1/32 PCM Tempest V

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tecdes

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Very interesting look at weathering Steve. Like the thinking & investigation. A great part of model making it makes the aircraft under construction so much more pleasurable.

A thing which I have noticed is that panel lines are accentuated not necessarily due to dirt oil etc. The lines are also caused by a shadow effect. This is shown quite clearly in the real full sized aircraft. The problem is that on a model that shadow effect does not show it self well especially when they are on show under lighting which comes from all areas as it bounces off surfaces. With natural conditions, even in cloudy weather although obviously not so distinct, the sun gives shadow effect to panel lines.

Laurie
 

stona

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Vaughan, that picture of JF-G was taken at Newchurch, one of the so called "Advanced Landing Grounds" set up for the invasion. Judging by the state of the stripes it would have been taken between June and August 1944. The leaves are all still in full leaf. Newchurch is in Kent very close to the south coast on the Romney marshes.

I would say that the picture illustrates my point. There is barely a panel line discernible. I'm not averse to a bit of shading but a pre-shaded grid does not look anything like that aircraft or any of the others I posted.

I don't know that aircraft's serial number off the top of my head, but it is early as I can see the barrels of the Hispano MkII cannon sticking out in front of the port wing, and I can't see spring tabs on the ailerons, making it a series I aircraft which has not been upgraded to series II. It's a contemporary of my subject, though mine was retro-fitted with the short barrel cannons.

The camouflage paint is in very good condition. There is some exhaust staining, but that was usually washed off with petrol. The aircraft appears to be being armed or re-armed prior to a mission. There is inevitable wear on the walkways and some on the stripes where the armourers and others have been clambering about.

Those stripes look to have been applied by the squadron and just as on my subject some considerable care has been taken.

The guy with the oil can is filling up the engine priming fluid, a 7:1 mixture of fuel and oil.

Cheers

Steve
 

stona

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I think you are referring to an artistic interpretation of panel lines Laurie. That is of course a matter of taste and not entirely objective. I agree with both you an Vaughan that some kind of intimation of the aircraft's structure has to be attempted to prevent it appearing flat and toy like. I just like to keep it very subtle. You don't really notice the presence of the shading, but you would notice its absence, if that makes sense :smiling3:

You really can't see the panel lines on most WW2 fighters unless you are standing very close to them. The Tempest was well built and flush riveted throughout. Large amounts of the air frame (particularly the wings) underwent a series of filling, rubbing down and priming procedures before the camouflage was painted to ensure a smooth finish. All maintenance personnel were trained to maintain the finish, particularly on what the RAF termed "high speed" aeroplanes of which the Tempest was certainly one!

There is no doubt that some aircraft became tired and somewhat worn, particularly during the relatively rare periods of intensive operations, but they were generally well maintained.

The time period is important to. We are in mid 1944. Post invasion, on mainland Europe, units were writing off aircraft which had made a belly landing and would be considered only lightly damaged at an earlier stage of the war. It was quicker and easier to fly out a replacement than to fix the damage with the limited facilities available a long way from home.

I don't think that we really disagree much at all! Whether we pre or post shade isn't really the issue. I've never liked pre-shading but that is just because I find the results difficult to control. That says more about my technique than the method itself :smiling3:

I think we all agree that some kind of modulation of a uniform coat of paint is desirable, whatever technique we might use to achieve that.

I do find the overdone (at least to me) pre-shading which has become popular in recent years unrealistic and I don't like it much. That said, it's up to each one of us how we interpret the subject and it's definitely not up to me to tell anyone else how they should do their model.

Cheers

Steve
 

stona

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Back to the model!

I've sprayed a very highly thinned grey colour (Humbrol 64) over various areas. A quick pass over the national markings, invasion stripes and upper surfaces helps to tone everything down a bit and blend the colours as well as simulating slight fading on the upper surfaces.

I've tried to photograph the effect but it's very subtle.

After I've applied some washes tomorrow I'l try and get an image to illustrate the combined effect.

Cheers

Steve
 
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CDW

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Well after reading all this i can be sure of two things

1: As useless as i am at making aircraft due to them not looking quite "realistic" ..if i employ what Steve, Laurie, Vaughn et al have mentioned here .... i might just get somewhere "near".

2: Steve makes a smeggin' good aircraft !!!
 

stona

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\ said:
Well after reading all this i can be sure of two things1: As useless as i am at making aircraft due to them not looking quite "realistic" ..if i employ what Steve, Laurie, Vaughn et al have mentioned here .... i might just get somewhere "near".
We're all saying the same thing really Colin!

Everyone has there own methods and everyone has there own interpretation (that's the artistic bit) of how to weather a model to make it more realistic. I don't think it should be approached with trepidation, it's really not that hard. If I had one piece of advice for weathering aircraft models it would be that generally "less is more", don't overdo it , unless your subject has been on a Japanese occupied coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for several months of course :smiling3:

Cheers

Steve
 

yak face

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A good photo of your subject is priceless , as steve says , and thats the answer to the how much weathering /shading etc question -- as much as it needs to look like the photo . tony
 

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I've matted down the paintwork and started a bit of weathering.

Before the matt coat I gave the whole thing one of the Promodeller/Flory washes. I've dirtied up the stripes a bit and distressed the area of and around the walkways.

I'm afraid close up photography, particularly of sparkly things like aluminium chipping, is not something I'm good at! This should give a vague idea.

Edit...oops..here's the photo!



Cheers

Steve
 

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Looking good Steve nice to see some of those panel lines standing out a bit:smiling3: Looks like Special Hobbies will be releasing several versions of the Tempest including a radial version http://forum.largescalemodeller.com/topic/748-special-hobby-132-hawker-tempest-mkv-sh32049/
 

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I know a few people are waiting for those rather than having a go at the PCM kit.

I'd be seriously tempted by a Tempest II, maybe No 33 Squadron, the only Tempest II squadron in the RAF to fire its weapons in anger, Malaya 1950. They cashed them in for De Havilland Hornets shortly thereafter, two engines being a lot safer than one for long flights over jungle.

There would be some interesting Indian or Pakistani markings too, the Indians had 50 ex RAF Tempest IIs and a further 90 new ones from British stocks. I think the Pakistanis had 24, ex RAF. I was once asked to identify the aircraft in a family photograph taken at Peshawar and guess what? They were Tempest IIs !

Cheers

Steve

Edit......some food for thought. Either would look nice on my shelves!





Go on Vaughan, you'd make a great job of one of these :smiling3:
 
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Ian M

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First things first. The photo of your paint work looks very good indeed. Nicely done.

Looking at the photo of the MkII I can't help thinking Sea Fury, was it a navalised version of the Tempest?

Look forward to seeing the finished job soon then Steve.

Ian M
 

yak face

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Excellent finish steve, great chipping. The radial engined tempest II is a fave of mine ever since i did the matchbox 1/72 version as a kid in the Indian 'wheel' markings, I keep looking for another one , although the special hobby version is a far better bet nowadays but doesnt come with the Indian markings. cheers tony
 

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\ said:
First things first. The photo of your paint work looks very good indeed. Nicely done.Looking at the photo of the MkII I can't help thinking Sea Fury, was it a navalised version of the Tempest?

Look forward to seeing the finished job soon then Steve.

Ian M
The Sea Fury isn't strictly a navalised version of the Tempest despite the similarities. It is on the same evolutionary branch and shares some common ancestors with the Tempest. At a glance they are very similar.

Tony I do like those Indian markings! They are not the sort of thing I could mask and spray though :smiling3:

Cheers

Steve
 

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I'm sure I saw some Indian Marks on Hangypants web shop.....

Ian M
 
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Polux

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Excellent chipping effect Steve.

I like it very much.

Cheers. Polux
 

flyjoe180

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A Tempest II will be rebuilt/refurbished and flown here in Auckland NZ. Can't wait, it wasn't that long ago we had the Mosquito buzzing about our skies!

http://www.pioneeraero.co.nz/project/hawker-tempest-mkii/

http://www.hawkertempest.se/MW376.htm
 

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\ said:
A Tempest II will be rebuilt/refurbished and flown here in Auckland NZ. Can't wait, it wasn't that long ago we had the Mosquito buzzing about our skies!
Now you're making me doubly jealous :eek: That will really be something to see. You've obviously got some expert and determined restorers down there, the Mosquito is a work of art.

Cheers

Steve
 

flyjoe180

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The Mosquito has sadly gone to its owners in the USA after an extensive flying season here in NZ. In recent times we lost a quite a few vintage aircaft to other countries as they came up for sale, but a varied and extensive warbird scene remains active here.
 

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\ said:
The Mosquito has sadly gone to its owners in the USA after an extensive flying season here in NZ.
Well I guess someone in the US was footing the bill which would have been substantial! Hopefully the people who carried out the restoration made a few bob too.

I'd love to see a Tempest II flying, we are lucky to have one of two Sea Furys flying here which (as Ian noticed) is pretty close. I haven't checked on the latest status of the RNHF single seater which was awaiting major engine components. My father actually flew that aeroplane whlist with 801 Squadron on HMS Glory before it was retired!

Cheers

Steve
 

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I've all but finished this now.

I still have to work out how I am going to apply a three colour (black/yellow/red) band in the colours of the Belgian flag to the spinner.



I will post some pictures in a "Completed" thread soon.

I have already noticed that up on it's own wheels this aeroplane really has some presence. To say it looks business like would be an understatement.

Cheers

Steve
 
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