In preparation for airbrushing - the folded wings, landing gear and props were separated. The cockpit was masked over and a circular cardboard disc with a slit in it was inserted in the nacelle. A light scrubbing with a worn out Scotch Brite pad (the grey kind) roughens up and evens out any blemishes. This might sound daunting or intimidating, but don't be alarmed, the subtle detail won't disappear! This scrubbing gives the surface a good tooth for better paint adhesion and an even consistency. Base coat paint needs to be durable. Canopies were masked with BMF as was the ventral window. After surface preparation it's time to paint! A coat of light grey was the first to go on the undersides and for the uppers intermediate blue covers the rest. A light grey shade of intermediate blue mixed with white (70/30) was misted on in a "cloud pattern" to the uppermost broad surfaces to help fade the paint. After the paint had set up (48 hours), once again the airframe was scrubbed with worn out Scotch-Brite to smooth the surface for decals. Decals were applied using the Aeromaster system and went on seamlessly, another marvel to modern modeling technology. Follow the system and the results are unequaled. A heavy coat of matte varnish acts as a "force field" to protect the basecoat from the brutal weathering process.
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