Weathering GB - 2/1/2011 - 1/31/2012

As promised better pics:

The tracks are not done nor are they attached atm, the hull is also not attached as it will be easier for me to add the tracks etc.

Still lots more to do I'm thinking this will be a city bound stug that has seen heavy rain for long periods of time, possibly something from  Stalingrad or the like.

Thoughts, comments etc?

Doogs,

No worries man, sorry if i sounded offended. I have had hell week and it just got to me. I can see what ya man about the nato black, it does look damn close.

Ill try to get some better pics in a bit!

BTW i never did say how awesome your 109 is turning out. You are a talented man Doogs!

Robert,

Welcome to the GB! Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Wow, this is going to be some GB. I feel way behind already. Since I build mostly armor and cars, I have chosen to build some aircraft.

1st up Tamiya's 1/48 BF 109E-4 Trop. The JG 26 version as called out in the Instruction. I'm not sure on how heavy I will go with the weathering but it will be weathered for sure.

Any one know about aftermarket parts for this model?

On deck is a Tamiya 1/48 F-51 Mustang. weathering the bare metal paint should be fun.

Will post some startup pic's very soon.

Bob

Tiger - ah, gotcha. I took it for black because it reminded me of my Sherman's NATO black base:

Casper - thanks man! It's been a fun build for the most part. Having to employ all of my willpower to get through the filling and sanding now...it's my least favorite part of any build and that Dragon E-4 is extremely tempting!

Hey Doogs that's a great lookin' bid! Can't wait to get to my Bf 109 at some point!

Cheers

Doogs,

 It is not black , German Grey probably looks darker in the pics. Tho a black tank would be cool in my book it's certainly would not be correct. As i have only weathered one modern tank I am winging it on this one,

Remember I don't have access to all of the tools most people do so I am making do with what i have. Plus this things a touch larger than my jeep...lol so it's scaring me a little as I am afraid I am going to ruin it and not in a good way...lol

DoogsATX

Ah, there we go. Yeah I always put pastels over a flat coat. Lots more micro crevices for them to settle into, so they don't flow and clump when they get a top coat.

Heya, heya ... never thought of that and I'll bet you're right ... so --- next one will get the flat coat to seal decals, then the powders and then a light misting of flat again ...

Gonna try that right now on my P-47 test rig ... results to follow and be posted ...

pepper

On the workbench - 1/48 F-86F-30 ~ 1/48 F-7F-3 Tigercat 

 1/48 F-8F-1 Bearcat ~ 1/24 GB & P dragster ~ 1/35 Panther V

Ah, there we go. Yeah I always put pastels over a flat coat. Lots more micro crevices for them to settle into, so they don't flow and clump when they get a top coat.

DoogsATX

 

DoogsATX:  

 

Another question. Sorry, just trying to build up my own knowledge a bit here. What kind of surface do you put the pastels on? Flat or gloss? 

I put them on over the gloss coat ... I gloss coat, then add the decals ... then,  the pastel powders ...

Then I mist on a light Dullcote coat to seal the decals and powder(s) ...

From now on, I guess I'll shoot the flat finish and then add the powdersf ...

pepper

pepper kay

 

DoogsATX:

 

 

This. Also, how wet did you lay it on? A bunch of light, misting coats would be the best approach if you HAVE to put a clear coat on top of your pastels/pigments. 

 

 

I just 'dust' it on ... several very light coats ... nothing more, nothing less ...,

pepper

Another question. Sorry, just trying to build up my own knowledge a bit here. What kind of surface do you put the pastels on? Flat or gloss? 

The 109's just about reached the end of the assembly road! I still have to install the drop tank mount. Very seriously considering using the Dragon parts instead (and certainly their tank). I also need to install the upper IP and gunsight, but I didn't get things mostly wrapped up until late, and I do need some alertness for work.

Other than that, here's the E-7 95% built:

The clear parts fit exceptionally well. I think the main canopy may be a touch too long to fit between the windscreen and rear glass, but it's tough to tell since every test fit resulted in me knocking the rear glass off the plane. I'll have to fix those in place and then test.

I also need to figure out a way to fix the aerial mast to the rear glass with enough strength to bear a taut radio wire. Hmm.

Here's the bottom. Mostly solid. That chin scoop is still nasty IMO.

Close-up of the cowl and propeller. Really, really impressed with the Gunze Mr. Color paints I've used thus far. The prop may be the single best finish I've ever managed.

Other cowl notes. I used some thick strip styrene at the back lower corners to keep the cowl from wandering in. Amazingly it worked! I also wan't happy with the holes up top, so I shoved some brass mesh in there backed by some black cardboard. No mesh in the real plane - just a view into the engine (which strikes me as really dumb for a Trop model), so, yay for gizmology!

20mm cannon out of the Master 109E armament set. These things are far and away superior to the Eduard guns, but I probably won't use them on the Dragon E-4, whose guns are actually hollowed out!

TigerEP1

Well i have begun the long process of weathering this StuG, started with the rust/pin wash lots more to do but I wanted to show you where i am at with it:

Enjoy!

Tiger - I'm confused...are you planning to use a salt or hairspray method to reveal the rusting through the final paint scheme, or is this one supposed to be black? 

jbrady - the F4F is looking nice! I'm in total agreement about Tamiya decals. They're overly thick. Curiously, I tend to break more of them than I do aftermarket decals because the ones I've used recently have been so reluctant to loosen from the decal sheet. 

The fading approach is a great way to kill silvering, especially on simpler paint schemes. Only time I've ever had it go disastrously wrong was on my La-5, but the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that was due to the strange and unforgiving properties of White Ensign enamels. Color register is great, but I really don't like the performance characteristics of those paints. 

DoogsATX

 

This. Also, how wet did you lay it on? A bunch of light, misting coats would be the best approach if you HAVE to put a clear coat on top of your pastels/pigments. 

I just 'dust' it on ... several very light coats ... nothing more, nothing less ...,

pepper

jbrady

Pepper: The dust particles from the pastels clumped together when they got wet... use the pastels last. Use a blending brush and they should settle into the dull finish. You probably cna't handle the model very much but at least you won't get the clumping.

This. Also, how wet did you lay it on? A bunch of light, misting coats would be the best approach if you HAVE to put a clear coat on top of your pastels/pigments. 

jbrady

Pepper: The dust particles from the pastels clumped together when they got wet... use the pastels last. Use a blending brush and they should settle into the dull finish. You probably cna't handle the model very much but at least you won't get the clumping.

OK-dokey ... I'll try that on my 'test mule' big P-47 that I keep and try various techniques on ... gonna get right out there, spray a wing with Dullcote and after it's dry, will dust on some powders ...

Handling is no problem as once 'it' is on the shelf, that's where 'it' stays ...

Thanks for the tip ...

pepper

Lookin' mighty fine, sez me !! ...

pepper

Pepper: The dust particles from the pastels clumped together when they got wet... use the pastels last. Use a blending brush and they should settle into the dull finish. You probably cna't handle the model very much but at least you won't get the clumping.

I decaled the model last night. I want to start the weathering process with all marking in place. The kit decals were a bear to melt into the surface and I do have some silvering. An aside... I saw a post on another forum about Tamiya and other kit maker's decals. The moderator was under the impression that kit decals are as thick as they are so that the casual modeler can use them without too many problems... something to think about.

This is what happened after I applied the first fading coat... I toned down the width of the gunfire staining and a lot of the silvering is now unoticeable

Next is a gloss coat and pin wash for the panel lines... more later.

Hi All:

Thanks for all the feedback re projects I'm working on ...

I forgot to post a picture of the GB&P dragster in toto, so here 'tis ... dirtying up process starts this afternoon ... and the comment about bigger engines than needed is apopos with this car ... back in the early '60's, this Keith Black engine was cranking out 1,700 horsepower ... as an aside, Keith Black now does Merlins for P-51 restorations ... too cool ...

Also, a model I finished several days ago of my '34 Ford pickup truck ... bought it, very used obviously, for $25 when I was 13 years old ... where I grew up, one could drive as soon as they reached the pedals of any vehicle available to them ... so, here's my first ride ... I found a very faded Kodachrome of it and finished the kit - AMT 1/25 scale - to match the photo ... I later sold it for $100 Iwhen I was 16) and thought that I'd scored big time - buy for $25 ~ sell for $100 ...

If I only knew then what I know now ... ... with the 100 bucks and more that I'd saved, I bought my '57 Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe (which I still own), so I guess not keeping the truck was OK ...

Lastly, a RNAF Sea Fury from the Korean War period ... I used powders on the exhaust areas and when I sprayed the flat coat on to seal everything, the powder turned to polka dots ...

Any ideas as to why ?? ...

Thanks,

pepper

Well i have begun the long process of weathering this StuG, started with the rust/pin wash lots more to do but I wanted to show you where i am at with it:

Enjoy!

ruddrat: I can't wait to see that scheme built up... I'd love to do a bi-plane but I don't think I could do it justice.

Doogs: Love the exhaust. I assume the gap at the front of the cowl is because of the tape at the back. Yeah the gun staining is a little wide. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do about it.

What is the general opinion of Tamiya decals. I used the kit decals for the first time and they just don't want to conform to the surface detail. I'm thinking of soaking the whole model in Micro Sol overnight (that's a joke... sort of).

Sweet!!! Now that's what we're talking about!   Doogs, are you going to paint the cowling separately before installation? Looks like masking around those gun barrels would be a nightmare.

TigerEP1

Doogs,

Pics man pics!

Ask and ye shall receive!

Here's the 109 in present state. The cowl goes on tonight for real!

Close-up of the exhaust

And the wheels/tires. Not quite as much brown tint as I'd hoped. I'll add it in with washes and some drybrushing.

Ruddratt,

Thanks, although tbh the weathering of this thing has me a bit nervous as i don't have the materials or the experience to pull off the basic stuff like oils etc.  I just hope i can do it justice!

Love the new scheme, it's eye popping and i cannot wait to see it.

jbrady,

I agree they look broad but overall the plane is coming along awesome. looking forward to more.

Pepper,

yay dragsters! anything with more engine than it needs gets my vote! I miss my classic cars and one day hope to acquire another. Oh and i still use that same testors paint when i can find it...lol

Doogs,

Pics man pics!

Pepper, the weathering effects on those railway cars is nothing short of amazing!   ....and thanks for the info on the dragster. Those were the good old days for sure. Somewhere I have an old 8mm film reel shot at National Speedway (Long Island NY) back around 1970. Some neat footage of 'Big Daddy' in his last front-engined mount and one of the first rear-engined mounts I ever saw, Duane Ong and his 'Pawnbroker' ride. Don Schumacher makes an appearance in one of his earlier rides too.

Doogs, here's the new scheme I chose (I couldn't believe that this kit has just been released and the first scheme I picked has already been done to death). Anyway, I think my second choice is pretty neat too.....

pepper kay

As an aside, I still use Testors (in the tiny square bottle) RUBBER to do my tires ... works  really well, though when you first see it you think it's going to make your tires chocolate brown ...

pepper

Yeah, I'm a big fan of Vallejo's Black Grey in most cases. One of the best brushing paints I've ever used. It's a standout even among Vallejo's paints. But the 109 reference pics I've got show a slight brownish tinge in the tires. I think adding the leather brown should go a long way, and I might cap it off with a heavy raw umber filter. Of course, it probably won't matter too much in the end, since I'm going to weather the tar out of them!

In other news...I know there's been some discussion about the Cyber-Hobby/Dragon 109E-4. Well, I picked one up at my LHS today. They were so eager to see it that we cracked the box right there in the store. What can I say? It's absolutely gorgeous. I thought the Eduard kit looked nice, but this one breaks it over its knee. Who's to say how it'll fit, but the detail is achingly good. At a glance, it looks like it ships with everything you'd need to build an E-7 variant, though it lacks the filter for the Trop models. 

I'm under the impression that the E-7 evolved from the E-4 with the addition of a centerline bomb/drop tank rack, and if that's the case and the E-4's didn't generally use drop tanks, I'll be stealing the one from this kit to use on the Eduard, since it's easily the best drop tank I've ever seen.

DoogsATX

pepper - the dragster looks pretty sweet! I've always wanted to build cars...just can never find the ones I want to build. I know I'd fail at a fresh-off-the-showroom finish, but I'd love to do a modded and battered Jeep/early Bronco/Toyota FJ40/Land Rover I/II/III. Maybe someday...

Also, would you mind providing a brief rundown of the steps you took weathering the reefer car? Looks great - definitely has a sense that it's seen a lot of miles. 

Hey Doogs:

I'm doing another reefer right now and will post pics later showing  the steps I use to get the finished product ...

I do cars just every once in awhile ... I own a real '57 Chevy BelAir Sport Coupe with a monster engine straight from the factory (1 of 500 built by Chevy to comply with NASCAR rules for the '57 season) and a '66 Chevelle 396 SS ... of course, '57 Chevy kits are a dime a dozen, but I've only found one '66 Chevelle, which is now in the process of being built to look like my real deal ... I'll post a couplea photos of both if anyone is interested ...

As an aside, I still use Testors (in the tiny square bottle) RUBBER to do my tires ... works  really well, though when you first see it you think it's going to make your tires chocolate brown ...

pepper

I really need to be less busy! It's hard to keep up with you all!

pepper - the dragster looks pretty sweet! I've always wanted to build cars...just can never find the ones I want to build. I know I'd fail at a fresh-off-the-showroom finish, but I'd love to do a modded and battered Jeep/early Bronco/Toyota FJ40/Land Rover I/II/III. Maybe someday...

Also, would you mind providing a brief rundown of the steps you took weathering the reefer car? Looks great - definitely has a sense that it's seen a lot of miles.

jbrady - I take it those are the gun stains? They do look a bit broad. Dig the pre-shading effect, though! 

joeviz - I'll pull you down. Sorry to see you go - feel free to join back up with another kit if you want!

ruddratt - eager to see the replacement scheme!

Been making progress on the 109. Got the exhausts installed last night, and I'm planning to finally lock the cowl down this evening.Once that's done I won't be too far from filling and sanding. 

I ended up painting the exhausts with Alclad Steel. The ends aren't open, but they do have indentions molded in, so I painted these with MM flat black, then drybrushed the exhausts with MM Jet Exhaust. This has a very faint goldish tinge to it, which IMO does a nice job of achieving that burnished effect of metal in harsh desert conditions.

I've also got a start on the prop (Gunze RLM 70 on the blades), wheels (RLM 66) and tires (Vallejo Black Grey with a few drops of Leather Brown). 

Hopefully I'll have some pics to share after tonight!

OK All:

Here are two photos of the 'before' and 'after' weathering on an Athearn blue box kit of a reefer (refrigerator car) ...

I'm doing a Project Reefer, building 30 cars and have 29 finished ...  I'll show WIP photos of #30, so you can see what I'm doing ...

This one is and old-timer (early 40's era), with the rest being more modern (the mid-50's era) ...

pepper