I have an okay grasp on how to weather armor and other military models but the proper method for weathering other types of models escapes me. That’s why my other models tend to end up looking like what 006 called them…decorative displays. I want realism in my models no matter what they are but even after building models all my life I just can’t seem to understand how to achieve that. Often times it seems as if I’ve gotten as good as I’ll be able to get in the hobby. It’s frustrating.
I used to fly 737s and during the walkaround I’d see glove prints all over the hot section of the exhaust. It turns out that the ground crews would press their hands against it to warm them up in the winter time and they would leave prints behind.
Do you build any prop planes, or jets only? Exhaust stains are a good way to start. Maybe even simpler is getting some dirt and age to the tires by painting them an off-black rather than a pure flat black. If there is any black anti-glare in front of the windshield, tone that down a little. Appropriate to all eras.
Also, a wash of a transparent red can be used to get some subtle hydraulic fluids around landing gear. Also, a light coating of dust on LG may be easily done with an airbrush. If you are using Alclad on natural metal finish aircraft, use some white aluminum on some panels, instead of all surfaces having a shinier aluminum.
I think over time I’ve built more props than jets although the last plane I finished was Tamiya’s 1/48 Me-262-A. I was pretty pleased with it since it was my first time doing that kind of camo. But I tended to weather it with a similar technique that I would use on armor by giving it a very light dusting of pastels. And it looked just like that…an airplane model with a light dusting of pastels. I think on a couple of occasions I’ve built planes with a natural metal finish but they pretty much looked just like a model plane with silver paint. But that was a long time ago in my teenage and young adult years. I think I’ve avoided doing any more like that because I just really don’t know how to start when it comes to the finish. And I could go on and on but I’m still very much a beginner, I think, when it comes to painting a model because I’m still stuck in that beginner’s habit of painting a model in one session rather than building it up in layers. I think I’m just able to get it to look decent because it’s done with an airbrush instead of rattle can or hand painted. But they inevitably end up looking like a model with a good coat of paint rather than a realistically weathered and finished replica. And while there have been times I have tried to use some of the finishing and weathering techniques of experienced craftsmen that I see in FSM I think my biggest hindrance is that I’ve never really learned how to BEGIN the finishing process of a model. If any of that makes any sense.
I find the finish (painting) of a model takes as long as the total assembly. Now, of course, some parts need to be painted during the subassembly work, but the final exterior painting of the whole model is what I am referring to. It starts with primer, then sanding, and often sanding between coats of the color paint. Alclad finishes are really time consuming, because one needs to get a flawless gloss black coat on before alclad spraying. Gloss finishes are much more work than flat finishes. So painting does stretch the patience!
One thing I noticed while sitting in a tool crib at a major airlines overhaul hangar was the different color paint on certain panels. And the gear was always a dirty mess. Another thing was the missing paint on the rivets. Depending on what was being done to the aircraft it may go out 1/4 of the aircraft in fresh paint after a major check.
Lol fly-n-hi - when I worked for the airlines that’s what I did! Or stood in the APU exhaust of the CRJ200’s. Those got you toasty warm REAL fast! Another thing I noticed on the occasional business jet when I was an aircraft detailer would be burned-on handprints on the heated leading edges from guys touching them while they were still piping hot.
Here is a beat up B757
1/144 minicraft/contrails 757.
Very nice. The stains back from the slats are interesting. I notice some crud below some of the aft windows. Hadn’t thought of that.
As an aircraft mechanic looking at these things every day, I have to say that 7 5 is the best looking model I have seen. These aircraft are very dirty. Even repainted, they don’t stay clean long!
Thanks Migmodeler very much!
Brad’s 57 is exactly what I’m talking about - and flaps are down too! Very nice. I’m surprised to see a Minicraft kit with decals of partially and fully closed shades. Didn’t think they did that.