Official FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair 1600mm (63") Wingspan

[davegee]

jetfool davegee

Points well made, I had had the thought to shoot the matte first and after reading what you've both written, that appears to be a logical step.

I want/need to seal the whole airframe, so markings are less noticeable as stickers or decals.

I might have put the cart before the horse it would seem.

As stated, like all things, it is a process not a one shot task.

I am very thankful for all of y'all and truly appreciate the advise and welcome the criticism.

Best as always, LB

I appreciate your desire to seal in the decals so that they don't look like stickers. On several of my models in the past (non foam) I have always painted all my markings and nomenclature on with stencils, just as they did with the real ones. Especially if you have details behind them like rivets (flush or non-flush) panels, hinges, etc., this allows those things to show through, as they should. But with foamies, I just haven't found stencils in most cases that won't damage the foam or pull up paint that didn't have all that good of adhesion to the foam and really can make a frustrating mess. So, in most cases with these foamies, I put the markings on as "stickers." But painting all these things on as stencils is definitely the preferred approach, when it can be done, IMHO.

I'm wondering, even though I haven't done it this way before, if you put the matte clear down first before doing all the meticulous weathering with chalks and the like? I think if you spray over that left wing test pattern with the weathering, it will go back to looking a lot like the right wing that hasn't been weathered yet. That would pretty much put you at square one, but at least you'd have the markings looking more like they are painted on, versus stickers.

How did you do your F-4? Did you lay a clear coat down and then do the weathering?

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

jetfool davegee

Points well made, I had had the thought to shoot the matte first and after reading what you've both written, that appears to be a logical step.

I want/need to seal the whole airframe, so markings are less noticeable as stickers or decals.

I might have put the cart before the horse it would seem.

As stated, like all things, it is a process not a one shot task.

I am very thankful for all of y'all and truly appreciate the advise and welcome the criticism.

Best as always, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,
Weathering is looking great. My weathering looked terrible in the beginning but as I kept gently rubbing it in, the dust disappeared so I got the look I was after. Darker aeras blended into the lighter aeras and if too much I washed it off and started again. Once you have what you want let it set a few days. Seemed the weathering settled into the clear poly coat and now 2 yrs later it looks even better. I tried spraying clear over my weathering but it disappeared so I left the weathering alone. Yes, as you wipe it down it does lose some but I figured I can always touch it up. Haven't had to touch it up yet and it gets better and better with age.

Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Hey Y'all,

As per Rex and many others, I am back at trying my hand at weathering the Corsair.

I am using pastels, airbrush acrylics, pencils, and so on.

This picture doesn't quite catch the tone/hues, but is representative of the changes in intensity when comparing one wing half to the other,

I am trying for faded more so than dusty, but it looks more dusty than faded.

This is probably due to what I understand is called post-shading rather than painting a faded looking shade at the start.

I think the post-shading works well with modern jets, but maybe not so much with WW 2 era aircraft,

Again, I have not really grasped the concept of weathering, though I know it when I see it.

I can live with this look, but I am concerned how all this will look after I spray the Matte/Flat coat.

Any one have experience with what happens when you spray matte on pastels?

Best, LB

Looking good, Elbee! For one who has trod the runway where these planes operated out of on Peleliu, I can attest there was Plenty of coral dust that ground its way into the surfaces of the aircraft and everything else, and also a LOT of fading on the upper surfaces due to the intense heat and humidity there. I like the fading and weathering you have done on your top "left" wing so far.

Regarding your question spraying a matte finish over your weathering handiwork, I'd say be careful! I have run tests of spraying on a matte overspray on top of chalks I used for weathering, and it essentially obliterated all my work. It basically disappeared when the matte was sprayed over it. For my Corsair, I guess I look at it as a "living canvas" and add a touch or two when it needs it, in my opinion. I also find I learn other minor touches using the chalks that I wasn't previously aware of, but then found a period photo that justified a minor change. For instance, these R2800 engines that flew on the Corsair, P-47, and F6F Hellcat, put out some light grey streaks in several areas of the fuselage, starting just aft of the cowl flaps. I think those could be wiped down by the ground crew if they had the time and inclination to do so. I add them on my P-47s, and after awhile they fade or are wiped off through handling and then I reapply them.

My point to the above being, that you can try a matte spray but you might want to do some testing on a separate foam sample piece or on a less obvious place on your Corsair as a test, first. Just my two cents' worth. Maybe you'll find a matte spray that won't cover the chalks, and if you do, please let me know!

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all,

As per Rex and many others, I am back at trying my hand at weathering the Corsair.

I am using pastels, airbrush acrylics, pencils, and so on.

This picture doesn't quite catch the tone/hues, but is representative of the changes in intensity when comparing one wing half to the other,

I am trying for faded more so than dusty, but it looks more dusty than faded.

This is probably due to what I understand is called post-shading rather than painting a faded looking shade at the start.

I think the post-shading works well with modern jets, but maybe not so much with WW 2 era aircraft,

Again, I have not really grasped the concept of weathering, though I know it when I see it.

I can live with this look, but I am concerned how all this will look after I spray the Matte/Flat coat.

Any one have experience with what happens when you spray matte on pastels?

Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

Yes not to b corny,,, there r many good (clever) people , but only a certain few.. u would like to shake hands in respect. Of constant niceness and helpfullness... but hese still a clevorD?? With that 3 d printing stuff

[Hugh Wiedman]

The world needs more Elbees.

Me thinks that one Elbee is quite enough. We wouldn't want to cheapen the original and could you imagine having to keep up with more Elbee's? We can't even come close to this one. Any more and we'd have to retire in ignomanious defeat!

https://youtu.be/A7r-B3gsxcY?si=pFFrmWyv0wXEjHBS

Like Harcourts 500 wives.

[davegee]

Post deleted by author

[Aros]

The world needs more Elbees.

[Elbee]

https://www.printables.com/@Stevie_14806/models

Corsair Connoissuers,

I have posted a link to the G-Code files for my Brewster Bomb Rack and AN-M64 500lb bomb designs at Prusa Printables.

The G-Codes are listed for a Prusa Mk3/3S/3S+ but will work with many i3 style filament printers.

If you have an issue with the G-Codes not printing on a non-Prusa machine, let me know what machine you have and I will re-slice the STLs for something more generic.

I will post the link in the 3D printing forum here at the Squawk as well.

Enjoy and happy printing.

Best, LB

[davegee]

You bet, Rex! It was a good exercise in learning printing a bit better with each new project. I hope to do a test flight with the rack and bomb attached to the Corsair next week. Elbee indicated he might even eventually design a droppable bomb from the rack, which would be very cool if that ever comes about.

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Nice work Davegee You will need a couple of dozen and their carts to transport to your fleet to keep the enemies heads down during your attack. Rex

[davegee]

They also look about to xplode another fine example

Thanks, f4u ausie. As long as we keep the arming wires in, I think we'll be safe! ( LOL!)

Cheers

davegee

[f4u ausie]

They also look about to xplode another fine example

[davegee]

Corsair Crew,

So there you have it, the final design with paint.

What is it?
It is a replica 500lb AN M64 Bomb that weighs 28 grams.

Best, LB

Thanks to Elbee's help, he sent me the files so I could practice printing my own bombs for the Corsair. He also gave me the files for the Brewster bomb rack, which is printed and painted, but still awaiting special magnets to attach the bomb rack to the underneath fuselage of the Corsair. I hope to do a test flight on it next week which would be a good workout for Elbee's masterful design and printing.

I'll attach a couple pics of my bombs. I did add my traditional arming wires to the nose and tail fuzes that pulled free once the bombs were released, arming them to explode upon ground contact.

Excellent work, Elbee!!

Cheers

Davegee

[jetfool]

Elbee, You have done it again, Those look fantastic.. A project I look forward to adding to my Corsair

Best Regards, Rex

[f4u ausie]

Absolutely awsome lb looks ready to explode.. great work(again) does look like alota work set up trail n error

[Elbee]

Corsair Crew,

So there you have it, the final design with paint.

What is it?
It is a replica 500lb AN M64 Bomb that weighs 28 grams.

Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

Late to party again,,,,, there is that shot cowl flaps open,, flaps down,, canopy back,, all loaded up... signalman gives the thumbs up, hand forward, off into no mans land the wild blue yonder,, hope he comes back,, as way to many lost soles r still at normandy may they forever rip:pray:

[Elbee]

chabd, davegee, f4u ausie, et al,

Gentlemen,

I do thank all of you for all the kind words.

Respectfully, LB