding the top wing when the struts were dry. Sadly that sometimes means that the top wing is a little... squint.

Best option - pick bi- (or tri-) planes with good sturdy struts. The Fokker Dr.1 is best, also the Fairey Swordfish.