By Richard J. Tucker   Charleston, SC

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Since the Great War (WWI), nations camouflaged their aircraft, either, to make them hard to see the air or to conceal them on the ground. All these different and varied schemes make military modeling interesting and varied. For the beginner, however, these patterns can be down right intimidating. There is no magic trick, just basic application of three techniques. Generally, you’ll need masking or drafting tape, heavy paper, rubber cement, soft lead pencil, replacement hobby knife blades, and a piece of glass. (Glass??!!!!, yep, go to Wal-Mart and buy a $3 8½ x11 certificate frame; take the glass pane out of it.) Oh! You need a pair of SAFETY GLASSES or GOGGLES!

HARD MASK METHOD: Cover the glass pane with masking tape. To match the color scheme accurately, on a copier, reduce or enlarge to scale a drawing of your subject. (For example, use a technical drawing from a reference or even the kit painting instructions.) Cut out the plan-view (top) and profiles of the copy and tape them to tape covered pane. Now, put on your SAFETY GLASSES on and trace the pattern with your hobby knife; be sure to cut through the tape to the glass. Always pull the blade; when the cut starts look ragged, replace the blade. Cut narrow strips of tape to help fill in the pattern when you place a 2D pattern on a compound curve (fuselage). Paint the model with the lightest camouflage color and let it dry. Take masking tape in the pattern of the color you just painted and apply it to the proper location in the model. Be sure to burnish down the tape edges. Paint the next darkest color; mask it. Go to the next color. When finished your model will be covered with tape. Remove the tape: presto! camouflage. This technique is, especially, good for complicated schemes, camouflage with a "hard" edge, or "splinter schemes". This method works well for brush painting, spray cans, and airbrushes.

 

SOFT MASK METHOD: This method is a variation of method 1 and will give a tight "feathered" edge between colors. This method is good for very basic airbrushes and is moderately successful for spray cans. It’s a complete flop for hand brushing. Instead of cutting the pattern out of tape, use heavy paper or light cardboard; an index card is perfect. What ever you use, be sure it’s heavy enough to prevent the paint from soaking through. Copier paper is suitable if you’re careful not soak it; this gives you advantage of cutting out the pattern and not having to transfer it heavier paper. On the other hand, you can draw the pattern on the paper free hand. Cut out and attach the paper mask to the model with the rubber cement or folded masking tape- sticky side out. The bigger the blob of glue or wad of tape, the larger the gap between the model and mask, hence, the softer the edge. Spray perpendicular to the mask, so the paint doesn’t run under the mask. If you used rubber cement , when you take the mask off rub your finger across it and it will ball right up. (Now, try and get that booger off your finger! I’m sure that’s what cats are for.)

 

FREE HAND: Most airplanes are painted with spray guns. Where the colors meet is a soft line of over spray. If you look at a real plane, you have to get very close before you see the feathered edges. Nevertheless, we modelers like to replicate this soft edge. It makes the model interesting and people "ooh" and "awe" at our "realistic" finish. More important: IT’S FUN!! So, forget the masking. Break out the adjustable airbrush! To get an accurate scheme, lightly draw the color pattern of the lightest color on the model, or paint the whole model with the lightest color. Now, draw in the pattern of the next color; paint. Work from lightest color to darkest. When all that is dry, load up the airbrush with the darkest color, and set the spray to as fine as you can get it. Go back, now, and touch up any mistakes and cover-up the over spray. Work from darkest to lightest. Repeat until exhaustion. TA-DA, No more mystery!

 

 

BONUS TIP!: If you have to paint a low-viz camo scheme that requires precise reproduction because the decals are of opposite/split colors and are placed on the camo demarcation lines, Xerox your decal sheet. Paint the base color of the scheme. Cut out the paper decal and place it on the model with rubber cement or masking tape. Paint the remainder of the camo scheme. With a new x-acto blade, cut though the paper decal at the demarcation line and highlight the line with a sharp pencil. Remove the rest of the paper decals and cut in the areas with your airbrush following the pencil line. Now your decals will go on the correct location with the correct contrast.