Airfix 1 72 de Havilland HF 82a Tiger Moth

[Valeron]

Hi,

I'm new to all of this and announced my arrival a few days ago on the introduction thread. I was meant to be starting my new modelling hobby with a Tamiya 1/35 armoured vehicle but a friend very kindly dropped off this model for me yesterday with the Humbrol paints, so I'm going with this instead.

It looks quite simple in that there are limited colours so it should give me time to practise my skills. I imagine it will be quite fiddly to get the wings on though and I'll probably skip the optional extra bit (at least for now) of adding bracing wires and control cables.

I'll be hand panting and using the Humbrol enamels. I'll be taking my time as it's my first one since the 1970s. I'll and probably have a stab at washes and weathering which were knew concepts to me a month ago when I started reading up on this.

There are two colour schemes and I'll be going for the 1945 one, so basically green all over.

I'll be starting by painting the small parts on the sprue and then assembling the plane and going from there.


I've started by ha

 

[adt70hk]

Mike

Good to see the first kit under way. Someone at my model club was only saying on Sunday what a good kit this is.

Just make sure you clean it with soapy water ahead of the build to kill all the grease off.

One word on the paints, when I first came back to the hobby about 7 years ago, i too used enamels because I knew no different and was a bit suspicious about these new-fangled acrylic paints.

It didn't take that long to make the move over - the water based ones don't smell, they're easy to clean and dry so much quicker than enamels.....

Humbrol and Revell acrylics aren't the best quality but do an ok job. If you're going to stick to brush with then you can't go wrong with Vallejo Model Colour.... Their Model Air brushes ok but is pre-thinned for airbrush use.

hope that helps.

Andrew

 

[Valeron]

Mike

Good to see the first kit under way. Someone at my model club was only saying on Sunday what a good kit this is.

Just make sure you clean it with soapy water ahead of the build to kill all the grease off.

One word on the paints, when I first came back to the hobby about 7 years ago, i too used enamels because I knew no different and was a bit suspicious about these new-fangled acrylic paints.

It didn't take that long to make the move over - the water based ones don't smell, they're easy to clean and dry so much quicker than enamels.....

Humbrol and Revell acrylics aren't the best quality but do an ok job. If you're going to stick to brush with then you can't go wrong with Vallejo Model Colour.... Their Model Air brushes ok but is pre-thinned for airbrush use.

hope that helps.

Andrew

I gave the sprues a good soak in hot soapy water before starting. I'll wash the body down again once assembled and before the main painting. This was the first tip picked up on this site, which I have used.

I do plan to use Vallejo Acrylics on my next build. I'm using these Humbrols as my friend supplied them to me with the model, which was very nice of him.

Mike

 

[adt70hk]

I gave the sprues a good soak in hot soapy water before starting. I'll wash the body down again once assembled and before the main painting. This was the first tip picked up on this site, which I have used.

I do plan to use Vallejo Acrylics on my next build. I'm using these Humbrols as my friend supplied them to me with the model, which was very nice of him.

Mike

Cool. It was very nice of your friend, is he into modelling?

I do still occasionally use enamels for small items and certain effects I'm trying to achieve. You can also use heavily thinned ones to create your own rust washes - cheaper than buying then manufacturer's ones!

Looking forward to the build begin.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Valeron]

Cool. It was very nice of your friend, is he into modelling?

I do still occasionally use enamels for small items and certain effects I'm trying to achieve. You can also use heavily thinned ones to create your own rust washes - cheaper than buying then manufacturer's ones!

Looking forward to the build begin.

ATB.

Andrew

He's not into it at all. Over a few pints I told him I was thinking of getting into it and he went into a shop and bought me the as a late Christmas present.

 

[adt70hk]

He's not into it at all. Over a few pints I told him I was thinking of getting into it and he went into a shop and bought me the as a late Christmas present.

Top bloke!!

 

[Jim R]

Hi Mike
Good to see your sharing your first build for many a year. The old bi-planes do make good models.
Enamel paints are fine. They are slower drying than acrylics but modelling isn't a race. Like most paints a few thinned coats will give a better finish than trying to cover in one coat. Just make sure the previous coat is totally cured and don't over brush or you could easily dissolve and drag the earlier coat.
Jim

 

[colin m]

I built this one a while back, it's a really nice little kit. Rigging in 1:72, yes, that can be a bit of a test !

 

[Valeron]

I built this one a while back, it's a really nice little kit. Rigging in 1:72, yes, that can be a bit of a test !

I've just had a look at your pictures of this model Colin. It looks great.

It's probably beyond my skill set at the moment but out or interest what did you use to make the rigging with?

Mike

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Mike,
I too built this awhile back in the camo version but I don't think it's in this forum. Lovely kit. Like all bi-planes fitting the main overhead wing can be a challenge aligning the struts, just take your time.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

I realized I haven't any images set up in my albums. will do that and if you want to see the WIP of the T Moth I can do a separate thread for it.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great, haven’t seen a biplane build for a little while….

 

[colin m]

I've just had a look at your pictures of this model Colin. It looks great.

It's probably beyond my skill set at the moment but out or interest what did you use to make the rigging with?

Mike

I use a couple of 'things' for rigging. The Moth was very fine fishing line. I also use EZ line on larger bi-planes. I'm sure if you search youtube, there will be some videos on there showing the different methods available.

 

[Valeron]

A quick update and a question.

This has proven very difficult and with hindsight I think 1 72 scale for my first model probably wasn't the best choice.

The pieces are so small, difficult to see and hold etc. I even had some of the smaller struts breaking on me.

I can't say I'm happy with what I've produced so far but it's been fun albeit with a bit of frustration and hopefully it'll look better when finished. It's a learning curve and hopefully I'll improve with time and practise.

I started by painting the cockpit and pilot then assembled the model. I'm waiting for some parts to dry but should be in a position to put the final, pieces together tomorrow.

I'm going to have to do some serious cleaning up before I paint but my plan is to Prime using a rattle can, then paint the main base colour of the plane using a brush, then do the details of the wheels etc then go from there.

My question is, do I attach the upper and lower wings before painting starts or after. Logic tells me to do it before but I'm just concerned that due to the fiddly small plane, it my be hard to paint parts of the wing.

Any thought's would be appreciated.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Mike

My question is, do I attach the upper and lower wings before painting starts or after.

You have actually hit on one of the big modelling questions. "How much of the putting together to do before painting?" Often the answer is obvious. A cockpit or the dashboard of a car must be done before the body is buttoned up but sometimes it's not clear.
What I do is dry fit, holding things together with bits of tape or blu-tac and see whether I can get where I need to with a brush. That helps me decide. No two modellers are the same and some will paint a loads of parts on the sprue to fit later and some will virtually finish a model before any paint goes on.
Not much help I'm afraid but truly it's up to you

 

[Tim Marlow]

What Jim says I would also recommend that you mask the cockpit before painting or the spray will get in and wreck what you’ve done so far. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Damp tissue will mould on nicely, then simply dampen it again to take it off.

 

[Valeron]

Hi Mike


You have actually hit on one of the big modelling questions. "How much of the putting together to do before painting?" Often the answer is obvious. A cockpit or the dashboard of a car must be done before the body is buttoned up but sometimes it's not clear.
What I do is dry fit, holding things together with bits of tape or blu-tac and see whether I can get where I need to with a brush. That helps me decide. No two modellers are the same and some will paint a loads of parts on the sprue to fit later and some will virtually finish a model before any paint goes on.
Not much help I'm afraid but truly it's up to you

Actually that's a lot of help. I have been discovering the joys of Blue-tac already as an aid to modelling.

I think I'll give your idea a go tomorrow and see what it looks like

 

[Mark1]

When it comes to biplanes 1.48 is as small as I would do, as Jim said it's a matter of what you think would be best for you,are you more confident that you can put it together after painting or more confident you could paint it after its built? You could also cut a small piece of foam/ sponge to stuff in the cockpit for masking.

 

[Valeron]

What Jim says I would also recommend that you mask the cockpit before painting or the spray will get I. An wreck what you’ve done so far. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Damp tissue will mould on nicely, then simply dampen it again to take it off.

Thanks, yes, that's definitely on the plan. I have a couple of rolls of Tamiya masking tape. I bet I have fun trying to mask such a tiny area.

I really think my fingers are too big for 1 72 modelling and my eyes too bad. I did use a handheld magnifying glass but that wS a struggle. I'll invest in more tools as I do more modelling.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Thanks, yes, that's definitely on the plan. I have a couple of rolls of Tamiya masking tape. I bet I have fun trying to mask such a tiny area.

I really think my fingers are too big for 1 72 modelling and my eyes too bad. I did use a handheld magnifying glass but that wS a struggle. I'll invest in more tools as I do more modelling.

Don’t sweat it on scale. The smaller scales just need a different approach, that’s all Mike.