1/48 Revell Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

[BarryW]

A quick update.

Well, nothing to update really

Since my last bench session I put my back out and had several days of being unable to sit for more than a few minutest and getting little or no sleep due to pain. No sooner was I able to sit for more than a few minutes I came down with a ‘cold’, to play safe i did a COVID test before going out and it was positive…. The ‘cold’ got worse, think of the worse cold that you have ever had and triple it…. There was no way I could concentrate on the model.

Today I am over the worse, the fever has broken and I can think again but I am left with the worse sore throat I have ever had and feeling a little weak. A few days and hopefully I will get my act together again.

Incidentally, I am triple jabbed…. If I wasn’t I don't like to think what would have happened.

 

[Dave Ward]

Barry,
oooh bad luck! Any idea where you picked it up?
Dave

 

[Andy the Sheep]

Barry, my best wishes for a rapid and full recovery.

 

[Tim Marlow]

A quick update.

Well, nothing to update really

Since my last bench session I put my back out and had several days of being unable to sit for more than a few minutest and getting little or no sleep due to pain. No sooner was I able to sit for more than a few minutes I came down with a ‘cold’, to play safe i did a COVID test before going out and it was positive…. The ‘cold’ got worse, think of the worse cold that you have ever had and triple it…. There was no way I could concentrate on the model.

Today I am over the worse, the fever has broken and I can think again but I am left with the worse sore throat I have ever had and feeling a little weak. A few days and hopefully I will get my act together again.

Incidentally, I am triple jabbed…. If I wasn’t I don't like to think what would have happened.

It’s a horrible illness but the vaccines really are a game changer. My mother (90 years old) has just had it, and was pretty poorly, but not dangerously ill. Two years ago it would probably have killed her……
Hope you recover quickly and don’t have any of the nasty long term effects.

 

[BarryW]

Barry,
oooh bad luck! Any idea where you picked it up?
Dave

Hi Dave
I know exactly where I caught it. My ladyfriend had a 'cold' and had what must have been a false negative test. Because of my back problems she came around to look after me when otherwise she might not have to avoid passing on her 'cold'. She did another test after I got a positive and, of course, it was positive. A lot of bad luck.

 

[BarryW]

Well, I am back at the bench. Not 100% but not far off. Still testing positive so not able to join the outside world but I can get on with the model.

After masking up and a spray of degreaser I applied a black primer coat.





I have noticed some seam work needed on the underside so I will be sorting that a bit later.

 

[Dave Ward]

Barry,
good to see you back at the bench It's amazing how many times you think you've sorted all the seams, only for a primer coat to show you were over-optimistic!
Dave

 

[BarryW]

I have sprayed, largely freehand, the camo. There is some touching up to do, mostly to ‘tighten’ the boundaries between colours plus some sun fading is needed on the Sea Blue topside.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Barry
Hope you are soon fully recovered from both Covid and your bad back.
Your results with the metallic powders are a great endorsement of them. Nice looking paint job. Dave's right about primer often showing flaws that you thought you'd fixed.
Jim

 

[BarryW]

Nose one and I have worked to tighten the borders.

I then did a little detail painting


Decals on - these are Bombshell Decals and went down very well with no issues.

 

[Jim R]

Always nice when decals behave well.

 

[BarryW]

I have applied a semi-matt coat and removed some of the masking.


I will be applying metal powders strategically next.

 

[Geoffers]

Looking very nice Barry

Geoff.

 

[papa 695]

Looking very good Barry

 

[Mickc1440]

She's looking really nice indeed. I never suffer from stress until I get to decals

 

[BarryW]

When removing masking from the clear observation bubble between the cockpit and turret I found that either cement or, more likely, matt varnish for under the masking and fogged it really badly.

So I applied some masking tape around it to protect the paint and use first a 800 grit sponge then a 1500 grit to sand it down. This picture is after the 1500 grit.


I then used some Tamiya compound, first course, then fine, then polishing.

Picture below is after the first course application


A lot better. I followed that with fine and polishing and, while not perfect, it looks OK.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Barry
Your patience in polishing has paid off. Perhaps the sign of a good modeller is the ability to look at a fault or a problem, swear, take a deep breath and find a way to correct it.
Jim

 

[boatman]

HI Barry looking good but why does it have two lots of stars an bars on this side ? as ive never seen this before ? an glad you are feeling better
chris b

 

[BarryW]

HI Barry looking good but why does it have two lots of stars an bars on this side ? as ive never seen this before ? an glad you are feeling better
chris b

No idea Chris. A couple of the schemes on the am decals have that.

 

[BarryW]

Well onto the final fittings on the underside.

I had decided to fit the bomb bay door actuators at this stage due to their being vulnerable. I test fitted the first one and it slid into its slot perfectly. I removed it and, as it is a painted part, applied slow drying c.a. and went to fit it. Would it slot back nicely into place, no chance. For nearly an hour I tried to get that part into position and, of course, as you struggle things start getting messy. Also while fighting this, due to the lack of internal structure the bottom seam opened up (it has been an issue before).

So I decided to fit the bomb bay doors closed instead. But they dont fit at all well, more struggling and fighting and more mess. It went from had to worse….

There is no way I will now get an acceptable result from this build so I have called it a day…. The picture shows a hint of the mess I am left with.

I should have built it from the start with a closed bomb bay. The bomb bay doors would still not have fitted, of course, but at an earlier stage it would have been easier to deal with without all the knock on damage.