by David Coombes

• Universe : Crimson Skies
• Date : 17/06/37
• Location : Manchuria

The Model

Matchbox HellDiver. Started on Wednesday. Finished on Saturday. Took way too many shortcuts, firmly expecting the paint to shrivel up and fall off or explode or something at any moment.

Bought model. Cut fuselage into 3 pieces. Chucked middle bit.

Added a bulkhead. Glued tail to nose. Faired over wing roots internally and removed from out side. Covered the whole thing in bondo. Sanded it off. Traced around Helldiver's outer wing sections to make wings from plasticard. Added a little span. Sanded to roughly aerofoil shape.
3 hours total.

Scribed panels on wings. Fitted wings with pins and drilled fuselage to accept. Superglue. More Super glue. Testor's Red Putty. Cleaned up prop etc.
2 hours.

Sanding. Really thick brush painted primer over all seams.
15 minutes before work

Grey underside. Olive topside. Black interior, prop and pilot. Hairdryer. Yellow. Hairdryer. Antiglare panel. Hairdryer. Future. Brush paint pilot, engine and canopy. Decals from GW. Future mixed with Tamiya flat base. Hairdryer. All paint was Tamiya except Vallejo for pilot and other details.
4 hours

Fine-line pen on all panel lines. Followed by light wash in same. Oil stains done with pastels and paint. Silver paint chipping. Final Assembly.
3 hours. Total 12 hours-ish?

Photo shoot. Damn its too sunny! and the tide's out.....

Image: Front view

Image: Under construction