Improve your airbrushing Part 1

8
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FSPDF016
FSM Direct –Downloadable Articles
Improve your airbrushing:
Part 1
FSPDF016
AIRBRUSHING SPECIAL
ABCs of
Airbrushing
M
ost of my pre-airbrush memories
revolve around spray cans. There
was no reason to change my
painting habits then, as I was perfectly
satisfied with the results the cans were
giving me.
That is, until I saw a similar model to
the one I’d just completed on display in a
hobby shop. It had no buried detail, no
drips, and no “orange peel” effect (a dimpled paint surface). Its finish clearly
outclassed the model I’d just completed.
I questioned the shop owner about the
beautiful finish, and he said the model
was airbrushed. He explained further, and
the logic was simple: If you’re building a
scale model, why not have a scale finish?
He assured me that real aircraft don’t
have “gobs of paint on them like my
“spray bomb” cans were delivering to my
kits.
The airbrush, he said, would give me
© 2008 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher. www.FineScale.com
control of the spray pattern and the volume, and let me mix colors. It would even
let me vary the types of paint I used, since
it could “atomize” lacquers, enamels, and
acrylics. And I could learn to make those
fancy camouflage finishes I’d been admiring. Made sense to me.
Five years later, I am still mastering
this tool’s benefits – and I think the learning curve intimidates a lot of potential
airbrushers. Don’t let it scare you.
By Chris Appoldt Photos by the FSM staff
FSM reviewer Randall Dieck airbrushes all
of his aircraft models. Here are his 1/48
scale Hasegawa A-7D Corsair II and
Monogram F-105G Wild Weasel.
Starting today is better than starting five
kits from now, and with a relatively low
outlay of cash you can set yourself up with
a basic airbrush set and air supply. And
then, of course, you get to start laying
paint.
How it works. Airbrushes are
miniature versions of the spray guns used
to paint full-size machines. Compressed
air, fed to the airbrush by either a compressor or a pressurized container, is
airbrush has a button for the air valve and
a separate control for the paint nozzle, 1.
“Single action” means the spray button
controls only the air (on or off ). The button on a double-action airbrush controls
the air, but also is connected to the needle
in the paint nozzle, 2. Paint volume in the
spray is controlled by rocking the button
back and forth, moving the needle in and
out of the orifice.
Airbrushes range in price from about
Learning to spray paint
directed over a small orifice. The moving
air draws paint from a reservoir (cup or
bottle), then atomizes the paint and
sprays it in a fine, narrow mist. The
tapered point of the needle in the orifice
focuses the spray and controls the amount
of paint in the spray.
Decisions, decisions. There are several types of airbrushes to consider, but
most hobby airbrushes are either “singleaction” or “double-action.” A single-action
1
2
Air button
Knurled nozzle
A Paasche H is a fine single-action airbrush. Paint flows up the
siphon from the color cup (or bottle) into the angled paint nozzle. The knurled nozzle adjusts paint volume. The top-mounted
button turns on the air flow.
3
This is an Iwata Eclipse series double-action airbrush. Pressing
down on the top button turns on the air flow; rocking the button
back and forth controls the paint volume. This model has a gravity feed paint cup.
4
Knurled knob
Badger’s model 200 is a hybrid design. It has the longitudinal needle found on double-action airbrushes, but the paint volume is
controlled by turning the knurled knob at the end of the needle.
$20 up to several hundred dollars.
Design, features, and quality all determine the price. Inexpensive single-action
airbrushes such as Badger’s 250 or
Testor’s A2203 are adequate for applying
single overall colors and would serve as
good “basic trainer” airbrushes.
The next step up is a high-quality
single-action airbrush such as the Paasche
H or Badger 350. Badger’s 200, 3, and
Paasche’s SA2000 are interesting hybrids.
They are single-action airbrushes (button
controls air only), but they have a longitudinal needle usually found in double-action
airbrushes (where the button rocks to
control paint volume).
Double-action airbrushes, such as
Badger’s 150, Anthem, and Crescendo;
Paasche’s V and Millennium; Testor’s
Aztek; Iwata’s HP-C; and Tamiya’s HG
offer better control and finer spray patterns. However, they are more difficult to
master and more complex to disassemble
and clean.
Powering up. No matter which air-
For multicolored paint schemes, apply the lightest color over the
entire model. This will serve as a primer and help avoid unpainted spots.
brush you choose, you’re going to need a
source of compressed air to make it work.
Air sources also range in price and complexity (for a good overview, check out
the March 2002 Scale Auto, or the January
2001 FSM). At the bottom end is the
propellant can. It can supply enough “air”
to spray, perhaps, one model, so if you seldom airbrush, this is the least expensive
option.
If you plan a lot of airbrushing, consider buying a good compressor made for
airbrushes. They range from $100 to
about $400 depending on features.
Compressors can be noisy, but some
aren’t. The more expensive “silent” types
use refrigerator-style compressors that
charge small storage tanks. It’s a good
idea to add a moisture trap along the airbrush hose to catch moisture “squeezed”
out of the air by the compressor.
Another alternative is a compressed
gas cylinder. You can get small cylinders
(five-pound) all the way up to industrialsize cylinders. Usually airbrushers opt for
10- or 20-pound cylinders of carbon
dioxide or nitrogen. Gas cylinders require
a flow regulator. Cylinder/regulator
setups can be purchased for around $200,
or leased from industrial gas suppliers or
services that supply carbon dioxide cylinders for beverage fountains. Cylinders are
absolutely silent and don’t require electricity, but when they are empty, you have
to tote them to a filling service.
Ready, aim, paint! Now you’ve got
an airbrush, an air source, and a model to
paint. What’s next? Ah, paint! There are
lots of modeling paints, but you can’t simply load them into the airbrush and spray
away. Your airbrush is an engineering
marvel, and a delicate instrument; so with
the exception of some buffable metallics,
modeling paints must be thinned before
airbrushing.
Stir the paint in the original container;
paint pigments are heavy and settle to the
bottom, and paint must be thoroughly
mixed before use. Keep stirring until the
heavy clump at the bottom is mixed in
5
6
Here’s a tip: Lightly draw the camouflage pattern onto the first
color with a pencil.
7
8
Airbrush at an angle to get the sharpest line. Move the model so
you can outline each colored area with the fine spray.
with the liquid part of the paint.
Modeling paints are made for brush
painting and must be thinned to get them
to spray properly. Don’t add thinner to
the original paint container, but obtain
empty mixing bottles or use 35mm film
containers for mixing paint.
Start by adding one part of thinner to
two parts of stirred paint. I try to thin the
paint to the consistency of milk, and
sometimes I need more thinner. I always
stir the paint and thinner thoroughly.
Gloss enamels usually need more thinning than flats, but acrylics (water-based)
vary from brand to brand. Check the
paint label for the thinner-to-paint ratio
and the type of thinner that the manufacturer recommends.
Surface preparation. The airbrush
can produce a beautiful, thin, smooth
layer of paint, so make sure the model is
clean and smooth, too. Airbrushed paint
won’t hide blemishes – it will only make
them look worse.
I wash my ready-to-finish model in
Airbrush the next darker color onto the first, only after you have
given the first color at least 48 hours to cure.
Open the nozzle a little and fill in the center of the color area.
warm soapy dishwater first, shake off the
excess water, and leave it overnight on a
lint-free dishtowel in a cabinet to dry. An
alternative to dish soap is Polly S Plastic
Prep; this alcohol-based surface-preparer
lifts greasy fingerprints and grime and
evaporates quickly.
Spray away. Always test your airbrush’s paint flow away from your model.
Even the most experienced modelers I
know will test-shoot their newly loaded
airbrush off to the side to be certain the
paint is flowing well.
I test-spray at the lowest effective
pressure, about 10 p.s.i., and sometimes
use the regulator to crank up the pressure
to 20 p.s.i. My test surface is a huge
styrene sheet I found at a model contest
for about $1.50. An old model makes a
great “test dummy,” too, but don’t use
paper or cardboard; they absorb paint and
won’t provide a good simulation of how
the paint is going to cover your model.
Don’t aim your airbrush at the model
and then press the air button. Paint
buildup on the tip of the nozzle will lift
off with the first blast of air and land as a
spatter. Instead, aim off the model, then
move onto the area to be painted. The
same goes for stopping the spray; stop off
the model.
I spray a few patterns on the test surface first, getting the “feel” of my loaded
airbrush; this way I retrain my senses on
what to expect, and discover how the airbrush is handling with the selected paint.
What’s the right distance between the
airbrush and the model? I start about 2"
to 3" from the surface. By adjusting the
air pressure, paint-to-thinner ratio, and
paint volume, I can move in to where the
tip of the airbrush is less than 1" away
from the model, ideal for applying fine
lines and camouflage.
Stay inside the lines. If you’re just
getting started, it might be best to finish
your first airbrushed model in a single
color. Start by lightly misting the paint on
with the airbrush 4"-5" from the surface.
Don’t start any farther away; the paint
The finely feathered demarcation lines between colors is an airbrush hallmark. Sharp lines, such as the canopy framing and the
orange area on the nose of Randall’s 1/48 scale Monogram
F-100D Super Sabre, are masked, then airbrushed.
may dry before it gets to the model, creating a gritty, rough surface. The misted
coat serves as a “tooth” for heavier color
coats to come.
For the next coat, move the airbrush a
little closer to your model and lay an even
coat by sweeping the brush slowly over it.
Remember to begin and end the spray off
of your model to prevent paint build-up
or spatter.
I’ve learned the hard way that thinned
paint from an airbrush dries quickly. That
can fool you into thinking that the shiny
wet paint that just landed on the model is
not covering well – especially when you’re
using acrylics. The paint you’ve just
sprayed looks different in color and sheen
than the paint that is nearby. Let the
entire area you’ve just sprayed dry before
you go over it with a second pass.
Build up paint in light, even coats. If
you put it on too heavily or quickly, you
could form a drip as the paint piles up.
When you’re finished with your session, you should have a thin, light, even
coat covering the surface. Set the project
aside overnight, and retouch any missed
spots with the airbrush the next day. A
few light coats are all you’ll need!
Multicolor schemes. As you gain
confidence, you’ll want to try airbrushing
camouflage patterns, as this is where airbrushes really show their stuff. Before
starting, think ahead. For multicolored
schemes, paint the lightest color first, and
apply that color to the entire model, 4.
This ensures the model is covered with at
least one color, and that color can serve as
a primer. Primers aren’t absolutely necessary, but they help you spot blemishes. It’s
easier to sand and repaint now than after
all the colors have been painted.
Randall beautifully recreated the characteristic unpainted rear
fuselage of the F-100 with various shades of metallics and clear
coats. This hot-metal effect would be nearly impossible to create
without an airbrush.
After the first (lightest) color is cured
(48 hours is safe), draw the camouflage
scheme lightly with an ordinary pencil, 5
– don’t bear down, or you’ll engrave the
paint and it will show after the camouflage is applied. Label each color area
with a code you’ll remember: LG for light
green, T for tan, and so forth. Hey, you’ve
got a “paint by letter” model!
Paint the next darker color over all the
indicated areas, slightly overlapping the
penciled borders, 6. To get a tighter pattern, close down the nozzle and get in
close. This will take practice. Adjust the
paint volume, air pressure (if you can),
and paint/thinner ratio so you can spray
fine lines.
Another way to spray a tight edge on
each camouflage area is to aim the airbrush 45 degrees to the surface, 7. This
will create a harder edge closest to the airbrush, with a softer edge on the far side of
the spray. Turn the model so you can paint
from the edge of each area inward. Paint
all the edges first, then go back and fill the
middles, 8. Open the nozzle a bit so it
doesn’t take as long to fill the areas and
you’ll avoid that “scribbled in” appearance.
If you make a mistake, don’t try to
wipe the color off; the soft paint will only
smear and ruin your paint job. You can
always go back and paint over your mistakes. For best results, wait a couple of
days between colors to give the underlying paint time to cure.
After a while, you’ll be hooked and
find yourself using the airbrush on every
modeling project. And you’ll probably
wonder why you didn’t pick up an airbrush sooner. FSM
REFERENCES
How to use an Airbrush Robert Downie, Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha,
Wisconsin, 2001
8 ways to power your airbrush Paul Boyer, FineScale Modeler, January 2001
Airbrushing basics Matt Usher, FineScale Modeler, February 1999
Airbrushing tricks and techniques Paul Boyer, FineScale Modeler, March 1999
Powering your airbrush Matt Usher, Scale Auto, March 2002
SOURCES
Badger Air-Brush Co. 9128 W. Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, 800-2472787, www.badgerairbrush.com
Binks Manufacturing 9201 W. Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, 847-6713000
Iwata Medea P.O. Box 14397, Portland, OR 97293, 503-253-7308, www.iwataairbrush.com
Paasche Airbrush Co. 7440 W. Lawrence Ave., Harwood Heights, IL 60656-3497,
708-867-9191, www.paascheairbrush.com
Tamiya America 2 Orion, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4200, 800-826-4922,
www.tamiyausa.com
Testor Corp./Aztek 620 Buckbee St., Rockford, IL 61104-4891, 815-962-7401,
www.testors.com
Airbrush Troubleshooting
By Paul Boyer
E
ven after years of experience, you’re
going to encounter problems when airbrushing. Here’s a peek at some of the
problems I’ve run into.
Clouds of paint swirling in your spray
area. Whoa! Back off the air pressure
and the paint volume. Any clouds of
overspray constitute wasted paint. The
airbrush can deliver fine smooth paint
jobs, so take your time and apply the
paint in thin layers.
Whether you have clouds of paint or
not, paint and thinner fumes can be
toxic. Make sure you have sufficient
ventilation in your work area. A spray
booth is best – it can remove all the
fumes. A ventilator mask is a good idea,
too.
Overspray. Watch where you’re aiming
your airbrush. While you are concentrating on spraying a certain spot, parts of
the model that lie behind your target may
accidentally receive overspray as you
paint. Make sure you mask these areas
before airbrushing. If you forget, you may
have to repaint the affected areas.
Spidery splashes. Those spots of
paint with little rivulets running out all
over. They have several causes, sometimes more than one at the same time.
Usually it means you’re too close to the
surface with too much paint coming out
of the airbrush. Also, the paint could be
too thin.
First, close the nozzle to limit the
amount of paint coming out, then test
spray on your test model to get a feel for
the proper distance. If you’re still getting
spiders, add more paint into the mixture.
Gritty finish. The paint is covering,
but it is covering with small grits and
lumps. There are four possible causes:
the paint is not thinned enough; the airbrush is too far away and the paint is
drying on the way to the model; clumps
of pigment are not dissolving in the
thinner; there is too much air pressure.
You don’t need to blast paint on with an
airbrush – a gentle whisper from the airbrush should be enough to deliver a
smooth finish. Adjust the air pressure (if
you can) to between 10 and 20 p.s.i., and
make sure the paint is well mixed.
Drips and runs. Too much paint in
one spot will form a puddle, and gravity
will make it run. Keep the airbrush mov-
Whoops! Using too much paint, too thin paint, or moving too close to the surface will
produce this spidery creature.
ing so you don’t pile up too much paint
on one area.
Spatters. Little spatters around fine
lines are usually caused by a damaged
needle or nozzle. Paint blows off the
distorted tip and lands outside of the
intended area. Sometimes, low air pressure also can cause this.
Examine the needle and nozzle with
a magnifying glass. If the nozzle is
cracked or splayed open, replace it. If the
tip of the needle is bent, you can carefully straighten it out. Single-action
needles are relatively sturdy and you can
persuade the bent tip by pressing it
against a hard surface. Go easy: press,
check, press some more, check again,
and so forth.
The fine needle of a double-action
(or a hybrid) airbrush is more delicate.
You may not be able to see the bent tip,
but you’ll be able to feel it. Remove the
needle from the airbrush, and drag it
lightly over your fingertip. Roll the
needle as you drag, and you’ll feel the
hooked side catch as it goes along your
finger. Make note of the direction of the
hook, then drag the affected side of the
needle on fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding stick. Check it again on your finger
and repeat if necessary.
Bleed under masking tape. This is
This single-action nozzle (left) and needle
are beyond repair. Replacements can be
ordered where you purchase airbrushes.
usually caused by too heavy an application of paint. The wet paint overwhelms the masking tape and creeps
under, resulting in a ragged line.
Airbrush several light coats instead of
trying to cover with a heavy coat. Also,
spray at an angle over the tape so the
air pressure isn’t forcing the paint under
the mask.
No paint coming out. Shame, shame,
you haven’t been cleaning the airbrush
properly. Most likely there’s a small particle of dried paint clogging the nozzle.
Check the sidebar on cleaning the airbrush (page 30), and be sure to clean it
after every painting session.
Cleaning your airbrush
By Terry Thompson
ithout a doubt, the most important aspect of airbrushing is cleaning the equipW
ment. Neglecting to clean a brush properly is also the absolute best, or at least
the simplest, way of assuring yourself of never-ending frustration while painting.
The airbrush should be cleaned after
every painting session. Paint thinners and
cleaners can be applied with cotton swabs
and pipe cleaners.
However, cleaning your airbrush doesn’t have to be a chore. I can clean my
double-action airbrush completely in less than 10 minutes and clean it well enough
to change colors in fewer than five. While I learned most of these techniques the
hard way, reading this article means you won’t have to.
Single- and double-action airbrushes require different procedures; clean hybrid
airbrushes as you would a double-action brush. I’ve organized the information below
into three categories, one for rinsing the equipment and two for cleaning the airbrush itself. Choose the two that apply to your situation. If you’re only changing colors, you can normally skip the disassembly and just rinse, unless you’re going from a
dark color to a light one, or from a metallic to a non-metallic. Then you’ll still have
to clean the brush completely.
Air button
Air cap
Needle guard
Paint cup and cap
Air cap
Air and paint volume control
Needle lock nut
Needle lock nut
Connector for air hose
Nozzle
Nozzle
Needle
Paint cup
Connector for air hose
Needle
Here is the Paasche H broken down for cleaning.
This is a disassembled Iwata Eclipse.
Tips for keeping your brush clean and healthy
By Terry Thompson
■ Never shake paint – always stir. Shaking leaves paint
around the top of the jar, where it dries into clumps. Those
clumps can easily clog an airbrush. A screen on your pickup
tube can help, as can straining your paint.
■ If you use a single-action brush, close it (run the needle
forward or twist the tip closed) if it will sit for more than
20 seconds. Thinned paint dries on and in an open tip
quickly.
■ Drain your water trap each time you spray. It can’t work if
it’s full.
■ Make sure your thinner is clean. Dirt or lint (been doing
the old tip-the-can-onto-the-towel trick?) can and will clog
your brush, or at least appear in your paint.
■ Lubricate your airbrush according to the instructions, and
don’t abuse it by overtightening the threads.
■ Some parts, including washers, gaskets, and even needles
and tips, will wear out. Paint is abrasive, and solvents are
harsh chemicals. Keep spares on hand so you can keep
painting.
■ If you think you might have bent your airbrush needle,
check it visually or by pulling it across a towel while rotating the needle. Do not check it by running it back into the
brush – that just ensures that you’ll ruin your tip also.
■ If you own needles and nozzles/tips in multiple sizes,
keep the sets together. Though they may look similar,
they’re not interchangeable.
■ If you can afford to, it’s a good idea to have separate airbrushes for solvent-based paints and acrylics. The two don’t
mix well, and paint left in a brush can form clots when
exposed to the wrong solvent.
■ When you reassemble a double-action brush, the action
should be crisp. If the needle sticks in the nozzle, or if the
action seems mushy, there’s still paint in the nozzle. Clean it
again.
■ If you get bubbles in your color cup or feed jar, you have
an air leak in your brush, probably where the tip joins the
nozzle. Check your brush’s instructions to see whether it
can be repaired by the user.
RINSING THE EQUIPMENT
What you’ll need
What you’ll do
Mineral spirits and lacquer thinner (for enamels) or distilled
water and Windex (for acrylics),
Testor acrylic paint remover or
other hobby paint remover,
paper towels, cleaning station.
The instructions refer to both
“solvent” and “cleaner.” For
enamels, use mineral spirits as
the solvent and lacquer thinner
as the cleaner; for acrylics,
water is the solvent and Windex
is the cleaner.
1) Immediately upon completing your painting session, remove the feed jar or color cup. Pour the thinned paint into your waste paint container
(never save it), and flush the cup or jar with solvent. If your brush has a non-removable cup, pour the paint out, then flush the cup with solvent until most of the paint is out.
2) Still working quickly, pour that dirty solvent into your waste paint container and refill the cup or jar with cleaner.
3) Spray nearly a full jar or cup of cleaner through the brush into your cleaning station or other container. Let the brush sit with cleaner in it.
4) Remove and clean the feed jar and tube using cleaner-dampened swabs, pipe cleaners (for the tube only), and paper towels. If your brush
uses a non-removable color cup, clean it using dampened swabs and paper towels.
5) Spray the remaining cleaner through the brush, then clean the brush (see below).
6) Reassemble the brush, then spray clean solvent through the brush and onto a white paper towel. If it comes out clean, go to step 7. If not,
repeat steps 4 and 5 as needed, using paint remover as needed.
7) Spray the remaining solvent through the brush and into your cleaning station or container. If you’re using a double-action or hybrid brush,
remove and oil the needle, then replace it. Don’t leave cleaner, solvent, or paint remover in the airbrush during storage.
SINGLE-ACTION AIRBRUSHES
What you’ll need
What you’ll do
cotton swabs, pipe cleaners,
paper towels, cleaner, paint
remover
A) Rinse the paint out of the brush using the appropriate solvent and cleaner (see above).
B) Remove the feed jar or cup (if possible).
C) Disassemble the nozzle assembly carefully. Wipe each piece clean with a swab dampened with the appropriate cleaner solution. For stubborn acrylics that don’t wipe off using Windex, use paint remover.
D) Clean the inside of the paint tip (where the feed tube attaches) with a dampened swab or pipe cleaner.
Paper towel rolled
into a point helps
clean the airbrush
nozzle.
E) Twist a corner of a paper towel into a point, dampen it, and clean the inside of the nozzle. Never force anything, including a pipe cleaner,
through the nozzle. If the nozzle won’t come clean, soak it in lacquer thinner or paint remover, depending on what type of paint is on it. Then
clean it using a piece of dampened toweling.
F) Reassemble the brush, then go to step 6 above.
DOUBLE-ACTION AND HYBRID AIRBRUSHES
What you’ll need
What you’ll do
cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, soft
cloth, paper towels, cleaner,
paint remover
A) Rinse the paint out of the brush using the appropriate solvent and cleaner (see above).
B) Remove the feed jar or cup (if possible). Working carefully according to the manufacturer’s instructions, remove the needle. (Exception: On
Aztek double-action brushes, the needle/tip assembly is a unit. Testor does not recommend disassembling it, so just flush or soak it until clean).
C) Disassemble the nozzle assembly carefully. Wipe each piece clean with a swab dampened with the appropriate cleaner solution. For stubborn acrylics that don’t wipe off using Windex, use the Testor paint remover.
D) Clean the inside of the paint tip (where the feed tube attaches) with a cleaner-dampened swab or pipe cleaner. If your brush has a nonremovable color cup, clean it with a swab. Clean an Aztek brush using its special cleaning tool/wrench.
E) Twist a corner of a paper towel into a point, dampen it with cleaner, and clean the inside of the nozzle. Never force anything, including pipe
cleaners, through the nozzle. The tip on a double-action or hybrid brush is extremely fragile. If the nozzle and tip won’t come clean, soak them
in lacquer thinner or paint remover (depending on what type of paint is on it) until that paint softens or loosens. Then clean the nozzle using a
piece of dampened toweling. Do not remove the tip from the nozzle.
F) Clean the needle by pulling it across a soft cloth dampened with the appropriate thinner/cleaner. Do not push it forward, and be careful –
needles are sharp!
G) Reassemble the brush, then go to step 6 above.
© 2008 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher. www.FineScale.com
© 2008 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher. www.FineScale.com
A complex camouflage scheme doesn’t always
require a high-end airbrush. Matthew Usher
applied this eye-catching scheme to his Fw 190
using a simple single-action Badger 350.
Easy
airbrush camouflage
Simplify complex patterns with “soft masks”
I
By Matthew Usher
love Luftwaffe aircraft, but as a modeler, they drive me crazy – the machines are
interesting and great to model, but most of them have horribly complicated, seemingly impossible-to-airbrush camouflage schemes. More often than not, I find myself
taking the easy way out and applying the simplest (and usually the most-boring) scheme
to whatever I’ve picked to build.
© 2008 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher. www.FineScale.com
1/48 Scale | Aircraft | How-to
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Assembly started with the pilot’s office. Since Matthew planned on modeling his 190 with a closed cockpit, he didn’t add any extra parts, but
instead concentrated on highlighting the kit’s great out-of-the-box detail.
A fine-point paintbrush and a silver art pencil helped pick out the dials and
switches.
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Not much of the 190’s BMW 14-cylinder radial
engine is visible inside the fuselage – a large
cooling fan covers most of the opening. Matthew
airbrushed the engine flat black then dry-brushed
it with Floquil old silver enamel (No. 110100) to
highlight the cooling-fin detail.
The kit fits together nicely. A little gap-filling super glue and some fine-grit
sanding took care of all the fuselage seams.
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A lot of paint was going to go onto the fuselage,
so Matthew masked the canopy with chrome
Bare-Metal Foil. Working a pane at a time, he
added a piece slightly larger than needed and
burnished it with a clean cotton swab.
When I bought Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8
(No. 61039) I started to rethink things. The kit includes markings for a 190 stationed in Italy in 1944; its unusual tropical
scheme was field-applied over the aircraft’s factory finish. The
upper-fuselage markings were completely painted out, and what
markings remained were covered with bits of overspray. I was
hooked. I knew I had to model that scheme, but how would I
apply it?
As I plotted my plan of attack, I wondered if I could take
things one step further – could I apply a complicated finish
without breaking out one of my tricky-to-clean double-action
airbrushes? The challenge was worth the effort.
I have a soft spot for Badger’s 350 airbrush. Decades ago, it
Trimming foil can be tricky. Matthew installed a
brand-new No. 11 blade in his hobby knife, then
blackened the blade with a permanent marker.
The black finish cuts down on the reflections
between the highly polished blade and foil and
makes it easier to follow the line of the canopy
framework during the trimming.
was one of my first serious modeling tools. It was the airbrush
I learned to paint with, and with it my models stopped looking
like spray-painted toys and started looking like realistically finished miniatures. Even though I’ve graduated to more expensive
airbrushes since then, I’ve always kept a 350 ready to go in my
toolbox.
I thought combining the 190 and the 350 would be a fun
challenge, and I’d have the opportunity to dust off another one of
my favorite painting tools, soft masks. Soft masking enables you
to apply complicated schemes with simple tools – it’s an easy-tolearn technique that produces striking results. Follow along as I
give my “butcher bird” a cool camouflage pattern without making
things so complicated it spoils all the fun.
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Matthew masked the entire canopy, installed the
headrest, then added the parts to the fuselage
with Microscale Micro Kristal Klear.
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Right: Matthew planned to use Testor Model
Master enamels for his 190’s finish. Many of the
Model Master Luftwaffe colors have a scale semigloss finish. To give the paints a dead-flat finish,
Matthew thinned them with Ronsonol lighter fluid
for airbrushing, using the same mixing ratios he
uses for standard paint thinner.
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A “soft mask” cut from an index card will narrow the airbrush’s spray pattern and still provide a soft edge for the camouflage pattern. Matthew cut a
roughly circular hole in one end of a card with a hobby knife.
Holding the card about 1⁄4" from the surface of the model, Matthew applied a
quick burst of the camouflage color, RLM 80 olivgrun (Testor Model Master
No. 2089).
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Even up close, the pattern looks like it was painted with an ultra-precise airbrush. A little green overspray ended up where it shouldn’t have, so when
the green paint was dry, Matthew cut a fresh soft-mask card, filled the airbrush with sandgelb paint, and went back and “erased” the overspray.
After a couple days of drying time, Matthew masked the model and applied
the underside color, RLM 78 hellblau (Testor Model Master No. 2087). A
hard line separates it and the upper-fuselage camouflage. When the hellblau
was dry he masked and painted the wheel wells gray.
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Matthew first gave the entire fuselage a coat of RLM 79 sandgelb (Testor
Model Master No. 2088). It’s the base color for the camouflage pattern, and
the overall coat works nicely as a primer coat to point out imperfections.
Fitted with a medium tip, the Badger 350 produces a spray pattern that’s
too big for fine camouflage work. There’s a way around that, though.
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Despite the large burst of paint, only a small spot makes it way onto the
model’s wing through the hole in the card. By working slowly and applying the pattern a spot at a time, Matthew was able to apply the pattern
precisely.
Overlapping the spots produced larger shapes and patterns. Starting at the
left wingtip, Matthew applied the pattern a spot at a time as he worked
toward the fuselage. When a soft-mask card soaked up too much paint, he
discarded it and cut a new one. Note that he let the pattern overlap onto the
canopy and around the lower edge of the fuselage.
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A decal is provided for the white ID band on the tail, but Matthew decided
it would be easier to apply with paint. He masked the band’s vertical edges
with tightly applied masking tape, but for the upper edge, he tore a larger
piece of tape and didn’t stick it all the way down.
The hard and soft edges of the tape produce an ID band that looks like it’s
been partially covered by the tan-and-green camouflage pattern.
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With the model painted, Matthew moved on to the decals. After applying
a coat of Future floor polish to the model, Matthew applied the kit decals
using a little Microscale Micro Set to tighten them down.
Most of the upper fuselage markings were obscured by the field-applied
camouflage pattern, but the balkenkreuz and number on the fuselage side
weren’t totally covered.
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After the decals dried, Matthew gave the model an overall coat of Testor
flat clear lacquer (No. 2015). When it cured, he broke out the green paint
and soft-mask cards again and blended the edges of the decals into the
camouflage scheme. This gives the scheme a field-applied look – as if a
hasty groundcrewman got a little overspray onto the factory-applied markings. Remember, when you’re painting a potential target, you tend to work
quickly!
A little silver paint simulated chipped paint along the 190’s panel lines, and
some pastel powder made realistic-looking exhaust stains. The finished
model’s unusual field-applied scheme really makes it stand out in Matthew’s
collection of World War II fighters.
Fw 190F-8: The ground-attack “butcher bird”
In the early stages of World War II, the Ju 87 Stuka was one of
Germany’s best weapons. Especially effective in the air-to-ground support
role, it was perfect for Germany’s blitzkrieg across Europe.
The Stuka’s days were numbered, though. As the war rolled on,
the aircraft’s lack of speed and maneuverability made it an easy target.
Focke-Wulf ’s Fw 190, one of the Luftwaffe’s best fighters, made an ideal
replacement thanks to its tough construction and versatility. It went into
ground-attack service as the Fw 190F in 1943. The aircraft was based on
the airframe of the Fw 190A and was fitted with extra armor protection.
The outboard 20mm cannons were removed and underwing weapons racks
were installed. The Fw 190F-8 (modeled here) started rolling off assembly
lines in 1944 and was the most widely produced Fw 190 of the “F” series.
REFERENCES
Fw 190A, F, and G in Action Brian Filley,
Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton,
Texas, 1999
Production Line to Frontline 5: Focke-Wulf
Fw 190 Malcolm V. Lowe, Osprey/MBI
Publishing, Osceola, Wisconsin, 2003
Walk Around No. 22: Focke-Wulf
Fw 190A/F Malcolm Laing and E. Brown
Ryle, Squadron/Signal Publications,
Carrollton, Texas, 2000
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