1/72 Revell Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIB

I do my modelling work on a tight budget and to reduce the risk of purchasing further "fail kits", I have begun doing some extensive googling on kit & build reviews prior to purchasing them and I have also decided to get a hold of only kits that have been made with new tools in the past 5 years or so. Well, not to be biased but at least that's the case for Revell and Airfix kits.

The Revell Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIB was a delightful and excellent kit to build. All the parts fit nicely with minimum flash and post-build putty work. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take any photos of the initial part of the build. Here are some taken during the painting process.

Underside painted first after preshading, then a base coat of dark earth color. Instead of painting an ocean gray color which was applied to post 1941 RAF aircraft, I used dark earth as I felt it would look better on the Hurricane, giving it a more "classic" look.

I use thin-downed (5:5 ratio) Mr.Color lacquer paints for airbrushing and I don't prime my models prior to painting. Letting the paint dry for about a half an hour or so minimizes the risk of the paint peeling off together with the masking tape.

A photo showing how I create the masks for my camouflage. I google for an image of the camo pattern (or scan the decal instructions in the kit), edit the size to match the wingspan of the model then print it. I then apply a clear sheet of adhesive vinyl over the printed paper, then apply masking tape over the vinyl and mark out the lines and edges with a fine felt-tip pen before cutting out the patterns with a pair of scissors. The reason for applying the vinyl is because if I apply masking tape directly on the paper, it tends to tear of bits of paper while removing the masking tape. 

Model masked and ready for application of second color. The lines drawn on the masking tape helps in positioning the tape.

Dark green applied to model.

Completed painting the colors and masking tape removed. White balance of the photo is a bit off.

Here are photos of the completed model. The gun ports were painted as I felt it was better than using the red decals that came with the kit. The decals were soaked in water then applied onto the model using DecalFix. Using a hairdryer helps quite a lot in quickening the drying process of the decals and shrinking them into the recessed lines and panels.

... And the reason for building a diorama.