Painting the Kirishima

[usna93]

Well,

I'm getting back into the hobby and want to do this right. I'm pretty good ( not great ) just painting w/ brushes - but really like how good some of these ships look after being painted w/ airbrushes.

So - I'm just finishing up my first PE model ( the Shoho ) and didn't have any real trouble w/ the masking ect... BUT, I'm getting into the Kirishima, and I am really having a hard time grasping how I will paint her.

1. I've painted the hull the color of the deck already ( dark tan / wood color ) - but can't figure out how to mask the deck for the hull color. I've bought some masking from a hobby store for 1/700 scale aircraft canopies, but can I use this for the wood decks?

2. IF this isn't the correct way to go about masking the deck prior to painting, what does the community recommend?

Thanks for any info and help!

[Timmy C]

Would putting the hull upside down work?

[Karsten]

I use this stuff all the time. Paint it on, trim where needed and peel it off later.

It can be thinned with Water but just make sure you do a second coat so you can pull it off clean...Heavy is a good thing.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WT ... search3=Go

Karsten

[DeadByCheese]

I use this stuff all the time. Paint it on, trim where needed and peel it off later.

It can be thinned with Water but just make sure you do a second coat so you can pull it off clean...Heavy is a good thing.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WT ... search3=Go

Karsten

Can this stuff be used on actual wood?

[Pieter]

The masking can be used, and if you take care to keep your spray line slightly below the deck edge (spray slightly upwards) you will hardly have any overspray problems. All deck details wil have to be done with a fine brush off course. Get a good 00 brush and practice on some scrap plastic first.

[MartinJQuinn]

I usually mask my decks with Tamiya masking tape. It's time consuming, but it's what works for me. In the photo below, you can see the deck of the Combrig 1/700 King Edward VII (the little ship behind the Tirpitz) being masked. If you look closely, you'll see the aft part of the ship is still unfinished.

Would putting the hull upside down work?

You can do that if you mount the hull on something, but as Pieter says, you'll need to go back and do touch up with a brush, since you won't be able to get all the superstructure surfaces. Personally, the reason I mask is because I always find I get some over spray and am constantly touching up. I'd rather take the time to mask then to do the repeated touch ups.