Not sure Gaz, I haven't had to look for a couple of years! I picked up 4 bottles when I heard that it was going to be a changed formulation. Like you, I have plenty to last me for years.



I picked up this tip from Matt Swann's online guide "The Complete Future" and have been doing it for a couple of years with no problems and it flows beautifully. I am going to experiment with a product that we have in our catalogue at work in the next few days as an alternative to the Tamiya thinner, but more on that later.

Cheers, D

Years ago when I took my first sniff of Tamiya Thinner I believed it was no more than Isocol. So I quit buying it.

But when I spray Future as a topcoat, I'm not always pleased with the result. So I'm interested in other options.

Gaz

Another little masking and spraying session and the horizontal stabilisers are done as well, curing tonight then on to decals.

I will be using the red surround stars and bars from the Aeromaster set and the rest of the markings from the decal sheet supplied with Lampies book. At some stage in the future I will do a proper conversion to a "C" and use the LM-Z decal set from the same Aeromaster pack to do the earlier livery of "My Comrade."


Cheers, D

A little progress report on build #3 for this diorama. Some more sub assemblies done on the fuel truck, and the wheels are painted and assembled.


Cheers, D

great work D! looking very 'neat'

Major assembly complete on the fuel truck, this really is a beautiful little kit. Highly recommend it to anybody looking to add some interest to the display shelf!



The tank and cabin are just sitting in place, not glued on yet.

Still need to do some touching up and detail painting and a few more extras to add before clear and decals.

Cheers, D

Wow D!

what a spanking great kit! No seam lines/flash or gate points visible anywhere!

Looking forward to see what you do with the paintwork!

Thanks Russ.

I found the first fit issue with this kit tonight, once the cabin is assembled as per the instruction sequence the doors are about 1mm too wide to fit the opening. This isn't a problem for me on the drivers side as I am planning to have the door sitting open, but on the passenger side I have had to do some careful scraping and sanding to get the door to fit without losing the hinge or handle details.



I have also found a few images of refuelling in progress as references, but I am still looking for a close image of the refilling cover open. Is it hinged or does it remove completely? Any help gratefully accepted.





In the third photo it seems to be hinged but in the fourth I can't see it clearly enough to confirm.

Cheers, D

Decalling has begun!


Cheers, D

Port side insignia and stencils all done.




Another refuelling image I found, I really wish this one was in colour!


Cheers, D

Damian,
Looking good! Do you get cautioned about getting model paint on the tablecloth?

Gaz

Thanks Gaz, appreciate the feedback.

Cautioned is probably a very mild way of putting it! It's not actually a tablecloth, just a non-slip surface protector, but word came down from on high that no foreign colour spots would be tolerated.

Cheers, D

'her indoors' is wise indeed, Damian. Those decals look good though

My Comrade looks good, Damian. Nice set of decals and nice application.

Cheers!
Gabriel

Damian- I hope this photo is of some help. The access to the main fuel tank seems to be Dzus type fastened in this image. ( If I am correct in thinking that this is indeed fuel fill access. BTW - beautiful job you are doing !
Cheers ! Richard

Thanks for the positive feedback guys, very much appreciated.

Richard, thanks for posting that image, to me it shows that the fuel filler cover is not hinged, but has a short cable to stop it from being dropped during refuelling. I will keep hunting through my reference material to see if I have a clearer image.

Starboard decals went on a few nights back, along with stencils, and the wing underside insignias are going on tonight.



Cheers, D

Damian - my apologies for cluttering up your blog - I don't know what I did or didn't do to lose the text in the above reply but anyway I can try to scan that image and repost it if you like - it may come out sharper as I only took a photo of it with my I pad. I can also pm you with the title of the book it came from if you wish. - Richard

Damian- I have found more images which I believe may clear things up. I now believe the the access shown in the previous image I posted is NOT the fuel fill but an inspection port. Although grainy ,the fuel door can be made out in the original image under magnification and it is just forward of the open inspection port and it is indeed hinged on its upper edge. See here-

And here-

Hope this helps - Cheers - Richard

Very nice work, Damian!

Itching me to start a P-47 after the Mustang

Cheers!

Venelin

Richard, thanks again for taking the time to post those images. The hinged cover looks to be what we are after. I have some technical manuals tucked away somewhere but I'm having trouble finding time to dig them out at the moment.

Venelin, thanks for looking in. Your P-51 dio turned out very nicely indeed, hopefully I can do as good a job on the ground work here. We have another 6 months to run on this Group Build, please feel free to join in if you have a P-47 in the stash and some 56th FG markings.

Minor update for me, wing underside insignias are on and settling after some minor surgery and several coats of Mr Mark Softer and Setter to lay them into the wing/flap trench. Photos soon. Next up will be a protective coat of future then some light weathering, and I will give the fuel truck a coat of future at the same time ready for decals.

Cheers, D

The Razorback and the fuel truck both got a couple of good coats of future last night and tonight. Ready now for weathering and fuel fill cover surgery on the Razorback and decals on the truck.





Cheers, D

Damian,
Looks like things are really starting to come together nicely. I like the seeing the whole diorama taking shape. Never thought I'd get an itch for a jeep or fuel truck!

Decals on the fuel truck, a day or so to cure properly then a final gloss coat before a flat coat and detail painting/wash.






Cheers, D

Nice looking fuel truck, D. I like it all shiny like that. #unitpride.

Gaz