Official Short Bomber Painting thread.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

My Short Bomber.

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Rob.

[Burt]

Short bomber by Shapeways, pilot and observer by Peter Pig and Decals by Doms Decals.

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=60313&d=1347786536

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=60311&d=1347786459

http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=60309&d=1347786378

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Made a nice job of that one Don.
Rob.

[Captain Chum]

Nice work mate!

[Baron Rolf]

They both look fantastic guys :thumbsup:

[Bluedevil]

Very nice models!:thumbsup:

[Prodromoi]

Way back in April I first thought about dipping my toes into the pond that is Shapeways and asked for some advice on the forum (http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?22089-Thinking-about-trying-Shapeways-advice-please). As a result I ordered a couple of planes as a trial that sat untouched for a while until I had the time, and I finally got them painted last month.

One of the planes I chose was the Short Bomber by kampfflieger (in WSF). There's just something utterly lovely and elegant about this monster; sure it's not the gun-toting leviathan of the HP or the Staaken, but what it lacks in stats it makes up for with looks.

My initial hesitance in starting my first Shapeways planes was being unsure of how to best prepare them, as well as sourcing crew figures. I sought the mythical Johnson's Klear polish in vain, so finally plumped for coating them with thinned PVA. Two coats of this and nothing seemed to be happening. The surfaces weren't benefitting from it so I paused and re-thought things. I finished with a couple of coats of thinned gloss varnish which did make a difference; more coats would have made for a smoother finish, but if I'd continued I was worried about losing definition on detail that I wanted. So after a couple I called it quits and got on with things.

I wasn't sure which crew figures I wanted to use, so I ended up buying one sprue of pilots (in FUD) from Shapeways, and Boney10+ and Flying Helmut were kind enough to donate some of different designs and manufacturers. Many thanks again chaps.

Photos of the Short Bomber that adequately show colour schemes are few and far between. Some seem to have been in CDL, some with a two-tone fuselage (probably PC10 sides with either CDL or maybe grey upper section), and with variations on how far back the metal section from the engine and pilot's position extended. Eventually I saw some pattern emerging and that's what I selected for this example - which I think (well, hope!) would have been typical of the examples flown by 7 Squadron RNAS (which eventually went on to become 207 Sqn RAF with different equipment).

I'd planned on fitting a bomber-sized gimbal from the 'Drome store to the fuselage but it turned out that the fuselage was way too narrow, so it's perched on an escort-sized gimbal. Unfortunately the Short Bomber flight stand hasn't lined up the plane position with the centre of gravity, so the model is nose heavy and has a tendency to adopt an alarming dive if knocked! I may well rework the base when I get time and suggest it be updated.

The pilot is a Reviresco pilot sitting atop a ball of modelling putty, and the observer is a slightly modified Shapeways Lewis/Scarff ring gunner. While I have seen a Scarff ring on one photo of the Short, all other examples showed a more basic pintle mount, so I presume the Scarff-equipped example was a trial or field modification. Trimming - very carefully - the support bar of the Scarff away left a suitable looking Lewis gunner for the rear position.

Decals were a combination of mehusla from eBay (to get the large diameter cockades for the upper wings), and ones I printed myself.

The granularity of the WSF finish does still bother me a bit. From a distance it's fine, but up close it definitely looks a bit rough. However, I'm pleased with the result overall - although I'd like the tail stripes to have been a little neater. (I find myself thinking this on pretty much every repaint I've done so far!)

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On the flight stand. Ideally, the plane should be moved back about 1/4" to balance it better.

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With its custom cards. Arguably it doesn't need a management card at all, since it is in all aspects just a very big single-engine two-seater. However, there's no official steer from Ares since all the bombers so far have been multi-engine and with three crew or more. So I've done the card should it be needed, but I'll probably fly it with two-seater rules until finding out any different!

[Nightbomber]

Perfect models, Alex! :salute:

[Flying Helmut]

You've made a grand job of that one, Alex.:clap:

[Jager]

Excellent job there. Alex. Both plane and cards.
Karl

[zenlizard]

Nice job on both of them.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

An excellent job there Alex.
i really must reseat my Short on a gimbal mount.
Rob.

[fast.git]

Great work, Alex!

[Stumptonian]

Excellent job there. Alex. Both plane and cards.
Karl
+1
:thumbsup:

... or should that be +2
:D

[Prodromoi]

An excellent job there Alex.
i really must reseat my Short on a gimbal mount.
Rob.

Thank you. If and when you do reseat it, check the centre of balance. Definitely needs to be a little bit forward of the position of mine; I'd guess 1/8" to 1/4".

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

All three of you have done a great job on those Shorts. Oh, well Christmas is coming so I know what to ask the kids to get me.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thank you. If and when you do reseat it, check the centre of balance. Definitely needs to be a little bit forward of the position of mine; I'd guess 1/8" to 1/4".

Cheers Alex.
I will do that.
Rob.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

All three of you have done a great job on those Shorts. Oh, well Christmas is coming so I know what to ask the kids to get me.

A pair of Shorts?
Rob.

[Prodromoi]

For those who've been asking, I've just uploaded my custom plane cards (including the Short) here:

Entente planes (http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/album.php?albumid=3528) and Central Powers planes (http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/album.php?albumid=3529)

[Flying Officer Kyte]

May I now ask where you obtained those very smart white letters for your 5a?
Rob.

[Prodromoi]

May I now ask where you obtained those very smart white letters for your 5a?
Rob.
They (and the equally smart black ones underneath the wings!) are some of mehusla's on eBay (click here (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121155823696) and select the third item, YK-43/2).

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Alex just what I was looking for. Now I have all the decals for my 4 SE5's. Cheers for the link.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks Alex.
I have dealt with him before on other projects. Just never spotted those.
I will slip an order in.
Rob.

[Flying Helmut]

Those are the decals I used for my 27 Squadron DH4s

I have another set, ready for their intended 29 Squadron SE5as

[Baz]

A recent addition getting ready for the new OTT campaign. These had a limited life as a reconnaissance/bomber for the period late 1916 to April 1917, so ideal cannon fodder for the Eagles.
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[malachi]

A beauty! Looking forward to seeing it in flames :p

[milcoll73]

nice work! and ive got to go there; that wingspans awfully long for a bomber called "short" :p

[Hu Rhu]

Nice addition to the OTT campaign. Can't wait to see it in action.

[malachi]

Short bomber N9834 Phoenix-built, unknown crew
profile: p36 Shorts Aircraft of WWI vol 3, Colin Owers, Aeronaut Books, 2022
RAF shapeways
decals: wing - Mark I Ltd 1/72, fuselage - miscmini, plane # and logo - homemade
custom Litko 68x88 base (front firing arc ignored)

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underside: Vallejo model color Dark Sand
PC10: 50/50 mix Scale75 scalecolor Gobi Brown and AK Interactive PC10 Early
spars: 50/50 mix Vallejo mc Dark Sea Grey and Secret Weapon Miniatures Engine Metal
cockpit coaming: Vallejo mc Red Leather
Engine: Vallejo model air Gunmetal, Vallejo Xpress Color Copper Brown, Citadel contrast Black Templar
crew: Vallejo mc English Uniform, German Camo Black Brown
prop: Vallejo Yellow Ochre overpainted with Vallejo mc Wood Grain
tail: Vallejo mc Red, White, medium Blue

[Guntruck]

Nice! :thumbsup:

[Flingueur-Phil]

very nice representation, without the base, we could imagine your bomber leaving for a long mission in the Ardennes

[Flying Helmut]

lovely job! :clap:

[Hu Rhu]

Wonderful painting and great photos show that plane off to a T. :clap::clap:

[camel crew]

great looking plane and pictures Chris REP sent

[Baron Rolf]

Short bomber N9834 Phoenix-built, unknown crew
profile: p36 Shorts Aircraft of WWI vol 3, Colin Owers, Aeronaut Books, 2022
RAF shapeways
decals: wing - Mark I Ltd 1/72, fuselage - miscmini, plane # and logo - homemade
custom Litko 68x88 base (front firing arc ignored)...

Chris you have done a very good job on that aeroplane mate :sAprvd:

[malachi]

Thanks very much, all :)

[Baz]

Great model ,looks familiar!

[CrashCraig]

Interesting plane & cool pics. It will be great to see it in action. :sAprvd:

[milcoll73]

nice looking bomber chris!

[Walarik]

Here is my naval version equipped with torpedo:

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Material used:
- Shapeways models
- Primer color Humbrol Enamel No1
- Wings, fuselage Humbrol No 74
- Engine cover Humbrol No 56
- Guns Humbrol No 53
- Tail tricolore Humbrol No 25, No 153, No 35
- Propeller Humbrol No 110
- Decals Mark1, Miscmini
- Varnish Spray Humbrol No 35

[abovetheclouds]

Very nice looking plane Georg. The torpedo is a nice touch.

[CrashCraig]

Sharp looking bomber Georg. The observer/gunner looks like he means business!:clap::thumbsup:

[Larry R.]

Really good looking a/c, Georg. Will we be seeing it in action?

[malachi]

Really nice, Georg!
REP

[Hu Rhu]

Very nice indeed. Adding the torpedo is a nice touch.

[zenlizard]

Good job on this one, Georg.

[flash]

Nice job, Georg, can you please update the post with the painting and decal details as per Showroom instructions :D