Thank you for your order! Enjoy your FSM Direct–Downloadable Article. Please remember that this copyrighted material is for your use only. It’s unlawful to share or distribute this file to others in any way including e-mailing it, posting it online, or sharing paper copies with others. Sincerely, The staff of FineScale Modeler Troubleshooting Guide: Please note: Packages are color intensive. To save color ink in your printer, change your printer setting to grayscale. SAVING PACKAGE Save the package when you download the PDF. Click on the computer disk icon in Adobe Acrobat, or go to File, Save. MY PRINTER WON’T PRINT THE TEXT CORRECTLY Close all other programs/applications and print directly out of the Acrobat Reader program, not your Web browser. Printing problems are caused by not enough free system memory. PAGES ARE NOT PRINTING FULL SIZE Set your printer to print 100% and make sure “print to fit” is not checked under printer setup or printer options. If you have suggestions on how we can improve this product or have topics you’d like to see in future FSM Direct packages, please contact us at [email protected]FSPDF016 8 www.FineScaleModeler.com
Transcript
Thank you for your order! Enjoy your FSM Direct–Downloadable Article.
Please remember that this copyrighted material is for your use only. It’s unlawful to share or distribute this file to others in any way including e-mailing it, posting it online, or sharing paper copies with others.
Sincerely,
The staff of FineScale Modeler
Troubleshooting Guide:
Please note: Packages are color intensive. To save color ink in your printer, change your printer setting to grayscale.
SavinG packaGeSave the package when you download the PDF. Click on the computer disk icon in Adobe Acrobat, or go to File, Save.
My prinTer won’T prinT The TexT correcTlyClose all other programs/applications and print directly out of the Acrobat Reader program, not your Web browser. Printing problems are caused by not enough free system memory.
paGeS are noT prinTinG full SizeSet your printer to print 100% and make sure “print to fit” is not checked under printer setup or printer options.
If you have suggestions on how we can improve this product or have topics you’d like to see in future FSM Direct packages, please contact us at [email protected]
FSPDF016
8
www.FineScaleModeler.comP R O D U C T S
Improve your airbrushing: Part 1
FSPDF016
FSM Direct–DownloaDable articles
Most of my pre-airbrush memoriesrevolve around spray cans. Therewas no reason to change my
painting habits then, as I was perfectlysatisfied with the results the cans weregiving me.
That is, until I saw a similar model tothe one I’d just completed on display in ahobby shop. It had no buried detail, nodrips, and no “orange peel” effect (a dim-pled 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 modelwas airbrushed. He explained further, andthe logic was simple: If you’re building ascale model, why not have a scale finish?He assured me that real aircraft don’thave “gobs of paint on them like my“spray bomb” cans were delivering to mykits.
The airbrush, he said, would give me
control of the spray pattern and the vol-ume, and let me mix colors. It would evenlet me vary the types of paint I used, sinceit could “atomize” lacquers, enamels, andacrylics. And I could learn to make thosefancy camouflage finishes I’d been admir-ing. Made sense to me.
Five years later, I am still masteringthis tool’s benefits – and I think the learn-ing curve intimidates a lot of potentialairbrushers. Don’t let it scare you.
Starting today is better than starting fivekits from now, and with a relatively lowoutlay of cash you can set yourself up witha basic airbrush set and air supply. Andthen, of course, you get to start layingpaint.
How it works. Airbrushes areminiature versions of the spray guns usedto paint full-size machines. Compressedair, fed to the airbrush by either a com-pressor or a pressurized container, is
directed over a small orifice. The movingair draws paint from a reservoir (cup orbottle), then atomizes the paint andsprays it in a fine, narrow mist. Thetapered point of the needle in the orificefocuses the spray and controls the amountof paint in the spray.
Decisions, decisions. There are sev-eral types of airbrushes to consider, butmost hobby airbrushes are either “single-action” or “double-action.” A single-action
airbrush has a button for the air valve anda separate control for the paint nozzle, 1.“Single action” means the spray buttoncontrols only the air (on or off ). The but-ton on a double-action airbrush controlsthe air, but also is connected to the needlein the paint nozzle, 2. Paint volume in thespray is controlled by rocking the buttonback and forth, moving the needle in andout of the orifice.
Airbrushes range in price from about
Learning to spray paint By Chris Appoldt Photos by the FSM staff
FSM reviewer Randall Dieck airbrushes allof his aircraft models. Here are his 1/48scale Hasegawa A-7D Corsair II andMonogram F-105G Wild Weasel.
$20 up to several hundred dollars.Design, features, and quality all deter-mine the price. Inexpensive single-actionairbrushes such as Badger’s 250 orTestor’s A2203 are adequate for applyingsingle overall colors and would serve asgood “basic trainer” airbrushes.
The next step up is a high-qualitysingle-action airbrush such as the PaascheH or Badger 350. Badger’s 200, 3, andPaasche’s SA2000 are interesting hybrids.They are single-action airbrushes (buttoncontrols air only), but they have a longitu-dinal needle usually found in double-actionairbrushes (where the button rocks tocontrol paint volume).
Double-action airbrushes, such asBadger’s 150, Anthem, and Crescendo;Paasche’s V and Millennium; Testor’sAztek; Iwata’s HP-C; and Tamiya’s HGoffer better control and finer spray pat-terns. However, they are more difficult tomaster and more complex to disassembleand clean.
Powering up. No matter which air-
brush you choose, you’re going to need asource of compressed air to make it work.Air sources also range in price and com-plexity (for a good overview, check outthe March 2002 Scale Auto, or the January2001 FSM). At the bottom end is thepropellant can. It can supply enough “air”to spray, perhaps, one model, so if you sel-dom airbrush, this is the least expensiveoption.
If you plan a lot of airbrushing, con-sider buying a good compressor made forairbrushes. They range from $100 toabout $400 depending on features.Compressors can be noisy, but somearen’t. The more expensive “silent” typesuse refrigerator-style compressors thatcharge small storage tanks. It’s a goodidea to add a moisture trap along the air-brush hose to catch moisture “squeezed”out of the air by the compressor.
Another alternative is a compressedgas cylinder. You can get small cylinders(five-pound) all the way up to industrial-size cylinders. Usually airbrushers opt for
10- or 20-pound cylinders of carbondioxide or nitrogen. Gas cylinders requirea flow regulator. Cylinder/regulatorsetups can be purchased for around $200,or leased from industrial gas suppliers orservices that supply carbon dioxide cylin-ders for beverage fountains. Cylinders areabsolutely silent and don’t require elec-tricity, but when they are empty, you haveto tote them to a filling service.
Ready, aim, paint! Now you’ve gotan airbrush, an air source, and a model topaint. What’s next? Ah, paint! There arelots of modeling paints, but you can’t sim-ply load them into the airbrush and sprayaway. Your airbrush is an engineeringmarvel, and a delicate instrument; so withthe exception of some buffable metallics,modeling paints must be thinned beforeairbrushing.
Stir the paint in the original container;paint pigments are heavy and settle to thebottom, and paint must be thoroughlymixed before use. Keep stirring until theheavy clump at the bottom is mixed in
A Paasche H is a fine single-action airbrush. Paint flows up thesiphon from the color cup (or bottle) into the angled paint noz-zle. The knurled nozzle adjusts paint volume. The top-mountedbutton turns on the air flow.
Badger’s model 200 is a hybrid design. It has the longitudinal nee-dle found on double-action airbrushes, but the paint volume iscontrolled by turning the knurled knob at the end of the needle.
For multicolored paint schemes, apply the lightest color over theentire model. This will serve as a primer and help avoid unpaint-ed spots.
This is an Iwata Eclipse series double-action airbrush. Pressingdown on the top button turns on the air flow; rocking the buttonback and forth controls the paint volume. This model has a grav-ity feed paint cup.
1 2
3 4
Knurled nozzle
Air button
Knurled knob
with the liquid part of the paint.Modeling paints are made for brush
painting and must be thinned to get themto spray properly. Don’t add thinner tothe original paint container, but obtainempty mixing bottles or use 35mm filmcontainers for mixing paint.
Start by adding one part of thinner totwo parts of stirred paint. I try to thin thepaint to the consistency of milk, andsometimes I need more thinner. I alwaysstir the paint and thinner thoroughly.Gloss enamels usually need more thin-ning than flats, but acrylics (water-based)vary from brand to brand. Check thepaint label for the thinner-to-paint ratioand the type of thinner that the manufac-turer recommends.
Surface preparation. The airbrushcan produce a beautiful, thin, smoothlayer of paint, so make sure the model isclean and smooth, too. Airbrushed paintwon’t hide blemishes – it will only makethem look worse.
I wash my ready-to-finish model in
warm soapy dishwater first, shake off theexcess water, and leave it overnight on alint-free dishtowel in a cabinet to dry. Analternative to dish soap is Polly S PlasticPrep; this alcohol-based surface-preparerlifts greasy fingerprints and grime andevaporates quickly.
Spray away. Always test your air-brush’s paint flow away from your model.Even the most experienced modelers Iknow will test-shoot their newly loadedairbrush off to the side to be certain thepaint is flowing well.
I test-spray at the lowest effectivepressure, about 10 p.s.i., and sometimesuse the regulator to crank up the pressureto 20 p.s.i. My test surface is a hugestyrene sheet I found at a model contestfor about $1.50. An old model makes agreat “test dummy,” too, but don’t usepaper or cardboard; they absorb paint andwon’t provide a good simulation of howthe paint is going to cover your model.
Don’t aim your airbrush at the modeland then press the air button. Paint
buildup on the tip of the nozzle will liftoff with the first blast of air and land as aspatter. Instead, aim off the model, thenmove onto the area to be painted. Thesame goes for stopping the spray; stop offthe model.
I spray a few patterns on the test sur-face first, getting the “feel” of my loadedairbrush; this way I retrain my senses onwhat to expect, and discover how the air-brush is handling with the selected paint.
What’s the right distance between theairbrush and the model? I start about 2"to 3" from the surface. By adjusting theair pressure, paint-to-thinner ratio, andpaint volume, I can move in to where thetip of the airbrush is less than 1" awayfrom the model, ideal for applying finelines and camouflage.
Stay inside the lines. If you’re justgetting started, it might be best to finishyour first airbrushed model in a singlecolor. Start by lightly misting the paint onwith the airbrush 4"-5" from the surface.Don’t start any farther away; the paint
Airbrush the next darker color onto the first, only after you havegiven the first color at least 48 hours to cure.
Here’s a tip: Lightly draw the camouflage pattern onto the firstcolor with a pencil.
Airbrush at an angle to get the sharpest line. Move the model soyou can outline each colored area with the fine spray.
Open the nozzle a little and fill in the center of the color area.
5
7 8
6
may dry before it gets to the model, cre-ating a gritty, rough surface. The mistedcoat serves as a “tooth” for heavier colorcoats to come.
For the next coat, move the airbrush alittle closer to your model and lay an evencoat by sweeping the brush slowly over it.Remember to begin and end the spray offof your model to prevent paint build-upor spatter.
I’ve learned the hard way that thinnedpaint from an airbrush dries quickly. Thatcan fool you into thinking that the shinywet paint that just landed on the model isnot covering well – especially when you’reusing acrylics. The paint you’ve justsprayed looks different in color and sheenthan the paint that is nearby. Let theentire area you’ve just sprayed dry beforeyou go over it with a second pass.
Build up paint in light, even coats. Ifyou put it on too heavily or quickly, youcould form a drip as the paint piles up.
When you’re finished with your ses-sion, you should have a thin, light, evencoat covering the surface. Set the projectaside overnight, and retouch any missedspots with the airbrush the next day. Afew light coats are all you’ll need!
Multicolor schemes. As you gainconfidence, you’ll want to try airbrushingcamouflage patterns, as this is where air-brushes really show their stuff. Beforestarting, think ahead. For multicoloredschemes, paint the lightest color first, andapply that color to the entire model, 4.This ensures the model is covered with atleast one color, and that color can serve asa primer. Primers aren’t absolutely neces-sary, but they help you spot blemishes. It’seasier to sand and repaint now than afterall the colors have been painted.
After the first (lightest) color is cured(48 hours is safe), draw the camouflagescheme lightly with an ordinary pencil, 5– don’t bear down, or you’ll engrave thepaint and it will show after the camou-flage is applied. Label each color areawith a code you’ll remember: LG for lightgreen, T for tan, and so forth. Hey, you’vegot a “paint by letter” model!
Paint the next darker color over all theindicated areas, slightly overlapping thepenciled borders, 6. To get a tighter pat-tern, close down the nozzle and get inclose. This will take practice. Adjust thepaint volume, air pressure (if you can),and paint/thinner ratio so you can sprayfine lines.
Another way to spray a tight edge oneach camouflage area is to aim the air-brush 45 degrees to the surface, 7. This
will create a harder edge closest to the air-brush, with a softer edge on the far side ofthe spray.Turn the model so you can paintfrom the edge of each area inward. Paintall the edges first, then go back and fill themiddles, 8. Open the nozzle a bit so itdoesn’t take as long to fill the areas andyou’ll avoid that “scribbled in” appearance.
If you make a mistake, don’t try towipe the color off; the soft paint will onlysmear and ruin your paint job. You canalways go back and paint over your mis-takes. For best results, wait a couple ofdays between colors to give the underly-ing paint time to cure.
After a while, you’ll be hooked andfind yourself using the airbrush on everymodeling project. And you’ll probablywonder why you didn’t pick up an air-brush sooner. FSM
The finely feathered demarcation lines between colors is an air-brush hallmark. Sharp lines, such as the canopy framing and theorange area on the nose of Randall’s 1/48 scale MonogramF-100D Super Sabre, are masked, then airbrushed.
Randall beautifully recreated the characteristic unpainted rearfuselage of the F-100 with various shades of metallics and clearcoats. This hot-metal effect would be nearly impossible to createwithout an airbrush.
REFERENCESHow to use an Airbrush Robert Downie, Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha,Wisconsin, 20018 ways to power your airbrush Paul Boyer, FineScale Modeler, January 2001Airbrushing basics Matt Usher, FineScale Modeler, February 1999Airbrushing tricks and techniques Paul Boyer, FineScale Modeler, March 1999Powering your airbrush Matt Usher, Scale Auto, March 2002
SOURCESBadger Air-Brush Co. 9128 W. Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, 800-247-2787, www.badgerairbrush.comBinks Manufacturing 9201 W. Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131, 847-671-3000Iwata Medea P.O. Box 14397, Portland, OR 97293, 503-253-7308, www.iwata-airbrush.comPaasche Airbrush Co. 7440 W. Lawrence Ave., Harwood Heights, IL 60656-3497,708-867-9191, www.paascheairbrush.comTamiya America 2 Orion, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4200, 800-826-4922,www.tamiyausa.comTestor Corp./Aztek 620 Buckbee St., Rockford, IL 61104-4891, 815-962-7401,www.testors.com
By Paul Boyer
Even after years of experience, you’re going to encounter problems when air-
brushing. Here’s a peek at some of theproblems I’ve run into.
Clouds of paint swirling in your sprayarea. Whoa! Back off the air pressureand the paint volume. Any clouds ofoverspray constitute wasted paint. Theairbrush can deliver fine smooth paintjobs, so take your time and apply thepaint in thin layers.
Whether you have clouds of paint ornot, paint and thinner fumes can betoxic. Make sure you have sufficientventilation in your work area. A spraybooth is best – it can remove all thefumes. A ventilator mask is a good idea,too.
Overspray. Watch where you’re aimingyour airbrush. While you are concentrat-ing on spraying a certain spot, parts ofthe model that lie behind your target mayaccidentally receive overspray as youpaint. Make sure you mask these areasbefore airbrushing. If you forget, you mayhave to repaint the affected areas.
Spidery splashes. Those spots ofpaint with little rivulets running out allover. They have several causes, some-times more than one at the same time.Usually it means you’re too close to thesurface with too much paint coming outof the airbrush. Also, the paint could betoo thin.
First, close the nozzle to limit theamount of paint coming out, then testspray on your test model to get a feel forthe proper distance. If you’re still gettingspiders, add more paint into the mixture.
Gritty finish. The paint is covering,but it is covering with small grits andlumps. There are four possible causes:the paint is not thinned enough; the air-brush is too far away and the paint isdrying on the way to the model; clumpsof pigment are not dissolving in thethinner; there is too much air pressure.You don’t need to blast paint on with anairbrush – a gentle whisper from the air-brush should be enough to deliver asmooth finish. Adjust the air pressure (ifyou can) to between 10 and 20 p.s.i., andmake sure the paint is well mixed.
Drips and runs. Too much paint inone spot will form a puddle, and gravitywill make it run. Keep the airbrush mov-
ing so you don’t pile up too much painton one area.
Spatters. Little spatters around finelines are usually caused by a damagedneedle or nozzle. Paint blows off thedistorted tip and lands outside of theintended area. Sometimes, low air pres-sure also can cause this.
Examine the needle and nozzle witha magnifying glass. If the nozzle iscracked or splayed open, replace it. If thetip of the needle is bent, you can careful-ly straighten it out. Single-actionneedles are relatively sturdy and you canpersuade the bent tip by pressing itagainst 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 theneedle from the airbrush, and drag itlightly over your fingertip. Roll theneedle as you drag, and you’ll feel thehooked side catch as it goes along yourfinger. Make note of the direction of thehook, then drag the affected side of theneedle on fine-grit sandpaper or a sand-ing stick. Check it again on your fingerand repeat if necessary.
Bleed under masking tape. This is
usually caused by too heavy an applica-tion of paint. The wet paint over-whelms the masking tape and creepsunder, resulting in a ragged line.Airbrush several light coats instead oftrying to cover with a heavy coat. Also,spray at an angle over the tape so theair pressure isn’t forcing the paint underthe mask.
No paint coming out. Shame, shame,you haven’t been cleaning the airbrushproperly. Most likely there’s a small par-ticle of dried paint clogging the nozzle.Check the sidebar on cleaning the air-brush (page 30), and be sure to clean itafter every painting session.
This single-action nozzle (left) and needleare beyond repair. Replacements can beordered where you purchase airbrushes.
Whoops! Using too much paint, too thin paint, or moving too close to the surface willproduce this spidery creature.
Airbrush Troubleshooting
Here is the Paasche H broken down for cleaning. This is a disassembled Iwata Eclipse.
The airbrush should be cleaned afterevery painting session. Paint thinners andcleaners can be applied with cotton swabsand pipe cleaners.
Cleaning your airbrushBy Terry Thompson
Without a doubt, the most important aspect of airbrushing is cleaning the equip-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.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 enoughto change colors in fewer than five. While I learned most of these techniques thehard way, reading this article means you won’t have to.
Single- and double-action airbrushes require different procedures; clean hybridairbrushes as you would a double-action brush. I’ve organized the information belowinto three categories, one for rinsing the equipment and two for cleaning the air-brush itself. Choose the two that apply to your situation. If you’re only changing col-ors, you can normally skip the disassembly and just rinse, unless you’re going from adark color to a light one, or from a metallic to a non-metallic. Then you’ll still haveto clean the brush completely.
■ Never shake paint – always stir. Shaking leaves paintaround the top of the jar, where it dries into clumps. Thoseclumps can easily clog an airbrush. A screen on your pickuptube can help, as can straining your paint.■ If you use a single-action brush, close it (run the needleforward or twist the tip closed) if it will sit for more than20 seconds. Thinned paint dries on and in an open tipquickly.■ Drain your water trap each time you spray. It can’t work ifit’s full.■ Make sure your thinner is clean. Dirt or lint (been doingthe old tip-the-can-onto-the-towel trick?) can and will clogyour brush, or at least appear in your paint.■ Lubricate your airbrush according to the instructions, anddon’t abuse it by overtightening the threads.■ Some parts, including washers, gaskets, and even needlesand tips, will wear out. Paint is abrasive, and solvents areharsh chemicals. Keep spares on hand so you can keeppainting.
■ If you think you might have bent your airbrush needle,check it visually or by pulling it across a towel while rotat-ing the needle. Do not check it by running it back into thebrush – 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 air-brushes for solvent-based paints and acrylics. The two don’tmix well, and paint left in a brush can form clots whenexposed to the wrong solvent.■ When you reassemble a double-action brush, the actionshould be crisp. If the needle sticks in the nozzle, or if theaction seems mushy, there’s still paint in the nozzle. Clean itagain.■ If you get bubbles in your color cup or feed jar, you havean air leak in your brush, probably where the tip joins thenozzle. Check your brush’s instructions to see whether itcan be repaired by the user.
Tips for keeping your brush clean and healthyBy Terry Thompson
Needle
Needle lock nut Connector for air hose
Paint cup
Nozzle
Air cap
Air and paint volume control
Paint cup and cap
Needle lock nut
Needle guard
Connector for air hose Needle
Nozzle
Air capAir button
Paper towel rolledinto a point helpsclean the airbrushnozzle.
RINSING THE EQUIPMENT
What you’ll do
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 stub-born 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.
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. Thenclean it using a piece of dampened toweling.
F) Reassemble the brush, then go to step 6 above.
What you’ll do
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: OnAztek 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 stub-born 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 non-removable 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 pipecleaners, 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 themin 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 apiece 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!
cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, softcloth, paper towels, cleaner,paint remover
What you’ll need
Mineral spirits and lacquer thin-ner (for enamels) or distilledwater and Windex (for acrylics),Testor acrylic paint remover orother hobby paint remover,paper towels, cleaning station.The instructions refer to both“solvent” and “cleaner.” Forenamels, use mineral spirits asthe solvent and lacquer thinneras the cleaner; for acrylics,water is the solvent and Windexis the cleaner.
What you’ll do
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 sol-vent 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 brushuses 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.
I 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, seem-
ingly 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.
Simplify complex patterns with “soft masks”
By Matthew Usher
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.
Assembly started with the pilot’s office. Since Matthew planned on mod-eling 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.
The kit fits together nicely. A little gap-filling super glue and some fine-grit sanding took care of all the fuselage seams.
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.
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.
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.
When I bought Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 (No. 61039) I started to rethink things. The kit includes mark-ings 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
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 fin-ished 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-to-learn 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.
10 11
14 15
6 7
A “soft mask” cut from an index card will narrow the airbrush’s spray pat-tern 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).
Even up close, the pattern looks like it was painted with an ultra-precise air-brush. 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 air-brush 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.
Right: Matthew planned to use Testor Model Master enamels for his 190’s finish. Many of the Model Master Luftwaffe colors have a scale semi-gloss 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.
Matthew masked the entire canopy, installed the headrest, then added the parts to the fuselage with Microscale Micro Kristal Klear.
8 9
12 13
16 17
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.
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 apply-ing 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.
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.
18 19
20
REFERENCESFw 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
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.
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.
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 mark-ings. 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.
Call today to subscribe800-533-6644Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:00pm CentralTime. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 262-796-8776 x661.
Or order onlineatfinescale.com/promoEnter code:I58F
A fantastic resource for all modelers!
05X1185
No matter what you like to model, FineScale Modelermagazine will help sharpen your skills—from basic construction to airbrushing to weathering. Our expertmodelers will help you build realistic aircraft, armor, ships,cars, and more! Plus, in every issue you’ll get:
• Clear, well-illustrated how-to features written bythe experts
• Kit reviews of the hottest kits
• Tips & techniques on assembling, painting, finishing, and more
• Inspiring reader galleries showcasing some ofthe greatest models in the world
![[Scale Modeling Kalmbach] How to Use an Airbrush](https://static.documents.pub/doc/80x56/557201664979599169a17d6f/scale-modeling-kalmbach-how-to-use-an-airbrush.jpg)
