#26 1/72 ModelCollect B-2A Spirit

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:36 pm

Ok guys, apologies for being late to the party, but I am now in the position of getting started.
My entry is the 1/72 B-2A Spirit, from ModelCollect. Superb kit inside the box. The build will be OOB, and an Eduard cockpit mask will be used.

Untitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

image by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:38 pm

The finest parties always draw the finest people Sir.

And being late to said party makes you fashionable, trendy, in demand etc....

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:38 pm

Stokesy44 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:38 pm The finest parties always draw the finest people Sir.

And being late to said party makes you fashionable, trendy, in demand etc....

Me....fashionable and trendy?!

But thank you.

Timplastic · Post by **Timplastic** » Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:49 pm

Ow now thats going to look so good.

Got the kit my self and was very impressed with the detail. Mine had its wing tips damaged in transit due to the packaging, you have any issues ?

Fridgy · Post by **Fridgy** » Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:27 am

Looking forward to you working your magic on this one mate!

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:30 am

I agree with those above^^^^
Welcome to the sig and wish you luck in your build

Hope we have some fun along the way

Scott

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sun Jun 24, 2018 7:24 pm

I've got started with the cockpit, which was grey primed, and then painted with Light Ghost Grey. The seats I've left in the primer grey, with padding in black. I've added some belts, using some 0.75mm tape. I've also painted Light Ghost Grey on the instrument panels, as the panels grey is a different shade. I brushed this with Hataka Blue Line.

DSC_1040 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Post by **Tomcat64** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 11:36 am

Great looking kit and really looking forward to seeing you bring it together Ian

Nice start on the cockpit already too

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 9:32 am

Timplastic wrote: ↑Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:49 pm Ow now thats going to look so good.

Got the kit my self and was very impressed with the detail. Mine had its wing tips damaged in transit due to the packaging, you have any issues ?

I had a look, and mine seem ok.

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:24 pm

I've given the cockpit a light wash, rather a drybrush. Finished off the seats, and fitted them in place.
All the PE instrument panels glued in position, and the main panel fitted.

DSC_1053 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Les0012 · Post by **Les0012** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:41 pm

Cockpit is looking great, keen to see this progress

Les

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Jun 28, 2018 6:31 pm

Now progressing the with wheel bays, and bomb bay.
The main wheels bays are glued on 3 corners at the moment. This means I can open them slightly, to position the undercarriage legs later, after painting. The same principle will be used on the bomb bay, for inserting the rotary launchers.
You have the option, with the lower inspection doors for the engines, for open or closed. I've chosen to close them. The 2 halves have some plastic strip cemented across them, to help lining them up.

DSC_1064 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

image by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_1064 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Thu Jun 28, 2018 6:33 pm

Fantastic photography Ian...might have to try a white back ground in mine for better contrast

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Jun 28, 2018 8:45 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Thu Jun 28, 2018 6:33 pm Fantastic photography Ian...might have to try a white back ground in mine for better contrast

I find I use a white background all the time now. Just need plenty of over-exposure (+1.5-2 stops).

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 5:51 pm

So back from holiday, and back on the bench.
The bomb bay, wheel bays, inside of the wheel bay doors, undercarriage, wheels and rotary bomb launcher, have been sprayed with Hataka traffic white.
They were then gloss coated.
When that dry, they were all given a dark wash, and the excess cleaned off.
The wheel centres were masked, and the tyres painted tyre black.
Lastly, all these parts were given a coat of matt.

DSC_2711 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 9:03 pm

Roof of the bomb bay fitted in place.
Also put some weight in the nose. Instructions call for 50gm, but I’ve got 65gm squeezed in there.
I use lead flash strips from old window fittings, courtesy of my Son in Law, who’s a window fitter.
To keep the lead in place, I glued short cut lengths of sprue, to act as pegs.
The flightdeck was glued into the upper fuselage (ignoring the instructions here). The two fuselage halves were then glued together, and clamped and taped in place, until set.

DSC_2720 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:33 pm

You could be building a sic fi space ship from all those wild angles that thing has
I bet this thing just freaked people out when it first flew. Can you imagine the UFO reports

Super work as always mate

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:59 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 5:33 pm You could be building a sic fi space ship from all those wild angles that thing has
I bet this thing just freaked people out when it first flew. Can you imagine the UFO reports
Super work as always mate

Thanks Scott.
Actually got to see a real B-2, at RIAT recently. Complete surprise, as it wasn’t in the display schedule. It was Spirit of New York, which had flown a sortie to an excessive in the Baltic, and then did a fly by over RAF Fairford, on its way back to Wittman AFB.

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:00 pm

Wings have been assembled, and the control surfaces set slightly drooped, and the air brakes partially open.
Then they were fitted to the the main fuselage.
Once set, some filler will be run in the wing/fuselage joint.

DSC_2732 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Kevthemodeller · Post by **Kevthemodeller** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:46 am

Very nice

Les0012 · Post by **Les0012** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:02 am

Coming together like a master class

Les

TommyKillander · Post by **TommyKillander** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:51 pm

Wow!

That looks absolutely fantastic - great job!

Good luck with the rest!

I held this kit in my hands a while ago and it's a really great kit - but I didn't buy it because I have no idea where to put the finished model

Tommy

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:09 pm

TommyKillander wrote: ↑Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:51 pm Wow!

That looks absolutely fantastic - great job!
Good luck with the rest!

I held this kit in my hands a while ago and it's a really great kit - but I didn't buy it because I have no idea where to put the finished model

Tommy

Thanks Tommy. Sadly, though I'm not going to be finished before the deadline. I will continue to post in a work in progress thread.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:12 pm

One month to go...you can do it man, keep at it

viewtopic.php?f=660&t=25285
viewforum.php?f=662

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:09 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:12 pm One month to go...you can do it man, keep at it

viewtopic.php?f=660&t=25285
viewforum.php?f=662

When does the GB end, Scott? I thought it was the end of July.

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:11 pm

IanG wrote: ↑Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:09 pm
Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:12 pm One month to go...you can do it man, keep at it

viewtopic.php?f=660&t=25285
viewforum.php?f=662
When does the GB end, Scott? I thought it was the end of July.

Ignore that Scott, I realised there was blink, and saw the date. D'oh!!!!

Oh well....it will be done then!

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:20 pm

Masking done to the wheel bays, and bomb bay done, all ready for priming.
Ultimate black used, and once dried, and light rub with some fine micro-mesh cloths.
Then the airframe is give an initial couple of light coats of Hataka Orange Line Gunship Grey.
A mid grey was used to airbrush the areas, where the masks, from the New Ware masking set, will go.
Also painted the exhaust area.

DSC_2740 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DSC_2790 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

alextheblue · Post by **alextheblue** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:09 pm

Beautiful finish Ian!

Really building up a nice depth of colour and tone!

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:40 pm

alextheblue wrote: ↑Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:09 pm Beautiful finish Ian! Really building up a nice depth of colour and tone!

Thanks Alex.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:47 pm

See now I have you motivated ....muhaahahaha

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 7:10 am

Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Thu Aug 02, 2018 8:47 pm See now I have you motivated ....muhaahahaha

Indeed.

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 09, 2018 7:29 pm

Got the New Ware masks applied. Very easy to do, with the help of the guide sheets, and they all lined with where they were supposed to go. Well worth getting them.
Now to finish the painting. I’d decided not to do any pre-shading on this build, but do some post-shading instead. I used Orange Line Dark Grey, blended in the masked areas, the panel lines, and a mist coat over the rest of the airframe.
This was followed up by building up the panel colour, with the Gunship Grey. I’m pleased with result.

DSC_2795 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Thu Aug 09, 2018 7:57 pm

Awesome, love you paintwork

TommyKillander · Post by **TommyKillander** » Thu Aug 09, 2018 8:47 pm

Fantastic work !

That Gunship Grey looks very good, excellent paintjob too

Tommy

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:20 pm

With a very deep breath (held for a very long time! ), the masks were removed. Just a couple of little touch ups needed, but otherwise, very pleased with the way turned it’s out.
Now breathe.....

DSC_2809 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

digger303 · Post by **digger303** » Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:54 am

Masked and painted to perfection.....I can appreciate that !

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:23 am

digger303 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:54 am Masked and painted to perfection.....I can appreciate that !

Cheers, thank you.

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:58 pm

After applying some gloss, the decals have been applied. I tried out Hataka’s lacquer gloss for the first time. Dry pleased with it. Nice finish, and dries fully in minutes.
Oh, and those areas that were done with mask set....not one of those RAM is included in the kit as decals.

DSC_2812 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 4:05 pm

THAT"S AWESOME!!!

TommyKillander · Post by **TommyKillander** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:12 pm

Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 4:05 pm THAT"S AWESOME!!!

+1

Fantastic work, it looks really supercrisp

I really have to fight the urge to click that BUY NOW button whenever I see this kit online

Tommy

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:54 pm

TommyKillander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:12 pm
Twokidsnosleep wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 4:05 pm THAT"S AWESOME!!!

+1

Fantastic work, it looks really supercrisp

I really have to fight the urge to click that BUY NOW button whenever I see this kit online

Tommy

Don’t fight it! Give in to your urge!!

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:00 pm

With the decals fully dried, I’ve misted Gunship Grey over the whole airframe. This has toned done the decals, and the RAM panels. This was followed by adding black to the grey, and darkening the walkway areas.

DSC_2819 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Stokesy44 · Post by **Stokesy44** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:17 pm

Absolutely superb work.

I've just gone back through the thread and looked at the whole build again - first class in every respect

digger303 · Post by **digger303** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:12 am

Stokesy44 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:17 pm Absolutely superb work.

I've just gone back through the thread and looked at the whole build again - first class in every respect

I'd only repeat myself

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:21 am

Cheers fellas.

gaz45 · Post by **gaz45** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 6:53 am

Very very nice job there mate

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 6:50 pm

All finished.

Gallery photos are here:-

viewtopic.php?f=662&t=25479

Ian G-2824 by ian gaskell, on Flickr

DBMiller · Post by **DBMiller** » Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:23 pm

A thing of beauty!

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:58 pm

DBMiller wrote: ↑Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:23 pm A thing of beauty!

Thank you.