Short Sunderland III

Thomas Bischoff
memories from the past come back - I did this kit more than 30 years ago.
I like the camo, brushpainted?

Kelly Wellington
Yeah...I'm still working in hand. I have the rudimentary airbrush setup, but I've not even unboxed it.

It was not what I would call a top-rate kit.

Augie
Nicely done Kelly 🙂 I remember this kit of old, its like a 60's vintage kit so this is really good!

Kelly Wellington
Heh...I didn't know that. It shows as a tooling in 1959 in the kit database, with naught but reboxings since. That certainly explains a lot of the 'clunkiness' of the kit. Evidently, in this scale (1:72), it is Italeri which has the new tool (2014 on the Mk.III). Thanks, Augie!

Clifford Keesler
It still looks good.

Martien Lourens
Despite the age of this kit. You have made a nice model out of it. It looks good to me.

Kerry COX
I used to watch these aircraft back in the 60's, landing and taking off from Sydney Harbour when Ansett airlines used them to fly to Lord Howe Island off the East coast of Australia.
Youtube Video

Youtube Video

Kerry COX
I hope you get a kick out of these mate. 🙂 👍

Kelly Wellington
Niiiice. Thanks, Kerry. They certainly cater to my seaplane addiction. I wonder if we have film of the QCA Stranraer flying in to Victoria Harbour? The Sunderland got my build because of its history with the Coastal Command...from the beginning. I know that it also fulfilled a critical function in flying salt in to Berlin during the Airlift crisis, another of my fanboy interests. It is heartening to see that the Sunderland got to do some civil air functions...for its day, it must have been a behemoth in the skies. The pix with the Sydney skyline are great.

Thomas Bischoff
That's thrilling! Thanks Kerry for sharing! I remember having read years ago an article from someone having converted the Airfix Sunderland into a Sandringham.

Kelly Wellington
Thanks for the encouragement. mates. I'm almost at 40 completed kits. I have an airbrush system which I have yet to deploy. I've successfully mastered some minor problems which came with various kits, but I still feel like I'm operating at the novice level...that's from seeing the work you folks put out. I have not yet attempted a resin kit, although I own four of them (and I just obtained an AniGrand Boeing C-98 Clipper kit). I continue to be impressed by the level of detail my mates here at Scalemates produce at, even at my scale.

Thomas Bischoff
don't be too honest - your Sunderland is really nice and you did a very good paint job! If I may give you a tip: try your airbrush first on old "throw away" kits and if you feel sure to try it on the real thing use a new good quality kit because the paint layer is much thinner and would on old kits like the Sunderland not look good unless you invest a lot of time in preparing (smoothing) the surface.

Kerry COX
I am really pleased you enjoyed the Ansett vids guys, and I must tell you this.

The noise that bird made, taking off there on that harbour was magnified tremendously because of all the buildings that reflected the sound , and everyone within ear shot would stop and watch the spectacle.

OK, Kelly, the key to getting a nice even 'finish' is to have the 50/50 mix you put in your airbrush bowl, should be the consistency of milk, but like Thomas says, a 'throw away' lit is a great place to start building your confidence.

Cheers. 🙂 👍

Kelly Wellington
50-50, eh? Those are the kind of tips I'm looking for here. I suspect I'm going to be pressured in to doing a shipload more masking. From my current perspective, that is an active disincentive.

As for the 'throw away' kits...um...that's what the Coastal Command collection was supposed to be, training for the real deal...the Cargo Cult. Aside from several other 'collections' having intruded (straight-wing jets, ground pounders, marine patrol, SAAB, and Dassault) the Coastal Command collection expanded through liberal interpretation to 40+ kits. Basically, 'throw away' has taken over....I think this is a job for duplicates!

Kerry COX
Masking off has many techniques, and my favourite is Parrafilm "M".
I think I have an album dedicated to it here, but if not, I will add one and show you how it's done if you are not familiar with it. 🙂

Kelly Wellington
I have a roll of M, but have not yet mastered how to use it correctly. It has proven more complex than Tamiya tape for masking.

Kerry COX
I have found that with the Tamiya tape, you have to use too much pressure to cut the pattern on the part your masking, where as "M", for me , is ideal.

Kelly Wellington
I suspect I need to use a much newer xacto blade when cutting the M, as I have had bunching and tearing problems (just like the Tamiya). Also, I probably need to try the M with larger masking issues. I've been trying with tiny stuff like clear canopy panel frames (where I lost track of where the tiny bits to come out were, and, when attempting to extract the tiny bits, finding that they were still attached, at points, to the bits I wanted to stay. Plus, with clear parts and clear masking, things get tricky in terms of sad old myopic eyes.

Kerry COX
Kelly, I use medical quality scalpel blades, and at $50.00 a box of 200, I am constantly changing them, as I will never work with 'dull' blades, as they are the ones that do damage, not only to you, but everything else.
And Parrafilm in huge rolls last years and years, (mine is now in its 10th year)but Tamiya tape is far too expensive for what it is, so I did a lot of practice with the "M" as it was barely noticeable what I had used.
And I use jewellers magnifying glasses for all my fine work, and that saves getting headaches, (a good lamp does wonders there too), but that's just me and how my expenses have been reduced to zero for "peripherals" over the years.
I remember doing the ball turret from a 1/48 B-17G, and there are so many small windows on that unit, but impossible with masking tape.............of ANY kind or brand.