Painting and weathering all black aircraft?

Hey Guys,

I’m going to hit new modeling challenge in a week or two, and I was thinking that some of the forums’ experience could help me out.

How would you guys approach painting and weathering an all flat black aircraft? The subject is a 1/48 USMC F4U-5N Night Fighter Corsair from the Korean War. Here’s a pic, but there’s alot of construction left.

Usually, I’d darken the base color and spray the panel lines, then I’d fill in the panels with lighter version of the base color. I’d mist some of the lighter shade to blend it together. I’m doubting that technique would work on an all black aircraft. Plus, there’s that danger of making a black plane look grey.

Semper Fi,

Chris

That is kinda a tough one. Do you have pics of the actual plane to work off of? You could probably display some random paint chipping. You could try and lighten some of the panels with an AB or some pastels. Overall, I would try to break up the mono tone of the black. You could mask off panels and spray different tones of black, so to speak. I have yet to see a weathered black plane. Keep us posted. I’d like to see how it comes out.

Andy

Manstein the armor modeler had a P-61 posted a couple of months ago that I thought was really quite excellent. And there was a P-61 GB, probably still on, that Gigatron built a Widow for, you should go find it, it was excellent as well.

I built a U-2C for last years contest season. I had to resort to post shading adjacent to the panel lines to produce the effects I was seeing in the photographs. In my case I use an index card along the panel line and spray a dilute mixture of paint and thinner that is a shade or two lighter than the aircraft in question. Mask the panel line itself with the card and then spray along the path the airflow would take. A little goes a long way but the more thinner you use the easier it is to control the effects.

I covered the technique in the Feb 2008 issue of SAM where I used it to post shade the panel lines on my winter camouflage FW-190A-6.

You can see the U-2C at the IPMS Austin 2007 contest photos on their web site.

It might seem silly but in the places you want to look worn, just take some very fine sandpaper 1000grit (or at least 800+) and give a little rubbing it makes those areas look like exhaust or gunfire has burnt the paint and faded it. Try it on a sample piece and see if you like it.

This is what I did. first I layed down a base coat of aircraft interior black, I then mixed up 2 slightly lighter blacks. I used them to break up the panels and in some places denote high and low spots. I highlighted the panels with a dark gray. This is a U2 and the panels are lighter (overstated) than you probably want on a corsair. The reference pics I had showed that the U2 had a ashy look to the paint around panels and in most areas was far lighter the surfaces around it. Finally I used dead flat and semi gloss to further accent panels and wear areas. This was my first attempt and it came out pretty good. The subtle color changes don’t show up well or can look overdone on the camera. It best viewed in person under a color light or some sun light.

in this view the waethering look very pronounced.

you can see the 3 shades of black on the tail.

here you kinda pick up on the matt vs semi gloss in areas.

at this angle and lighting you can’t really make you much weathering or shading at all on the wings.

Don’t know if this is what’s your after but there might be some ideas for you to play with. I also have a corsair I may do a flying nightmare camo. Like wulf said check you references as the U2’s did have a weathered off black to ash color to them this may not apply to a corsair. I think I may have some pics of night fighter corsairs if you can’t find any.

Try this.

http://www.promodeller.com/promodellers-weathering-wash/

I use the “Light Dirt”, which has an almost off dirty white look, on my instrument panels and cockpit and anything that has a darker color. The “Light Drit” really brings them all to life.

They all are easy to use and ever take off if you don’t like the looks of them.

Thanks for the input guys. It feels like I just posted this question and ya’ll fired back some input in a hurry. These forums are the best thing going.

I checked out the P-61 thread which was helpful and the U-2’s. I really like the effects on that U-2. I’m forced to use my imagination a little on this one. All I have is 2 small Black and White pics to work from (Squadron Signal F4U in action). Judging from the pics, chipping wasn’t apparent on the A/C, but it looks like there was some color variations in the overall look of the A/C. It may have been sun faded paint, stains, wear, etc.

I’m going to try the sanding media and dark-dark-grey thinned streak techniques on some scrap. I’m not sure the weathering wash would be quite right with this, but thanks for the input. I’m worried that on black, a wash would look too bright.

Thanks for all your input,

Semper Fi,

Chris

Chris I have some color reference shots from Korea of a Marine Corps F4U-5N which I’ll post when I get home from work tonight.

Cheers

Chris-

Here’s a link to Prime Portal with some great shots of a highly-weathered black Corsair:

Click here!

HTH! [tup]

Oh Wow,

You guys are great. Daywalker, those are great pics. So black becomes grey as it is attacked by sun and dirt. That looks like a desert environment, but I’m thinking that’s what would happen to an all black aircraft in a harsh environment like Korea. It almost looks like a milky white haze over parts of the aircraft. It’s like the U-2 model earlier in this thread. I will need some grey to weather an all black aircraft. Highly thinned dark grey applied forward to back may do the job.

Keep the input coming guys, but I have a better idea of how to do it. Thanks for the help.

Semper Fi,

Chris

OK Chris dinner is done and the kids are in bed so here are the photos I promised.

Cheers

Stan! Love that ‘reversed’ panel shading technique! So simple a concept…but so right![tup]

I guess we should talk about what kinda weather would show and affect paint on an all black aircraft? Good idea is probably to look at something accessible like junky black cars I would bet.

-Scratches (from the debris, F.O.D, collisions of any kind)

-Dents

-Sunbleaching or fading

-Chipping

-Oxidization or crisped paint (around exhaust, guns, etc)

That’s all i can think of now.

The biggest single weathering I’ve seen in photos of european theater P-61s is paint removal all along the control surface to wing/ stab joints, where the shipping tape was removed. Obviously not germain to this project. Second, brown exhaust. Chipping is overated, IMHO.

Thanks for the great pictures Darren, and thank everybody for their input on this one. It seems like faded black paint turns grey, or dirt and grime makes the paint appear grey. It seems to have a stange streaked milk look in spots. This may be difficult to recreate.

Chipped paint just doesn’t seem to be present in the few pics I have, and the pics posted in this thread. I like to simulate paint chips with a little flat aluminum stippled on with a fine brush. It’s a fun weathering technique, but I’m going to refrain from it on this one.

However, brown, wide exhaust stains are definately going onto this one. I’ll just use some pastel chalk. That’s another fun part of the weathering process.

I’m still going to have to ponder this one, but this forum has been very helpful. I love the look of that U-2. It’s close to the look I’ll be shooting for.

Phoenix, I see that you live in Akron. My favorite hobby shop up there is the Whistle Stop Hobby Shop in Cuyahoga Falls. It’s a great little shop and the owner, Kevin, is one of those super nice shop owners.

Thanks for the input,

Semper Fi,

Chris

Chris- PM inbound! [;)]

Just as white (or light colored) cars show dirt as browns and blacks and black (or dark colored) cars show dirt as tans and light greys, you should contrast the color of your exhaust/dirt with the base color of your aircraft…you see this often with dark blue or black a/c with grey exhaust stains and whitewashed a/c with brown/black exhaust stains…some examples:

Thanks namrednef.

Ridleusmc[:)] yet another ohio modeler. Whistle stop is the best hobby shop in the area. great model selection and excellent place for modleing supplies and tools. Kevin is a member of our local IPMS club and I live about 5 miles from this shop, so I see him all the time. What he doesn’t stock he can get for you with no problems. The falls is a couple hour drive for you being that far south.

The Falls is more than a couple, it’s more like 4. I use to live in Akron right at the Cuyahoga Falls line. I was about a 5 minute drive from the Wistle Stop. I miss it, it’s a great shop, but there are a couple of good ones in Cincinnati. One of my friends lives very close to the shop. Next time I’m up that way…

Manstein, that’s a little extra something to think about. Thanks for pointing that out.

Daywalker, I got your PM and responded, thank you.

Take care,

Chris