VVS modelling

Unfortunately things have not gone well since my last update. Next morning after applying the primer, I checked again the models and to my horror, Alclad’s primer has flaked off. Of course I didn’t have any other option than to remove it, wiping it off the surface using nitro-thinner. Later, some modellers confirmed, that Orange Hobby resin kits are covered with some kind of silicone grease for easier separation from molds, but consequently prove hard to clean.

I’ve decided for the second try, to just use enamel colours and sprayed both models with ModelMaster’s Camouflage Gray. 24 hours later, the paint did not peel off and I felt a bit of relief. But the real test still lay in front of me.

Masking! If there were any greasy hidden spots, masking tape would for sure lift the paint from them. Even though the splinter camouflages can be difficult to mask, it was not the case this time.

Carefully unmasking the models, I was relieved that only small parts of paint were lifted on both models, which were easily corrected by paintbrush. Camouflage on K31 differs a bit than those on K32-34.

Both models are now put aside for the Future to cure before further treatment with oil colours. As picking up correct paints is quite hard, especilly as they differ so much in these small scales, compared to the bigger ones, the lighter shade came of too light and too warm for my taste. I will make a dark grey oil colour filter, which should darken a bit and cool down the lighter shade while connect both colours of the camouflage nicely.

Being an aircraft modeller, it sometimes feels good to build something else to break the routine and try something new. In the past it was an odd armor kit and submarines, but I haven’t built a ship model since I was a kid. As I am building mostly in 1:72 and 1:144, the decision was made to stick to the smaller 1:700 scale. Since I’ve grown a collection of ship models in the past few years, I’ve decided to try my hands at something relatively simple – at least by the looks of it. Ever since I first saw photos of Swedish stealth corvettes of Visby class, I was hooked on them. Slick and mean with splinter camouflage – what is there not to like.

The kit I will be using is OrangeHobby resin kit – for a price of around 10€ you get two waterline models as well as Agusta A109 helicopter (for K31 Visby) and photo-etched fret with all the required tiny detail as well as two brass guns if you decide to show them open. The casting is well done and if you look closely, you will notice some texture on the surfaces. I am not sure if this is intentional or not but the fact is that close up photos of these corvettes show some fine texture as well. But enough of chit-chat, let’s see some photos!

As you can see, they are tiny!

And this is how A109 looks like in 1:700 – imagine this – there are 9 PE pieces to be attached to this tiny bird – rotors will be attached separately

Both ships with some essential PE parts attached. Idea is to pose them on sea base with K31 Visby with gun open and helicopter on deck, while K34 Nyköping will feature full stealth mode.

A number of PE parts that I’d decided to leave on the fret and will be first painted as such and later attached to the ship.

Both ships painted in primer and waiting for their first color.

Nice demo movie about the Visby class: