Ron Gray

Truly is a brilliant kit which you can either build very quickly or, as I have, spend far too much time fannying about with details that you never planned on doing, and it’s getting worse! Paint on lam film is, IMO, all about the surface prep and keying it ready for paint. I use a very fine (flour grade) sandpaper, not coarse enough to show scratches but rather a mat look (yes I know it’s still scratches). Then I use an acrylic primer and on this model I’ve used Halfords but also have tried out this one mainly because I needed some more and wanted it delivered, which went on just as well as Halfords. For the top coat I decided that rather than use my spray equipment (air brush, mini spray gun etc) I would use rattle cans and tried these out which was a first for me. I must say that I’ve been very impressed with the Mtn 94 and will be using it again and will also try it out on some foamies as it appears to be quite flexible.

Meanwhile, back in design land:

I had another job to to do today, oil the oak framed garden room, the wife had volunteered to do the gates. However having washed them down I decided to score more Brownie points and offered to do those as well ching, ching, those points have been banked but must remember they have a short life span!) So going back to yesterday, I was able to apply the topcoats off cammo to both the wings and fuse. Now my whole intent is to get the LA-7 looking tired and dirty and not like it's just come off the production line and boy have I found that hard to do, I don't want sharp lines between the different paint and I want some 'grinning through' to happen. So I played around with the rattle cans, spraying from different heights and angles and what with that and rubbing back I think I have got somewhere near where I want as a base for weathering. So here are some shots of where I am at the moment. The canopy has had some weathering details added (or rubbed off) Then whilst waiting for the paint to dry I tackled the gun troughs in the cowl. I cut out the holes using the Dremel with drum sander then attached 2 balsa blocks with Gorilla Glue. The blocks will be cut down later. Next I channeled out the balsa with the Dremel and lined them with litho plate worked into shape. Finally I used aluminium tape to form the panel. Back to the detailing now that they paint had dried, the pictures speak for themsleves And I just had to try out the cowl To be continued

The gun sight is next on the list, that will take a bit more time to design!

Another 3D print, the air intake duct mouths for the root LE. The dash. I printed off the panel, stuck it to the back of the 3D printed dash then copied Danny Fenton's idea of lazing the dials but I used white Gorilla Glue instead of epoxy, it dries quickly and is clear. I then touched it up with some silver paint and other colours for sliders and switches. In where it belongs And the intake ducts Oh yes and some topcoat

I think that you are right Bob. The photos that I’ve seen tend to be black and white ones of the grey / grey ones and as you say, the separation is quite blurry. The colour scheme I’m doing is based on some reports I’ve read about dark brown / light brown schemes mainly from squadrons in the South do I will use a soft mask / unmasked spray apart from where it meets the underside blue.

Just been playing around and designing a 3D printed dash, on the printer at the moment.