Well, here she was,

[The Rat]

Started coming together, not entirely happy with the hull shape (too deep of a 'V' but I'm not about to grind it down yet again), masked the white and sprayed the top with Model Master primer in a rattle can.

BIG mistake. The stuff has an orange peel texture and even after weeks of drying it still feels soft and rubbery. Trying to remove it has not been entirely successful, some stripped with rubbing alcohol but other areas refused to budge. So once the rain goes and it warms up a bit I'll have a go outside with some oven cleaner. Next week? But here's what it looked like before all that crap happened:




Here's a tip tank off the old Aurora RB-66 that I'm slowly turning into an exec jet. There are two of these, one will become the Electronic Surveillance Measures antennae on top of the Calais' vertical stabiliser, and the other will be reworked a little and be attached to the starboard wing as a searchlight:

[retro_seventies]

seaplanes      

chin up ratty - that white paint will come off and then everything will work out just fine!

she's a looker already...and only going to get better!

[The Rat]

seaplanes      

chin up ratty - that white paint will come off and then everything will work out just fine!

she's a looker already...and only going to get better!

The white paint is a bugger too, Model Master again, but after a zillion coats it seems to be getting viewable. It's that damned gray primer that's the problem. I'll not use it again on a model, better off saving it for touch ups around the garden fence or something.    

[nev]

I'm wondering if you applied the primer too thick in one coat...

Oh, and with all your aitbrushing probs, why not brush paint it?

Keep it up though Ratty, she looks great and when she's done you'll have a truly unique, JHM-esque seaplane!  B)  

[cthulhu77]

I have had problems with the MM rattlecans going bad after about a month...I think they outgas too much, so when you spray it on, it "blobs"...for a good sanding spray primer, pick up some Krylon light grey primer...but be sure to buy it from a large store that has high turnover, if you pick one up from a small store, you might get a dud...
 Oh, and it uses some weird propellant that smells like ether (no sniffing ideas, please!) so you have to have really good ventilation...other than that, it has become my favourite plastic primer.

                        greg

also, auto stores usually stock the spray primer at a better price...and the cans are usually fresh !

[The Rat]

I'm wondering if you applied the primer too thick in one coat...

Oh, and with all your aitbrushing probs, why not brush paint it?

Keep it up though Ratty, she looks great and when she's done you'll have a truly unique, JHM-esque seaplane!  B)

It was a rattle can of primer, but everything else is hand brushed. I put on a coat of Gunze over it, that too looked like crap, and that's when the fun really began.

Another problem is that in my haste a few weeks ago I pulled a major goof. I grabbed a wing and idly painted it with Model Master white. The top surface, not the bottom. GRRRRR! It doesn't come off easily, so after the stripping I have one wing that still shows surface detail and one on which it is totally obscured. I'd like to keep some but I don't want it to look lopsided.

Damn, I'm starting to JMN on this thing...

[Davey B]

Dave, that thing just looks so RIGHT...

t'other Dave    

[noxioux]

Not bad looking at all.  Seaplanes just rock.  It looks like you got the symmetry pretty good, and that's what I think would be the hardest thing to get right.

It's a super-bummer about the primer.  I've not used the MM stuff. I mostly use this sandable automotive primer, but I've had it eggshell on me once or twice.  Nothing I had to take oven cleaner to. . .

[The Rat]

Not bad looking at all.  Seaplanes just rock.  It looks like you got the symmetry pretty good, and that's what I think would be the hardest thing to get right.

Thanks John. If you got close up you would notice it's far from perfect, but I'm still new at carving.

The next project I have in mind also requires putting a hull on a plane, but I'm going to try some different things. It will still need some balsa, but for the most part "I have a cunning plan, my Lord!"    

[retro_seventies]

keep in trying ratty - she's closer than you think to looking fantastic!

[nev]

Oh, and always remember Ratty, "a fuzzy digicam shot hides many a modelling sin".  

I live by that motto    

[Patrick H]

She looked pretty neat there Rat. Don't worry to much, set it asside for a while, then take out the ovencleaner and start over again. I'm sure she will be a beauty when done.

Good luck

Patrick

[Captain Canada]

C'mon, Ratman....you can rebuild her ! You've come this far......it should be nice enough out this weekend for you top sop up a few pints and relax in the backyard again !

[Gary]

RatMan, You are a God! That looks so good it isn't funny. Stay the course my friend, and keep the project going. She's a beauty in the hands of an obvious master.

[The Rat]

Thanks for the wonderful compliments guys, I'm beginning to think that your kind thoughts are the only thing keeping this project going. (If I wind up in the loony bin you're all to blame )

I just tonight got the EMS antenna on top of the fin, stuck the searchlight on the starboard wing, and placed the MAD boom under the tail.

Okay, time to try a little more painting...

Another fiasco.    I gave up on the Gunze, too shiny, not smooth, and even though it matched the Humbrol number fairly accurately it just looked too dark for my liking. Scale effect I guess. Whipped out some Tamiya Neutral Gray from the bin. Started nice, spread well,... NUTS! it semed as if it dried too fast or something, as I was pulling the brush across it started clumping and developing a skin. Damn DAMN DAMN!!!

I think I might need to thin the paint. It's water based so I'll just try adding a few drops and stirring well.

But not tonight, we just cracked the top on a bottle of Scotch.   (Yes, we drink it by the mugfull!)