Built up the superstructure on the top as far as I could. This needs to stay open for the support on assembly of the top to the bottom but I want to paint in sections rather than a full assembly.
More cutting, this time for the garbage chute. What I didn't notice was the hole I marked up was pretty close to the instructions but the printed chute didn't fit. Word to the wise - stop at that point and don't keep filing like I did as I ended up making the sides so thin they broke apart and the chute still didn't fit very well so it must have been printed oversize (by me so I'm to blame). I should have stopped and re-printed the chute. Hindsight is a wonderful thing 😄
Squeezed everything together but there's definitely some fit issues and gaps - a bit of a mess. Thankfully it's "around the back" so I'm going to see what it's like after paint.
Engine section primed and then painted with Vallejo Air Insignia White (71.279). Engine bells painted Pale Burnt Metal (Vallejo Metal Color 77.704). All sealed in with Tamiya Gloss TS-13
White parts get a light grey wash (Vallejo 76.515) and the engine bells get a wash with Tamiya Smoke (X-19). Think I'll leave the bells glossy but matt coat the rest then glue it all together.
The start of masking. Plan is to keep parallel with the panel lines but create some random interest left in grey after the top coat. Likely to need a mist coat to blend but this stage is going to take a while! It's a big old kit 😄
Mist coat applied. The photo doesn't really show the contrast properly, it's better in 'real life'. Gave the effect I was after so happy with that. On to the big bits!
In a bit more detail. It took around three to four hours to put the masking on but less than an hour to remove it. I'm glad I took pictures as I would never have found them all 😄
While the top and bottom were drying, the bridge had a gloss coat some very small additions of light grey wash, more on the bridge and the sides of the superstructure to give it a bit of depth then finally matt coated. That's the bridge done.
Top and bottom get a gloss coat a very selective light grey wash, just the greebly bits concentrated on those and the sidewalls. All matt coated so ready for assembly.
First the engines are glued onto the bottom. I used tape to pull everything together while the glue dried as the bottom wanted to spread more than the angle of the engine section. It all needed to be clamped to keep it in line.