Mind The Gap

As those of you in the UK will be aware this past week and a half has been our summer (that's probably it for the rest of the year) and as a result the Boss (she who must be obeyed) found me a different kind of painting job - namely the garden furniture.  To be honest it was in a bit of a state after last summers wash out and living outside through one of the wettest winters on record.  So it's all been stripped down and repainted or oiled as appropriate.  But that has left precious little time for the wee planes.  Well that and just getting out and enjoying the sunshine for a change, including a lovely walk up in the Lake District (a must for any of you visiting the UK).

Just missing me and a cold beer

Half way up with a moaning teenage son

       

View from the top!  Aren't the cameras on phones clever these days.

So I've finally come back in doors armed with some Milliput and set about the sizeable gaps on the Dakota.

Now I'm not the greatest a filling and I think my Millliput is a bit old and had gone a bit hard so I've made a total mess.  Hopefully it'll clean up OK and once   filed nobody will be any the wiser, hopefully.

So any tips anybody has on filling the gaps in model kits would be gratefully received.  What tools to use (rather than smearing it in with your fingers like me), best way to mix it, how to keep it moist and usable - that sort of thing.

Not sure if just how much filler is in the nose comes across here

Perhaps a little clearer

The huge hole between the wings and the fuselage.
This might need a second fill.

You can hardly tell,  Still too shiny though!

On a side note you may recall I managed to pull half a decal off whilst I was varnishing the Tomahawk the other week.  Well I'm pleased to report that my Uni Posca white marker did the trick.






Took the plunge and spent some money (not very much) on some primer as recommended by those good fellows over at TMP.  It remains to be seen just how much of a hash I make of priming the Dak now.  The bluetak (well cheap Sellotape version) is for masking things, a tip I have picked up from the Britmodeller site, I'll mainly use it to cover the engines and perhaps the windows, though I may invest in some proper model masking tape for those.  The guy on Brtimodeller actually used it to mask out his camo scheme, which might also be an option.