This is typical
Academy kit with great and nicely engraved details. Unfortunately there were
some errors which I didn't fix. These errors include horizontal stabilizers with
the wrong shape - they look like they are transferred from some Fw-190!? :(
Wheel
covers are positioned too low, so they are almost touching the ground (they
should end at the center of wheel!). There were few panel lines I had to rescribe
as they didn't exist or were positioned in wrong place. I added a few details
on the cockpit walls to improve its realistic look. As regards to photo etched parts,
I added only seatbelts (Extratech EX72030 set - seatbelts with buckles WW2
Luftwaffe) and this really improved the look of the cockpit! I painted the
instrument panel carefully with a brush and applied a drop of Microscale Kristal Klear on each
instrument to simulate instrument glass!
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I used Lifecolor acrylic
paints for this model - upper surfaces are painted in RLM 74 and RLM 75,
and lower surfaces in RLM 76. Mottling was done in a RLM 74/75 pattern.
This
model represents a Luftwaffe Gustav captured by Yugoslav partisans during
WW2, so all Luftwaffe markings were overpainted - on my model I emulated
this detail by masking German crosses on wings and fuselage with Tamiya
masking tape. After I finished camouflage painting and taking off
the masks, I
repainted the crosses with a brush in RLM 74 (upper wing and fuselage
crosses) and in RLM 75 (lower wing crosses). I used Lift Here decals
(U-72LH set) for marking of this specific airplane. Decals are quite nice
for applying, and I needed just a bit of Microscale Set and Sol decal
solutions to make decals comply to the panel lines perfectly :) Exhausts are
painted with Model Master Metalizers (Exhaust and Burnt metal) and
"washed" with a mixture of white spirit, red and brown pastels, in
order to simulate a rusty finish. Exhaust smoke stains are done
with
black pastel. On the left wing (below the cockpit) I added colour chipping - I
did this effect with a silver pen. Antenna wires are made of some material
that is very similar to hair but a bit stronger - those are glued with
super glue and painted in RLM 66.
I really enjoyed
this build and actually this was the first time I tried to do the mottling, and
also the first time I took care of antenna wires... so having all that on the table,
I am satisfied with final result ;)
Srdjan
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