Tips for making drab aircraft more interesting?

Sorry about the grainy pics, they looked better on my computer before I uploaded them to photobucket, not sure what happend.

Also I suppose I should clarify, its not the green that bugs me. The kit has a lot of nice detail but it just kind of disappears into the sea of green, I would have liked to see more contrast I guess.

Nice looking Longbow!  As for livening up normally boring green birds, how about something like these.

  Ray

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You could also go with a Huey in the Hi Vis/Arctic scheme.

As I did.

Or one of the South Caroline Army National Guard gray Apaches from a '05 in OIF.

How about a USAF HH-60G in 3-tone desert camo from Davis Montham AFB in OIF?

Mine.

or an AFSOC Gray MH-60G.

Or an Euro-1 MH-60G.

AF UH-1Ns also came in Euro-1 Camo.

Or a USCG HH/MH-60J Jayhawk?  I just finished one, check it out a few posts down.

Or a USAF SAR Huey from the '70s- '80s?

Navy/USMC UH-1N SAR.

Or an Aussie 3-color Camo Blackhawk.

There are lots of options to add some color to helos.  You just have to think outside the box and search a little.  Also check out Fireball Modelworks, they have quite a few decal sets for colorful helos.  His Vietnam Huey's sheet has some nice markings too.

I'm sorry I guess I wasn't really clear, I'm looking for techniques to improve the look of solid color helos, not more interesting schemes. I love the various high visibility schemes and have some of those already planned. I've even been toying with a wif Apache in the 1960s style orange & green so that early Cobra is a great reference if I get around to that one.

I've just seen some great all OD Hueys posted here, that manage to still have some contrast to them. The one thing I didn't try that might help is painting some of the panels a lighter color. My experience with weathering is basically armor, so I preshaded the panel lines in black and used a variety of washes once the decals were in place like I would on a tank. I expected the washes to bring out the panel lines and shade the panels more than they did. Maybe its just the small scale, dark paint and lack of practice. Washes certainly flow differently on a helicopter than they do a tank. 

I had the same issue when I was working on my 1/35 Kiowa Warrior.   I varied the base color using both acrylic and enamel testors helo drab.  I then lightened the paint using OD green and dusted it on.   Lastly, I weathered the helo using tan pastels to replicate the filthy condition of KW's in Iraq. 

I am pretty happy with the end result.

You can check out my post on the ARC helo forum (sorry but I can't paste the URL using firefox).  Thread title is Kiowa Warrior - OIF Scout.  Its about 4-5 pages in.  

Regards,

John 

John,

   Great to have you over here at FSM!  Your KW is truly inspirational.  Here's the url:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=166130

   Ray

ellevenbee wrote:

I had the same issue when I was working on my 1/35 Kiowa Warrior.   I varied the base color using both acrylic and enamel testors helo drab.  I then lightened the paint using OD green and dusted it on.   Lastly, I weathered the helo using tan pastels to replicate the filthy condition of KW's in Iraq.  I am pretty happy with the end result. You can check out my post on the ARC helo forum (sorry but I can't paste the URL using firefox).  Thread title is Kiowa Warrior - OIF Scout.  Its about 4-5 pages in.     Regards, John

I've seen your Kiowa, off and on, that is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about, it is all drab but still has some variation. 

I haven't tried the pastels or weathering powders yet, I understood they couldn't be sealed which would make dusting rather difficult, it looks like that is not true.

I had considered making the color a little different here and there, and I think the big problem I have is the helo drab is so dark that the decals just fade away into it. I guess I'm on the right track, just need more practice.

Thanks

The main issue withy pastels that i have found is that you have to over apply them before you seal tham as the flat coat tends to really wash them out.  I an still trying to learn to use them effectively, but pastels are my weathering tool of choice at least for dirt and exhaust stains.

   Ray

Paint a chick on the side of it....

Always a winning idea.   Funny I was just talking to my wife last night about making her into a decal for nose art.

Hi Ray,

 I've been lurking here for years.  This forum was a huge help when I was working on my Huey project.  One of the best Huey related resouce out there.

Finally decided to register aftger readin this post, as I struggled with the same issue.   Thanks for the compliments on the KW, I just gotta get off my butt and finish it!   Seems like the last 5% of the work takes the longest to complete.

Regards,

John