STORMO! Forums

I'm sure this has been discussed a million times, but I was curious what the experts here use for smoke rings and mottling like in the gray scheme ANR planes. I prefer to use Mr. Hobby Aqueous paints, and what do you guys use for thinner? The alcohol based thinner from them, or the Mr. Color Leveling Thinner? I find Aqueous to be the best paint to do small spraying with for cammo. Is there another acrylic, or even solvent paint you guys prefer? Also what are you all using for airbrushes? I just updated my set with Mr. Hobby brushes, ranging from PS-770 up to the PS-290. I'm looking forward to cranking out some RA and ANR 1/48 scale planes the next year or so after a long hiatus...

To do the kind of work (mottles and smoke rings) you find in the Gallery you need a good air brush with a small diameter needle. Jean used a Harder & Steenbeck with a 0.15mm needle for his Ca.310/311/311M builds together with Gunze paints. Richard uses a Testors Aztek with enamels. I have a Custom Micron CM-C+ that I used for my CR.32. My favorite paint was Polly Scale paints (now Testors acrylics). I used a Badger 150 for my C.205V (PS mottles) and G.50 (lacquer mottles). The Badger Sotar is a good affordable airbrush - look up some reviews. Jean Barby uses Gunze acrylics and Richard uses Humbrol enamels. I've used lacquers (high-surface tension with little over spray). Some people are using inks (I think this is a interesting alternative for smoke rings).

Some tips, draw smoke rings with a pencil first. You'll find drawing smoke rings is as hard as it is to spray - practice on paper first. Then paint each smoke ring individually. Don't try to paint everything at once, go slow and clean the tip of your needle regularly. Practice allot and on curved surfaces. Spraying mottles and smoke rings on a flat surface is different than on a 3 dimensional surface.

Hope this helps.

Editor wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 15, 2020 12:29 pm

To do the kind of work (mottles and smoke rings) you find in the Gallery you need a good air brush with a small diameter needle. Jean used a Harder & Steenbeck with a 0.15mm needle for his Ca.310/311/311M builds together with Gunze paints. Richard uses a Testors Aztek with enamels. I have a Custom Micron CM-C+ that I used for my CR.32. My favorite paint was Polly Scale paints (now Testors acrylics). I used a Badger 150 for my C.205V (PS mottles) and G.50 (lacquer mottles). The Badger Sotar is a good affordable airbrush - look up some reviews. Jean Barby uses Gunze acrylics and Richard uses Humbrol enamels. I've used lacquers (high-surface tension with little over spray). Some people are using inks (I think this is a interesting alternative for smoke rings).

Some tips, draw smoke rings with a pencil first. You'll find drawing smoke rings is as hard as it is to spray - practice on paper first. Then paint each smoke ring individually. Don't try to paint everything at once, go slow and clean the tip of your needle regularly. Practice allot and on curved surfaces. Spraying mottles and smoke rings on a flat surface is different than on a 3 dimensional surface.

Hope this helps.

...Also use Testors & Model Master enamels, Poly Scale acrylics for weathering. Aztek brushes work well for me despite criticisms particularly with respect to plastic nozzles cracking & wearing out faster than metal ones, upside is easy cleaning that along with "drip by drip" spray painting ala dunking needle/spring assemblies in the paint bottle, can't tell y'all how wonderful that's been compared to the Badgers, i.e. tips ruined by the dozen, inordinate time spent cleaning them after spraying sessions.

I've always sprayed on anelli freehand, dozen-plus models since 1980 at least, comes with having an "artist's eye" biggest problem is "spitting", Humbrol enamel greens finicky no end, acrylics should work better for y'all.

I'm going to use my new Mr. Hobby Ps-770 with the .18 needle. I was reading that Mr. Hobby Aqueous runs much better for detail using their solvent Mr. Color Levelling thinner. I'll try that and see how it goes! I also have lots of Polly Scale paints left, but I was under the impression they did not spray well enough for that kind of work? Hmm...let me see...

M R P paint works the best for this kind of job.

Edie1971 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 16, 2020 5:16 am

I'm going to use my new Mr. Hobby Ps-770 with the .18 needle. I was reading that Mr. Hobby Aqueous runs much better for detail using their solvent Mr. Color Levelling thinner. I'll try that and see how it goes! I also have lots of Polly Scale paints left, but I was under the impression they did not spray well enough for that kind of work? Hmm...let me see...

...Will do the job but I've only use them for weathering, did paint number of models with them in 1980s, tricky spraying over smooth plastic for sure!

Been looking at the gallery again getting inspiration. One more question....do you guys freehand your demarcation lines or do you use a masking material like blu-tac or tape? Sometimes I feel Italian planes had a hard demarcation line on paint schemes pre-75/75/76 paint jobs...

On leading edges (the lip) of G.55s, C.202/205V and Bf.109s the demarcation line underneath the wing could be a hard edge (mask, use low tack tape such as Tamiya yellow masking tape or you'll get lift) or a soft edge (use newspaper and tape underneath).

If I ever get around to doing one of my 1/72 kits, I'll be using these Mike Grant decals.






Chris

You're pretty lucky, Chris, since Mike can't produce those anymore. Eduard has decent decals now, though i gave away my 1/48th and used MRP Verde Olive Scuro (#303) straight from the bottle.

WIP, waiting to finish decal application. 1/48 Hasegawa

Looking really great!

Great job so far. I look forward to seeing the completed model.

Thanks, it's taking longer than I had hoped, but I'll get there!

A friend of mine did an Italeri 1/72 C.202 with the Eduard "smoke ring" decals. It looks good - I was especially impressed that the rings are printed with a slightly feathered edge, to mimic the sprayed application on the actual aircraft.