Off white is perfect for painting white areas. Normal white just looks too clean and bright, so try to avoid using it. You might want to add some streaking/staining to the stripes depending on the amount of weathering youbare aiming for

My thoughts exactly SchattenSpartan. Looks like I gotta print out another 40% coupon for Hobby Lobby and get it. LOL!!!

How would you go about adding streaking/staining to the stripes? I do have MM's Black Detail wash which works wonders for now. Is there a video or sorts that I can learn from on how to do it? Post it if there is. Thanks.

I just use artist oils and turpenoid for streaking effects.

Just put a small dot of undiluted oil paint where you want the effect to start and then dampen your brush with turpenoid and wipe the paint back. That should produce a nice streaking effect when applied over a gloss coat. You want to use dark brown and black oil paints mixed together in various shades of black brown. The effect should start at panel lines only. keep it very light on the uppersurfaces and try to achieve a stronger effect on the lower surfaces and where hinges and other oiled parts are on the real aircraft.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 Looks like I gotta print out another 40% coupon for Hobby Lobby and get it. LOL!!!

Ah Hobby Lobby... they also have a mobile app for the coupon... no printer needed. I went there yesterday and picked up some Mona Lisa thinner based upon the recommendation of a couple guys in AMPS/IPMS. Low and behold they are now carrying Valejo paints and bunches of Tamiya finishing products. 40% off and I will be going to the new local Hobby Lobby quite a bit in the near future I think. They wont replace the LHS for many things, but they are giving competition in some...

My local Hobby Lobby carries Model Master enamels  and  arcylics (a few select colors in acrylics), Vallejo, and regular Testors enamels. They also have Tamiya Putty and Primer spray paint whcih surprised me. No Tamiya paint bottles though. :(

Funny thing, I usually print out multiple coupons and try to cash out each item separately. One time they did do it, last night they couldn't because it only honors 1 coupon per person per visit. So I went to another cashier to use my other 40% coupon. I bought 2 items - cashed them out going to 2 different cashiers. Hey, it worked though... LOL!

There are some who take into consideration scale effect when applying paint colours, so in that regard using an off-white is correct.   To balance this out, you should, in theory, do the same for anything else that has white, such as the national insignia.   

As others have mentioned, weathering can address the brightness of the white stripes.  Another method is to wait till after the build has the main colours on (as well as the decals), and spray a thinly mixed mist over the whole.  This works great at toning everything down, and pulling things together.

A few more shots of the Spitfire invasion stripes.  The modern colour photo is interesting too.  Likely due to an overcast setting, but the stripes particularly on the fuselage look off white.  Importing the image into a paint program and using the eyedropper tool, it reads the grey virtually identical on the fuselage stripes compared to that of the white portion of the roundel, even though (to my naked eye anyways), the roundel looks brighter.

edit - the b/w photo Spitfire could possibly be an example of six weeks (or more) of wear on the stripes.  None are present on the topside due to an order released on July 6 declaring an end to their application  on both wing and fuselage tops.

regards,

Jack

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

My local Hobby Lobby carries Model Master enamels  and  arcylics (a few select colors in acrylics), Vallejo, and regular Testors enamels. They also have Tamiya Putty and Primer spray paint whcih surprised me. No Tamiya paint bottles though. :(

Funny thing, I usually print out multiple coupons and try to cash out each item separately. One time they did do it, last night they couldn't because it only honors 1 coupon per person per visit. So I went to another cashier to use my other 40% coupon. I bought 2 items - cashed them out going to 2 different cashiers. Hey, it worked though... LOL!

VonHammer would be extremely proud of you!

Jack, excellent detail photo of the Spits!

hey ww2

is it you building one of the dragon half tracks? here are some pictures of 1the M21 mortar carrier i started 4 years ago. IIRC each halftrack suspension system is 32 parts. obviously most of this will never be seen.

I building a half track but its a Tamiya 1:48 German

Wayne: That would be me. Thanks for sharing those pics with me!

Jack: Those are great photos, the wearing of the temporary D-Day bands on the front of the wing make perfect sense but I never thought about it before!

Wayne: Nice work there on that half-track, I've looked at the Dragon kits but the only one I've built so far is the ancient vintage Tamiya model.  

I am in a holding pattern at 99.99% done... I applied some sand coloured pigments to the running gear and can't get it to turn out how I want it, guess I should go ahead and just post the photos instead of fooling with it forever. Maybe some of you guys can help me with it... 

Bish, can you please remove the Befehlsjager from the GB. I've decided to keep it dark yellow and put it in a diorama, and to my knowledge, there were no yellow Marders at Normandy. Everything I've found is that these were very fragile vehicles or al least almost every photo shows them with a lot of damage, missing or dislodged plates etc, so I'm placing it in a scene where it's distressed and receiving repairs. It's actually more work making them look that way instead of "nice" camo patterns. Thanks.  

jibber, no problem. It sounds like you have a great Dio in mind, look forward to seeing it. And if you feel like entering another build, you can do any time. We are only a third of the way through, so plenty of time to come back.

wayne, nice work on that Halftrack.

Gamera, stop teasing and get this one done. Can't wait to see it.

my halftrack isn't part of the GB though i guess it could be to get another shelf queen finished. work continues on FLAK 43. everything is primed and i may be looking  for a german ww2 truck since i'm building this one in travel mode. dark yellow base but i haven't decided on a camo pattern as yet. leaning toward spots for practice or thin lines simulating growing wheat.

OOPS forgot to use rich formatting. pics to follow

check the wekly sales at hobbylobby and michaels. i got into pin washing last month and the next week michaels had a 30% off all paints. i use windor newton artist paints; better than student and less expensive than professional.

Good Lord, who knew making a mask for the insignia would be a headache. Researching the pics placement of Invasion stripes, I see there is a gap of silver (fuselage) around the insignia before the stripes are laid on. I went ahead and tried to make a mask slightly bigger than what the decal would be. Hopefully it'll all work out okay.

Well, it was overcast most of the day I ended up with bad lighting but here's what I've got so far. I still need to replace the machine gunner's hatch and keep tinkering with the sand on the side till I get it more like I want it:

Awesome!

Hmmm...I've been scouring various hobby websites for different paints - particularly in black for the

D-Day Invasion stripes I planned on painting. Anyways, I came across this one - Vallejo Tarnished Black.

www.micromark.com/vallejo-acrylic-paint-tarnished-black-1and2-ounce,11288.html

It looks like it would be a decent shade of black on the stripes instead of using flat black and tone it down with a dark gray mist. Thoughts?

Wayne - thanks for the tip, which type of paint do you utilize for washes?  Windsor Newton brand has colours in oil, acrylic and water colour - the latter of which is tricky to use since it can be rejuvenated after having dried.

Gamara - you got me wanting to see more of that Churchill dio - everything is looking rather good.   Are all the figures from a boxed set?

BlackSheep - you might be doubling your workload on those stripes.  If it were me, I'd just paint with flat black  since I would follow up with weathering anyways.  If you are looking to expand your paint stash, then yes, that black you linked looks fine.

-----------------------------------------------------

Update, suspension and road wheels are on.  Rear hull detail also complete.  Using period photos as reference, scratchbuilt some details (1. and 2.) to hold rear storage bin in place. Detail # 3.  are just some brackets which, I believe, were used to hold in position the deep wading gear.

Next bench session will deal with the tools and brackets on the hull.

regards,

Jack

jgeratic - Yeah it does look like I'm getting ahead of myself don't it? LOL! If I can't find it locally, I'll do flat black with a tiny bit of dark grey overetone mist.

Thanks guys, I'll set up the tripod and camera for the finished photos and they should turn out a little better.

Jack: Nice work on the Sherman there, I thought the rear toolbox was just welded on- never thought to add brackets. The British figures are a mix- mostly from Masterbox's tank crew set with little help from their armoured car crew set. The squatting fellow is an extra from the new Tamiya Churchill (guy built the tank and didn't want the figures so I got them) and several have arms from my spare arms box.

BS214: Looks fine to me, black should work too. I understand it was temporary paint so I'd think the quality wasn't too high.  

I managed to find the paint I was looking for. Went to my LHS and he happened to have Tarnished Black (Floquil) on hand. Didn't like the shade - looks too much of a dark greyish color. I did see he had Weathered Black but it was enamel. Would have bought it if he had Floquil thinner but went against it. I don't like to use enamels with airbrush. Instead, I got Grimey Black (Floquil) Acrylic. A bit darker than Tarnished Black but if I throw a fine mist of flat black on top, it should be fine.

Update on the P-47 'Bolt:

Started painting the fuselage Bare Metal silver (love that Tamiya color!) Will paint the underside and flaps later this afternoon. Then it's onto the D-Day stripes. Still haven't bought a slim USB Media reader for my photos yet. :(

Yes, Floquil has multiple shades of black to pick from. And their current enamels work just fine with generic hardware store thinner, or (my preferred choice) Testors airbrush thinner. Dont be a scardy sheep, enamels will not harm your airbrush anymore than acrylics.

Hmmm... I do have Testors airbrush thinner on hand though.

Looks like I need to catch up a bit. I have been a bit busy in the evening the last week and over the weekend decorating my step daughters bedroom. So haven't had much spare time.

Gamera, that Churchill looks awesome, I love the dio you have done, is that the ammunition those two guys are putting into the tank.

wayne, have you entered the Flak into this GB as well, if so I think I missed it.

Jack some more great detailing there. That's coming along really nicely. Personally, I use winsor and newton oils for washes. I haven't tried any others, but have been happy with the W&N ones so far.

Some great info on the invasion stripes guys, that's what GB's are all about.

hey bish. may have. it's in DUCK HUNTERS. you can add it here.

base coat dark yellow and silly putty to paint green. may or may not add brown. if so may or may not airbruah it. scheme is what i would do if they gave me the paint and told me to paint a pattern. i considered sitting in an open field with growing crops like wheat. yjos will be in travel mode on the trailer. am searching local clubs for a truck to swap for to tow it.

after painting the greenand pulling the masking off, breaking 2 parts in the process i found  2 mounting brackets were backwards and had to be pried off and replaced and 2 handles broke. all are easily fixed but stupid model building 101 mistakes. will brush paint touch up and think i will brush paint some brown. pics by the weekend.

Bish: I hope you didn't decorate it with Bf-109s and Panther tanks! 

Thanks, the kit came with two shells (is that the correct term for a mortar?) and I wanted to call attention to the odd gun so I originally wanted to have the crew loading it. When SP posted about it being loaded from the bottom I changed over to having them loading the ammo instead.

I had one of our IPMS members look at the pigments last weekend and he gave me a couple of useful tips. Things have been a little busy this week and I keep putting off finishing though... 

Wayne: Looks like she's been slimed! Seriously have used the Silly Putty several times myself and had great luck with the stuff.