Airbrush Fun!

A long long time ago.. (when I can still remember..) ok, a while back, I bought a very cheap airbrush from Japan. It has remained out in the Gimp Room/Man Cave ever since.

So tonight I decided it was time to see whether I could make it work. The last airbrushed I used was purchased from Humbrol in about 1978..   and this thing was decidedly hi-tech by comparison. But if you are going to do late war German camo schemes, it's virtually compulsory.

Much faffing about ensued - it came with its own mini compressor..  on a Japanese plug of course, but by plugging together three adapters, (Japanese plug to universal socket to Europe plug to Australian Europe adapter) and the consequent risk of conflagration, it worked. Then I had too many moving parts - (back stop for the spray needle - a switch that worked up down and back, plus a needle adjustment collar..). My first experiments were an unmitigated disaster. Paint too thick, paint too thin...   and then.. the Goldilocks moment... just right. Mental note to self - figure out some standard paint - water ratios and use a syringe. I'm pretty pleased.

Brown - Dragon Jagdpanther

More Brown

Compare with Brush-Painted Stug & ESCI Jagdpanzer IV

Italeri Puma awaiting the paint-shop

The Puma is for Thomo, after I swore like a trooper on playing with the ESCI Pz I. I even pretended to be a modeller on this one. I followed the excellent article on the Italeri Puma at the On the Way website. Ok, I didn't add the brass etched detailing kit. But I did remove some bits, thin bumpers, drill out periscopes, sand back the hull edge that shouldn't be there.  For some reason this picture makes the front tyre look out of track - I have bent it back slightly, and made sure they have the right toe-in. Frankly, the last time I built a Puma it was a 1/76 Matchbox version in about 1976, so I am just pleased all the wheels touch the ground ....

This one will probably get a primer undercoat and a brushed basecoat - then the airbrush. I am still not confident of getting the right consistency to do a proper basecoat. Practice make perfect so they say.

Oh, and if anyone has any recommendations for paint ranges that cover WW2 Military suitable for the airbrush without thinning, I am all ears.