**** DONE: GB-36 1/48 Bf110D - Axis Manufactured Aircraft of WWII

[Airframes]

Geo, with one, relatively light coat, as seen on the model, the finish is just short of full matt, with a slight sheen - ideal for Luftwaffe and RAF (day) schemes.
In theory, further coats should provide a near full matt, or total matt finish, as would be found, for example, on the early war RAF night bomber / night fighter black finish.
Karl told me that, when applied by brush, the finish has more sheen, but still acceptable. I did some tests with a brush, and can confirm Karl's findings, after a single coat. A second, brushed-on coat gave a more matt finish - and there didn't appear to be any brush marks either.

Conclusion - I like this varnish !!!

Going to have a break now until tomorrow, as my hands are aching after trying to hold and control the airbrush, which, with my hands, is a tad difficult at the best of times !

 

[Crimea_River]

A nice finish.

 

[Gnomey]

Great work so far Terry!

 

[mikewint]

Agreed, looking really nice. So Terry, what's your final take on this Vallejo Varnish? I've been using a 50 - 50 Future - acrylic flat clear which IMHO has worked well for me. I'm surprised that you used plain water to thin even this being acrylic.
I see that they offer a SATIN which would be semi-gloss methinks
And I see a Premium which is listed as a polyurethane just like Future. Roughly $2 USD more per bottle than the Matt

 

[turbo]

Nice Terry!

 

[Wayne Little]

looking good Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps.

Mike, so far, the Vallejo product has proved to be very good indeed, brushing and spraying without problems, and giving a smooth, matt finish.
I had been using a mix of Klear (Future) and Tamiya Flat base for many years, until the UK Future formula changed. I then reverted to the relatively new Humbrol gloss clear acrylic with FB, which works, but can be a bit of a pain to get the mix right to prevent 'frosting'.
I tried Xtracrylic gloss and matt, both of which left white or 'frosted' patches, whether thinned or not, and another acrylic the name of which escapes me, which did the same, as well as the Himbrol clear matt acrylic, the latter drying overall greyish-white
As the Vallejo products are readily available in the UK, unlike some of the other popular paints / varnishes, I thought I'd give it a try, and I'm glad I did.
Now that I know it works, I may try the larger pack of the polyurethane varnish, purely as it'll be more cost effective, but for now, I'm happy with the one used.
The instructions state to thin with water as required, and there was no problem with this - I just added water, from a pipette, until the solution was the right viscosity for spraying (running down the mixing glass like milk), and this ratio turned out to be approximately 30 - 40% water to varnish.
Clean up was also quick and easy, with no waxy deposits around the nozzle or needle.

 

[mikewint]

Terry, there are US distributors but mostly just the little 2oz (60ml) size $8 USD and the Premium polyurethane $10 USD that's expensive when the 32oz (960ml) of Future (I think that it is still the same stuff here but haven't bought any in 3 years) is/was about the same price. The bigger 200ml size only comes from the UK and it is $20 USD and the largest 500ml is $55 USD and it comes from Oz.
I might invest in the smaller size just to try it. Since you're diluting it almost 50-50 (though I'd use distilled water as our water here is VERY hard well over 180 ppm) I'll get almost 4oz of spray

 

[JKim]

Finish is looking good!

 

[Airframes]

The one I'm using is the 60ml (2 Fl.oz.) which is around £3.50 in the UK ($4.75), and there is a 500ml liquid matt varnish at around £9.50 ($12.90), and the polyurethane is about the same price.
I'm not sure if the liquid matt is the same as the one I'm using, but for the price of the 60ml bottle I have, once thinned, it's fairly economical, as the Tamiya Flat Base is around £1.60 fto £2.00 for just 1/3 oz (10ml), plus the Humbrol clear gloss at around £4.50 for 125 ml. Mixing the FB/clear gives maybe 6 applications at best, whereas the Vallejo should provide enough to spray about 20 models the size of the Bf110, with two coats. and probably 30+ 'fighter size' models in 1/48th scale.

EDIT: Thanks John.

 

[mikewint]

$4.75 USD is the same price but they want $3.50 to ship so that always ups the price. The 200ml from the UK is $20 USD with free shipping

 

[Airframes]

Mike, have you looked for it on e-bay ?
Don't know about the USA, but here in the UK there are a number of e-bay sellers who supply the whole range, and very often at lower prices than the usual modelling supplies outlets, with some offering free shipping too.

No pics yet, but I've got a little bit more done, with that silvering around the port side letter 'M' corrected and re-varnished, exhaust staining added using an eye brow pencil, smudged after 'drawing in' the characteristic curve of the staining, and the masking has been removed form the wing tip lamps, and from the cockpit, ready to fit the canopy sections.
The resin exhausts and resin wheels have also been removed from their casting blocks and cleaned-up, and the first stage of painting done on both. The logos on the props have also been toned-down, as they were rather too stark.
With a bit of luck, I should get the undercarriage and exhausts fitted some time tomorrow, followed by the gun sight (after modification) and the main canopy section - I'll post pics when there's more to show.

 

[parsifal]

Really nice work terry, and though I'm late as hell, its great to see you have access to a camera as well.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Michael, and yes, it's good to have some DSLRs again. I felt naked without them !
I now also have two little compact digital cameras for simple stuff, one bought very cheap as a used item, but nearly new, and the other, from a charity shop, for free, as it 'wasn't working'. It's a Nikon Coolpix, and only needed better batteries and a memory card, and works fully now !!

 

[parsifal]

excellent. Glad the stars aligned in your favour for that.....

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Michael.

Just a few pics to be going on with, with the masking removed and the 'silvering' around the 'M' on the port side corrected, and the exhaust staining.

PIC 1. Masks removed from the cockpit, exhaust slots and wing-tip nav lamps, and the 'silvering' eliminated from the letter 'M', this being done by careful re-touching and another coat of matt clear.
PIC 2. Only just visible against the RLM 70, the outer exhaust stains, curving over the cowling and across the wing. This was done with a ladies eye-brow pencil, drawing the curve and then smudging the line with a finger tip. Note also the aperture for the landing lamp - this was just a hole, so it was filled with 'Milliput' and moulded smooth. A lamp lens will be fabricated and fitted, and the landing lamp cover will be fitted after tinting yellow - explanation when it's done.
PICS 3 and 4. The inboard exhaust staining beneath the wings.
PICS 5 and 6. A couple of views of the cockpit, with a bit of re-touching required around the edges. Note the external engine instruments on the inner cowling (both sides).
PIC 7. The very nicely produced resin exhausts from 'Quickboost', being removed from the casting block and cleaned up, ready for painting.

I'm hoping to get the resin exhausts done and fitted later tonight, and also the resin wheels, and probably the main canopy sections. Pics later, all being well.......

 

[fubar57]

Looking good Terry. I really like the looks of the finish

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Geo. I'm very happy with the finish - the Vallejo varnish works wonderfully, and has restored my confidence - I was starting to get paranoid about the final clear coat, after my string of recent problems.

 

[Wurger]

 

[turbo]

That's looking great Terry!