Super Marine Spitfire After Removing Masks

Alex K
Hiya! And welcome back to the hobby! You 'll see that there are many of us "returnees"... some rapidly progressing and some of us "forever novices" - but, I hope, everyone having fun. What prompted to comment was that... I hear you, I feel you: my 1st Spit, built in my teens, was (on purpose) in a single overall colour... My 2nd Spit, as a "returnee", was a camouflaged one... I had the same "fears" as you, and I think it turned out less successfully than yours... You are doing good - keep it up and have fun! 👍

Dan Athome Autor
Hello and thank you! Yeah, I sort of got the impression I wasn't going to be alone in the "coming back after a long absence" group. When I completed my last kit 42 some years ago, I never dreamed it would be that long. Coming back feels like waking up from a long sleep. But I have fun. Fun in remembering how I used to do some things, fun in learning some new things, and fun in doing something that's just for me, because I like it. Now, I just have to get better at making time to do this...

I ironically, I'm already thinking about what my next kit will be. I think I've settled on a P-51. I haven't decided if I'm going to try the Vallejo Metal Color or just dive in and do the Alclad thing. I have gotten over my fear of lacquers, but I'm less than thrilled about how "fragile" people describe that Alclad finishes as. I guess I'll figure it out as I go, I still have to finish this one first.

Spanjaard
welcome back to the hobby, yeah, many of stopped for a while (even more than once) Alclad can give good results, but some colours can be certainly fragile.... but even more important, make sure you use the right protective gear when airbrushing them, those certainly are not to be taken lightly in regards to safety 😉

Dan Athome Autor
@Spanjaard, my spray booth doesn't draw as well as the fume hoods I was used to when I was lab rat, but it draws well enough and yes, I wear an OSHA certified paint mask when I use it. There was no way I was going to be allowed to stink up the house with even acrylic paints (which are far from odorless and are most definitely not "non-toxic"), let alone endanger anyone's health (especially my own). So when I ordered the airbrush I just included the PPE right along with it. My idea to install a permanent vent was met with a veto, and I'm using the "window adapter", for now, I think I might start to find less resistance to a permanent vent once the bugs start to come out now that it's "spring".

On a different note, your F-4J project looks awesome!

Spanjaard
👍 and thanks 🙂