V-22 "Osprey" 'second time'
The V-22 just after I had finished her back in 1995. ! 22years ago. How ironic. hehehehe
Starting to 'show her age'. 🙁
The number 1 aircraft had cameras mounted all over the outside. Some obvious, but mostly concealed. The black thing on the side of the engine is one of these cameras.
As you can see. The yellowing of the white is most noticable now and it looked decidedly 'tired'.
The paint will be stripped away with Mr Muscle oven cleaner and I will start all over. This time, the joins will be better as my skills have improved a 1000% since I first built her.
As you can see. the decals no longer look as they should, and as it is impossible to get hold of the original model without all the missile warning lumps and bumps, I HAVE to trust my abilities to get it done.
My "Test shot" with Mr Muscle. Hoping that the paint, being really old, will respond to the stripper and let me get on with it.
Well, it took a few hours but the paint looks as if it will give up under the assault of the oven cleaner. Sometimes, it takes a couple of applications, but it's worth it.
Not the prettiest sight, but better than tossing it in the bin because the paint could not be removed. My biggest problem will be replacing the "Bell-Boeing" decal in that particular font, or at least, try and have it printed again on a decal sheet.
Thankfully, I glued the canopy in with PVA glue and once wet, it was easy to remove without any damage. The crew will get a new set of clothing and oxygen tubes.
I am sure there will be the decals available for the instrument pannel.
I LOVE Mr Muscel. hehehehehehe
Now I am stripping it down, I am amazed I got the result I did with the crude hand made decals I used, and the paint was so thick, as I did not have an air brush back then, and all hand painted.
All that is left to do now is give the whole lot a clean up with oderless turps and a polish with some Tamiya fine polishing compound and work out the reassembly process. 🙂
Comments
22 November 2017, 04:23
JensHello Kerry, Thanks for the post,👍 it gives me hope again to free my models from the patina, as a smoker, I should but once every week 😄 😄 😄
22 November 2017, 05:13
Kerry COXHi Jens. I have been rescuing my older models for a few years no. Mr Muscle is the answer to my prayers. 🙂
22 November 2017, 06:24
Martin HooperAlways good to see a rescue rather than a dumping I have used ordinary bleach as full bath Works well
22 November 2017, 09:08
Kerry COXMartin. I had no idea bleach would dissolve paint. And less toxic too I would say. 🙂 Thanks for the tip mate. 🙂
22 November 2017, 10:38
Spanjaardsecond life kit? interesting to see how it looks at the end, i am certainly in.
i want to know how the oven cleaner works. i used Dettol last time, and ... it stinks to hell!!! true paint is eventually gone but.....
22 November 2017, 13:53
Kerry COXHi Spanjaard. I looked all over the net for the 'original' model of the V-22 by Italeri, but none to be found. 🙁
22 November 2017, 17:35
Spanjaardnot even "evilbay"? i see multiple ones there....
https://ebay.com/sch/i.html?..op=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50
of course shipping may make them quite expensive but.....
22 November 2017, 21:11
Kerry COXSpanjaard. Thank you for looking around for me my friend. I had a look and there is one that is the same as mine, it being the version that had no missile/radar warning sensors attached to the chin and rear of the fuselage. The prototype was purely flight evaluation with no extras like the latest ones in the air today. But almost $100.00 is just too much. 🙁
22 November 2017, 21:43
Spanjaardfor a better price, it maybe worth it to get one, and save you the trouble of removing paint etc, but a hundred bucks.... yep, you can invest that in other models 🙂
22 November 2017, 22:35
Kerry COXThat is my thinking too. Invest in some good quality after market gear and decals.
23 November 2017, 07:23
Kerry COXI am working as best I can with what I have, and I just hope I can scrounge together the decals I need for escape widows and such. But that is half the fun. 🙂
23 November 2017, 09:07
Spanjaardexcellent clean up!, i thought sometimes on doing something like that in some of may old ones... but in some cases, there is so much paint that I am not sure if the detail was recessed or rised 😄 So i think i will work in reducing my stash of new kits first 🙂
well, there are some that will certainly be done, like my old Tamiya Virago 1/12... probably it will receive a "custom" look 🙂
23 November 2017, 18:23
Kerry COXSpanjaard. I hate to think of so many old models I have committed to the scrap heap, thinking I will get an other one later, only to find they are no longer in production or priced to the high heavens.🙁
My heart was lifted the day I read that there were ordinary things we use in our kitchens that could remove old paint, I immediately looked at what I had through new eyes. LOL 🙂
Aside from some gentle scraping of some bits, I am really pleased with the results and looking forward to my 22 to look even better than before. 👍
Cheers. 🙂
23 November 2017, 19:51
Spanjaardi have a bottle of oven cleaner for that purpose 😉 that i have not yet used yet (it is in the kitchen, but that means not taking space for a bottle of thinner or so 😄 ) but time will come for it. i have a few candidates! 😄
23 November 2017, 20:07
Kerry COXWhat ever you do. Don't use a 'paint stripper' as that will melt what ever you put it on.
24 November 2017, 00:42
Kerry COXDonald. In all honesty .....No. Not as yet, as I am mostly focused on getting the clean up out of the way and do any and all repairs first.
But with what is available now in the after market world, I should not have any problems. The original black stripes on the upper surface I had were cut from a sheet of decal paper I painted black, and a lot of it shattered on the edges until I surfaced it with liquid decal.
There was also a fair bit of 'letraset' rub down transfers used too. The American flag was a letraset rubdown.
Most and if not all 22 decals are for the grey config and of little use.
But as I say. There is something out there I am yet to find mate. 🙂
24 November 2017, 06:55
SpanjaardBlack lines could be done with some simple (although tedious) masking plus airbrushing
24 November 2017, 12:19
Kerry COXSpanjaard. there ae sheet of black stripes available now. thank God. ! hehehehe
24 November 2017, 19:06
Kerry COXAugie. It's just like buying the kit all over again, less the instructions, but a stack of fun. 🙂 👍
25 November 2017, 05:06
Kerry COXAll those years ago, the humbrol paints had terrible pigments in their paints, and the white soon became a discoloured yellow mess, and as it was such an unusual colour scheme that only one or two modellers have done, I just had to do a repaint. It is one of the few kits I actually like and kept.
27 November 2017, 20:09
Steve -Well Kerry, leave it to you to resurrect an old kit and doing a "sterling" -Oh that's British isn't it?- job. 😄 Have you considered making your own decals on an inkjet printer? It could be a way to get the more obscure or change the colour of some your want. 🤔 Regardless I'm looking on with interest.
27 November 2017, 21:03
Kerry COXThat decal production is an option I will certainly look at Steve. Especially reproducing the 'Bell-Boeing' style of font was one I had done on a lazer printer all those years ago and I will do again. Yes, a stirling bang up job I hope will happen. hahahaha 🙂
28 November 2017, 01:06
Album info
As it is impossible to get the original pressing of the V-22 without all the current missile and radar warning devices that are all over the current crop of models. I am sticking with the original produced by Italeri of the 1/48 V-22 Osprey I did in prototype configuration in 1995, it is only fitting that she is getting a face lift. The 'white' has become a pale yellow, and the decals were lifting, so, as I had some good recognition for my efforts with the original, I am going to dis-assemble as much as I can and do it all again, as with the availability of better update material, it will be a lot easier this time.