Need some help with 1/72 tarmac

Hey spitsilver.  I did a ww2 diorama awhile back in 1/72.  I wasn't too worried about the size of the squares. I'm not sure if the folks who made the air strips where really that picky about it.  I used card board for the tarmac and just did a light light grey and white wash to give it the base colour and then oiled it up dripping a darker dirtier wash.  IT may take some practice but hey, it's only cardboard. Scuff marks were added with charcoal.  It looked alright.  I'll try to get you some pics too. Good luck true believer. 

I hope it isn't to late. Try http://www.23blot.pl/galeria/f-16/index.html. There are few photos of f 16s at Minsk Mazowiecki

At Squadron.com they sell a pack of four  8.5 x 11 card stock replicas of concrete/tarmac complete with oil stains, tie down spots, etc. for (IIRC) about $9.00.  I believe they ahve them in both 1/48 and 1/72. 

Looking at mine, the squares measure 2.5 inches on each side in 1/72 scale.

I'm not too sure of the size of the sqaures, possibly 4-6" squares would about right in 1/72.  Try gridding it out on paper next to the falcon for scale comparison.

In the past tarmacs that I have done in 1/32 I have airbrushed them with an overall medium gray (European gray works good) using acrylics (not to dark though).  Next lighten up the shades progressively (2-3 times) with thin smooth patterns (similar to spraying panel fade on armor). Don't go to heavy on the shading.

Weather by lightly washing using oils (tan and light browns) followed by concetrated dry brushing using lighter shapes of tans.

Worked for me.  Hope this helps, Good luck.

Hi

Try some fine grade wet and dry paper (400-800 grade) fixed to your base with photomount spray adhesive. It generally comes in a suitable dark grey colour for tarmac and can be drybrushed / pastelled with all mediums, the grit brings out the texture well. With tarmac it is usually rolled out in strips rather than squares (have a look at streets and roads) with the joins filled with pitch. For the pitch joins I use somthing like Humbrol Coal Black which give a slightly shiny finish aplied with a fine paintbrush. To get straight lines use a straight edge like a metal ruler, standing on its edge at around a 45 degree angle and run the metal ferul of the paintbrush along its edge with the tip just touching the base- practise first. Or just use a felt pen.