Operation Thunderbolt - Build Log Part Five

Eyup all, another quick update in the ongoing Thunderbolt build log: I've not been able to do any step-by-step pics this time as it was reaaaally slowing me down.

As you can see, the metal and other details has been painted. No weathering yet as the decals needed to go on first. These are mostly the Graf & Grislawski JG52 decals and some Forgeworld Aquillas.

These have been set and flattened with Micro Set and Micro Sol and a coat of matt varnish to kill the carrier film shine. When there are a lot of decals to do it takes a while, take my advice and break it up into hour or so chunks as you will make mistakes around hour three or four. Decals are the easiest way to get crisp detail in painting. Not the quickest.

The client had had the nifty idea of magnetising the canopies in order to allow the cockpit detailing to be seen. This was an easy matter of another strip of flexi-steel on the back of the cockpit and a thin magnet glued inside the canopy. Works like a charm. This pilot's dedication to a beau back home (another one of the JG52 decals) can be seen on the canopy.

That's about it for today, weathering and bombs to go and the job is done.

EDIT: I noticed as I was writing this that the varnish had caught the light in an odd way in the photos. So went back to check it out. The bloody thing had clouded. I don't know if it was humidity or some MicroSol left even after an hour of drying but clouded it has. I'll have to fix it. Hopefully the old dodge of a layer of gloss varnish and then matting it down again will work. Fingers crossed. :(

TTFN