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Thread: How to (step by step): 6 SPAD XIII by Reviresco in French 5 colours camo (longish!)

  1. #1

    Lightbulb How to (step by step): 6 SPAD XIII by Reviresco in French 5 colours camo (longish !)

    Hi there,

    I was asked by a friend to build 6 French SPAD XIII for him. Here's how I did it...

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    These are all the pieces I got out of the bags. As you can see, there are even some spares.

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    Most parts had a reasonable amount of flash, but there have been some exceptions.

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    These are the parts after flash has been removed. The Scottish Munro represents the total amount of flash. Just kidding, it's not a "mountain"! Actually, I've had far worse.

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    Assemble the two halves of the fuselage and glue the bottom wing.

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    Add the tail plane and the fin.

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    Off for priming.

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    Paint as many parts on the sprues as possible.

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    Add a coat (or two in this case) of the lightest camo colour. As the difference was very tiny I have chosen to use the same colour for the camo as for the underside of the planes.
    Historical accuracy is good, but this is 1/144...

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    Everything is ready to start the camo masking on the upper wings.

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    Masking is fun... but can be quite time consuming.

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    What I did was to make about 6 pairs (one positive and one negative) of templates.

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    These pairs enabled me to use one for the first colour and the second (negative) as a delimitation for the next colour.

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    (it's always a good idea to number your pairs...)

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    Here's the finished 4 coulour camo of the upper wings. I tried to emulate the shapes used on the real planes.
    The colours are the best match I could come up with without buying special ones just for it.

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    But the camo scheme has 5 colour, no? Well, just paint some almost black "kidneys" on the right side of the top wing (and stabilizers late on).

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    Make sure that the underside remains "clean" and retouch if necessary.

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    (Attention, fiddly bit: this is a bit difficult, especially if your finger look like big sausages like mine do!)
    The camo on the fuselage doesn't go through to the bottom. It stops at a certain level. Therefore, we need to place a mask on both sides, going from the underside of the bottom wing to the "tailplane buttress".

    For honesty sake, I have to admit that I stopped working of these planes for some weeks at this point.

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    This is what it should look like when masked.

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    For the camo of the fuselage and the lower wing, I had to use another making system. The previous system is just fine for "2D" objects, but is much more difficult to use for patterns that cross over from the wing to the fuselage and so on.
    The principle is that you work your way up from the lightest colour to the darkest and that you leave the making tape on, from layer to layer.

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    Layer by layer, you'll be able to add masks until the last colour will cover whatever had not yet been masked.

    For honesty sake, I have to admit that I stopped working of these planes for some weeks while I was in the middle of this step.

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    This is the only negative result that came from my long procrastination: the masking tape had been on for too long and one had lifted the paint when I removed it.

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    This mountain of masking tape is the result of the operation! Impressive, no?

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    Of course, some "cleaning up" is inevitable.
    (For connoisseurs: the dark green paint is a very old bottle from Ral Partha! 1983 I think...)

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    Some detailing.

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    The six planes need to be distinguishable on the battlefield. (Notice that I found out I hadn't got any yellow acrylic paint left: the Humbrol can must be at least as old as the Ral Partha above! It needed a good stirring, that's all.)

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    Some more masking for the tail flashes.
    (I've tried to do it with decals, but it never gets me the result I want, so...)

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    Paint the pilots.


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    And glue them in place.

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    The paint may have clogged-up some holes...

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    Place the struts and the lower wing. I use a die to make sure my struts are straight.

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    Glue the cabane struts to the upper wing. Everything is ready for the wing assembly.

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    There we are!


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    Now, the wheels: I'd like them to have the same colour as the nose job I made, so more masking it is!
    By the way, did you know that the rubber used in wheels didn't sport to black colour we are accustomed to until 1908? And that was only in the UK. In other countries, the use of black pigment came quite some time later. So, if you do off-white or even pink pneumatics, nobody can say that it's wrong!

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    The pins for the bases are put in in three stages.

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    Place the under carriage (I hate that...)

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    Place the decals.

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    Finished product


    Lessons learned
    :
    • Never again a batch of six. Too repetitive! Especially if you don't have any relation towards to planes you're building. Lack of motivation!
    • Historical accuracy is good and well, but this is 1/144 and the planes are made for gaming, not displaying...
    • Don't leave the making tape on for too long.


    Happy of the result, but much moire happy that it's finally finished!

    Last edited by petitbilbo; 06-01-2012 at 07:55.

  2. #2

    Default

    heeeeelp! all my picture have gone!



    EDIT: Apparently, the forum's software didn't agree with the fact that I took more than an hour to edit the post and deleted the uploaded pictures. Fixed now!

    All's well that ends well!
    Last edited by petitbilbo; 06-01-2012 at 07:48.

  3. #3

    Default

    Ouch, I am sorry to see that all that work has disappeared!! Are you sure you did not hallucinate the pain of the six plane production line? (Sorry I could not resist joking, hope it cheers you up..my heart goes out for you after posting all thse pictures!!!) Will look forward to seeing them. (Computers are a bit like wooden-framed, canvas-covered monoplanes when it comes down to their technology...you can fly with them,,,but they like to crash. Oh dear Its not poetry day today, so forget my attempt at wise words)...chin up Bilbo!!

  4. #4

    Default

    Hi Kev!

    6 planes is (to me!) a bore rather than a pain. I mean, I like doing that stuff, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it. It's the six fold repetition of each step that's tedious...


  5. #5

  6. #6

    Default

    Good Job René, trčs bon tutoriel

    Lucky.

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lucky View Post
    Good Job René, trčs bon tutoriel

    Lucky.
    Merci m'sieur! Et en plus, c'est ton premier message ici...

  8. #8

    Default

    Wow, thats a lot of work. But the end result turned out great! Well, done, old boy!

  9. #9

    Default

    Ah, thats better, I can see the pics.

    Nice work mate, they look fantastic. 6 at a time is almost 'Crazy-as-Clipper' territory :P

    Dave

  10. #10

    Default

    Great work! You have six times the patience the I do. I hope you celebrated properly at the officers mess. If not, I'll stand you a round! er-two, maybe three?

    James

  11. #11

    Default

    Good to see a "How to" that includes batch production of as ready made kit, and also tips on masking Bilbo.
    I also like your use of the die as an aid to obtaining a rightangle for the struts.
    Rob.

  12. #12

    Default

    Thanks a lot guys!

  13. #13

    Default

    I like the weird merry-go-round that the pilots are riding before hopping into those really excellent Spads!!

  14. #14

    Default

    Great work petitbilbo.

  15. #15

  16. #16

    Default

    Wow!! That's a really good job, tedious, but very good. Glad you posted your findings!! Makes me rethink how I'm going to do mine.

  17. #17

    Default

    Those little bits of masking tape, allowing duplication of an irregular camo pattern - genius!
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  18. #18

    Default

    Just saw this and have to say great job on showing the steps you took in building 6 of those SPAD's.

  19. #19

    Default

    I'm late to the party.

    Great job!

    Thanks for posting.

  20. #20

    Default

    Great work, Bilbo!

  21. #21

    Blucher
    Guest


    Default

    I know this thread is from several years ago but I'm going to find it useful when my Red Eagle order arrives so thanks very much for posting this, it's still relevant.

  22. #22

    Default

    Hi there!
    I was quite surprised to get a message from this thread...
    Thing is, I stopped playing (and building planes) for some time because I couldn't find any players in my vicinity.
    As much as I'd like to take my planes out for a spin and a shot or two, they remain hangar bound, weels on the ground.
    Three of the six Spads above are still with me, the owner never even bothered to take them home.

    Pitty...



    Petitbilbo

  23. #23

    Blucher
    Guest


    Default

    That's a shame. I'm currently building some Valom kits, they are quite fiddly but I think I'm adapting to them. The one I've completed and primed looks OK but I usually work with metal 28mm figures so thought I'd give the metal kits a go to see if I prefer them.

  24. #24

    Default

    Great to hear from you after over three years Bilbo.
    I am sorry that the Belgian wing is not very active.
    Still I hope you keep in touch from time to time as it is always good to hear from old flying chums.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  25. #25

    Default

    Really impressive work, well done Bilbo

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