I won't bother Ajay, once it's flatted it won't be particularly noticeable. It's nice to get a flawless finish, but not essential unless a polished gloss finish is required.

Ok, cool. Next question, how many coats of gloss before you get that nice finish so you can decal and weather? I'm making mine a 50/50 mix and spraying at 20 psi, second day and second coat and it still looks like it is soaking it up. I'm worried if i go too heavy it will run, so maybe i'm going to light on..but it is definitely getting that nice wet look when i spray. Once dry it still doesn't look glossy enough to weather though. I know it should be obvious, gloss is gloss, and should look..glossy

Sometimes you need several coats of gloss to get a good finish. I like Alclad Aqua Gloss, as it sprays nicely and gives a good finish. I do skip this as my preferred paint, Xtracolour, is gloss finish anyway. Unfortunately it's only available mail order from Hannants.

Here's the under side of the Dagger, where I'm working on the gear. I need to weather the wells a bit, but they won't be seen so I won't spend too much time.



Hoping to be finished by the weekend, then I'll move on to the Chinook you can see in the background and start my next project.

Looks awesome Goon, lovely weathering/wash.

Yes, that detail on the underside, as usual, is amazing.

Not so hard to guess which Chinook this is going to be, right...

Yup, Bravo November. I hope to do an Argentine machine as well.

Getting close to the finish with the Dagger now. The tanks and bombs are on. As far as I can tell the last flight of this machine was with three tanks, but at sixteen quid a pair, and no legitimate use for one, I'll leave it until decide if I need four. Just some touch ups and probes / sensors to add, then mount the canopy.

Did the Argies also have Chinooks? That's curious, not so often two warring parties fly the same equipment...

That inverted tail number is a real highlight. Curious why they did it that way, but it looks definitly great on the model.

Also, curious what the yellow high-vis stripe was for. Seems to defeat the camo purpose quite dearly.

Hi vis on camo has always had me a bit perplexed but it generally makes for cool paint schemes. You are right about that number Col, definitely a nice subtle highlight.

Hi Kids,
Bar some glue drying in the canopy joins the Dagger is complete. Here's a view from the other side, including clothes peg jig, and, my friends inform me, Gepetto from Pinocchio.



The hi-viz stripes are very curious, and the camo colour serial certainly inconsistent. The stripes were added for the Falklands operations, but why bother with camo serials when you've got whacking great sky blue and white insignia and a full colour 'badge' on the fin? The yellow stripes appeared on all sorts of Argentinian aircraft during the war, but on the Daggers were hastily (and ineffectively) deleted after multiple losses.

Colonel - Argentinian forces operated two Chinooks over the islands during the war, more details when Bravo November is finished.

Thanks for following everyone, some proper photos when I get the camera out.

Gareth

I read yesterday that the yellow was meant to avoid friendly fire. Seems the camo worked too well.

A wise looking modeler indeed, maybe i need a beard

I’ve been called a lot of things but this is a first for “wise”!

I think the stripes were added to aid the largely conscripted forces on the islands in identifying their own aircraft. The side effect was making them stand out to the British (as in this episode) and they didn’t really work for their intended purpose. I’m away from my references at the moment but at least one aircraft was a victim of ‘fratrcide’. If I remember correctly a Skyhawk was shot down while trying to make an emergency landing at Port Stanley.

Here's some pictures of the finished model.





















Cheers,
Gareth