A Note on Weathering

When it comes to weathering, everyone has to find their own way, and find a procedure or a technique which gives them the results they want. I've tried and tested all manner of techniques over the years, and what I do depends on what I'm making, of course. I recently completed an 'Irving'. A single tone subject like this provides an ideal background for a really creative finish.




I usually use six to seven colours to weather a model. Organised randomness is the key to successful weathering and a convincing model, I feel. Photos of the real thing are essential for reference, but that's just the beginning. The finished piece has to look a little larger than life because it's so small. It needs a certain drama! You need to know where to begin, and crucially, where to stop.

Nocturnal Lizard

One of my favourite Christmas presents this year was Tamiya's Nakajima Gekko, codename 'Irving'. First released back in 2001, the kit offers tremendous detail and perfectly fitting parts. In other words, a pleasure to build.

Notice the crazy look radial engines.

All painted, weathered, exhausted and decaled!

I've just added the ignition wiring.

Often, I find the simplest way of doing something is the most effective. More to come on this.

Never had it so good....

After spending a very pleasurable hour reading the news section of the latest SAMI magazine, the words of the Harold Macmillan have come to mind. He, of course, was referring to the affluence of post-war Britain, but for me, it means the terrific developments in the hobby.
In 1/48 scale AZ Models have announced two versions of the F3H-2 Demon and a Fairey Firefly. Hasegawa have announced their Ki-84 'Nick' in 1/48 scale and a B-24D in 1/72. Revell have given us a new inexpensive Lancaster, a TSR-2 from Airfix as well as a Canberra. Trumpeter's new Me262B Nightfighter and P51B Mustang in 1/32 scale are just released. And then there are all the after market accessories, add-ons, decals and photo-etched parts...I could go on and on. Every month brings a proliferation of new releases that ten years ago we could only dream about.

With all these things available to us now, we really are spoilt for choice. When I hear complaints about inaccuracy, or folk saying 'well, it could have been better', I feel a bit aggrieved. There's nothing now that you can't build, change, add to, improve, all from resources at our fingertips. If you want to build a pre-war Gloster Grebe in Croatian markings, complete with sidewinders, it's doable. The modeller is so well catered to now - masking sets, colour etch, pre-painted parts - there is enough to keep even the most prolific and demanding builder happy. It's going to be a packed and ambitious 2008. Happy kit-bashing, everyone.