This is the well
known ProModeller kit of the SB2C, built straight out of the box, with ignition
wiring added to the engine and a length of Hardee's Hamburger Restaurant drink
straw used for the life raft tube in the rear cockpit. The build was relatively
easy and all paints used were Model Master. The fun began after decaling was
completed and a coat of DDV (Decal Dulling Varnish) was applied. After an hour's
wait I examined the results, and was surprised at how glossy the finish was. SO
another application of DDV was applied and another hour given for drying. Same
results; a high gloss finish. Thinking that maybe I had thinned the DDV too
much, I added more to the mix, cranked up the pressure on the air compressor and
gave the model a healthy coat. Waited an hour, but same results...high gloss
finish. I then poured out the thinned DDV mix and went straight to the unthinned
and sprayed what was left in the bottle. By this time it was late so I cleaned
up the air brush and the shop and went to bed.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The next morning, about
mid-morning I returned to the shop, removed the cover over the kit and
nearly dropped it out of astonishment. The model was coated in what
appeared to be a nice cover of frost....white with the under-lying paint
scheme barely visible. I touched a small area on the tail to see if the
frost was frost, and it wasn't but it was dry. The first thought was
"I'm gonna have to re-paint this thing". But then the proverbial
light bulb went on and I went to work weathering with an oil wash mix of
burnt umber and black. I let that dry for twenty-four hours then began dry
brushing the finish using the remnants of the paints used for the three
color scheme. The results are what you see here.
Jim
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