Pellsons Perceivings

[Charlie_c67]

Today, while dry to the touch, the Soviet bunch is still reeking of solvent. A bit annoying, mainly as the stench is rather brutal, and brings the thought to industrial death à la Bhopal (only us old gits remember that) but also because I neither dare to sand some minor inaccuracies nor even less to add that second necessary layer for paint coverage, as I strongly suspect the current layer just hasn't harden

I was about to say:- come on, Bhopal's not that   long ago.  Then I looked it up and realised it happened nearly 42 years ago.   

 Why is it that  the same paint takes a couple of days to harden off on one model and weeks  on another.??  and why are some paints more noxious than others?

I had the same issue with my RAF Meteor F.8 and a can of Hammerite Silver (it was on offer!) Still tacky until I gave it a coating of spray gloss varnish which seemed to solve all the problems strangely.

[Rick Lowe]

I had the same issue with my RAF Meteor F.8 and a can of Hammerite Silver (it was on offer!) Still tacky until I gave it a coating of spray gloss varnish which seemed to solve all the problems strangely.

There was likely a reason it was on special... 

But is the silver paint actually dry, or is there just a hard coat of varnish floating on a puddle of silver?... 

[Pellson]

Moving on with the communist interceptor congress, all main paint is on, and I have even started some detailing. There's still quite a bit of fiddly painting to do, and on top of that all corrections stemming from over- or underpainting along demarcation lines etc. Annoying.
Also, there's a second coat awaiting the radomes of the Firebar, the Flagon and the Flogger. And again, that paint took ages to dry, but at least, it does harden completely in the end.
Interestingly, the fuselage PVO grey, of which the first coat  cured ever so slowly seems to cure faster in its second coat. I would have expected the opposite, but I'm not one to reject an unexpected win.

And maybe these should be given a thread of their own, as I really should prepare a backstory, shouldn't I?

[PR19_Kit]

And maybe these should be given a thread of their own, as I really should prepare a backstory, shouldn't I?

Yes.   

[Charlie_c67]

I had the same issue with my RAF Meteor F.8 and a can of Hammerite Silver (it was on offer!) Still tacky until I gave it a coating of spray gloss varnish which seemed to solve all the problems strangely.

There was likely a reason it was on special... 

But is the silver paint actually dry, or is there just a hard coat of varnish floating on a puddle of silver?... 

Well, 10 years after the event, I sincerely hope it's dried!

[Captain Canada]

The cottage looks great ! Glad you guys had a special day together....but I'm wondering where and what you ate !

The F-4 looks great like that ! I didn't notice the second roundel until mentioned. Funny how the mind works. I also don't think those two dudes would be standing that close to the intakes when she's at full power like that ? I'm assuming that would be dangerous ?

[Rick Lowe]

I also don't think those two dudes would be standing that close to the intakes when she's at full power like that ? I'm assuming that would be dangerous ?

See the footage of Airman Chum and the Hungry, Hungry Intruder in Vietnam...

[scooter]

I also don't think those two dudes would be standing that close to the intakes when she's at full power like that ? I'm assuming that would be dangerous ?

See the footage of Airman Chum and the Hungry, Hungry Intruder in Vietnam...

I think there was another Hungry, Hungry Intruder in Desert Storm.  But considering the any curved ductwork in a Phantom, IIRC, the words "flaming chunky salsa" come to mind

[Pellson]

They're getting there, the russkies. Slowly but surely, details and stuff are getting painted and the final physical adjustments sorted. Such as missile incline on the main, R-98 missile pylons on the Su-9. An annoying mistake, made years ago but only discovered once I started dry fitting missiles. 
Well - reasonably easily sorted.

And as I go along, the basic elements of a backstory are taking shape in my mind. They usually do once I start to see the final form and colours of the model in question, and this is no exception. I just need to sit down and get the outlines on paper. Or rather in the MS Wordfile.. 

Reading up on the subject(s) on some Russian sites, I'm actually learning some new stuff. Did you f.i know, that the Su-9 actually was the most numerous interceptor in the V-PVO from 1960 and well into the seventies? Also, it was the fastest aircraft in Soviet service until the MiG-25 came along. A bit like the contemporary F-104, some pilots despised it while others couldn't praise it enough. It seems the former had issues with some manoeuvre limitations on low altitude while the latter group loved the incredibly powerful and well balanced aircraft, claiming it was much nicer to fly than the MiG-19 or MiG-21. Also a very rugged design, as per Soviet traditions, it could, as its attack near sister, the Su-7, fly from rather dirty and muddy airstrips, as it's mighty Lyulka AL-7F engine was surprisingly unaffected by anything smaller than a medium sized station wagon down the intake.

When being phased out in the seventies, it was generally superseded by the MiG-23, not the Su-15 as you might think. And the reason wasn't really performance, but rather the dreadfully bad armament, four IR or SARH guided very short range and quite un-agile K-5 (AA-1 Alkali) missiles, performance not entirely unlike the early versions of the US AIM-4 Falcons.
Its immediate successor, the very similar indeed Su-11, tried to remedy that by replacing the small radar with a much larger Taifun radar, coupled to the big K-8 (AA-3 Anab) missiles, more commonly known from the Yak-28P Firebar and the Su-15 Flagon, but unfortunately, the heavier radar together with the aerodynamically worse nose to house that big radar, compromised both the good balance and the well designed aerodynamic properties of the original Fishpot, so only a fraction of the Su-9 were ever replaced with Su-11's. They built 108 Su-11's versus 1100 Su-9's!

This obviously begs the question - what if they had skipped the Su-11 and somewhat later instead had gone for a smaller but better radar set? Well, that's what I'm investigating, isn't it?

Anyway - it's been a good diversion from the Swedish series, so far. I'm not sure whether I'm ready to continue on that Lansen when these four Soviets are complete and decalled, but if not, I'll just continue with something else. At least, the general lust for modelling is strong, and that's really, really nice!

Right. Now I need to rediscover the proper brown-beige hue for the ubiquitous TP-26 IRST. I did paint one up for that Luftwaffe Flogger a couple of years ago, but I'll be damned if I can remember which tin I used..

[Rick Lowe]

I also don't think those two dudes would be standing that close to the intakes when she's at full power like that ? I'm assuming that would be dangerous ?

See the footage of Airman Chum and the Hungry, Hungry Intruder in Vietnam...

I think there was another Hungry, Hungry Intruder in Desert Storm.  But considering the any curved ductwork in a Phantom, IIRC, the words "flaming chunky salsa" come to mind

This one at least survived, only his helmet got shredded...

it's mighty Lyulka AL-7F engine was surprisingly unaffected by anything smaller than a medium sized station wagon down the intake.

    Nice turn of phrase. 

At least, the general lust for modelling is strong, and that's really, really nice!

Yes, indeed - long may it continue. 

[Pellson]

Still fiddling with small, mainly painting related finishing on the Soviets, I've also started into what's one of my least favourite parts of modelling - painting missiles. God, it's boring! And it's even worse when a missile is white. Why, oh why are all and every Russian air-to-air missile white? The western grey ones aren't more fun to paint per se, but at least, there is some kind of paint coverage in most greys that the white paint simply lacks. Hence, you have to add layer upon layer in an infinite line of boredom. Gah!

On the other hand, I think the backstory is coming together rather nicely. It might be a bit substantial, but then on the other hand, it is supposed to cover at least four, maybe five different interceptors, so I guess that's what you get.
Also, it's still good fun doing the background research. I learn new things continuously, and that's quite rewarding. The latest piece of information is that in the late 1960's, the old beam riding K-5/AA-1 Alkali missiles were developed to incorporate more conventionally IR or SARH guidance instead, and the resulting K-55 series wasn't that much inferior to the improved AIM-4 Falcon variants. Hence, from about 1969, the Su-9 interceptor was reasonably similar to the F-106A seen from a weapon system perspective. I will happily admit I thought it was significantly worse, but there's western bias for you.
Well - mine will have newer/ bigger missiles anyway, mainly because the big R-98/AA-3 Anabs look awfully cool. And there are worse reasons.. 

Not bad weather here today, though, so I might take a pause to venture outdoors for a bit, leaving the models to one side for a bit. They'll survive, and after all, modelling is a rather nice way to spend bad weather days, of which we undoubtedly will see many before summer. 

[NARSES2]

Also, it's still good fun doing the background research. I learn new things continuously, and that's quite rewarding.

And that's one of the positive spin offs from this hobby of ours 

[Pellson]

Anti-glare panels. As if painting white missiles to no end wasn't enough, I've come to realise I have to, free-hand, decorate at least three of my defenders of the not so free world with anti-glare panels.

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And not only on top, for the comfort of the more or less politically correct pilot, but also under the respective nose, in front of the IRST in order for that to work as per the instruction manual.



Bugger.. My straight-line-painting skills aren't what they should, and as there aren't any panel lines to use for support, this is an affair with many, many retakes..

On the flip side, this annoying paint-correct-correct-correct routine has made me fall somewhat out of love with Russia, and instead glancing lustily on the curvy Swedish beauty that's been sitting half-naked on the table right beside me. And no, it's not the girl you're thinking of, even if, admittedly, that girl also could fit that description at times, but rather the SAAB J32F Lansen interceptor I needed a pause from. In pure desperation, she got two more layers yesterday, leaving mainly the under-engine bare metal patch unpainted. Plus, obviously, antennae, etc etc. But still. She's back in production, we're a good step closer to completion and most important, it seems I've regained some mojo for her. And that was basically the entire purpose of diverting eastwards. Add to that the fact that I'm much further ahead with the Soviets that before and I think you could designate the entire exercise a resounding success! Or at least a good step towards one, as admittedly, nothing is truly finished yet. 

Well. Regardless of subject - to pop or not to pop another paint tin, that's the question, it seems..

[Rick Lowe]

I think you could designate the entire exercise a resounding success! Or at least a good step towards one,

Like the old story of:

"How do you eat an Elephant?"
"One bite at a time."

Forward steps are always good, even when they're small ones. 
 

[Pellson]

Progress!

A grey and damp day provided excuse enough to attack the decals. And there were some. Four Soviets and one Swede, and of course I took them in the opposite order, starting with the Lansen. But things do take time. First, I had to dig through the decal stash in order to find stencilling enough, but once done, most of them went on rather well. The exception is the numbers. They're special decals and they do need a layer of Microscale liquid decal film, but even with that, it is often a challenge. And this time, definitely so. Christ, the irritation!
But they got where they should, in the end, and the special J29Tunnan decals I got for all but nought a few months ago did diligently provide the F4 wing shield as I'd planned.

Next, the PVO interceptors. Well, let's put it like this. Whether you buy an Amodel with or without decals is irrelevant. They're all but unusable. Really annoying! Back to the decal stash, and with some luck, I just managed to scrape together decals enough.

It's fascinating how much difference the decals actually make. Suddenly, there's life in an entirely different way, and the model just starts to look right. And then the varnish just closes it off, once that gets on too. Amazing, in a way.

And the day was just long enough to get some of that matt varnish on the Lansen. The communists will get that treatment tomorrow, hopefully, and then, it's time to actually put together a project thread.

Loadout will follow in due course. For once, I'm better off than usual, having pre-painted a bit, as you know, so there's hope!