Blu-Tac Stains…intentional, of course.
Painting was up next, and I tackled the metallic engine areas first using Alclad2 Aluminium covered with Johnson’s Klear. Then a pastel wash, more Johnson’s, then airbrushing other shades of Alclad2 at panel lines and around the petals at the back. On the underside is a vent which I assume is from an APU or something, and a couple of my reference photos showed heat staining on the metal panels here. I tackled this by laying down rolls of Blu-Tac and airbrushing Alclad2 Pale Burnt Metal between them. I was happy with the result. These areas were then masked over until the model was complete.
Any colour you like, as long as it’s grey…
Colour scheme was a simple all over grey, so I decided to combine a few techniques from the internet to liven up the surface a bit. I pre-shaded the top surfaces, and then made sure that I didn’t overdo the top coat of grey as I usually do. The results were a bit over the top, but I found that with all the subsequent layers of paints and varnishes on top, the effect gets ever more subtle. The lesson then, is overdo it at first, confident in the knowledge that it will tone down as the job progresses.
After the top coat, it was a coat of Johnson’s and then on with the decals. These in the main went down well, but I still had some silvering at panel lines despite meticulous surface preparation and patient use of solutions. Oh well.
The whole airframe then received a pastel wash, and then the matt coat. The pre-shading had almost disappeared by this time, so I applied the toning down matt coat more heavily in some areas than others, to regain the colour variation I was after. Some might find it a little overdone, but it’s quite mild compared to some reference photos I’ve got, and according to the serial number this airframe is over 30 years old, so I feel comfortable with the weathering it shows.
Things that make you go boom
One drawback with the kit however, is the almost complete lack of things under wings. Apart from the two tanks and four Sidewinders there is nothing to hang on the other thirteen empty hardpoints, so a fully laden aircraft is out of the question unless you want to go for aftermarket weapons sets. I don’t usually put too much on my aircraft anyway, so for me it wasn’t a problem, but some might find it irritating.
