Keith, your Z25 is a nice clean build. The water looks fantastic.

Ernest

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement with this build Guys here is another small update have been adding some rigging using some fine copper wire and fine thread thanks for the tip Simon





Ohh and my eyes must be getting bad because I have had to start using these magnifiers that my friends so called say make me look like Rick Moranis from Honey I shrunk the Kids

Hi guys, got started on the Avenger yesterday. Attached are two photos of the cockpit after basic assembly. Painting should be fun given the two tone nature of the pit.

Keith your Z25 continues to impress.

Ernest

Keith,
Looking great in its base. A very sleek looking destroyer.
And the rigging looks very effective.

Ernest,
Looking forward to your build on the Avenger. It is one of the few planes I have built - an RNZAF version.

Have a great Xmas all and I hope I can get the Achilles off the rocks and make some progress in the New Year.

cheers

Michael

Made some more progress on the build last night. The wings, tail planes and rudder are complete. And the fuselage sides are also finished. I plan to build the engine and turret today after work.

More mundane construction to post. The engine, and cowling are assembled, and the turret is partly finished waiting for painting.

Looking a very clean build there so far Ernest looking forward to more on your build

Keith

Thanks for the kind words Keith. I was off work today and spent several hours at the bench, getting a lot of things done with the build. Following are a few photos of the progress.

Ernest

Hi guys, I accomplished a lot on the build over the past couple of days, finishing all the general construction. The fit of the wings and tailplane were excellent and only a very small amount if filler was needed in a couple of places. I don't normally construct the undercarriage until near the end of a build, but in this case I modified the brake line with a small scratch build and had to put the landing gear in place to make sure I got the part built right. I sprayed the plane with Alclad II white primer and it went down very smoothly; and since the primary color of the aircraft I am representing is white I managed to kill two birds with one stone. The Dark Gull Grey is Tamiya's XF-54. Both colors went on very smoothly and I debated whether to gloss coat the bird, but decided to do so in the end. The gloss coat is Alclad's Aqua Gloss, the first time I have used it. It did a good job covering smoothly; I wanted a satin finish and managed to get one. Decals will go on next, followed by weathering.

Ernest

Keith,

Your display looks beautiful. Love how the water came out and the Zerstorer looks great in the waves!

Ernest,

Your Avenger is coming along nicely. Really like the work you've done in the cockpit.

Si, your Halifax is looking nice with it's paintjob so far. Look forward to seeing more of it.

Working for a university, I'll get from Christmas Eve to New Years day off - time to get some significant work done and post images. I feel so far behind and I was the one who wanted to start this campaign!

Great job Keith, rigging and sea are superb, very effective.

Hi Ernst coming on well, watching with interest.

Not much progress on the Halibag for a while, hope to get back to it after Christmas.

Si

Thanks for the kind comments guys. I have been getting to spend a lot of time at the bench; so I'm progressing much more rapidly on this build then normal. The following photos show the plane decaled and than with about 75% of the weathering complete. I am trying out a line of weathering medium from True Earth to replicate the splotchy fading that carrier aircraft often exhibited and for the pin wash that I'll get to today. I airbrushed the medium, which is a water based glaze onto the aircraft, laying down the fading first followed by general weathering. It turned out ok, but like all new techniques I need to practice to improve the process. Unfortunately, the weathering does not show up well in the photos; I will see if I can take some better shots when I have finished the builds.

Wow Ernest very impressive build and speed there looking real nice.

Keith

really well done Keith, nice details on your ship!

Ernest superfast work on your Avenger, i'm very interested at wheatering phase

So, it's time to start my Z-class destroyer....
Happy Christmas at all!

Thank you for the nice words Dario and Keith, this build has gone well. And this one is a wrap! I opted for a very light panel wash, as the first one I did with a darker color overpowered the white, so I redid it. Overall I am satisfied with the weathering, the True Earth finishing products worked well at representing the splotchy faded effect that I was after. The rest of the weathering was done with a combination of Tamiya weathering agents and AK Interactive finishing products. I wanted to achieve a well worn, but not ready for the scrape yard look and got close.

I don't normally build as fast as I did on this aircraft. I have had a lot of time off since 16 Dec, and this will continue until 28 Feb as I am on what is known in the U.S. Military as Terminal Leave prior to retiring on 01 Mar. I plan to get several build in during that time!

Ernest

Fantastic looking Avenger Ernest!

Since you've got time on your hands I look forward to seeing more great builds.

Cheers
Michael

Looks great there Ernest
Thank you for the kind words gent,s hope Santa was good to you all
I have done a little more work with the Base I gave it a Mahogany stain varnish and painted up the name plate using Mr Hobby matalic paints





Keith

The stain looks beautiful Keith and it combines well with the water.

Ernest

Really nice job Keith.

Bit more progress on the Halibag.

All the masking off, the turrets fitted and the small portholes cleared out and refilled with clear, still not dry at this time.



parts for the undercarriage all painted.



Main undercarriage fitted.



Si

Onward and upward, tail wheel also fitted and sat on her undercart for the first time



back upside down and fitting the bomb doors, one side done, they did need quite a bit of fettling to fit. Each door needs cutting in two, down the an engraved line two thirds of the way aft, but they still need the be filled back a bit to ft.



Both sides fitted with the mines test fitted still on their mould plugs.



I have used the kit bomb carriers, they are a bit small, but will be invisible under the mines, they did need a slot cutting in their mountings so they would fit on the bomb bay centre line.



and the mines in place.



more soon.

Si

Your Halifax is looking for nice thus far Simon.

Thanks Ernest,

bit more progress, Wingtip lights and transparent side blisters added to the nose, the white around the blister is Krystal clear, which should dry that way.



Undercart doors on as well.



Just props and exhausts and few odds and sods to go.

Si

Great work Simon, the paint job is very pleasing to the eye. It looks very smooth!

Ernest

Thanks Ernest,

good old Tamiya Rattle cans for the upper surfaces and citadel "Chaos Black" for the underside, again sprayed straight out of the can.

Si

Nearly there,

Props and exhausts on.



A few fragile bits fitted and just need a coat of paint and the job is done.



Then it is one with a ship, don't know which one yet, but will either be very early, or very late war.

Si