I’m currently waiting to receive my 1/32 scale F/A-18 Hornet (Academy) and I’m preparing myself to do it. I have a cheap airbrush compressor “TESTOR” that I bought at Walmart and I’m wondering if I’d better use it or brushing the model. I know this is a subject that comes back often but is it really necessary to use an airbrush to paint aircrafts? I surely don’t want to screw that model up and can’t wait to start the project and if the results could be a lot better by using my airbrush, I’ll do it. But I have no experience with that so what do you suggest me? Of course I already have the FSM pdf files about ABC’S of airbrushing and so forth but that doesn’t give me experience. Is it hard to get the hand of it?
give yourself a full weekend or two and grab an older kit or some cheap kit from your local hobby shop and practice with your airbrush set. it’s all in the trigger control. at the same time check for if there are any pulsations or moisture problems with the compressor (if you don’t have a moisture trap). to paint large area parts like what you will end up doing for a 1/32 bug you will get the best results with an airbrush though, plus it’s single color so you don’t have to mess with masking as much. i know my cousin can lay down very nice coats of thinned gloss enamel paints with just the paint brush on 1/12 bike.
I have a big collection of Acrylic Tamiya paint. Is it ok?
Or do I have to buy enamel paint?
I know that acrylic dries faster than enamel so I will probably have to thin it a lot and it may be difficult to cover large areas. Right?
BTW, I have two 1/72 A-7E corsair that I will probably not finish cause its too small and not enough detailed for me, so I will do what you suggested me and try it on those models first. I’ll just give them to my young kids afterward so they can play with it. That way, I will feel as I didn’t lost all my money in these stupid kits.
Tamiya acrylics spray just fine. Just be careful to let the paint fully cure, as opposed to dry. Acrylics dry from the outside in and you should leave each coat to dry for at least 24 hours. Window cleaner with ammonia (Windex Blue formula) cleans up Tamiya acrylics wonderfully, follow with a rinse of distilled water (hard water will build up calcium in the AB) to wash out the ammonia, which can stain the metal of the AB. I thin to the consistancy of 2% milk, and it covers large areas just fine. It is better to spray many “thin” coats than one heavy coat.
Before you jump in I should add that a properly cleaned surface is also necessary. Some people recommend mild solution of dishwashing liquid and water, but I’ve always used a wipe down with isopropyl alcohol and then another wipe with a clean, dry cloth. You may also want to consider using Tamiya’s rattle can primer if you are planning to paint a light colour like white (in case you’re planning on ever building the late, lamented Avro Arrow!). I haven’t personally used a primer yet for painting, but I’ve not used white except for small details, and I use a brush for those.
If you want some very inexpensive practice surfaces, consider either plastic milk jugs or soft drink bottles. They are better than spraying on flat surfaces, such as cardboard, because they give you a feel for following 3 dimensional contours. You can also cut out sections and bend them into odd shapes.
Unless you are like some of my colleagues here who are commercial artists or such the airbrush should do ya good. As Scott said the milk jug will be your best friend at first. Me and my jug go waaaayyyy back! [;)] I still prime it now and again to try some new technique before doing it on an aircraft. Oh yeah and spray in several thin coats… especially with acrylic this helps keep the peel and rub offs down to a minimum.
Good luck to you and post your results! We’d love to see it!
I’ve been able to download some very interesting PDF files that gives different techniques for airbrushing and weathering effects so I think I’m a little bit more confident right now.
I just discovered that I had a Millenium Falcon that I made about 10 years ago which I never painted. I’m sure it’ll be a great model to practice on.
I just used my airbrush for the first time and it worked like a charm! I started my 1/32 F/A-18 Hornet and the cockpit is now painted. I think I’m in love with Airbrushing. I used Model masters enamels and everything was perfect, even cleaning was easy with the domestic thinner. Now I will have to try with Tamiya acrylics!!!
Doesn’t worked as well with Tamiya Acrylics, I airbrushed the landing gears and bays with flat white and the first coat was horrible, the paint seemed to go only in the depressions and it was not evenly spread. At the third coat, the result is not that bad but could have been better. The problem comes from my airbrush I guess! It’s the Mighty mini made by testors and its a basic model without pressure adjustment. The only thing I can do is get further away or closer to the model and adjust the needle. And if I go to far away, the paint seem to dry before reaching the model!!! I use the Tamiya thinner which as the retarder in it but I guess that’s the way it goes when you play with acrylics.
I’ll spray everything with Future tonight so I can do some weathering tomorrow (first experience with weathering also) I might also take some pictures so stay tuned.
There is one thing you have to know first, I do not, like most of you, have a decent hobby shop in my area [:(] so each time I need something, I have to find it on the net and wait for the order to come in.[|)] I don’t have that white primer in hand so I might use some light grey or something … but thanks for the advise.
Each time I think I have everything I need, I screw up something. I’ll post some pictures so you can tell me how bad it turned out!