After working with the poor Minicraft Spruance I decided to put it aside and when out and bought a Dragon Uss Philippine Sea 1/700 Premium Kit
Wow just opening the box what a difference with the exception of having to fill the seam for the hull
anyway is there a painting order to this or do I assemble incuding PE then paint/airbrush
Also would it be better to use the plastic masts as they seam to be rounded as the real ones than the sharp edged PE ones
Any help whould be great
THank you
Oh yeh is the line where the lower hull meets the upper the black water line
I know I have to fill it but is that the location for later painting
Thanks again
P.S. I am building as I type haha

hello Wayne,
the way i paint my builds is i pre paint everything i can.then i just have to put it all together.after the build,then all i have to do is touch up.i have yet to use p.e.so i do not know if you put it together then paint.Jim(goldenpony)knows alot more about using p.e. then me.
i would suggest asking him about the p.e. works.
cheers,
Bruce

Ahoy Wayne!

A bit of a difference, eh?

As far as a general guide to painting steps, every modeler has his own style, and the best thing for you to do is to take everything that you hear from different modelers, and try it for yourself...I've been at this hobby for a while now, and there are regular "evolutions" so to speak in the modeling world, so when I see a tip or technique that looks like a way to achieve a certain process at an easier way that I'm doing now, I definitely try it!............

I personally build as Bruce has stated above, which is to build the superstructures seperately from the main build, painting as you go...I find it much easier to detail the components in this manner...I can also add any photo-etch details much easier this way, as well...........except for deck railings.......I add these after the whole ship has been built.

Hull is always painted first for me, in a two part scheme, where necessary...and yes, the waterline mark is usually close to where the two hull halves meet....it's best to do a bit of research though, get some original plan measurements, and check the height before any final painting is done.

Upper deck is next, painted before it is glued into the hull structure, (in most occurrences), then the superstructures, masts, and other deck details...marking and decals next, any final weathering nuances if desired, and then any rigging is added lastly, for me....

The best information that I can give you is to know the subject that you're trying to represent in miniature, and study the assembly instructions (and hopefully they are good ones), and think about steps 3, 4, and 5, while your still beginning step 1, know what I mean?

By doing this, you're going to develop your own style/way of building, as far as "re-arranging" the instruction/construction manual steps, to accomplish your build in a (hopefully!) most enjoyable way...

And just a question, is this your first PE experience? If so, take your time and use as little glue necessary...it's really easy to gum up a set of railings with CA (or Gator-Glue ) if you're not extremely careful...........and I always give my PE a bath in vinegar to give the surface a bit of a light "acid etch" (makes paint adhesion a much more happier experience)...some guys prime before gluing, some don't...I've tried both ways with good results.............

Just be sure to keep us posted here as you build, Wayne...we'll do our best to walk you through any gray areas...