The only conclusion that I can really draw from this week is that metallic finishes on aircraft are some of the most demanding that I carry out and that despite my decades of doing them, I’m still learning, still finding faults and still trying to settle on solutions that make the process if not easy, then manageable.
14th February 2025
Good afternoon everyone and a happy Friday to you all.
I seem to have spent most of this week discussing the Anson and my travails with construction, prep and the looming issue of that silver finish. Yesterday, I managed to break the back of the paintwork, the overall doped silver finish being applied and then work started on the panelling that I wanted to add in order to break up the paintwork and make it shall we say, a little more interesting. If you would like to read more about that process and the paints that I used, please feel free to click the following link to yesterday’s update and this here website:
Today, it is with no little relief that I can now reveal that the paintwork for the Anson is now complete and that it is drying out, ready to be decalled on Monday.
Normally, I wouldn’t leave a finish to dry out for so long, but this one seems to be taking a flippin’ age to fully set. I appreciate that it hasn’t been that long since I applied the paintwork (bearing in mind, some was airbrushed, this morning!) but lacquers do tend to harden relatively quickly, which is certainly not the case with this model. I started to notice issues with the paint when masking removed small chips of it. I then managed to dig one of my nails into the upper wing before dropping first a scalpel onto the upper fuselage and then, as masking was being carried out, a pair of tweezers, the tips of which hit an almost identical spot to the scalpel. In all three instances the surface had to be sanded smooth and resprayed which as you can imagine, was not the most welcome of developments.
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Speaking of resprays, the nose of the Anson proved to be rather more problematic than I imagined it would be. You may recall from an earlier post that I’d spent plenty of time filling and sanding the joints between the windscreen and the upper nose. Drops of superglue were used to create a smooth finish, this being checked under a layer of Tamiya matt acrylic. All looked well, until I masked off the nose and sprayed it with AS12 Bare Metal Silver, a thin finish that worked miracles when it came to revealing how unsmooth (that being a technical modemaker’s term for ‘crap’) my work had been and how far the matt paint had been successful in camouflaging my less than impressive clean-up. Much gnashing of teeth, further attention with Infini sanding sponges and then resprays made the finish if not perfect, then borderline acceptable. Still less than thrilled with my work, I broke the nose up with some scribed lines and then rivets, an RB Toolz Rivet-R being used to add rows of tiny indentations that helped disguise any issues that I may have missed but by now, couldn’t be bothered to deal with.
As it stands, I’m really pleased with the way that the Anson looks and how the ideas from the dusty recesses of my mind, have become a reality. It won’t be the most colourful model in the world even with its markings in place, but it will be a pleasing representation of the type as seen in service, post-war. And, thanks to that glazing, all of the work inside the fuselage will be fully visible which is not something I can say all that often!
The only conclusion that I can really draw from this week is that metallic finishes on aircraft are some of the most demanding that I carry out and that despite my decades of doing them, I’m still learning, still finding faults and still trying to settle on solutions that make the process if not easy, then manageable. This one was certainly a challenge, made more so thanks to the glazing that I also discussed earlier this week. Again, you may recall that I decided to keep the side panels separate, thus allowing clean-up of any dried paint spray that may have trespassed into the confines of the cockpit and rear cabin. As I thought, despite my best efforts there were traces of dusty paint over parts of the inner windscreen that I simply removed with a cotton bud. Had those side panels been glued in place, I would not have been able to remove any contaminants, each being contained within the sealed cockpit for all eternity. And that my friends, is why you plan ahead!
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS PAGE!
With the week wrapped up, I thought I would finish off with a little housekeeping to keep you informed of future plans. But first, did you know that all of my published books are available as digital downloads that you can purchase for your phone, tablet and lap top?
Though I create books that sell as hardcopies to support my work on this page and elsewhere, one of the easiest ways to help me out (should you wish to do so!) is by downloading books from the Pocketmags website. A proportion of the value of these sales is paid directly to me, so that keeps me working, keeps me creating new material and in turn allows me to spend time updating this page now, on a daily basis.
If you would like to support me, please consider checking out the Pocketmags page. It is simply a matter of downloading their app onto your phone, tablet or laptop and then purchasing whichever books take your fancy. The following link will reveal all of the titles that I have uploaded to the site.
https://pocketmags.com/modellers-reference-library-magazine/issues
If you would like further information on the downloadable books, you can also click the following update that I published on this site. Other books have now been added to the list, but this gives you a fair idea of what is, or rather was, available. Thanks so much!
AND FINALLY!
You will now be aware that I have a new book coming out, this time focused on the A-4 Skyhawk. I’m currently drawing up a list of interested readers who are reserving copies from the planned print run. That run is selling out fast, so if you would like to be sure of a copy, please check out my update from last week where you will find plenty more information.
So that’s it for this week. A quick shower is now in order followed by a few pints with friends and maybe a little football watching later. Our weekend though is going to be taken up with the visit of friends who we’ve not seen for a while, they will be staying over, the ladies getting together for a chilled afternoon of coffee and chat and the boys, an afternoon watching Telford United, stuffed full of pie and chips. You see, if I’m not at the CBS watching Coventry with Liz, I’m always trying to find some other football to capture my imagination! I’m a very simple creature!
And here, for those that missed it (and don’t say that you are not interested!) is the goal that Cov scored in the 94th minute of their game in the week, a goal that I missed because we left two minutes earlier! Doh!
Have a great evening everyone and I will see you tomorrow.
TODAY’S MUSIC CHOICES…
It’s been a really varied day of music in the studio with some old favourites and some new suggestions being played whilst I happily worked away. Here’s today’s list:
ICEHOUSE: Measure For Measure
ICEHOUSE: Code Blue
Spandau Ballet: Through The Barricades
Talk Talk: The Party’s Over
Tears For Fears: Tipping Point
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: WHY HAVE I NEVER BUILT A LIGHTNING?
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: A TRIP TO BRISTOL…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: A RELAXING DAY…
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: HOW MANY MORE KITS DO I HAVE, HALF STARTED?!
- A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: 2025 ALL WRAPPED UP!
Wow! I built a dozen back around 1980. Entered them as a collection at the IPMS USA Nationals. Didn’t win…
Yes, stop procrastinating……build a Lightning🤣
Who knows, you might even consider publishing another bookazine on building the BAC Lightning as well?
I am glad that the man was talked down. It’s definitely hard to see without knowing the outcome, until later.…
sadly(?), I’ve at least 15 models at various stages of completion. 2 I started back in the 80s, iirc I…
SPENCER POLLARD'S KIT BOX 
Brilliant update as usual Spencer, the Anson looks superb…I,m really quite tempted with the Airfix kit as it’s an aircraft my dad trained in before going onto Wimpys and Lancs..have a great weekend
regards Howard
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