Masking time!
Why use decals when you can paint it?
The bottom was pretty easy to mask - mostly straight lines - I usually paint the entire area, even if it's covered with other parts, in this case, the leg covering will cover most of the middle, but it allows crisper demarks between the two colors.
For the side of the pods, I found if you paint the thruster area black - then mask the trapezoids with tape, then spray in white, you get sharper lines.
Make sure you paint the middle section of the trapezoids - even though the small thruster block sits on top - it make the black run into it, looking better.
First the black, after masking the sides,
Then masking the trapezoids that will remain black, and spraying white,
Finished product:
The beak masking was a bit more detailed - took about an hour to get it just right:
After coating the assemblies with Krylon UV-Resistant clear coating, I put in the L-shaped masking marks - Thunderbirds Go!
I removed the masking from the pod windows, they look pretty good!
I painted them inside with black, like the original model was, and the clear parts look deeper.
Moving on to the landing gear assemblies:
In future builds, I will be drilling out the struts where there are actual bolts and nuts, to make it stronger, especially since I am using aluminum struts. The way they are now, they are pretty strong for what they do, but I think it will look better and be more secure. But since I wanted to finish this build, I used what is in kit.
I also removed a few coils to the springs, since I am not using the aluminum bells, they are a bit too strong to depress enough to look right. (remember to add weight to the pod, and beak to balance the weight in the rear! - I added a few ounces to balance it out with the stuff I put in the engine/cockpit)
Tip for makers using their own square parts for the landing gear - file the edges a bit so you have a slight chamfer - this will allow you to plug it into the pod. I also recommend you mark the pods Port/Starboard, Fore and Aft, because they are easy to mix up and when you glue the legs on - your finished
The springs/struts actually work - which is pretty satisfying after spending all that time making them!
I am glad I added the extra support inside the pods to hold up the crossbar the struts plug into, they feel pretty sturdy when pushing them up and down.
Now to slide the pods into the cages, they went in pretty well, but my starboard fore pod was tighter than I liked, I believe it was the coats of paint I applied.
In the future, must remember to mask off parts like this that slide in to prevent paint build up. Also - the small pins/holes that allow the engine section and cockpit section to connect need to be clean to make a smooth connection.
I added some greeblies to the bottom of the corridor pods, some left over 1/72 hornet parts and small squares of plastic, plus scribed lines to add more detail.
Placing the beak was getting me closer to finishing it!
So - I have to clean up the beak windows, add some more weathering details, then onto the decals.
Should be later this week - it's hard to step away when I am this close to finishing it - but no rushing!