Here she is done. I feel it is ok. I still lack weathering skills. Hope you like. Comments good or bad if you want.
BIG 10, nice looking build.
The paint fading looks very good, giving your bird a distinctly war weary look.
One piece of advice I would give, is that with chipping less is more.
Please don’t take that as a criticism.
Karl
Thats not a problem Karl. This was my first attempt at chipping. I just did not know how much or how little. I just have a whole lot of room for improvment. Glad you liked it.
Excellent work big 10. Your decal weathering is among the best I’ve seen. A aircraft looks really out of place if someone weathers the paint but leaves the marking looking like they were just painted on there last night. your weathering of the dark sea blue is also worth mentioning, you broke up that top mono color tone very nicely Good weathering make a huge difference in taking the “toy” look away. Even the exhaust stains are top notch. The finish as a hole looks very reaistic. I would say your weathering skills are honed to a fine edge myself. For a japanese figher that paint chipping is light, for an american fighter it may be a little heavy, but I have seen pacific fighters that have had paint chipping away from every ragged edge on the plane. I’m building a corsair right now that I plane on heavy weathering like yours, so if have have any tips please share them. Very impressive job big 10
That is one beautiful Avenger AKA, I love it! Weathering makes it look like a good used bird in the hot humid south pacific! I hope my Avenger comes out as good as yours when I get around to building it!
That’s a great looking Avenger. Very nice.
Weathering is tough. I still don’t have a handle on it either. But the only way to really get it down is to keep doing it. Honestly- you did a pretty good job on it.
AKA: Don’t be too harsh on your own work. Look at what you’ve done right: I think your pre-shading, especially on the underside, came out terriffic. Overall, it definately looks war-weary, which I like (personal preferece) better than showroom-shine. I think KArl’s advice is right no: a little less chipping has a more subtle weathering effect, but you all in all it’s a great build. I hope this one sits close on the display shelf, as you should be proud of this one.
I am only beginning with weathering, so my skills at it are not very good yet. I have been around airplanes for a long time and from that I will offer a suggestion. When the paint on a propeller wears it will do it most where the air velocity is highest and also where the dynamic pressure is greatest. The paint will be worn off first on the leading edge near the tip, and more on the back of the blades than on the front. The wearing is worst when the airplane is running the engine up and not moving, and as the airplane starts moving, the wear is lessened. Spray really tears up a propeller, and carrier planes would get a lot of that. As time in service accumulates, the wear will progress toward the root of the propeller blade. The back of the blades will get refinished often, because the mechanics touch up the paint to prevent reflection in the pilot’s eyes. I need to study pictures of carrier airplanes more, but I think the rest of the blades got touched up pretty often too, to avoid corrosion from salt water. The weathering is pretty similar from one blade to another, but not quite the same. The black paint I used on civilian planes is just flat black lacquer, but the yellow tips were painted with gloss enamel and since it was harder it would wear less then the flat black. Didn’t have to touch it up very often, even on crop dusters operating off dirt strips.
Here’s an attempt I have made on a Bell P-63 propeller. I still have to put a flat coat on it. I didn’t go very far on the wear, sort of like an airplane that the Russians just started using it is the appearance I am looking for.
I think you did a fine job. The only thing I’d add to what’s already been said is to use something thinner for your aerial. Maybe invisible thread drawn over a permenant marker or stretched sprue.
I wish I could weather that well!
Weathering is such a tough topic to critique. It’s very much in the eye of the beholder. For me, your weathering is a little overdone, but that’s just me since I don’t like a lot of weathering.
However, the assembly and attention to detail is very well done. I have this kit next on my list to build, so I hope to get the same level of “togetherness” you’ve achieved.
All in all, great Avenger [tup]
I think your weathering skills are just fine. Very nice job.
Very nice overall. My only constructive suggestions would be, as others have mentioned, you might wanna cut back a bit on the chipping next time. But all the other weathering (panel lines, exhaust) looks great. And you may possibly want to try some invisible thread (available at any sewing/crafts store) for your antenna wires, as the one on your Averger seems a tad thick for the scale. I think with just those minor tweaks, you’d have yourself a winner. Keep building, you’ll find each progressive project getting better and better.
Well done AKA, that’s a nice looking bird! [tup][tup]
Big 10, I think it looks darn good. Nice build. Theres nothing like Grumman’s big fat hog sitting on a flight deck waiting to go.
Thanks guys. Yeah, its got pros and cons. I knew that the antenna looked to big but went ahead and put it on. I can fix that though. I will just rip it off and put a small dia. on it. I will probally fix the prop as well.
Glad you liked and thanks for looking.
Looks like an excellent build to me, Jon! I think the paint fading you did looks excellent. As the others have pointed out, weathering is a subjective thing, so just do what you think looks right.
Mark
Very nice I think the weathering looks great.
WOW! Your work on the Avenger is absolutely fantastic. I am working on my third model, so I have a long way to go to equal your excellent work.
Grandma L
I can only agree with what everyone else hass said re paint and chipping. Finsih looks goods… faded panels and “dirt” looks just fine.
Ah. Memories! I must have built the Avenger back in the 50s. Other than the aerial comment, my one niggling question is, where the exhaust pipe ends really that thick?
I consider this to be a superb build.