One more step forward, OK perhaps a couple more steps.......
1) I think I mentioned this much earlier in the build, but this kit has raised panel lines (RPL). I thought that since it was 1/72 it not a major issue (not as if it were 1/32). So there are no recessed panel lines and no rivets, fabric, or anything but those RPL's. When I was assembling the kit in order to clean up the seams some of the RPL's were removed. Perhaps a better modeler would've kept them while cleaning up the seams (?). Since I am not a fan of RPL anyway, regardless of scale, I was not worried. Prior to the camouflage paint I sanded down most of them to a more acceptable small bump as they looked out of scale anyway.
So, how will I show the variation of panel lines in 1/72 without looking further out of scale? I decided not to pre-shade them by airbrushing over each RPL as that would be to large in 1/72. My solution was to use a straight edge and a extra fine lead pencil. Once I had them drawn I lightly airbrushed the same color over the lines but not to obscure them, but rather tone them down. Once again Jarrod got bored quickly watching me draw all the panel lines, but he did like using the airbrush to lay down the ghost spray over the top of them.
While it was drying we looked at more photos of the black paint treatment.
lazy ripple waves
tall even waves
erratic waves up into the cockpit glass
busy even waves:
So the next question is which style do we want on our aircraft? My choice was to merge a couple together. We are going for the lazy even ripple wave in front and something similar but a little busier in the rear.
Once the camouflage was dry we began masking the camouflage. Next was helping Jarrod spray black on the lower fuselage, lower wings, jet engines, and tail. Now we need to let it dry a day or two before we gloss coat it for decals. So, after several hours drawing panel lines, painting over them, masking, and painting the black, this is where we are at the end of the day...
Hopefully, if you stand on one leg, close the left eye, and tilt your head just right, you can see the panel lines in this picture. Oh, and sorry for the cluttered dirty hobby table. I'm getting a new cutting mat as that one is several years and many models old:
And here is a picture of some of the black camouflage. And yes, that is a very old Testers airbrush cleaning station behind the model; then no, there is nothing in the Sprite can except Sprite:
Well, not much more to do at the moment than wait, so we say good bye for now.
Ben and Jarrod
