The Little World

True to my original promise, I started the Revell Fokker D VII as if I was an adolescent.

I took it to the club and set upon it with the pots of paint supplied; one red and one blue. I also cracked three other colours from the general stock to improve the details, but the main painting was with the kit’s acrylics.

I have heard these described as atrocious by experienced people, so I was rather fearful. Certainly the pots are thick things – and you need to give the sludge a thorough stir before decanting a drop. But once you do put some in a palette pan, add water and a drop of retarder, you have a pretty useful brush paint. It flows on smoothly, clings to the high points as well as the low, and dries very flat.

I did go on the thin side as I distrusted the two-ended Revell brush, so there were two coats needed in some areas – but overall it was a pleasant paint experience. The brush was actually reasonable. The water-based paints are a bugger to mask against when you brush and this led so some creep, but the paints scrape off easily or lift with lacquer thinner so adjustments can be made.

One part that bothered me was that the extra paint colours – black and brown – were not included in the kit. However, anyone who got this kit might have been able to scrounge up a black Texta and this would have been enough to do the tyres and struts. Posca pens would be ideal for the leather cockpit surround and/or the wooden propeller.

So far so good. As I am now fourteen, I will need to take time off to do homework and think about girls, but I’ll be back at it next week at the club.