airbrushless painting

Even with a brush, You can paint as good as with using an airbrush.
just got to get experience.
I never used airbrush, and results are as good as with a pistol.
Once I was asked how I painted the camoufage on a Tiger I, my answer: "brushed"
So never mind, you will get the handle of it.
grtz, Michel

Sorry, can't help with the colors for the vehicle.

Here is how I go about it when I don't use my airbrush:
1.) Brush-painting:
Add extender/retarder to the thinner/paint mix(yep, same as for A/B).
Lay down multiple THIN coats of paints and vary the brush stroke directions, 2~4 coats should be more than enough. First 2 coats might look like it will never cover, keep going. No wet coats with brush painting unless it is a slow drying paint(extender) that allows the paint to flow and even out or produce tears depending on model and surface

2.) Airbrush effect:
Here the results can vary depending on what materials you use, so trial and error is the key.
Items: flat wire mesh(can be had at Arts supply store), toothbrush, old brushes.
Get the paint on the brush and than wipe of as much as you can.
Hold the mesh over the area to be painted and run your rbush over the mesh, this should deposit small drops of paint on the model.
You can get a range of effect but varying paint thinckess, movement speed, etc.
Don't forget to mask off areas you don't want any splatters on.

I keep an ol' notepad handy for tests when I use this technique.

Needless to say both of those techniques work best on a primed model.

HTH.

If you can get good results with craft paints, by all means, stick with them. On the high end are paints like Vallejo Model Color. A good source for them in the US:

http://strangecargogames.com/
http://thewarstore.net/

Reaper Master Series are also really solid paints. They're made primarily for fantasy miniatures, so they need to go on really smoothly because they're used to get really fine detail on figures that are quite small. An example:

http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15590

And if you really wanted to, you can airbrush them (same goes for the Vallejo):

http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17025

Hey, thanks everybody!
Kelly_zak- yes I was using craft paint. Is there a better kind of acrylic? Do I use the kind in the tube?
AJ- Thanks, that is really helpful. How did you find that? I'm not too good at research(I'm pretty new to this). Would I need to change the kit any or is it good? Also, If I use them in the same dio should I put in a Kettenkraftrad or bike of some sort?
Thanks again!!---------------------Kevin---------------

For the Mobelwagen, you are limited to the Western front in 1944-45: "Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen was then modified and rearmed with 37mm Flak gun. On April 7th of 1944, first 20 were produced and were put in service with Panzer Divisions stationed in the Western Europe on June 15th of 1944. Production was to start in February but started in March of 1944, by Deutsche-Eisenwerke and BMM and continued until March of 1945. During that period only 240(250) were produced and were issued to Flugabwehrzug (AA platoons) units of Panzer Divisions stationed on the Western Front." http://pedg.org/panzer/public/website/mobel.htm
Therefore you have to use a dark yellow base with the possibility of red brown and or dark green camo patterns applied. No desert schemes, no dark gray. Same holds for the 232.
"SdKfz 232 (8-Rad) production was stopped in 1943 with the appearance of SdKfz 234 Puma, also an eight-wheeler, which some sources rank as the best armoured car of World War II. The service use of the 232 didn't end there, however. Many of the old vehicles were upgraded with new radio communication equipment, replacing the "bedstead" with more modern and compact wire antennae. This vehicles are often referred to as SdKfz 232 (Fu) (8-Rad) Spät, one of them being the subject of this model. Other were converted to a gun version, the Sd.Kfz 233 Stummel. Several SdKfz 232 still fought for Berlin during the last days of the war." http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2004/03/stuff_eng_mohlin_sdkfz232.htm

Hi Kevleerey,
Not much more I can add here, but I have painted smaller vehicles without the rattlecan or my airbrush...Russ has taught me his method of actually drybrushing the cammo patterns, and it works quite well. Me personally, I can't live without my airbrush! LOL
What I do now is pretty much rattlecan the entire vehicle with the base coat, usually dark yellow. Then I airbrush on the cammo schemes.
I always prime my models, that comes from doing cars, where primer is a must! For smaller stuff like tools, etc I won't bother. I use mostly acryllics, and alot of the craft paints. You may find that it isn't sticking to the plastic because you're using the craft paint? I know when I use that stuff, it takes a few coats to get complete coverage, but if handled gently, you should be ok.

Thanks everybody What kind of paint do you use? I am using acrylic but it won't stick to the plastic. I think I might just buy a can of spray paint...
Thanks--Kevin-----------------------------------

i dont use an airbrush either...(although i want one, but if i get one i still wont use it for models) i paint in layers, the first one is kinda of light, (watery cuz i use acrylics) and then the next one is alittle more ...not watery i guess...and keep going until u have the right color, than a balck or light wash on top for weathering and your done! that usually how i get to paint my models.
-DJ

I don`t prime my models at all,probably because I`m too impatient and the paint I use
covers in one coat. It`s different for different folks,it`s something you`ll have to work with and decide for yourself. I`m not up on dates of when the German forces changed from Grey to the dark yello but yes it is a standard colour and yes a convoy in this colour would be acceptable. In the last stages of the war grey was a common sight again as there was more grey available than the dark yellow.

Ok, thanks! If you can get those results with a brush, I don't need an airbrush then. Do you prime the model first or just paint it? Also, is the 8rad in your dio a pretty common color scheme, and could I put it in a convoy or something with my mobelvagen?
Thanks!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kevin////-----------------

I don`t even use rattle cans Fish-Head! Thankyou very much for the compliment and good for you. My friends all get great finishes with their airbrushes and sure I miss using some of the cammo paterns for German stuff but I`ve been known to come out with a half decent ambush scheme now and again by brush!

sasd, I really am impressed to know you aren't an airbrush man. I was weighing but not really wanting to buy an airbrush. If you are able to create what you did with brushes and rattle-cans, then I'm willing to tackle it that way, too!

The first thing to decide what colors you are going to do is to pick a front, Russian, African, etc.. Then go into Yahoo or google adn type the model you are doing under images. Once you find a paint sceme try to find color that match closely to do your camo. Try planning different things out on paper. Also what you can do, is do what I do, most of the time I make up my own camo sceme using colors that would actually been used but maybe not all together or in the saome sceme that may have been done. All that matters is that it comes out nice in the long run. I never use airbrushes and my models turn out great. Don't let people tell you you have to use an airbrush, I admire people who build models and dont use an airbrush because that shows skill. Good luck!

Hi Kev,yes your right I don`t use airbrushs. As far as using the right colours a dark yellow washed with a burnt umber colour will do nicely. I will be posting an 8rad armoured car very shortly,you can get some ideas of colourings from what I used. I`ll get it up for you sometime today. Also perhaps Kelly might add his two cents worth on colourings.