Night Owl

Well Vallejo airbrush thinner yes is great I am not saying use Windex as a thinner with your expensive paints use your manufactures recommended thinner. Windex is a cost saving "Safe" alternative when your done painting or between colour changes to get a good spray out and scrub without wasting the expensive name brand cleaners just to wash out your parts. It only works with acrylic paints so don't even attempt it with lacquers. I have been using it for over a year There is a ammonia free alternative at the link below. https://www.windex.com/en-us/products/ammonia-free-glass-cleaner

Well Vallejo airbrush thinner yes is great I am not saying use Windex as a thinner with your expensive paints use your manufactures recommended thinner. Windex is a cost saving "Safe" alternative when your done painting or between colour changes to get a good spray out and scrub without wasting the expensive name brand cleaners just to wash out your parts. It only works with acrylic paints so don't even attempt it with lacquers. I have been using it for over a year There is a ammonia free alternative at the link below. https://www.windex.com/en-us/products/ammonia-free-glass-cleaner

I am about to embark on an daunting camouflage pattern. at 1:48 scale the paint edge needs to be almost crisp with just a slight feather to the edge. I did some trials with the camo putty rolling it in sausages of different thicknesses and spraying from varying distances and angles which by the way is near impossible to maintain the same distance on curved surfaces. I found that after about 15 min the putty was settling and moving. I am wondering is Silly putty which I have heard a lot about does the same thing? The pattern is an exact copy if the mask is on the move well like most modellers I am a perfectionist so that just wont do! I am open to different products and processes. I also heard that Elmer's school white glue makes a good mask that wont move but I have not tried it. I was thinking that is I could get some maskol or the like into an old Vallejo paint container I could lay out a nice curve from the applicator tip and fill in behind it. Trying to get a smooth curve with Maskol using a brush well its pretty unforgiving if you have to backtrack, plus I find its hard to tell what's been covered until it dries and changes color. Dave

OMG...this kit is killing me, I have a 1:48 scale F-18B everything was going great until I took out the canopy and noticed this seam that runs down the center of both parts the wind screen and the canopy. How can I get rid of this without destroying the canopy. I do have a Hasegawa kit for a F-18D that has a two seat version canopy I don't mind taking. Both models are tandem seat cockpits but I don't know if its the same canopy design...does anyone know if MacDonald Douglas used the same canopy for both versions? thanks in advance for any help. Dave

Great build love the new larger F-18s so many Squadrons so little time. Great weathering and finishing. I had to zoom in and inspect your paint great technique on the mottled pattern. Did you build it strait from the box or did you add some after market items?

Thanks for all your comments and suggestion I am not married to the vehicle positioning. I still have the troops to finish its been a few months since I have done any work on the diorama. I got sidetracked with a new diorama "EOD Iraq" I just received the 1:35 Panda Cougar 6x6 JERRV (Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle) to finish the scene.

I am just taking a break from the figures to work on other projects ill be back at these around end Nov. Cross delta has most patterns its just hard finding a store that has stock.

I had an idea to do a diorama after seeing photos of an EOD team in Iraq setting up to dispose of a dud/UXO GBU-10C Laser guided bomb thundered into the desert floor. I did allot of searching for a detailed GBU-12 with the flight fins deployed. I finally found one at Gunsmoke models. Just waiting for it to arrive. On the side I have started the diorama base of the Iraq desert. Yesterday I received the 1/35th Meng kit. I was impressed with the figure proportions but the suits lacked detail in the straps and belts. Nothing a scribe can't fix. I started with the number 1 team leader I want him in the position where he is crimping the No.12 non electric detonator onto the M700 Safety fuse. To do this the hands were close I just needed to separate a finger and reposition it as it were holding the det. Fine micro saw Seperation is completed and finger is softened with thin set glue to move into position. Start on the rest of the figure. I will paint the faces but not sure yet if I'll do it before airbrushing the suite or after. I don't want to put liquid mask over the faces from past experience it probably won't come off easily. So I'll have to figure out a system. I am going to paint the suites in desert tan being used by the U.S. rather than the standard green. I am pretty stoked at the idea and after some weathering they should look awsome. You can see a photo at https://images.app.goo.gl/2LAD7euoPV36W5Wg7 Tomorrow I'll start on final scribing and sanding. Then into priming and painting the suite. Priming with AK interactive-Desert Sand After a coat of AK interactive CARC Tan 686 over the primer I detailed the suite with Vallejo European Brown wash. The knee pads and chest plate we're done in Meng rubber black then creases in Valleho's Dark gray wash. I'll do the faces last then a coat of AK interactive Ultra Matt to bring everything to the same look. Finished the figures tonight final stage painting faces, adding face shield, coat of ultra matt and painting the M700 Safety fuse and detonator. I think the guy standing needs to be holding something like a shovel in one hand and ammo can in the other which is like a det transfer box. Over all I really liked the kit great detail no surprises. They will make a great addition to the diorama I am working on where they will be prepping to blow a GBU-12 in the desert. Exciting day the GBU-10C 2000lb LGB arrived first look it had great detail. Now I need to position the dud bomb and create the inpact site. Its a shame but ill dig out the diorama base then rebuild and repaint it around the bomb. After it dries ill reposition the bomb do more debris then repaint there is still allot of work to be done around the bomb to make it look like an impact. I will be cutting off the guidance and control section as well as the seeker head then scratch building them to have them broken away on impact with wiring and internal components exposed. Tonight I finished making the damaged control section(wings) and guidance section. Then primed it with Vallejo Light ghost grey primer it's kind does both jobs at once as the ghost grey is the final spec colour. I had a box of spare PE parts for just an occasion like this. The wings are from the kit. The before and after I took a break and moved to the diorama. After doing some prep work as seen in the other photos above. Everything dried so I reposition the spare bomb and built up more around it. After the sand modge podge mix dries I'll wiggle that bomb out and let it fully dry. Back to working.on the bomb finishing up the PE parts. I was disappointed to see the kit has no decals. I'll have to source some after market bomb decals.. Final coat Vallejo light ghost grey 70.615 over gray primer 73.601 then I did a wash of light gray 76.515 for some light weathering. Tiny C4 charges ill place on the bomb. I found some 1:32 GBU decals as part of a Trumpeter weapons set. So I'll take the decals I need and keep the kit for another day. I am working on the final lay out of the debris field before setting the bomb in permanently. I'll have to build up around the bomb to give it a hard impact appearance. Getting the decals on before hand is the first priority. Finally found decals although they are coverd in dust and debris they are still visable. Tonight final coat on the desert floor in and around the impact area. I spent several days getting the bomb burried and everything cemented down and painted so it looks as realistic as possible.

Ah so many camouflage schemes so little time. Like, like and like some more. I love the Aggressor sqn and their many schemes you have done justice to the falcon. Looks from the photosn like you did some reaserch to make sure your matching the colors and the scheme. Very nice work on the airbrushing and matching up those pesky dual color decals. Look forward to seeing it finished.

In between my new armored obsession and a big diorama project I like to return to aircraft. I have always wanted to do something from the Vietnam war era. Also I don't have any props in my collection so this plane fits the bill. I havent decided on a decal set but I would like to do a Sqn that is not well known. So a behind the scene project is looking at photos and finding decals. Love the scene in "Flight of the intruder" when William Dafoe calls in "Sandy" the loitering Skyraider. Anyways should be fun looking forward to the final coat. I am goint to add expansion packs and detail kits but the kit seems pretty good. Ill get into the kit here tomorrow and post some more on the paints and start of construction. Oct 15th update Layed out engine parts there are two options one with the cowl doors open and one closed not sure the purpose of the doors but when they are closed you cannot see the engin details. looking at several engine photos a well seasoned engine has several types of metals predominant is the main cast with a almost beryllium or off gold hue. I found an almost perfect match in the Tamiya spray cans I just decanted some and transfered it into my airbrush. After spraying a wash to replicate the burnt hydraulic fluid and oils the photo is a bit orange but the final finish looks very close to the photo. I just need to add some detail painting of the other metal surfaces. Tomorrow's plan to start on the cockpit I realised that the expansion pack for the cockpit has a Navy seat I do have a Airforce seat ready to go.

Did you finish the diorama?

Your so right I have been practicing reading amd watching tutorials. Here is my fourth attempt at figure heads.There is so much out there for WW2 but not so much for Iraq in the way good custom figures for the 2005 era I need.

I am reaching out for help to take stock figures from a kit and make them into other poses that look natural using proven techniques. I am willing to put in the time but I need some resources on the how too. Moving supplied arms, heads, hands and legs without ending up with a figure that looks like something out of the movie "Thing" is my challenge. I have seen some bad attempts and I am trying not to stuggle through a self taught hack job. Thanks for any assistance you can send me.

Stunning work on this and the models on your Flicker page. Wow is all I can say your definitely a master modeller. I think I'll go back and drool over some of your busses.

I feel cold just looking at this scene. Love your weathering on the diorama, figure skin painting and that tank looks like its ready for retirement. I have been on winter manouvers and your scene brings back some bad memories of being cold to the bone thanks! Lol great diorama I think ill just sit and stare at it a bit more.

Here is my second vehicle for my diorama posted under dioramas " Battle of Fallujah-operation Phantom Furry" another great Academy kit I wont bore you with too many construction photos. You can also see the Meng Bradley on this forum. I did add allot of Live Resin armaments I have seen some funky weapons configurations for the SAG save -a-gunner turret. Live Resin parts arrived excited to get building! So pros of the live resin is great detail as advertised, cons are no instructions and the type of plastic used to cast the parts is extremely brittle and can only be bonded with crazy glue. Paint was a primmer coat of AK interactive desert sand primer then a coat of AK interactive 686A CARC Tan. After drying over night started weathering with Vallejo model wash 76.523 Tierra European Dust on all bolts and panel seams. I did the weapons in 2 coats of Vallejo black wash and picked up the details with Vallejo pigments dusted on. I also used the desert pigments to add a layer of dust on all the gear and vehicle. Check out my diorama " Battle of Fallujah-Operation Phantom Fury"- Work In Progress - Dioramas to see the vehicles on the scene I look forward to your comments. Sneak peek "Battle of Fallujah-operation Phantom Furry"

Hi I saw the link to my diorama project for the use of foam, don't over think it the best foam I found was first-foam that is used to protect parts in mailing packages, second was construction ridged board insulation foam. The test is to take any foam you have doesn't have to be specific and compress it with the end of an tool. Does it keep the impression with crisp detail? can you distress it without it falling apart? and finally can you paint it in one to two coats easily? Foam is porous and depending on what type will either suck up the paint or reject it. I found the rigid insulation solved both problems. I hit it with a primer coat just to cover the blue then apply my base colour. Last tip when you cutting walls and doorways use a 1/35th scale ruler to make sure your dimensions are scaled to your figures and vehicles, plan your relief if your wanting a raised window trim on a stacked block wall for example. Cut away excess material then do your depressions and distressing. Vallejo YouTube series on weathering has some stunning results and great ideas. I have used both the AK Interactive and the Vallejo on this diorama I am still working on and the Vallejo is far more versatile. Use super glue to connect your foam parts and take the time to anchor everything down because the foam is light when you go to airbrush it guess what? it wants to take off! old adage 95% prep 5% paint.

I finished one of two armored vehicles posted on "Meng Bradley" and the figures for the diorama posted on "Marines in Fallujah" I am just wrapping up the M1151 Armoured up Humvee ill post soon. The figures are taking the longest as I am trying to decide do I want them as if they are under contact or more relaxed like a halt during a patrol.

Great advice I took some of your techniques and tried it on the first faces I have ever done very happy with the results sothanks again for the advice. Quick and easy did these five heads in about 2 hours.

I need help tracking down the proper color for modern USMC fragmentation vest and ammo pouches known as "coyote brown" in Vallejo paint.

I started the first figure for the diorama posted under dioramas "Operation Phantom Furry" USMC wearing MARPAT. At 1/35th scale digital squares are barely discernible. I tried several methods to replicate the pattern with paint iether the pixels were out off scàle or looked too round trying to use a brush or sponge. Then I found camouflage decals from Cross Delta in MARPAT desert what a life saver! I did a few trials as putting a 2D object on a 3D object would prove to be challenging. The decals are thick twice what your used too, I applied Micro-Sol decal softener it helped the decal bend after about 2 min it became exceptional playable. Working it in the creases with a brush moistened with micro-sol it conformed like fabric. Cut roughly to the size of say a lower arm sleeve and then a second piece for the upper arm. I let it dry overnight the decal further worked its way into the underlying details I was amazed at the results. Next I noticed it was too shiney so a coat of AK Interactive ultra matt varnish took care of that giving the decal a fabric look. I am chasing that elusive "Coyote Brown" for the load bearing vest if anyone has a lead on the proper colour in Vallejo. There is a ton of work to do on this figure but for the start I am happy with the camouflage the camera changes the colour a bit. Started working on the heads and some of the other gear. Heads were painted with seven layers of Vallejo acrylic then a little 5 o'clock shadow added. Marine gear painted in the Coyote Brown- Vallejo 71.024 Khaki brown great match then washed with 76.523, 76.514 finally a coat of AK interactive ultra matt. Some Marines during the campaign maintained the woodlands camouflage pattern on vests and pouches. I did the camouflage first next ill do the MARPAT desert then add the gear, head and hands.

Just finished one of two vehicles for my diorama posted under "Battle of Fallujah-Operation Phantom Fury" all I have to say is loved the kit Meng makes a great product. I did alot of reaserch on the proper colours for US vehicles in Iraq from the 2004-2006 period as colours changed. This is the first armored vehicle I have ever made but allot of the skills I learned from building jets applies. Also doing research and watching othrs online builds helps. Washed and distressed roadwheels Matching pigment to RC079 AK interactive 686A CARC Tan swatch One of several steps weathering the tracks Primer coat application. Finish coat and weathered wash. Sneek peek "Battle of Fallujah-operation Phantom Furry"

Ever dream of that one product that will clean your airbrush across multiple acrylic brands...well recently while switching from Meng paint to, Vallejo then to Tamiya I had seen online a tip to use plain old Windex. After airbrushing just fill up your airbrush cup swirl it with a paintbrush for a min and spray it through it takes two to three applications to get your parts clean and Windex does not dry out the metal. The best part of all this is its super cheap you can get a huge bottle at Wal-Mart for $4-5 as compared to brand name airbrush cleaners. I don't recommend thinning with it unless its the Windex clear not the Windex with the blue hue. Works great and smells good too. I have used lacquer to thin across all brands of Acrylics it works great but the noxious fumes are a health concern you need to wear your mask, gloves and ventilate. Lacquer is great for a deep overnight soak cleaning but it evaporates quickly so it can cause drying out of your parts especially while spraying tend to get allot of build up on the needle tip.

I have used three different techniques 1. "Pre shading" Pros-time efficient, Cons-like mentioned you have to do very thin layers and if its a multi color camo pattern very hard to transition. 2. "Charcoal sticks & Vallejo weathering pencils and pigments"- I sand off some charcoal material and use a small thin brush to accent panels and soiled areas Pros- excellent control and you can get a light or dark effect over three color camouflage and decals even a finish coat. I recently re weathered an AV-8B that was 5 years old. Cons-difficult to remove time consuming. The Vallejo weathering pencils come in a variety pack of 26-30 including metallic colors you can draw super fine lines then blur them with a damp brush color combination and effects are endless worth the investment. 3. "Washes" Pros-easy to use most washes are a ready use product quick to apply very realistic. Cons-working the wash after it has been applied to get the desired effect takes some technique and skill to get it blended/softened without changing the surrounding area. On my feed I have an example of the Pre-shading I did on a four color camouflage pattern called "Desert Hawk" as a test it was very challenging as I realized I had to basically paint the model twice to get the pre-shading to show through properly I would not do it again. Also an example of 100% charcoal weathering on my AV-8B, F-18 and A-10. The "Found on road dead" truck was all pigments and washes. In the end you can always combine several techniques to no one is better than the other. I recently read an article from a master modeller on over weathering which I see so much of. Look at your walk around photos and inspect the weathered areas you should not be pre shading every panel and rivet its just not realistic each part of an aircraft is subjected to different exposures to the environment and maintenance. My preference is model washes then picking up the fine details like edges, streaks and chips with the weathering pencils. Good luck in you modeling endeavours.