How to weathering a plane?

[Guest]

Hello all!!

I'm going to try my first plane (Spitfire 1/72).

My intention is to paint a plane with many weathering (heavy chipping).

Primer+aluminium coat + and then ...?

I deal it's not possible to put rust in the fuselage. Some basic color to age the aluminium? Some advice to paint planes? Filters or tricks?

Believe I 'm asking too much....

Thank you friends.

Polux

[Ian M]

Polux Aircraft dont get to dirty, but beaten up. yes. Dirt = weight and drag, enemy nr1 on aircraft. So weathering on an aircraft is a different beast than on say a tank.

Be sure of the construction of the real airplane. In your case the Spit was skinned in Alu most places, control surfaces where fabric covered on early ones. Later ones it was only rudder and elevators on the tail.

I am not great at weathering aircraft as I like mine clean(ish).

prime+aluminium then the fun part. Some will say salt others liquid mask there where you want the metal to show through. I will hope that one of the more regular salters come to my rescue but this is what I do.

Take some course salt in a grinder, dampen the area to be salted with water (I use my airbrush, others a plant mister). I then grind the salt over the wet bits. By using a grinder, you get a nice random mix of fine and big salt chips. Leave it to dry. Some will fall off and if you thing its to much you can remove it with a cotton bud. More can be added with a carefully placed blob of water and a new sprinkle of salt.

Once it is dried on, you can paint the top colour.

Once the paint is 100% dry and hardend, you can remove the salt with an old toothbrush and if it is hard to get off, you can wash it under the tap.!!

Ian M

[stona]

Remember a Spitfire was also primed under the camouflage.

You can show wear along the leading edges and high traffic area like the wing root walkways but they were generally well looked after.

Steve

[Guest]

Thank you Steve and Ian!!

Great trick and fantastic advice!!

Thank you again!

Please don't kill me... I don't remember to say I wan to do a little scene; where the Spitfire will be abandoned!!! Out of service...

Regards

Polux

[stona]

Good God man! A Spitfire abandoned?

Whatever has got into you? Call a doctor :lol:

Steve

[Guest]

Don't forgt the hairspray meathod, but spits didn't get that beat up ground crew too proud.

Jap planes on the other hand chiptastic.

Martin

[Guest]

Thank you very much Martin!!!

I will do it with "care" and time.... I have to learn exactly how to paint this non habitual "camouflage", and then can do the hairspray meathod.

Thanks again mate!!

Regards. Polux

[stona]

You've got some options for your camouflage.

Spitfires were masked for painting at the factory so a hard edged demarcation between the colours is quite authentic. However,many aircraft were repainted later at Maintenance Units (MUs) or even on squadrons and this could be done freehand giving a softer edge. The choice is yours.

A re-spray would follow the original pattern which,having originally been masked,did not vary very much. If you look at any line up of Spitfires,particularly from the same batch,you will see only small variations.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Polux , I will post a few pix of my recent "lightly salted" KI 46. I only did it on the walkway,around cowlflaps and access panels.

I first paint the plane silver enamel. Then I take normal fine table salt in a little container. I take a fine brush,dampen it wit a little water and pickup some salt with the tip and place it where I want to look chipped.

When dry I spray over it, I have found that using acrylics for this gives the best results for me.

When that is dry I rub off the salt with a toothpick to reveal the silver under side. What Steve said is true, generally primer doesn't chipp off unless it is stone damage so you might leave that as your "under colour"

Theuns

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[Guest]

Thank you very much Steve and Theuns!!!

Mmmm....there is something I don't explain.....

Now if when Steve sends me to see the doctor again!

I must say that the planes are not my devotion (yet), and much less the Spitfire....

This story began it doesn't very much, Ian proposed a bonus SIG very enterteining, his idea and mine did not fit, " - not tartan spitfire Polux ... " he answered me. " Tartan??? What is this???... and I searched!! On having seen I thought that bilge!! And little later ... why not!! And this way it will be!!

A bit of recklessness, folly, will to overcome one itself and a part of rebelliousness!!! (Ian: don't think badly, the idea is yours and it will be a project I want to obtain). Now I have in my hands photos of tartans, try to understand how to organize the sequence to paint and create the lines. Ridiculous!, about 1 mm!! The worst stage ... a Spitfire to scale 1/72... Hung on an advertising post, with weathering and other damages....

" Tartan Spitfire aerodrome, learn to fly with us!!! "

Regards from the mad Polux...

[stona]

Hi Polux,you haven't been taking your medicine have you? :lol:

I say go for it. It will be something very different!

Good luck

Steve

[Guest]

Not....today I haven't take my medicine!!! I believe my madness doesn't recover with medicine!!

:laughing:

It's a challenge that is going to finish with my patience, sure!! But I must try it....

I suppose in a few days I will open a thread and will begin hands to the work.

I expect not to be unworthy of the tartan ... in an English forum ... my this continuity is between saying.... lane:lane:

Thank you very much Steve to wishing luky on this one, nice detail mate :thumbsup:

Regards. Polux

[yak face]

I say go for it too! It sounds mad , but in a good way!! cheers tony

[papa 695]

Well Polux i for one can't wait to see this build go together hock ay the noo

[Guest]

Thanks Ian and Tony!!! Ok go for it!!

Nobody wants to accompany me in this madness??

:waiter: