airbrush weathering

[Sabrefan]

Has anyone added weathering to your 1/18th scale planes? I would like to add some exaust to my P-51, and I was wondering what color to use. From what I can see most P-51s that have exaust streaks appear to just be black. Anyone added this to a Mustang?

[eddie372]

I have the airbrush also, and have done several small projects with it, but I'm yet to try doing any work on my XD airplanes, for fear of messing things up. I'd say a flat black is a good choice, very lightly applied to give a more realistic look.

Eddie

[ostketten]

Using an airbrush to give exhaust pipes a smoked or blackened look is going to be tricky to do without getting some paint where you don't want it. A technique that many scale modelers use is called "dry brushing" and with a little practice usually gives you quite satisfactory results. Basically, what is done is to put a small amount of paint on the brush which is then allowed to "dry" a bit, then carefully brushed onto the area you wish to paint. Now, this does take a bit of practice to get really good at, and I would suggest using some sprues from old plastic model kits as an ideal test surface. Sprues are the plastic "frame" that hold the model parts before they are cut off for assembly. Hope this helps.

[digger]

Dry brushing is ideal for raised surfaces which pick up the little paint that is left deep in the brush when you push down with each stroke. Don't know how well this will work with the exhaust.

I would consider using coal pencil "dust" or the like which you could brush on (no liquid) and correct easily with a wet rag.

In the end I imagine you could get a nice look with the AB - I would do as Centone said and start surfing..

[MK]

You could also try posting in the custom forum. I am sure someone there has attempted this or at least has some tips. My thoughts are the coal dust would be your best bet.

MK

[ostketten]

Digger is right, dry brushing is ideal for raised surfaces and highlighting edges and so forth, but if done properly and carefully it is quite effective at producing realistic looking exhaust, rust, and other types of stains, there is a definite technique to it though, and it does take some practice to do right.

[supersonicfifi]

There is a French magazine about toy soldiesr here in France and in the number 4 issue there is a long article about making a brand new P40 into an old battered aeroplane : the results were impressives. The guy used an airbrush but i guess he was a professionnal kit builder. He said that he used different colors mixed/ diluted with some kind of alcoohl (but here again the plastic might not resist ! ) Finally the plane was fantastic with the exhausts marks, even mud on the tires (cut to look like deflated by the weight) I am not gifted enough to try this but the results sure looks good!

[vmf214]

Airbrushing is my method. A quality airbrush with a compressor is a must for neatness and the Testors detail tip #9304C is perfect. No overspray and you get it where you want it. An affordable option is the Testors airbrush kit at WM that comes with a double action Aztec airbrush, then buy the detail tip at Tower Hobbies. Propellant is ok for small jobs but is still annoying, too much uneven flow which equals spattering. Plus, you have to have a bowl of water handy for when the can freezes or your finished product will look absolutely horrid.

[Folkwulfe]

Weathering can be done in several ways...plus and minus for each method.
Drybrushing: If done correctly, exhaust stains will be both resistant to handling and realistic. Exhaust stains are NOT mostly black, however. Especially on natural metal surfaces, the staining is more towards sepia brown around the edges and darker in the center. Black simulates sooting from unburned fuel well, but remember that the sooting will not normally cake on high performance aircraft...so go very light on the black. Tanks, gun muzzles, trucks and jeeps are a different story. And as for the raised surfaces...isn't that what the exhaust stains hit the most?
Airbrushing: Also very resistant to handling, but be careful. It is very easy to overdo the subject...and hard to repair when you do. Practise on something else and adjust the nozzle of the gun to mist lightly only. Takes time, but it certainly prevents overdosing the model. Use the same colors as above.
Pastels and Chalk: This is the easiest to apply or correct if you do something wrong. However, it is also very easy to erase just by handling the model. Sealing the pastel or chalk will only darken (sometimes drastically) the chalk itself and make it impossible to remove if it changes to something you didn't want.
Overall, airbrushing gives the best, long lasting effect...but you gotta practise. I use an older Paasche VL and can get pencil thin lines if the paint is thinned correctly. It took awhile, but you'd be surprised with the results...and please I bet with a little practise.

[stv9000]

Even though I use a Paasche ab turbo for most of my art. I weather both my HO scale model railroad stuff and these planes with pastels. When done correctly you can't even scrub it off with soap and water with a scrub brush! I mill the pastels by hand and apply with a soft small bush, working the powder in. That’s it. I've been using that method for 20+ years and never had a problem with the pastels rubbing off. An airbrush looks like paint! The only time I took an airbrush to one of these planes was to my s1 p38. I had it apart to add the motors, map lights; inst. panel lights, put forward rake on the nose gear, and corrected the main gear (they are backwards. I can't remember what they are called but the "stabilizer" hindges should be facing forward) as well as adding brake lines. I decided to remove the red and blue from nose cone area. I painted them with aluminum plate metalizer. Once polished I left the cones alone and put a light overcoat of burnt metal metalizer on the front of the nacelle. This matched the factory paint PERFECTLY!
Anyway for me pastels are the way to go. Just grind them up realy fine and make shure you use a mask.

[jdowd1]

I have used a #2 lead pencil before for exhaust stains. Just rub the pencil in the area you want the stains and then simply wet your fingers and smooth the marks out. If you want shades of brown just get a colored pencil and mark it as well. The lead pencil marks don't come off with normal handeling in my experience and can be used for gun powder stains as well. JD

[Charlemagne]

Can you guys suggest a good airbrush to purchase? I was thinking of replacing my testors with a Badger 150. I would use it mainly for 1:48 scale models. Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

Dan