The SAAF Forum

So I've received the equipment, bought some hardware, got a nice 1/48th Vought F4U-1A Corsair, and will start the build this weekend. I've been reading up on building, decals applications, using microsol and microset, future, airbrushing techniques, resin conversions, masking, curing, putty, and one million different paint schemes for the same bloody a/c.

I've also not decided in which scheme the Corsair will be done, since I'm only about half way through the research material I got my hands on. But I need to start this build, since my son could already not contain his enthusiasm and almost wrecked this build even before it had started.

http://www.saairforce.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4957

I will purchase him his own model (probably a Mirage F IIICZ or a Mig 21) so that he can learn with me, and keep his hands to his own model.

the actual model in question:



Inside the box, some parts already glued together, some by my benefactor, others by my son:



The Decal sheet, which I will probably use, but am contemplating making use of an offer to have custom decals made down in Cape Town, through a contact I have in Potch:



The airbrush and equipment to be used:



And some more equipment:



Wish me luck on this one. Any tips, criticism, kop-klappe and so forth will be highly appreciated. This need not be perfect, but it needs to be better than this:

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Gil en spring!!!!!

You have a very good base to work from with that kit. Tamiya kits are really good in scale detail and in general of parts.
The rest of the tools will work just fine

You mentioned Micro set/sol. The only guy I know of where you can get it from in SA is an online supplier on Bid or buy "MDF Models"

You only really need imcro sol for the decals that do not want to conform to the model. Otherwize I use Tamiya "mark fit" as a setting solution.

Always apply decals over a very glossy surface to stop "silvering"

I used tamiya clear gloss acrylic for this with very good results.

Invest in a few good quality brushes for handpainting. from extremely fine to medium size. I find the softer the less brush marks. The extra fine ones work very well in your cockpit for fine detailing.

Check out this link to detail pix.
Go to the prop section and scroll down to the F=4 U corsairs
http://www.primeportal.net/the_airstrip.htm

I also have a nice trumpeter 1/32 F4-u waiting here in the stash.

Have fun


T

Thx Theuns. I've got primepotal on my favs menu and have already checked out all the walk around pics of the Corsair. I wasn't sure about the micro sol and set, but will purchase the tamiya sols as you recommended, thx.

Fun I will have for sure. now there just the small matter of a compressor. I mcgyvered a vehicle tyre pump compressor but the pressure rate is too low to sustain a consistent flow of air so off to adendorffs tomorrow to get some aerosol cans. The actual compressor is R750 waaaaay too much for now.

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Gil en spring!!!!!

I assume you mean it's rate of volume delivery is too low.
If you can have the pump, pumping up a tank? You could use a car wheel for example, the pump pumps it up and you draw air from the wheel. What I use to do when I was a lighty.

So you mean you screw the airbrush hose onto a car tyre? Could it work with a bicycle tyre as well?

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Gil en spring!!!!!

Sorry, I lost you.
It has been a long time since I did it this way, and I'm talking in terms of what I had. I take it you have the adapter that gets screwed onto the aerosol can? This adapter's fitting is too big for a car tyre valve, so you need a fitting to downsize it so that it can fit the car tyre valve.
Now, I tried looking at the picture with your airbrush kit. I think I see item for downsizing the adapter to fit a car tyre.
I would say a bicycle tyre is far too small it terms of volume, the bigger the wheel it terms of volume, the better.

Got to this link, down the page you will see, "Spare tyre valve adapter" in the blue section.
http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/abbadhose.aspx

The above part goes into the aerosol can adapper, the knob on top opens the tyre valve, see below.
http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/ ... BDG+50-200

I used the spare tyre compressor on my first airbrush. It actually worked very well. I payed R60 for the tyre adapter about 8 years ago. Bicycle tyre wont work... I've tried.

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http://www.aviationlink.co.za/
http://saafinscale.blogspot.com/

I found the airflow through the compressor kept changing, creating uneven bursts through the nozzle, but I suspect the impeller in the compressor might be faulty. I'll see if I can fix it since I believe 250 psi (what the comp should be able to generate) is more than enough. Once fixed I'll try the valve adaptor since its way cheaper than the real mccoy.

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Gil en spring!!!!!

My god, 250psi!!! Are you checking the burst pressure of your air brush??? Expensive experiment I would say.
You need 15 to 25 psi. If you are taking it directly off the compressor, you can expect fluctuations.
By drawing off a tyre, you have a constant pressure & flow rate. You can adjust this rate by turning the knob on the adapter, which depresses the tyre stem valve. I have an unwanted pressure regulator, but I'm on the other side of the planet.
I would strongly suggest you do not apply 250 PSI on your airbrush.
I don't think there is problem with your pump, it has a recipricating piston. It will pulse.

Ja, way too much pressure relesase. Luckily I haven't trierd it on the airtbrush yet! Think I'll get the aerosol cannisters for now. Only R100 so much cheaper until I saved up for the proper compressor.

I realised the impeller was designed to pulse when I opened it up this afternoon. I'm sure I'll get the airbrush going before the end of the weekend, some way or the other.

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Gil en spring!!!!!

I was under the impression you applied this pressure to the air brush.
I take it you have the fitting for the aerosol can, you have a compressor, why not use your spare wheel? Lot cheaper than buying an aerosol can. I went threw one can and switched to my dad's spare wheel fast (he was not amused) the can did not last long, especially when you are experimenting how the airbrush works.
Just trying to help, with my point of view.

Agreed on that one!

I have a compressor that was built from a fridge motor,works darn well and is silent!

I used to get a fright with the old pulse compressor when it suddenly started!

Geoff

Know what? I was thinking of getting a wheel for trying if with the brush and only when you now mentioned your dad's spare wheel did I realise that my car has one too . . . Duh! Alzheimers kicking in big time.

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Gil en spring!!!!!

Nee man, waar is jou brein dis dae?
No offence, I was wondering why, having a car wheel compressor, you would want to spend R100 on a aerosol can? On top of that, 8 cans will pay for a compressor.
I would keep my eye open for some sort of pressure vessel that is not wanted ( I have 2 expired aluminium nitrogen bottles from an airliner raft shoots, which I do not use any more), and work on that. Or a compressor mounted on a tank that is not wanted any more. I have a compressor mounted on a tank that was made for nail guns, our home structure in Canada is wood, it burns well.
Looking forward to your guild.