Weathering Vulcan XM655 Naturally

[zdfgdcv]

Hello Britmodeller,

In April 2015 I decided to find out what would happen to a model if it was weathered naturally. So I set to converting an old table into a runway, took one of my lesser models and mounted it, then left it out in a garden for just over seven months through a British spring and summer. In that time it experienced all the weathers that one would expect in this climate and a few unexpected ones. Having no real idea of what would happen it seemed a worthwhile experiment.

I chose this..

This is my model of XM655 as it appeared on the day the experiment began.

All in all it is not a very good Vulcan but I was very new to modelling when I built it so I thought it would be an ideal test subject.

Each month or so I visited and took some pictures, if you missed that then here's the link below.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234979698-vulcan-xm655-a-natural-weathering-experiment-with-completed/?hl=xm655

The original idea was to leave it outside for a year or perhaps more, but I decided to end the experiment a little early due to concerns over it passing from weathered to destroyed.

Yesterday it was brought back home, or rescued if you like and some photos were taken.

Looking at the above images I wouldn't blame you for wondering if I was mistaken that it was passing from weathered to destroyed, but as we look closer you will see where my concerns came from.

My main concern was the paint work, the peeling in places was starting to get quite bad.

Below you can see some of the smaller problems areas...

All of these on their own aren't so bad, but there were areas suffering a little more...

Here you can see where the roundel used to be it is peeling quite badly..

And on the left airbrake.

But all over the Vulcan it can be seen that the Humbrol Matt-Cote has made it very spotty and in places it is letting go altogether...

Here on the nose, patches missing.

Around and above the intake..

The wing leading edges.

The tail cone..

A curious pattern just near to one of the antennas

All over the top...

As you've seen from these images, not many of the decals have survived on the upper surfaces but on the belly it's a different story. No decals have been lost from the underside at all.

But still the same pattern of deterioration in the Matt-Cote can be seen (plus the brown varnish which the whole thing was covered in at it's build time).

Since this paint is light aircraft grey and it's quite dirty it's not completely clear, so below you can see some shots deliberately underexposed with a strategically placed light source..

It isn't as extensive as the upper surfaces, just happening a little slower I suspect. So the underside could have survived a year for sure, maybe more.

One thing I was hoping for was paint fade but this didn't really occur, but one thing I did notice when taking these pictures - In one place the tone has changed slightly...

Have a look at the green paint on the tail and compare. The tone seems a little warmer compared to the upper wing surfaces.

Finally some points of interest...

Dirt has made it all the way into the intakes.

..And all the way under (or above) the ECM plates..

Also in one intake, a non-scale web...

All in all a successful first test I think.

When I began this experiment I did rush it a little. I decided to re-coat the Vulcan in Matt-Cote before I sent it to the garden but I didn't give it enough time to fully dry or cure. On top of that I later found out the the materials added to it to make it a Matt finish are actually porous. This probably accounts for why it deteriorated so quickly.

I had hoped that it would make it to a year at least, for the first month or so it went quite well.

Now this Vulcan will sit with pride rather than being a poorly finished early attempt of mine and will be protected from nature. I may at some point attempt a replacement of the wing roundel decals, but other than that I won't be doing anything further.

Since this experiment was ended early I've decided that another Vulcan will take the weathering test, and so when I removed this one from its mount I put another one in its place but this time with a gloss finish, properly dried. Look out for that in the Work In Progress section soon.

In the meantime, thanks for looking..

Adam

Edited November 24, 2015 by graveszie

[Dermo245]

Really intersting experiment! Did you have it glued down to stop it taking flight on a windy day?

I'd also say someone looking at Google Earth sometime soon will say "someone has a Vulcan in his back garden!"

[woody37]

Great idea, you couldn't replicate that real stuff

[zdfgdcv]

Really intersting experiment! Did you have it glued down to stop it taking flight on a windy day?

I'd also say someone looking at Google Earth sometime soon will say "someone has a Vulcan in his back garden!"

I drilled 3 holes in the u/c bays and glued 3 nuts over them. I used a 3 long bolts to attach to the table.

Quite a sturdy mount, perhaps even a little over-engineered.

[k5054nz]

Great stuff, graveszie! It's amazing just how weathered the old girl got in such a short space of time. Thanks again for sharing the results with us.

Please tell me you'll display her on a base looking like an overgrown piece of tarmac?

[John_W]

Amazing.

This is probably more what you would expect from a Gate Guardian rather than an operational aircraft.

And of course there is no bird poo streaking from seagulls sitting on the tailfin

[jckspratt1]

Interesting result.

I'd love to see someone try that here in Adelaide, South Australia. It certainly wouldn't be a seven month process here - it can get to over 30C (easily) in spring, and 40C+ in summer (sometimes for days at a time).

[zdfgdcv]

Great stuff, graveszie! It's amazing just how weathered the old girl got in such a short space of time. Thanks again for sharing the results with us.

Please tell me you'll display her on a base looking like an overgrown piece of tarmac?

Cheers,

I haven't finished it's display area and I'm uncertain if I ever will, just don't seem to find the time.

But this is where it is currently sat...

A museum type setting, or at least it will be... eventually.

Amazing.

This is probably more what you would expect from a Gate Guardian rather than an operational aircraft.

And of course there is no bird poo streaking from seagulls sitting on the tailfin

Thanks a lot,

I wasn't sure how I could replicate operational weathering with this method (unless I pre-weathered it first). But since all Vulcans are essentially non-operational these days it's not far out. Thankfully there's no bird streaks down her tail. They recently repainted XM594 at Newark Air Museum, no sooner had they painted the tail a bird made it's contribution.

Interesting result.

I'd love to see someone try that here in Adelaide, South Australia. It certainly wouldn't be a seven month process here - it can get to over 30C (easily) in spring, and 40C+ in summer (sometimes for days at a time).

Thanks, I don't think you would get the same result in Adelaide, I suspect most of the weathering on this one was nothing to do with temperature but more the moisture and rain. The paint might have faded more though.

[Tiger331]

A great idea but I think you were lucky that you didn't expose it to too much direct (and hot) sunlight…..I very much suspect you would have experienced considerably more warping which would have rendered the model useless for display purposes…..all in all, though, an interesting experiment.

[zdfgdcv]

A great idea but I think you were lucky that you didn't expose it to too much direct (and hot) sunlight…..I very much suspect you would have experienced considerably more warping which would have rendered the model useless for display purposes…..all in all, though, an interesting experiment.

Thanks, the sunlight was a calculated risk.

Thankfully it will never get hot enough in the UK to damage the plastic, even in direct sunlight the model would have to reach 65c+ before it gets close to its softening point. On the hottest day we had this year the concrete at my house was close to 60c and I did have a concern but the model held.

Natural Weathering Part II has begun.

Check out http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234992575-natural-weathering-part-ii-vulcan-xm600/

Edited November 24, 2015 by graveszie

[Vince1159]

That's brilliant,could be the start of an outside museum.....

[Flashman]

Well that is interesting! Why not model it as a gate guardian?

[keefr22]

Very interesting idea, she does look like a little cared for museum jet now! I wouldn't like to meet that humongous spider in the intake though.....!!

[Bonehammer]

Very interesting idea, she does look like a little cared for museum jet now! I wouldn't like to meet that humongous spider in the intake though.....!!

"...bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadow; for all living things were her food, and her vomit darkness."

[FIGHTS ON]

Model left alone, outside unsupervised? Are you sure it didn't conduct any unauthorized barrel roles. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11974591/Vulcan-bomber-investigated-over-banned-barrel-roll.html

[bentwaters81tfw]

It was tied to a table, not a barrel.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

On a 1/35 or maybe 1/16 AFV some of those effects wouldn't look at all out of place.