Ansaldo A.1 Balilla Polish (1/32, Aviattic)

[Manni]

Great! Prezemo I knew it before, but again, you are an artist.
Chapeau,
Manni

[aliluke]

Hi Prezmo
Wow you are really moving ahead with this but for no loss of extremely good outcomes. It looks brilliant and hopefully your build log is all still here when I get going on mine. Can you tell us about the shadow of the "5" and half marking shadow on the wing in your May 27 post? I haven't investigated my kit contents too much but you make things look see-through - how do you do that? Thanks.

Looking forward to more!

Cheers
Alistair

[PrzemoL]

Thanks!

Alistair, I have done the translucent effects in the following steps:
1) draw the wing spars and ribs with black permanent pen (Faber Castell) - as mentioned earlier, unlike others reporting problems, I have never had issues with pen ink bleeding under acrylic paints
2) airbrush the clear doped linen colour (Pactra acrylic A123)
3) mask and airbrush the checkboard shadow using a "clear" mix of Vallejo Beige Brown and clear gloss lacquer (around 1:10 proportion)
4) mask and airbrush the shadow of "5" using a "clear" mix of black and clear gloss (around 1:10 proportion, too)
Masks were prepared based on the decal dimensions - drawn on a paper and cut from pieces of Tamiya tape.
The tips of the wings, where original Italian green and red was painted and then scraped or overpainted in Polish service were not translucent.

[andonio64]

Przemol, admiring your work it's a pleasure as always.
Thanks for sharing the way to get "translucent effects"...

Great work on a great kit

Antonio

[aliluke]

Thanks very much Przemo for that guide will look into the method when I get into this kit.

Cheers
Alistair

[PrzemoL]

The linen decals were painstakingly designed to be laid over just such (if not more subtle as they are very "see through") preparation and achieves the perfect result with a little effort. The results achieved by others are plain to see on the gallery page of the Aviattic website.
Regards
Richard

Thanks very much Przemo for that guide will look into the method when I get into this kit.

Cheers
Alistair

As Richard put it, one can (maybe even should) try to cover the prepared (preshaded) surface with transparent linen decals. I chose not to do it - but I do not wish to discourage anybody!

[steveb]

Wow! Everything is looking great!

Steve

[PrzemoL]

Thanks, Steve.

Some more progress. The fuselage got full wood-decal treatment. I sealed them with a varnish including a delicate addition of Clear Orange. Now I am working on nail-head decals. I decided, that all the markings will be overpainting them, not vice-versa. These HGW-made decals are a very fine addition to the kit! They are very subtle, one really needs good eyesight (or glasses) to see them, yet they do cater for a better depiction of wood fuselage, at least IMHO. Some of the lines still have their transparent foil not removed - it is advised to let them dry 6-8 hours - justly so, if you try to remove it earlier, some heads will be torn off. There are a few missing lines, yet, too.






Quite a few PE fittings for the fuselage prepared for airbrushing




And the upper wing with the checkboards shaded and the underside see-through effects slightly subdued - they were indeed too strong.

[dr 1 ace]

Another great update to inspire us all !!

Ed

[Juan]

Another great update to inspire us all !!

Ed

Could not agree more, spectacular.

[Borsos]

That's simply fantastic. Really great progress on the Ansaldo. Those wooden decals are very impressing.
Borsos

[Gisbod]

Fabulous Job Prze

The plywood is as good as it gets!


Guy

[RUREDI]

Absolutely lovely.  Very motivational as well

Rick

[RAGIII]

I think this is one of the best of your many OUTSTANDING builds! Just beautiful!
RAGIII

[PrzemoL]

Thank you for your kind words, gentlemen.

Some more steps. Fuselage wood with nail heads is completed. Cockpit rim leather painted but still some wash has to be applied. The chin cowls attached. Markings applied. I am only waiting for the replacement decals for Kosciuszko Squadron badge from Melius Manu. We had a very extensive discussion at a Polish modeling forum recently. On the Kosciuszko badge decals for WNW Camel and Aviattic Balilla. WNW ones are full of mistakes and those in the Balilla kit have some minor inaccuracies. It was promised to me, that a more correct version will be printed for me.









And even more fittings - those are for the strut ends with rigging eyelets. I still have to attach turnbuckles at the lower end ones but have just realised I have to order some smaller 1/48 Gaspatch ones. Those for 1/32 would be too long.