re: From the Model Desk of Spaceman Spiff: 1/48 Accurate Miniatures TBF Avenger

Thank you for posting!!! Love those old pics like that. People don’t realize just how big that plane was. What carrier is that?

I recently got a new phone and my notes didn’t transfer. I need to charge the old one to get to my notes. I don’t want to misremember. I want to say he was on the uss enzio on the way home from the pacific, but for most of the war he was in the Atlantic bombing U boats. They went to the pacific after Germany surrendered. I remember him telling me they wanted him to go way below deck on the way home and he told em to stick it and hid in a life raft. Dropped him off in San Diego and said good luck. He hitch hiked to San Fran to see his newborn niece and then hitch hiked back to Louisiana.

Thanks for sharing that! Those are stories that should always be kept, passed down, and never forgotten! Love those pics!

quote:

---

That was painted strictly freehand with my airbrush. I always paint light to darkest. Once the intermediate blue was down, I lowered the pressure a little (not much at all) and didn’t open the nozzle as much and kept the airbrush a little closer when doing the line. It was a bitch to do a straight line as you can see on mine. There was no masking with that. So I turned it upside down to prevent overspray. The tops were treated the same - lower pressure and little closer than normal.

---

I was impressed with the lines to start with. Hearing you did that freehand makes it even more impressive.

quote:

---

I just got a new airbrush with a smaller needle for tighter work and like exhaust/gun and ejector chute staining. And that crazy Luftwaffe camo you’re familiar with. Not sure if you are familiar with this bird (FW 190D-13 Yellow 10) but that camo is freaking crazy. I do have that kit in the stash.

---

That’s some serious camo. I’d have to make a mask to even try it. Right now I’m working on Tamia’s 1:48 scale BF109E from the time of the Battle of France in 1940…



Pretty easy from the looks of it.

Post to!


My son wants the Tiger up next so that’s on deck.

The one below. The tank is actually red 222 - the provided the correct decals. One of Wittman’s rides.

On the topic of freehand airplane camo, I look at that subject. WWII USN typically used soft edges. As did USAAF birds. Luftwaffe birds are a whole different breed - the tops of wings are typically hard edged requiring masking (then there are late war birds that had softer edges. Fuselage camo was always soft edged. There are so many variations it’s crazy. But I’ve started getting more Luftwaffe birds as I like those schemes.

So always research to see

I never have. You wouldn’t do the yellow overall first and then move darker? I have never used putty before - what do you get? I’m not much on German armor camo as I’m primarily a plane builder - those are hard edged schemes?

that does not pull up pieces, especially stuff like PE parts? This tank has a bit of that stuff..

I need to check it out.

ordered! The kit comes with a Wittman figure sitting up on the mantlet. I'm trying to source a 1/35 German photographer for a little scene.

Have you ever seen a Tiger?