Model Fleet: Endless Flight Deck - The Excruciating Details: KIT 1

Endless Flight Deck - The Excruciating Details: KIT 1

Posted by Matty on February 16, 2008, 22:37:45, in reply to "UPDATE 2/15/08: The Endless Flight Deck (paint job)"
Message modified by board administrator February 17, 2008, 0:32:07

All these were attempts to do a decent "Dissolving Wash" type of paint job, with which I have had very satisfying previous results.

However, this deck presented two major challenges never taken on before. Firstly, its very light tone - originally to be Japanese "Hinoki" Cypress but still, when corrected to "Bei Matsu" (Ancient) Pine - far lighter than any I had ever before tried. Secondly, Hiryu required painting the entire midships 2/3 of the flight deck; a far larger area - so again, far more demanding application - than I had ever attempted before.

In the following, notes are condensed using my terminology - Base, Pigments and Wash - of this method; if you don't understand any or all of these, first follow the above link and read there until you figure you do.

ATTEMPT I: Hinoki Cypress on Original Kit Deck
BASE (sprayed; dried overnight):-Testors Flat White

Click on Image to EnlargePer my initial desire to depict the very light, Japanese Hinoki Cypress wood, I painted the above, white base, yet had already made a mistake - in addition to going for the wrong type of wood - by masking off the area to be painted. This technique, which involves a very fluid wash - pushed all around with brush strokes, to boot - will be degraded all along any tape edges; here the mixture will pool, to drop its pigments, creating unrealistic, dark- and/or light outlines. (Good thing it didn't work out! )

PIGMENTS (brushed [Sable]; dried less than 2 hours)-ModelMaster Light Earth (FS30140)
-ModelMaster SAC Bomber Green (FS34159)

Click on Image to EnlargeThis was just about right for the very light-toned planking desired.

WASH (Mix):17% Testors Gloss Yellow (1214)
17% ModelMaster Afrika Mustard (FS30266)
17% ModelMaster Light Earth (FS30140)
50% mineral spirits

Click on Image to EnlargeHowever this was not; although the streaking was OK - the greenish tones being exactly what I wanted - the wash should have been (like 5 times) more diluted. Instead, its bright yellow way overpowered the appearance. (Though its thickness kept it from pooling along the tape edges.)

ATTEMPT I.v: Re-dissolving After a Week
Forgetting virtually everything I had learned about this technique I decided, after a full week had gone by, to try and re-dissolve and re-wash (off) the heavy yellow paint job. Straight mineral spirits didn't lift anything - a clear hint - which I promptly ignored, to make up the following "super-dissolving" wash:
WASH (Mix):57% mineral spirits
25% Chameleon paint remover

Click on Image to EnlargeOnly problem is, this wash did not dissolve the paint - it destroyed it; paint remover cannot be used with any paint. Ever. (Note to Self: Try not to be so stupid...) Meantime, clearly mocking me the wrinkling, lifting paint took on exactly the color and highlights I had wanted!

However now a real catastrophe intervened:

Click on Image to EnlargeAround the #2 elevator, the flight deck and elevator itself (right) quietly and massively cracked - the latter even crumbling - while simply being tooth-brushed, under ordinary warm water and soap, to remove the paint remover. Space does not permit, but all evidence points to the earlier soaking in a warm bath of dissolving white- and canopy glues as the cause.

In any case, these came off line for repairs and a second kit was pressed into service for five more tries; just to get a result which was even passable. Still, I dared not destroy that last application - just in case. So, when ready the first deck was again returned to sevice for yet another try.

ATTEMPT VI: Haste Makes Waste
UNDER-BASE (sprayed; Dried 2.5 hours):
ModelMaster Camouflage Gray (FS36622)My Testors White used up, rather than waiting to replenish it I improvised this "under-base"; using the lightest gray at hand.

BASE (sprayed [pipette]; dried overnight; Mix):42% Testors Gloss Yellow (1214; or ModelMaster Bright Yellow [2917], which looks exactly the same)
7% ModelMaster Afrika Mustard (FS30266)
50% mineral spirits
PIGMENTS (brushed [Sable]; dried 30 minutes):-ModelMaster Afrika Mustard (FS30266)
-ModelMaster Dark Tan (FS30219)

Click on Image to EnlargeAgain, this was a good amount of pigment for a rather light, yellow deck.

WASH (Mix):(unrecorded)% ModelMaster Light Earth (FS30140)
(unrecorded)% mineral spiritsMy Light Earth likewise expended, I improvised by redissolving some from deposits dried on a mixing dish (ergo the unknown mixture percentages).

Click on Image to EnlargeThe recovered Light Earth wash, instead of coating everything, clumped into brown granules, while gumming, clumping and scumming the base and underbase - in places even causing them to separate completely!

The gummed patterns (right) were fascinating - perhaps useful to depict hull fouling (if the mess would ever dry, that is) - but a catastrophic failure here. The obvious suspect: lacquer thinner (and God Knows what other) residues in the dried Light Earth deposits; sufficient to contaminate the wash.

ATTEMPT VII: Seventh Time a Charm
UNDER-BASE (sprayed; Dried 2 hours):
Tamiya Pure (gloss) White (TS-26)
BASE (sprayed [pipette]; dried overnight; Mix):42% ModelMaster Bright Yellow (2917; same as Testors Gloss Yellow (1214))
7% ModelMaster Afrika Mustard (FS30266)
50% mineral spirits
PIGMENTS (brushed [Sable]; dried 30 minutes):-ModelMaster Afrika Mustard (FS30266)
-ModelMaster Dark Tan (FS30219)

Click on Image to EnlargeTake note; this time it worked (see below).

WASH (Mix):-30% (Mix equivalent of MM Light Earth);
*ModelMaster Dark Tan (FS30219)
* ModelMaster Bright Yellow (2917)
*ModelMaster Afrika Mustard
*Testors Flat Red (1250)
*Testors Flat Black (1249)
-70% mineral spiritsThis time I mixed my own exact match for Testors Light Earth.

Click on Image to EnlargeWhat can I say - I simply did it exactly the way I first knew how, for once without screwing anything up. (Oiy! )

Looks nice on the bluish gray hull, eh?

Cheers,

-Matty