i was looking at my models today and something struck me. i have weathered all of them in various ways but, aprt from a light over spray of the abse coat i have done little with the decals. i would assume that they chip and fade and would have touch ups.
what do the forum members do in this area?
My decals go on before any weathering, so whatever happens to the rest of the model, happens to decal.
Decals are replications of items painted onto aircraft, so they are subject to the environmental wear and tear as the rest of the subject. Markings fade, chip, scratch, stain as well as it dones to the rest of the surrounding surfaces. You gotta give them the same level of weather as you did the rest of the project…unless…
You are replicating a remarked aircraft such as a newly captured one. Then those marking would be fresh. Also modern aircraft will receive new stencils or retouched stenciling as a result of maintenance. Many a time in hanger I saw guys and gals from the Corrosion shop walking around with rattle cans and stencils stuck under their arms, heading to or from the aircraft. Sometimes the stencil was nice and crisp, others not so because the rookie didn’t know how to keep the stencil paper snug to the skin while spraying the color du joir, leaving a fuzzy block of lettering. Fortunately many crew chiefs kept a rag and solvent in their toolboxes so they could wipe it off and start again, but then too, some crew chiefs didn’t care either.
Even vinyl appliques fade, get scuffed and peel. Something nicks one and the slip stream of 600mph wind gets under the nick and pulls at it. 3M developed a rip stop vinyl for just that purpose. It would break off in chunks to keep the whole applique from being disfigured. It would have been hell to have fighters flying around with half a star n bar or letters missing from USAF, NAVY, MARINES, or ARMY…imagine a OV-1 with SA A MY on the wing?
Like the others, I weather after I apply the decals. I do protect it with a coat of future first though.
[#ditto]
I also decal prior to weathering, but when I want to do more than just cordite or exhaust staining, some extreme actions are needed.
And that’s when the exacto comes in handy
I just used the back side of the blade to scrape away the decal (after it had settled and cured) and then added more weathering on top of that (to make it look like it had weatherd at different rates).
-Fred
Dittos tot he apply before weathering comments. I also gently wet sand them with some 4000 micro mesh.
Everyone is right - weather them along with the plane. A nice light grey wash sprayed lightly tones then down nicely. Ditto for a rub down with pastel.
But try to refer to good foto reference on this. While the aircraft weathered with the elements, often the national markings were touched up. They might be the only thing on the aircraft NOT worn to a nubbin! Dirty and stained? Yes. Dissappearing under a coat of grime or nearly eroded away? Not too often.
Check those references.