Israeli Mirage III C with Atar9C

[Kaireckstadt]

Tonight I managed to get the first layer of paint on the underside. It‘s a 50:50 mix of color and thinner sprayed with the 0,2 mm nozzle of my Infinity airbrush:

 

The external load carriers for the subsonic tanks:

And finally the gear-doors:

as you can see there will be no panelliner needed in the end.

Next step is to bring more life to it with a lightened tone of the basic color in a 70:30 mix (thinner to color) applied to the panels. 
Will hopefully be able to do this tomorrow. 

The last step will be to blend in the lightened color with a 80:20 mix of the basic color (thinner to colors).

Let‘s see if it will work…

 

[GazzaS]

I like the look, Kai.  Detailed but not contrived.

[Kaireckstadt]

8 hours ago, GazzaS said:

I like the look, Kai.  Detailed but not contrived.

Thank you Gary! It really looks very patchy and the preshading is quite visible I know. But (hopefully) it will disappear when the other 2 coats as described above are applied. Used the same technique for my Lancaster:

You really have to be very careful and restrain yourself not to spray to much paint on the preshading.

[GazzaS]

You did a fine job on the Lanc, Kai.  I have every faith in your abilities!

[Trigger]

Hello Kai, looking very good, and you are right about building up thin layers that’s The trick, not to much paint. You are well underway. I’ve also got the infinity airbrush, do you like yours, for fine detailing i use the 1.5 needle, but than you really have to thin your paint well, but it gives more control over your paintwork building up layers. Looking forward to the next step

Frank

[Kaireckstadt]

Thanks Frank. 
I made good experiences with that technique. Opens up a playground for airbrushing.

I really love my Infinity Airbrush. Easy to use and clean. And a precision tool with lots of adjustment-possibilities.

 

[GusMac]

Lovely start Kai. Going to look subtly worn when it's done. 

[Kaireckstadt]

Thanks for your feedback Gus!

I hope it will look like in the end as you described…

[Peterpools]

Kai

Underside weathering is looking so good and laying down light, thinned out layers is the perfect technique. For all air brush work, except Model Air, I use two H&S Infinity CR Plus Air brushes - one with a .2 tip and the other with a .4 tip. Just love the feel of the way they paint. For Model Air, I use a dedicated Grex air brush to avoid problems of the Vallejo paint mixing with other paints and becoming instant goo

enjoying your air brush work and picking up tips and ideas with each update

Keep ‘em comin

Peter 

[Kaireckstadt]

12 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Kai

Underside weathering is looking so good and laying down light, thinned out layers is the perfect technique. For all air brush work, except Model Air, I use two H&S Infinity CR Plus Air brushes - one with a .2 tip and the other with a .4 tip. Just love the feel of the way they paint. For Model Air, I use a dedicated Grex air brush to avoid problems of the Vallejo paint mixing with other paints and becoming instant goo 

enjoying your air brush work and picking up tips and ideas with each update

Keep ‘em comin

Peter 

Thank you Peter!

Nice to hear that you are using the same airbrush like me. The CR plus is an awesome tool. 

Interesting to hear that you have an airbrush you solely use for Vallejo paints!

I really like to share my experiences. Modeling is also learning from others and I have already picked up a lot of tipps in this Forum here! 

 

 

[Peterpools]

Kai

I've used many air brushes over the years and the best I have ever used are H&S. I do break down the airbrush after a painting session and with the Infinity, it's a snap. I do like shooting Model Air and it's way too easy to use an AB that has some thinner or cleaner left in it that isn't compatible with Vallejo paints and it only takes a second or two and the Model Air turns into goo. I found having a dedicated air brush for Vallejo, helps eliminate the making a mistake that will take a good hour or so to remedy.

For all my other paints, whether Acrylics or Lacquers, I use my Infinity AB's 100% of the time.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

[Kaireckstadt]

The 2nd step of the underside painting is finished. Panels were lightened with flat white mixed to the original camo color:

Last step is to blend the lightened color i
 

[Peterpools]

Kai

The lighter panel shading looks perfect and  the weathering surely has an worn, operation feel.

Notes being taken

Keep ‘em comin

Peter

[GazzaS]

Certainly looks the part, Kai!

[DocRob]

The paneling effect looks a bit harsh to my eye, but you said you will blend it further, so it will turn out nice, Kai.
I use Infinity airbrushes as well, along with my old Rotring airbrushes, which have the slight advantage to be only one and a half action and therefore more relaxing to handle. I tend to cramp my fingers on lengthy airbrush sessions with my Infinity's. 
For Vallejo Air, I use the Rotring's exclusively, because they have a rounded protruding needle tip, which you can clean with a dampened finger. Generally I avoid Model Air more and more, as they are either to thin and do not cover well or they clog easily with less thinner. There is only a very small tolerance to get the mixture right, and they are very sensitive concerning thinners.

Cheers Rob  

[Kaireckstadt]

Thank you both.

It still is looking pinto but this will (hopefully) disappear when I do the blending in.

[Kaireckstadt]

21 minutes ago, DocRob said:

The paneling effect looks a bit harsh to my eye, but you said you will blend it further, so it will turn out nice, Kai.
I use Infinity airbrushes as well, along with my old Rotring airbrushes, which have the slight advantage to be only one and a half action and therefore more relaxing to handle. I tend to cramp my fingers on lengthy airbrush sessions with my Infinity's. 
For Vallejo Air, I use the Rotring's exclusively, because they have a rounded protruding needle tip, which you can clean with a dampened finger. Generally I avoid Model Air more and more, as they are either to thin and do not cover well or they clog easily with less thinner. There is only a very small tolerance to get the mixture right, and they are very sensitive concerning thinners.

Cheers Rob  

Thanks for the feedback Rob! My impression is the same. Hope the blending in works as it did with the Lancaster:

wing bottom before blending in:

and after blending in:

I just tried to use Vallejo acrylics once and didn’t succeed. Thinning didn‘t work. So no other feedback from my side possible. 

My favorite colors are AK Real. They work very nice. Lots of different colors available and thinning possible with e.g. Mr. Leveling Thinner. 

[Peterpools]

Kai

Lancaster's blending looks spot on.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[Trigger]

Hi Kai, the Lanc looks spot on, so I guess you will get the Mirage done also, looking better with every pass of the airbrush.

I have used Vallejo on some models, (model air range), and they spray nicely, but you have to use the same brand for thinning the paint, a few drops of their retarder, and off you go. When doing that Vallejo comes out pretty good. Ak real is now also one of my favorites , certainly their x-treme metal range, that comes out awesome, I use it on every surface that needs a metallic look.

Looking forward to the next paint session,

Frank

[Kaireckstadt]

6 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Kai

Lancaster's blending looks spot on.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

Thank you Peter! 
 

3 hours ago, Trigger said:

Hi Kai, the Lanc looks spot on, so I guess you will get the Mirage done also, looking better with every pass of the airbrush.

I have used Vallejo on some models, (model air range), and they spray nicely, but you have to use the same brand for thinning the paint, a few drops of their retarder, and off you go. When doing that Vallejo comes out pretty good. Ak real is now also one of my favorites , certainly their x-treme metal range, that comes out awesome, I use it on every surface that needs a metallic look.

Looking forward to the next paint session,

Frank

Thank you Frank! 

Regarding Vallejo you are using them exactly the way Peter does. 
They seem to be very nice but have to be treated with extreme care and thinner and color are matched to each other. 

I normally also use the thinner belonging to the paint because both are a system. The only exception are the AK-Colors which also work nice with Mr. Color Leveling thinner.

I also like the Metallic Extreme Color Range from AK. Painted my nozzle with them. Even better than Alclad II in my opinion. 

Today I‘ll make a pause but tomorrow evening I will go on with the painting.

 

 

[Kaireckstadt]

Tonight I blended in the lightened colors to the basic colors with basic color thinned by 80%. Looks like this now:

 

 

And all landing gear doors:

And the outer-wing pylons:

 

That’s all for today.

Next thing is to start painting of the upper fuselage.

 

[GazzaS]

That looks very nice, Kai.  Working over a pre shade has always been one of those problem things for me.

[Kaireckstadt]

1 hour ago, GazzaS said:

That looks very nice, Kai.  Working over a pre shade has always been one of those problem things for me.

Thank you Gary! 

The harsh and spotty look after the second painting stage has (hopefully) disappeared so that it looks subtle.

The bottom can‘t be weathered that much because it’s not exposed to the elements like the top. 

[DocRob]

Way better Kai, it looks perfectly now. At least it's not a Greek plane, which often look like a flying trashcan .

Cheers Rob

[GusMac]

Looking great Kai. Really shows up the extra work on the cannons and flash suppressors.