My egg-plane modelling is a chance to test a few products that I've little or no practical experience with on a project that doesn't really matter. I mean, I'd like it to look good in the end but if anything goes wrong, the world won't end. More to the point, no editor is going to shout at me.
Anyway, it's decals (English: Transfers) time. For a tiny model, there are a heck of a lot of them. Generally, the quality is very good indeed. They handle well and sit nicely on the model. If I were picky I'd suggest that they are a bit on the thick side. Mind you, I still managed to break a couple through incompetent handling...
In an effort to get things sitting in the panel lines I tried some Humbrol DecalFix. Maybe the transfers were a bit thick but it didn't seem to make any difference. On the other hand, they were pretty good already with no obvious silvering around the edges so maybe I'm asking too much.
After this, I painted the exhaust ports with Mr Metal Color copper paint - applied by brush it's a fabulous colour. Very metal looking and with plenty of body. Possibly not quite right for the prototype but since we are going a bit manga, who cares?
Finally, with everything allowed to dry overnight, I sprayed the model with Humbrol Clear.
This is the famous paint companies version of the much-missed Johnsons Klear floor polish. Basically an acrylic gloss varnish but still available on the market instead of fetching eBay prices more appropriate to vintage champagne.
No thinning was required for spraying although I did have to fiddle with the air settings for a descent mist. After this, it went on well and dried quickly with the aid of a hair drier. Everything seems to be gloss, even the yellow bits of tail that were matt originally.
And in case anyone wonders, the screw sticking out of the cockpit is fixed through the hole that will eventually locate the pilot. It just provided me with a convenient handle.
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