Hellenicopter: Masking problems with Gunze color

Agusta-Bell 206B RC Helicopter in Scale 1:5.7 of the Greek Army Aviation

Introduction

I have started this blog as an english-text alternative to a thread that I have opened in modelclub.gr (modelclub forum in greek) regarding my project to build an RC scale model of an Agusta-Bell 206B Jet Ranger II of the Hellenic Army (see unofficial site).

Now a few words about the project itself. The model is based on the fuselage provided by Vario (model 1004) in scale 1:5.7. There are very little differences between a Jet Ranger III (model kit) and an Agusta-Bell AB-206B Jet Ranger II that I needed for the project, so I decided to get the kit from Vario. The kit has been bought from one of the best specialists and professionals in the field, Mr Thomas Baumann who has helped me with making my choice of the model and its accessories (Helikopter Baumann). Thanks Thomas! I would also like to thank the team of eflight for their professional support not only for this construction but for all my RC models and accessories. In addition, I would like to thank the team from Innoflyer and especially Mr. Christophe Raible for the help with the lighting system and for letting me test a new CPL model before its official launch. I would like to add here the biwix.com RC helicopter store and Johnny Trolliet at my hometown Renens for his exceptional service, availability and prices!

The particularity of this project is that the mechanism that I fit in the fuselage is not the one from Vario but a modified Align T-Rex 700E (Align RC Helicopters). I will give here details on the way that this is done with diagrams, photos, tips and tricks. This will cover the first part. The flight tests of the modified T-REX 700E have been conducted at the RC model field in Dizy, Switzerland that belongs to the Dizy RC Modelling Group (GAM Dizy). Big THANKS to all the members of the Club for the great friendliness since the first day I started there and for their help with advice and tips!

The second part will be dedicated to the scale model itself. Some photos of the Greek AB-206B can be found on the internet but they do not cover all the details. More photos of the aircraft with the Greek colors may be requested in the forum of modelclub.gr where I have gotten most of them thanks to the team spirit and great friendliness of the members (THANKS^1000 dsamba!!!). In order to complete the photographic part of the project I managed to get my own photos of a Jet Ranger III. This has been made possible thanks to the courtesy of the people from Heli-Lausanne (Heli-Lausanne) who have immediately accepted my request to get there and take as many photos as I needed. A big THANKS to them too!!!

At the last phase of construction, I have got invaluable help for the dimensions of the AB-206B landing gear from Iraklis Karailidis. Many-many thanks to you Iraklis!

So after this short introduction I will start publishing the steps I have already taken and will take during this quite challenging project (at least for me, it is my first scale RC helicopter).

I hope that you will find this blog helpful if you have a similar (or the same) project as mine and you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Welcome!
Hellenicopter

07/05/2018

Masking problems with Gunze color

Hi,

The work has progressed but it has also been retarded due to an unexpected problem with the masking of the Gunze colors. I have used Tamiya masking tapes (yellow and flexible white) to mask the H310 on the doors and the stabilizer. Bad suprise: the tape glue reacts strongly with the unprotected color and even after 1h I get a crappy result around the limits of the H310 regions.
This is a pity as the Gunze colors made a very good impression regarding the layering and the adhesion on the primer.

As you can see in the pictures below, the masking tape left strong marks on the paint and the only way to work this around is to invert the masking and repaint with the H310 after having paper-sanded the affected region (1000-2000 grit).

And some pictures under the sun light to have a better idea on the color tones. It's not bad but it needs some weathering to show closer to the original... The brown is the H310 from Gunze and the green (one of the two that will be used) is the Vallejo 71.289. Vallejo colors are a bit more demanding with the airbrush and one needs to take care of the pressure and the thinning (Model Air colors, but still need a bit of thinning even at this scale). The most important thing with Vallejo colors is to work with small quantities and to clean the airbrush between layers. Vallejo colors dry very fast both on the surface and in the airbrush and to avoid bad surprises you need to clean it regularly during your work. The finishing at the end is nice and the paint is quite resistant to scratches (once well dried).