TOPIC: 'Gloria Lyons'

Started this build over on the 'What we're building' section - www.kiwimodeller.com/index.php/forum/13-...ing?start=240#112077 - but transferring it here simply because I'd really like to get some 'meaty' feedback. This is a really well known and sometimes contentious aircraft as it's appearance varies noticebly from photograph to photograph depending upon where and especially when it was taken.

I'm hoping my version will come close to this photo:



When it was still operational and was wearing the original name on the cowl and smaller bars on the roundels as opposed to this version:



When it had been re-painted and was on it's way back to NZ with a newly re-touched name and broader roundel bars. OK that's the plan, here's the pics:



Ian.

AMT 1:48 kit almost straight from the box. I've drilled out all the breather holes ahead of the exhausts and replaced the dreadful kit seat with a superb resin one from Ultracast in Canada - I've had it in my 'box of many things' for years !!





Construction is/was a breeze, but that's probably helped by this being the third one of these kits that I've built.









Ian.

So here's the stages of painting up to the point I am now:



Primed with Rustoleum Dark Grey straight from the rattle-can ($15.00 Mitre 10 !!)





Pre-shaded Tamiya acrylic white, Panzer Grey and black





Tamiya Neutral Grey & OD, lightened and thinned heavily applied in thin coats.





Masked as per the Ventura instructions (note the ID stripe on the upper wing doesn't extend over the aileron)





Stripes done with Tamiya again, stabilisers on, masking removed.



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Tamiya 'Clear' straight from the rattle can, shot this morning to seal-in all the paintwork ahead of the first session of weathering and toning-down everything. So as I said I really would like to hear from folks about this build, any thoughts or comments or criticism, please pile-on, don't be shy. Thanks for taking the time to look, more later in the week.



Ian.

That's a dirty old bird in the first pic!

Will be interested to see how you can get those whites integrated as I've always found it a struggle..

The curvy edge between the green and the grey is a much more marked 's' shape on yours than on the refs perhaps?

shaunfletcher wrote: That's a dirty old bird in the first pic! The curvy edge between the green and the grey is a much more marked 's' shape on yours than on the refs perhaps?

Yep noticed that too, Shaun - I'll mask & respray it as if it's a new panel stolen from another aircraft, a little artistic license but once it's all weathered-down it will hopefully blend nicely.

Ian.

Thats looking awesome Ian,Can't say i'd change a thing it's just too good to muck around with.
It looks like your reference pics are of two different birds though. Top pic is NZ3148 the first Gloria (lost on a raid to Rabaul 24th Dec 1943) and the bottom one may be NZ3220 the third P-40 to have the Gloria Lyons monika. Not that you would know from my recent modelling activity i am a big fan of the rnzaf stuff and have collected a heap of books over the years in preparation for when i get confident enough to build my 1/72 air force. I have a couple of pics showing NZ3220 from the other side one before its repaint and one after where it has a mission tally and two and a half victory flags representing the cumulative successes of the three Glorias.

OK I take the point matey, I knew there were three aircraft carrying the name but that top photo is an earlier machine. This photo, however that I've just found on Google, looks like it could be an operational 3220 before the repaint & cumulative scoreboard definitely shows the broad rectangles each side of the roundel.




I like this one !!


Ian.

Yeah that’s the photo in my book stated as an active 3220

Another beauty in the making and an interesting discussion. Doing the groundwork for the builds is half the fun.

More 'Klear / Future' then panels accented with Flory Wash (Dark Dirt & Grime). Also 'oiled' the underside with Paynes Grey, Burned Sienna & Raw Umber (all Windsor & Newton), using the 'oil-dot method'. Exhaust plume using Tamiya 'Smoke' (love that stuff).








Next, decals.

Ian

If this was in the other forum I'd have something to say about the OD but for now I'll just ask how your Cat Dorris is and say wow that's shiny

OK, let's do the 'leading by example thing' - I'll drop a pic or two into Critics Corner and let's get this party started.



Ian.

And now there are 'stickers' !








They're very loud just now, but like the white paintwork, after a subtle panel-line wash and a couple of coats of flat (with a touch of brown as a filter), they'll calm right down and hopefully blend nicely.

Ian.

Well this is looking awesome Ian

Almost done now with the weathering:










Ian.

Gloria's looking good!