Environmental awareness is growing through ought the world.

Recently,
Chief Editor
single-use plastics have been limited, will the materials our models are
Javier López de Anca
made of fall into that category? If necessary, we could strip the paint from
Original Idea and Art directo any subject and give each model a second, or even a third life. Certainly,
Mig Jiménez such matters were not high on the agenda of the pioneers of aviation.
They did not seem to be particularly concerned with the concept of
Editorial Management environmentalism and forest conservation when the felling of trees was
Carlos Cuesta essential to providing the building materials for an Albatross squadron.

Editorial Coordination Another aspect of aviation that has changed over the decades are the
Iñaki Cantalapiedra occupational health and safety protocols followed by aviators and their ground crew. I sometimes wonder
what procedures were followed in World War I. It certainly took a great deal of courage to strap into a plane
Cover made of wood and cloth to climb into the lethal combat taking place high in the skies above Europe. Imagine
Jorge Porto an aircraft of wood and cloth subjected to the pelting rain, baking sun, and stresses of flight. Would prefight
Layout checklists include inspecting for warped or cracked wood and torn fabric? The mechanical elements of each
Jorge Porto aircraft, gun fire, and fuel made aircraft of this era highly flammable. Surely, we should show these pioneering
engineers, designers, mechanics, and pilots the respect owed to the first to fulfil our dream of flight with only
Article Assistant a basic understanding of aerodynamics used to build flying machines from the simplest materials available.
Iain Hamilton Although wood is typically associated with the aircraft of the Great War, this basic and timeless material
would continue to be used in aviation manufacturing for decades beyond wars end. As modelers, sooner
Collaborators
or later we will have no choice but to learn how to use the enjoyable products the easy techniques used to
Karim Bibi
recreate authentic wooden surfaces. During World War II, famous combat aircraft such as the Il-2 Sturmovik
Chicho Abad
which smashed Panzers on the Eastern Front and the first true multi-role combat aircraft in the de Havilland
Manuel Gil
Mosquito were largely built with this material. The techniques shown in this issue will enable you to play
Mario Gabas
with the level of wear and tear on painted and stained wooden surfaces. The collection of authors brought
Julio Fuentes
together for this special issue will also show you how to easily replicate painted and bare metal surfaces
Michael Scarborough
bordered by panels of truly convincing contrasting wood grain surfaces, allowing you to customize your
models and enrich your technical modelling skills with one captivating issue.
Translation
Marta Ramírez Gómez Por Javier López de Anca

The Weathering Aircraft por

AMMO of Mig Jiménez

www.theweatheringaircraft.com
info@migjimenez.com
javier.lopezdeanca@ammo.es
Magazine Quarterly Magazine

DL NA 251-2016
ISSN 2445-1177
March 2021
INDEX

FIESELER FI 103 - V1 PROPELLERS OF WWI STURMOVIK I L2-M3

pag. 8 pag. 14 pag. 18

ME 163B KOMET ALBATROS B.II Y D.V.

pag. 50 pag. 58
ALBATROS W4 WORKBENCH ALBATROS D.VA
pag. 32 pag. 36 pag. 42
 WOOD
Wood in combination with cloth, were the first materials used
to make it possible for man to fly. From the first experimental
concepts barely recognizable as aircraft onward, these elements
made up most of the machines until the beginning of the 1930’s.
Even during the Second World War, well known aircraft construc-
ted of wood served in critical front line combat duties like the
Soviet Il-2 Sturmovik which was instrumental in stopping Ger-
man Panzers on the Eastern Front and the British De Havilland
Mosquito known as the “wooden wonder” as one of the worlds
true multirole combat aircraft. The designers of German aircraft
went even further, using this material as the basis for developing
a rocket-engine aircraft in the now legendary Komet.
6 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD
Wood was not only used to manufacture the aircraft’s frame
and exterior panels, it was also used to make many of the
elements required to keep an aircraft in the air including ladders,
workbenches, and tools used for manufacture and maintenance.
With time and the aviation industry’s constant quest for inno-
vative materials used to improve flight characteristics, avia-
tion has gradually dispensed with wood in favor of lighter
and stronger metal alloys. Mainly during the Great War and
the Second World War, wood was used not only for its light
weight properties and strength, but also because it was inex-
pensive, plentiful, and easy to work with. Maintenance beca-
me a simple task as the parts were easily replaceable without
the need to rely on complicated supply lines to keep a frontli-
ne squadron airworthy. This material also had its weaknesses,
particularly the ease with which it burned. The metals used
throughout WWII until present are robust and durable, in
contrast early wooden airframes suffered fatigue under com-
bat stresses. It was common to see World War I aircraft lost
upon landings, strong gusts of wind, or while on the ground
due to adverse weather. It would be impossible for an aircraft
constructed of these materials to endure fifty years of service,
as is the case with many modern combat aircraft including
the massive B-52 which has served around the globe for over
half a century.

It is essential that we as modelers learn how to easily and accu-

rately represent wood as sooner or later, you will come across
an aircraft that you simply must build and paint that requires
this skill set. This issue of TWA is also a valuable resource for mo-
delers of other vehicle types and dioramas as this material has
always been universally used and can be found in accessories
and details to this day.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 7

FIESELER Fi 103
Technique: Chipping on
Wooden Surfaces
I chose to represent an American truck in Europe just after the Second World War,
hauling away a V1 war trophy found in a liberated factory. The flying bomb would
have been unassembled, stored, and ultimately abandoned. This setting gave me
V-1
the opportunity to represent heavily worn paint exposing the wooden wings,
the central objective of this article.

8 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

Bronco 1/35

Julio Fuente Díaz

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 9

 1/2 The first step was to prepare the model
for the concept by breaking everything
down and staging the components,
since the idea was to be transported in
the bed of a truck.

3 The focus is on painting the wings since they are the component of the V1 made of
wood. Two different tones were used for the base coat, linen yellow and desert brown,
but it is the decal that will determine the final colour.

4 The previous step is necessary as the decals mimic the grain,

but are semi-transparent. They will change the base colour, but
will not cover it completely. To cut the wood grain decals you
will need a tipped blade in perfect condition and a metal ruler.

5 The ruler was used to measure each section, and to cut

straight edges. This type of decal is placed quite simply
using water, Ultra-Decal Set A.MIG-2029 and Ultra-Decal Fix
A.MIG-2030.

6 Here you can see the finish obtained after placing the decal. If you would
like to imitate a varnish on the wood, simply use thin layers of transparent
paints. This was not the case of the V1.

7 Before continuing, a coat of Glossy Lucky

Varnish A.MIG-2053 was applied and allowed
to dry completely.

10 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

MADERA
8 The ends of the wings and the body of the bomb were
not made of wood, these components were painted with
Aluminium A.MIG-8201.
10 The lower surfaces were first airbrushed with RLM 76
A.MIG-0063 and allowed to dry for 10 minutes. Then the paint
was lifted little by little using warm water and a flat brush.
9 The airbrush was loaded with Heavy Chipping Effects
A.MIG-2011 and applied to both the main body and the wings.
11 It is best to use an old and stiff bristle brush for the larger
chips. While the small scratches and scrapes can be accurately
reproduced with a toothpick. With this process you must always
keep in mind that the surface you are working on is a decal so
care must be taken to avoid damage.
12 The same process was repeated on the upper
part of the wings, this time using a base
colour of green.
THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 11
 13
14

12 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

13 Here you can see a detailed image of the upper left wing showing the stunning
realism of the wood exposed from under the damaged and peeling paint.

14 To lower the contrast of the work on the wings and give them a dirty and
aged look, small amounts of Rainmarks Effects A.MIG-1208
and Streaking Grime A.MIG-1203 were applied to
the wings and blended by moving a brush humid
with thinner from front to back.

15 The final step for the aged and damaged wings

was an application of varnish using Matt Lucky
Varnish A.MIG-2051.

15

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 13

Wooden propellers
WWI Karim Bibi

Wingnut 1:32

1 The propeller of the British Bristol received a base

coat of Ochre Wood (MRP-260), while the other three
based on the same base tone we give highlights and
shadows with Desert Tan (MRP-80) and Dark Wood
(MRP-262).

Technique 1. Photoengraving tool

2/3 The RB Laminated Propeller Mask (RB-T036) tool

was placed and the colour Dark Wood (MRP-262)
airbrushed at low pressure.

4 The colour Flat Brown (XF-10) was

applied with a brush to finish drawing 5 Finally, the effects were blended
the laminate on the leading edge. by applying a very smooth coat
with Ochre Wood (MRP-260).

Technique 2. Mask

6 The propeller was marked using 0.7mm Micron Masking

Tape from Aizu to draw the sheets that will remain in the
base colour. The inner surface was covered with Ultra
Liquid Mask (A.MIG-2032).

14 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 7 The colour Dark Wood (MRP-262) and
Red Wood (MRP-261) were applied
gradually, with the darker tone focused
on the inside of the helix.

8 The masks were removed and I began working with

Desert Yellow (XF-59) and Buff (XF-57) mixed with
retarder. Flat Brown (XF-10) was also used to shade the
darker areas.

Technique 3. Pencils
9 This is a technique that allows you to make corrections quite easily. The
process begins by preparing the surface with a layer of matt varnish.

10 With a mechanical pencil, the number 11/12 The piece was placed on a flat surface and the mechanical pencil slid along it, so that a
of blades that the helix will have horizontal line follows the curve of the edge of the helix. If necessary, darken the lines
was marked to ensure that they are for clear reference.
equidistant.

13 The next step was to select five brown

pencils from Prismacolor’s Premier range.

14

15

14 These pencils were used to colour the brown sheets, using the darker pencils on the inner
area and the lighter tones at the ends.

15 Next, I chose sand and ochre tones from the same range to work on the light-coloured wood
grain, again using the darker pencils on the inner area and the lighter tones at the ends.

16 With a little water, you can blur and soften the colour transitions. If you would like to
correct something, you can simply use an eraser.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 15

Technique 4. Oil colours.

17/18 The oil colour Burnt Umber by Winsor and Newton was thinned
and applied in successive layers, allowing each one to dry
between coats in order to draw the layers.

19 The British Bristol propellers did not have the visible laminate, so they require working
18
with the oils in a different way. A few different brushes were used with the oil colours
Burnt Umber and Raw Umber mixed with an accelerator to speed the drying time.

20 The accelerator was added to the oil and applied to the helix with a round brush.
19
21 With a serrated brush, the two colours were blended in the direction of the woodgrain
being represented. You must clean the brush with each pass, making sure that there is no
lint or other debris trapped in the surface.

22
20 The last blending step was to use a fan brush to soften the effect.

Final finish

23 Here you can see how the four propellers

look before the final finish.

16 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

24
Each propeller has its own finish.
A
• On the British Bristol (A), Red Brown Clear (MRP-269)
was airbrushed. B
• The centre propellers (B y C) were finished with a mix
of Clear Orange (X-26) and Clear Red (X-27).

• And the last one (D) is simply varnished with a coat of C

Gloss Varnish (MRP-48).
D

After masking the propellers,

the metal part was painted with
Dark Aluminium (MRP-146) and
25 Steel (MRP-30). To give depth and
highlight the details, the enamel
Track Wash (A.MIG-1002) and
Dark Brown Wash for Green
Vehicles (A.MIG-1005) were used
to emphasize details. The nuts can
then be illuminated with Stainless
(213) and Aluminium (218) using a
fine tipped brush.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 17

Sturmovik
I L 2 -M3
Technique:
Wood with decals
Little remains to be said about this mythical aircraft, one of the most famous and numerously produced
in history. An icon of the Soviet regime during the Great Patriotic War, it was a difficult aircraft to fly
with very limited aerodynamic capabilities. Despite its sharp lines and excellent qualities as a ground
attack flight platform, it gained the reputation for being shot down easily and a guaranteed low
survival rate in combat for the dorsal gunner.

For this article the focus is on how to reproduce different kinds of wood using decals. This aircraft
featured wings and half of the fuselage built of wood. Despite the arduous work of placing the
decals, you will certainly enjoy the final result and having an aircraft with this unique and highly
realistic finish in your collection.

18 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

Tamiya 1:48

Mario Gabás

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 19

 1/2 In this case the model did not present any assembly problems, although it can
be improved with Eduard’s excellent photoetch details. The surface must be
perfectly smooth for the following decal processes.

3 Before placing the decals, the base colour

of FS30219 Tan A.MIG-0202 was applied.

4 To protect the base coat of paint, apply a thin

coat of Glossy Lucky Varnish A.MIG-2053.

5 To accurately reproduce the unique characteristics of

wood, decals from Uschi were used. These excellent 7
finishes feature several unique and natural wood grain
textures and different wood tones.

6 Both masking tape and a new blade are required for the
best results.

7 With a metal ruler, measure the surface to be cut from the

decal sheet.

20 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 8 9

10

11
12
tape, it was
8/9 After cutting the shape of the panel on the
used as a template and placed on the decal sheet.

red by wet- 13
10 Before applying the decal, the surface was prepa
ting it with Ultra Decal Set A.MIG -2029 .

lied and al-

11 The decal was placed and Ultra Decal Set reapp
lowed to air dry.
to cover the
12 Next Ultra Decal Fix A.MIG-2030 was used
waterslide
whole decal once again. This product will make
you must be
decals perfectly adapt to the surface, although
be used in
careful as it is somewhat aggressive and should
moderation.
complex
Some of the decal pieces required may have
13 to accura tely recrea te them is
shapes. A good option used
to make templates drawn with a pencil .

can be cut out

14 Again the mask was placed on the decal so it
using a very sharp blade.

Finally, the decal was put it in place. If any adjust

ments are 14
15
blade, it must be done before the decal
required with the
dries completely.

15

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 21

 16 17

18 19
20 21

16 Some panels not only have a complicated shape, but may

need to be drawn in pieces. You can choose to draw them on
17
the mask or place them on the model and try to cut them out
once you begin to fix the decal.

18 A critical aspect to keep in mind is to vary the direction of the

grain and the colour of the wood which is different on each
panel. For the best possible result, using multiple different
references of decals will create the most realistic effect.

19 Due to their thinness, some flaws may occur.

20 22

21 The Tamiya 3000 sponge sandpaper can help to hide them by 23

gently buffing the entire surface of the decals.

22 At this stage, the decal placement is finished. This takes time

but it is an enjoyable process and the result is exceptionally
23 good.

22 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 25

24

24 The next step was to address the wings using the same
steps used for the fuselage. Because the wings are a flatter
25
surface, the decals are easier to work with. 26

26 Although it is a repetitive process, do not forget to always

apply Ultra Decal Set and Ultra Decal Fix to adapt the
decals to the surface.

27 It is easy to see the difference. In the first photo the decal

was placed without using these products: it is difficult to
28
adjust and bubbles appear. With the second example, you
can see how Ultra Decal Set and Ultra Decal Fix make the
decals completely conform to the surface.

29 When removing masking from nearby panels, a piece of

decal can accidentally be torn.

27
To solve the problem, begin by cutting out another piece
30
of decal of the same size.

28

29

30

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 23

 31
32

31/32/33/34
Now use extreme care to remove the damaged decal little by little,
do not apply any pressure to avoid damaging the paint below.

33 34

35 36

35/36 The new decal was set in place, obtaining a perfect result.

37/38
In the following photos you can see the result on both wings.

24 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

39 The same steps were used to apply the wood
decals to the lower wing, always looking for
contrast and variety.

40 At this stage work with the

decals is complete, but the
full effect will be realized
with the following steps.

41 The tone of individual

panels can be adjusted as
shown.

42 Filters are used that were only applied to select panels. In this case Grey for Yellow
Sand A.MIG-1505 was used.

43 This process was repeated with more colours applied randomly. The end result should
be that no two like panels are next to or near one another.

42 43

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 25

 44 To protect all the work done on the decals, a thin coat of Glossy
Lucky Varnish A.MIG-2053 was applied.

45 This glossy base was used to create more effects with various brown
and sepia tones of Oilbrusher.

46 47 48

49
46/47/48 The self-contained applicator was used directly on the
model to apply thin strokes which were allowed to dry
for a few seconds before blending them smooth with a
make-up applicator.

49 The Oilbrusher colours can also be used to draw or

intensify areas of wood grain.

The wood decals have completely covered some

panels that are made of materials other than wood.
50/51 These surfaces can easily and quickly be brush
painted to create excellent contrasting surface
materials.

26 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

52 Gloss varnish was once again applied to protect all the previous
work.

This layer of varnish serves as the ideal surface for work-

53/54 ing with Panel Line Washes. In this case the panel lines
were emphasized using Deep Brown A.MIG-1618.

To outline the registers, Dark Wash A.MIG-1008 was

used for higher contrast.
55/56 Once again, the surface was protected with another
coat of gloss varnish.

57 Despite the coats of

varnish applied, be very
careful when placing tape
over the wooden decals.
It is advisable to remove
some of the tapes adhesive
by sticking it on your
hand several times. The
larger areas were covered
completely with paper to
avoid damaging them.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 27

 58 After a coat of Black Microfiller A.MIG-8211, the base
colour of Aluminium A.MIG-8201 was airbrushed in place.

59 The colour Jet Exhaust A.MIG-8208

was diluted with Lacquer Thinner
A.MIG-8200 and used to shade all the
panel lines and rivets, airbrushing each
line as thin as possible.

60 To equalize the contrast when shading, a new layer of aluminium

highly diluted with thinner was airbrushed to subdue the effect.

61 Here you can see the overall appearance of the

model after using extreme caution to remove the
masking.

28 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 62 To unify all the work, very thin coats of Glossy Lucky Varnish
(A.MIG-2053) were applied.

63 Little by little, the rest of the details like flaps and rudders
were painted while taking care to avoid damaging the
wooden surfaces with masking tape.

64

65/66

64 Once all the details were painted, the model was completely varnished with a very thin
coat of Ultra-Matt Lucky Varnish A.MIG-2050.

65 You may choose or your references may show areas of extremely subtle wear or staining,
this must be extremely limited and subdued as the aircraft being depicted is not yet
66 operation. A final convincingly realistic touch was added to select aluminium surfaces using
the pigment Metal Slag A.MIG-3020 to create authentic variation in the metal surfaces.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 29

30 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD
THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 31
Albatros
W4

1 The first step was to paint the interior of the airplane taking into account that it will
be the same colour used for the exterior, in this case Burnt Sand (A.MIG-0118).

2 As the interior of this aircraft will be seen very little, I decided to use a quick
weathering technique with Oilbrusher Dark Brown (A.MIG-3512) by depositing
small amounts throughout the fuselage.

32 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 Technique: wire
The technique explained in this article was created by Spain’s master of aviation modelling:
Juanma Villalba. In this article we will take a look at this technique widely used some years
ago, and recently forgotten to some extent. However, it can produce amazing results today
and offers several advantages. One is the speed with which you can work. And
the second advantage is to be able to use masks to paint the rest of the
model without worrying about damaging other more delicate
products such as decals and oils.

Ricardo “Chicho” Abad

Eduard 1:48

3/4 Now simply spread the product from front

to back with a serrated brush slightly
moistened in Odourless Enamel Thinner
(A.MIG-2019).

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 33

5 Before starting with any type of painting including wood, always airbrush a
coat of One-Shot Primer Grey (A.MIG-2024).

6 The same base colour used for the interior the interior was again used to paint
the wooden fuselage.

7 The tool required was simple to scratch

build, use a rectangle of tin and glue
some threads of the same material
as shown. This will make it easily
adaptable because of tins malleability.

8 To make the woodgrain, the tool was fixed to the area

using masking tape. The base colour was applied using
Medium Brown (A.MIG-0070), to which 10% of RLM
04 Gold Yellow (A.MIG-0125) was added. The colour
was then airbrushed over the tool at low pressure.

9 This simple process was

used to cover all the wood
areas. To even out the
contrast between colours,
apply a thin layer of Crystal
Orange (A.MIG-0097).

34 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

10 One of the advantages of this technique is that you are able to mask calmly,
avoiding the risk of damaging the finish or decals.

11 Here you can see the wooden surfaces appearance once the
previous steps have been completed to easily create authentic
wood grain.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 35

 Workbench
Scratch 1:32

Karim Bibi

36 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

As it could not be any other way, one of the most interesting materials used to simulate wood in scale is to
use real wood. Although it can be difficult to work with on an airplane without resorting to complicated
modifications, it can be very useful when it comes to making some accessories built with this type of material
to complement your models. In this case a workbench serves as an example.

1 Very thin balsa wood was used to build the bench, a very sharp blade
such as CMK’s is perfect.

2 To glue the sheets together, Microscale’s Micro Kristal Klear

was used applied with a wooden stick.

3 Once the glue has dried, small holes were drilled with fine
drill bits where nails will be inserted.

4 Directly on the wood, the filter Brown for Dark Green (A.MIG-1506) was
applied on the lighter wood and Tan for 3 Tone Camo (A.MIG-1510) on
the dark wood.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 37

 5 The surface was lightly sanded recovering the original colour of the wood in
some areas.
Masterclub offers resin pieces that really are intended for the chains of vehicles,
6
but they also served perfectly as nails on this occasion.

7 The enamel Tracks Wash (A.MIG-1002)

and Dark Brown Wash for Green Vehicles
(A.MIG-1005) were both used to work the
nails and give them a worn appearance.
8 To create a varnished look, Tamiya’s Clear
Orange (X-26) and Clear Red (X-27) were used
to tint some areas of the bench, avoiding those
previously sanded.

9 The effects were then

sealed with a coat of
Matt Varnish.

10 Carefully go over the central

part of the planks with the
sandpaper, creating subtle
highlights on highpoints.

11 As I wanted the table to feature some coloured planks, Scratches Effect

(A.MIG-2010) was used to obtain chipping in the paint.

38 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 12 A green tone was chosen to stand out from the rest of the wood, the colour was
airbrushed on the plank that was coated with Scratches Effects.

13 With a little water, an old brush, and a toothpick, the green paint was removed with the
heaviest wear in the central area of the plank.

14 To emphasize the exposed wood in the worn area, shades of

brown and dark green oil paints were applied to the sides.

15 The colours were slowly and carefully blended

little by little until both ends were darkened.

16 Some chipping with lighter colours was

added, in this case Desert Yellow (XF-
17 59) and Park Green (X-28).

18 The exposed nail heads were painted with Mr

Hobby’s Stainless (MC213). If you want some of
them to appear really rusty, you can use Medium
Rust (A.MIG-0040), Light Rust (A.MIG-0039) and
Old Rust (A.MIG-0042).

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 39

 19 Finally, stains or traces of oil can be simulated with Streaking Grime for Interiors
(A.MIG-1200) and Engine Grime (A.MIG-1407). Authentic wetness and humidity
20 can be added to create eye catching realistically contrasting texture with Wet Effects
(A.MIG-2015).

40 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

ALBATROS
D.Va
Wingnuts Wings 1/32

On this occasion I set out to represent the

showy decoration of the Albatros
D.Va of the Jasta 37 as piloted by
Ernst Udet during the summer
of 1917 with wooden fuselage
contrasting a beautiful lozenge
camouflage pattern on the wings. For this
project I utilized the new AMMO by MIG Jimenez set for wood surfaces
both inside and outside the aircraft. A plasticard sheet was used to test
and find the right colour combination. Your vision of how your wooden
surfaces will appear must be clear from the beginning, nothing better
than spending a few days testing colour combinations.

Technique: Oilbrushers

A.MIG-7801
Wood Effects Set

42 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

Julio Fuente Díaz

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 43

 1 For this article the Wood Effects Set A.MIG-7801 was used 2 To compare the different results, several tests will be completed.
extensively, it contains both the colours used for the base and First Matt White (A.MIG-0050) was used as a foundation
the Oilbrusher required for this technique. for combinations with Light Wood (A.MIG-0038) and Khaki
Brown (A.MIG-0088).

3/4 In this photograph several decal sheets are sampled. A small amount of different
Oilbrusher colours were deposited onto the different base colours.

5 Using a sponge, each Oilbrusher colour was dragged to test the

resulting pattern.

6 Once the ideal palette has been selected

for the project, simply note the combina-
tion of base colour, decal, and Oilbrusher
used for each stain. In this case, I decided
to use the white base with the Oilbrusher
colour Earth (A.MIG-3514).

7 The interior of the cabin is also made of wood, recreating the surface
began by applying a coat of One-Shot Primer White (A.MIG-2022).

44 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

8 As the interior is very dark and not highly visible, the
decals included in the set were also used. The pieces
were cut to size and placed between the stringers with
the help of Ultra Decal Set (A.MIG-2029) and Ultra
Decal Fix (A.MIG-2030).

9 With a little patience both sides were completed with

the decals adapting perfectly to the reliefs.

10 11 12

10 The stringers were worked directly with Oilbrusher colour Earth. Any errors can easily be
cleaned with a brush dipped in Enamel Odourless Thinner (A.MIG-2019).

11 Since these are small areas, an old brush with uneven and open bristles can be used
to drag the product to imitate wood grain.

12 Once the wooden parts had been painted, they were protected with
Aqua Gloss Clear (A.MIG-8212). The stringers were highlighted
and details emphasised with the wash colour Africa Korps
Wash (A.MIG-1001) included in the set:

13 The rest of the cockpit details were painted as

usual by picking out details with acrylics and a
fine brush.

14 The exterior base coat and primer were applied with

one convenient product, acrylic One-Shot Primer
White (A.MIG-2022).

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 45

15 To differentiate one panel from another, each was
isolated with masking tape to be painted one by one
while carefully following the edges.

16 17 18

16 The process is very easy: the chosen area is completely covered with Oilbrusher Earth
(A.MIG-3514), deposited with its own applicator.

17 The product will take time to dry which makes for a pleasant and relaxed working pace. The
texture needs to be thick for the technique to work properly.

18 The excess was then removed with an old round brush while beginning to imitate the wood
grain. You must unload and clean the brush frequently.

The process continues by switching to a saw brush, this tool will create the final pattern of the
19
wood grain.

20 For the best results, allow enough time for the Oilbrusher to dry so as not
to spoil the work. Do not worry, this product dries faster than conventional
oil paints.

21 In the meantime, panels that are separated from one another can be worked.
That way you can mask and touch the model without any issues.

46 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 22 The model was set aside and
allowed to dry for several
days before sealing the work
with Glossy Lucky Varnish
(A.MIG-2053).

23 The process was repeated on the other

panels, always carefully and respecting the
drying times.

24 It is critical that you vary the direction

that you move the brush to remove the
Oilbrusher so that each panel is different.
You can also add other shades, such as
Ochre (A.MIG-3515).

25
26

25 Once the whole plane was varnished, I began to highlight the

panel lines with PLW Deep Brown (A.MIG-1618) and Africa
Korps Wash (A.MIG-1001). It doesn’t matter if you make
a mistake as the gloss varnish makes it easy to remove the
enamel.
26
After half an hour, the Remover Sponge (A.MIG-8562) was
used to remove the excess of the two washes.

27 The process switched to placing the

decals all over the plane, both on the
wings imitating fabric and on the wood
fuselage. For this task Aqua Gloss Clear (A.MIG-8212)
was airbrushed as a foundation and the liquids Ultra Decal Set
(A.MIG-2029) and Ultra Decal Fix (A.MIG-2030) were used to ensure the
best results.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 47

 28 From here on, the work on the wood areas and the rest of the aircraft were different when
simulating weathering. For example, on the lower part of the wings, the ideal product to use
was Shaders. This switch of mediums makes the difference between materials more visible and
convincing.

29 Once the parts were finished, it’s was time to start assembling the different
parts of the plane. A support from Vertigo Miniatures was used, this allows
you to move the model without touching it and to align each section correctly.

30 The Russian brand Proper Plane makes propellers directly from natural wood, so
you will only need a coat of varnish for a truly authentic appearance.

48 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

31 This aircraft has other wooden
components such as the spar that
joins both wheels which has been
worked at the same time and
with the same techniques and
materials as the fuselage.

32 The weathering processes on

the wood will be different from
surfaces of a different material.
The lower part of the Albatros
has numerous drainage points
that were imitated with Fresh
Engine Oil (A.MIG-1408) and
Engine Grime (A.MIG-1407),
extending the streaked flu- 33 As you can see in the photograph, the use of the Vertigo
ids in the direction of the slip support is extremely useful and is now an essential tool when
stream with a flat brush mois- working with this type of aircraft.
tened in thinner.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 49

 Me 163B
Komet

Manuel Gil

Technique:
Painting Wood by Brush

50 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

The wing structure of the Me 163B Komet rocket fighter was made of wood and covered
with 6mm plywood panels placed diagonally. I found a couple of photos taken of the
lower part of the right wing and another of the lower part of the leading edges
during its manufacture. The references clearly show the distribution of the panels
and that helped me to interpret the rest. I was also helped by photos of an
aircraft preserved in a museum where the direction of the wood grain can
be seen. Although this material covers the most surface area, the control
surfaces were covered with canvas and the wing tips had a metallic
coating.

Of all the existing techniques for painting wood, I chose the finish
created with a brush. For the areas built with other materials, I opted
for the white grey primer colour mentioned in the book Focke
Wulf Fw 190 & Ta 152 by Eduardo Soler and Aurelio Gimeno.

Academy 1/72

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 51

 1 Before painting, I always clean the
surfaces with a cotton swab dipped
in alcohol to remove dust and
grease residues.

2 First, I applied One Shot Primer

White (A.MIG-2022) diluted in
equal parts with Acrylic Thinner
(A.MIG-2000).

3 The areas where wood will

be simulated and select
panels that I do not want to
shade were masked.

4 With German Grey (XF-63) diluted by 95% with 96% isopropyl

alcohol, the panel lines and the inner edge of the movable surfaces
were outlined.

5 With two parts of Satin White (A.MIG-0047) and one part of RLM76 (A.MIG-0063),
the white grey primer colour was mixed and applied diluted in equal parts with the
acrylic thinner, without completely covering the previous work.
6 Again masking tape was used to protect the parts in white grey and leave the area that
I will paint in wood exposed.

52 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 7 With two parts of Cremeweiss (A.MIG-0017) and one part
Sand Brown (A.MIG-0026), the base colour for the wood
was painted.

8 The leading edges were masked and

the wing divided into blocks.

9 Some panels were framed diagonally.

10 Finally, the areas that I will work on

later were covered.

11 To simulate the woodgrain, a flat stiff bristle brush was used beginning
with the Sand Brown colour diluted with a little water. Almost all of
the paint was unloaded onto a napkin and the brush passed perpen-
dicularly and very gently over the surface moving from front to back.

12 The process was repeated with NATO Brown (A.MIG-0085),

Kakhi Brown (A.MIG-0088), Earth Brown (A.MIG-0064), Tan
(A.MIG-0202) and Light Wood (A.MIG-0038).

13 Using a 5/0 synthetic round brush (A.MIG-8610) and the colours

Tan and Earth Brown diluted in water, meandering lines were
11 drawn with the fine tip of an unloaded brush.

12 13

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 53

 14 15 16

17 18 14 The work done so far was covered and the

process repeated on the adjoining panel,
note that the direction of the wood grain has
changed adding authenticity and contrast.
15 Shown here is a finished set of panels in
which I have varied the order and inten-
sity of the colours with each panel. I have
also incorporated some shades of RLM 71
(A.MIG-0233), Orange (A.MIG-0129),
RLM 02 (A.MIG-0217) and New Wood
(A.MIG-0037).
16 Be sure to vary the size of some of the
wooden panels so that the finish does not
become monotonous.
17 Delineating the finished sections must be
done before removing the masking from
the closest panels.

18 Cremeweiss was frequently used to touch

up an excess of a certain colour or to sof-
ten and lighten the tone of an area.

19 Here you can see the

results created up to this
step.

20 The completed work was masked before

proceeding to the leading edges.

54 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

 21 22

23 24

21 For these areas, a lighter tone of the wood was represented and the 24 With Chipping colour (A.MIG-0044) and a 5/0 brush
darker colours used previously discarded. (A.MIG-8600) the joint lines between the panels were marked us-
ing masking tape as a guide. So as not to paint the wrong side, a
22 When working on lighter colours, you must unload the brush more
piece of tape was placed on the end as a reference point.
to avoid a dark finish.

23 Here you can see the results of the streaks on the leading edge. As
you can see, it is more subtle than the previous panels.

25 According to the reference photos,

these lines were not all of the
same, but rather were interrupted
and varied in width or depth.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 55

 26

27

28

26 The tone of the small access panels was altered for con-
trast and brush-embossed parts with the white grey colour
composed of two parts Satin White and one part RLM76.

27 The panel lines on the white grey surfaces were

emphasised with PLW Blue Grey (A.MIG-1613).

28 The excess wash was removed with the brush dampened

in Odourless Enamel Thinner (A.MIG-2018).

29 To accentuate the separation between the wood and the

movable surfaces, PLW Black Night (A.MIG-1611) was
used for strong contrast.
29

30 Finally, the inside of all slats were shaded with Oilbrusher

Dark Brown (A.MIG-3512) by depositing the colour
and blending it with the 5/0 brush. These types of tones
can be used to shade any wooden surface.

31 To soften the effect, a brush dampened in Enamel

Odourless thinner was used to blend the colour.

30

31

56 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 57
 Albatros
B.II y D.V.

1/2 Using real photos as reference, the wood

surfaces were reshaped to simulate
bumps and dents that resulted from the
panels being thin. For this task I used
the electric drill and different
milling cutters.

3/4 Once finished, the surface

was rubbed with Scotch
Brite to remove fine scratches
and leave the surface
smooth. If necessary, re-
etch any lost panel lines
with a scriber.

58 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

I am fortunate to make a living working with wood, but my real passion is modelling. So, to have the opportunity to mix
my experience and knowledge of carpentry with my hobby is a real gift. I had to jump head first into this project.
For this article, I worked with both the Albatros B.II and Albatros D.V from Wingnut Wings models. The authentic finishes
were created using products that most are not accustomed to using for modelling, but that can be very
useful and will allow you to create realistic wood finishes.

Technique:
Stencilling and staining

Michael Scarborough

Wingnuts 1/32

5/6 First the whole piece was painted with Deck Tan (XF-55).
Common post-it notes were used to mask some panels to
differentiate their colours before airbrushing Flat Earth (XF-
52) and Desert Yellow (XF-59).

7 In this picture you can appreciate the how each panel is

subtly different than the next.

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 59

 8 The technique used in this first example involves the use of stencils. These are photo-etched
plates with an authentic wood grain pattern from RB Productions.

9 The surface was worked with in individual zones or separate panels. After masking, the photo-
etched mask was placed over the area and a darker brown tone airbrushed a brown tone darker
than the base, in this case NATO Brown (XF-68).

10 The paint was diluted by 50% with Thinner,

using a pressure of 12 to 15 lbs. The result will
be extremely realistic and is simple to apply.

11 Simultaneously, an authentic dark wood was imitated on the

fuselage. Previous to this step, the oils were deposited on a piece
of cardboard to absorb the oil which allows the colour to dry
faster. The colours used for this example were Yellow Ochre, Gold
Ochre, Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber.

12 The oils were mixed with White Spirit on a palette so that they
are comfortable to work with. The different tones were applied
randomly on the panels and allowed to sit undisturbed for 10 to
15 minutes.

13 Before the colour dries, a natural sponge and a little thinner

were used to subtly touch the surface to remove part of
the oils, which will generate a very real worn effect on the
wood.

14 This time something different was used, a commercial wood stain. I

chose a dark Reddish Brown colour which was prepared in a separate
container by mixing it with alcohol, then adding the same amount
of Tamiya Clear (X-22). The mixture was then airbrushed onto the
fuselage.

15 Gradients in the wood using can

be created using a cotton swab
soaked in alcohol floated gently
over in the areas where you
want to simulate colour
fading or other damage.

60 / THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD

16 Returning to the lighter fuselage, I worked with a Golden Brown
tone of the same product.

17 The wood finish must be completed before placing decals and

markings. The finish is resistant enough to make scratches on paint
and decals, as shown with the “Lulu” marking.

18 If you prefer to soften an effect and leave cleaner wood in some

areas, you can polish individual areas with car wax by
rubbing gently. The D.V. is not a car, but she
doesn’t know that and the results are
outstanding!

THE WEATHERING AIRCRAFT / WOOD / 61

IN THE NEXT ISSUE...
By Javier López de Anca

SINGLE COLOUR
Who said that making a grey airplane is boring? This scheme has become universal and a classic for modelers and enthusiasts. Are we
going to dedicate ourselves to making camouflage in five colours and intricate patterns forever? Besides, we have no choice, since the
1990s most Air Forces haven’t even bothered to consult modelers and are hell-bent on painting their aircraft in grey. So, unless any of
you have influence at Lockheed Martin, Sukhoi, or Dassault, you my talented modelling friend must get on with it.
Minimalism doesn’t have to be any less valuable than working with a multitude of colours - on the contrary! It forces us to be resourceful
and creative in bringing life to a single hue. IIn the next issue, you will see how to turn the fuselage of your models into a canvas used
to get the most out of a single colour. From this point on, you can begin to appreciate the subtle nuance within monotonous greys,
greens, and blues. Let’s see just how beautiful “less is more” truly is, and how dynamic and enjoyable a single coloured camouflage is
to accurately reproduce.
1SPAIN
YEAR
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