Nate Gray
Renton, Washington
To model Academy's 1/48 scale CH-53E Super Stallion, Nate installed an Eduard photoetched-metal interior set as well as wired more than 50 hydraulic lines in the main rotor. He airbrushed the aircraft with Tamiya acrylics, and used all the tricks in the book to weather: pre-shading, post-shading, applying multiple black sludge washes as well as black and gray pastels with his fingers and a soft brush. He says, "All the Super Stallions I've seen in pictures or in person have been covered in dirt, grime, grease, oil, and engine exhaust."