How do you weather an SR-71 Blackbird?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hi guys,

I just finished laying down a great coat of paint on my Revellogram 1/72 SR-71. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to weather the thing? Any and all suggestions would be most welcome. I don’t think this is something I can do the usual paint chipping on like my WW2 builds. [:P]

Thanks,

Eric

2

The method on post #6 of this thread looks quite convincing;

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=90357

3

I like what was done with that one. The only thing I’d do differently is make the weathering a little less even and regular.

If you’re doing an in-flight version, the Blackbird gives a unique opportunity for another detail. Since the tanks had to be built to deal with expansion under the heat of high-speed flight, they had to be built with gaps that leak fuel until the plane has warmed up and the tanks expand to close the gaps. I’ve seen pics from the refueling plane where the Blackbird had glossy streaks from the fuel that had leaked and not evaporated yet.

4

Thanks guys. I can only assume this would be done after applying the decals?

5

…dry-brush w/ light grey…

6

Post shading and fading are the best options

7

The funny part is that I’ve never had a gloss job come out so, well, glossy as this one! Call it a happy accident (which pretty much describes all of my builds). I’ve never airburshed a gloss finish that came out as glass-like as this one. It’s perfect for the decals but just “not right” for an overall look. So now I gotta take this beautiful finish and (siiiiigh) dull and dirty it up to make it look more like an “in service” bird.

I should post some before and after pictures.

Eric

8

Yes, post pictures.

9

I don’t think those planes got very dirty in real life. If it has a beautiful glossy finish, why not leave it that way? If you like it, that’s what counts. Or you might want to tone it down with a rattle can coat of Testor’s Semi-Gloss clear.

10

[dto:] I would just do some subtle fading/post shading and satin coat it.

11

True, they were very well maintained but they were NOT glossy in finish, they were matte…

12

Cadet and Professor, I totally agree with you!!! Last night as I was sitting at the work bench and staring at the model, I was frozen into inactivity with the question “How am I going to handle this?” going through my head. But then, as you just just mentioned, the other thought entered my head “Why do I HAVE to do anything drastic to it?” So once I get the undersides decaled (I did the topside last night), I’m going to finish it all up with a satin coat, do some very light fading with some pastels and then call it a wrap.

I’d like it to look a tad used but not overly so. In the pictures I’ve seen, there definitely seems to be some weathering where the panels join up. I’d like to replicate some use but definitely not abuse.

Eric

13

By the way, what color are the wheel wells supposed to be? In looking at some walk-around pictures, it’s hard to tell if they’re supposed to be silver or perhaps an interior green of some sort.

Thanks!

Eric

14

I believe that the wells were made of Titanium (along with the rest of the plane) and I think they were unpainted.

Here are some links to pics of the SR-71:

#1

#2

#3

#4

You can clearly see that the SR-71 does have a matte finish and that it does have quite a bit of fading and color variation.

15

Those are great pictures, Fly-n-hi! I especially like that picture #3. As Manny said, they were not glossy and yet I have to believe they were very well maintained. So I want to make sure I convey all that somehow.

You guys are great! Thanks for the feedback. [:D[ I’ll post pictures as soon as I’m able so you can see what you all helped me out with.

Eric

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on this site:

www.jessanderson.org/…/sr71.html

The last two pictures show the fuel spilling as Kugai mentions above.

Gene Beaird,

Pearland, Texas

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I KNOW, IKNOW, BUT I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF! YOU DON’T. THEY FLY ABOVE THE WEATHER. HEE, HEE[whstl][;)]

18

The inner sides of the doors & the roof of the bays look like natural metal, but the side walls look to be lined in some sort of metal coated insulating blanket which seems to have a sandy color to it in about 1/2 the pics out there - in some pics it looks like dust / sand & in others it looks like the actual color…

Do a Google image search on “SR-71 wheel wells” & you will see what I mean.

19

[:'(] Talk about a GROANER! LOL! [+o(]

Eric