Scale Aviation Modeller International – April 2019

several reports call for a pink
hue. In my research I found that
these were originally painted
an ‘apricot’ shade. However,
due to the extreme heat of the
Mediterranean the paint seemed
to bleach and turn pink. Now the
pink is very conlicting, as some
sources have it as a very bright
pink, but I wondered if this gave
of more of a pinkish tone?
So, I began with my base
layer, of Tamiya XF-59 Desert
Yellow, and for the bleached
pinkish tone I decided that
Tamiya XF-15 Flat Flesh would
be a perfect candidate. I lightly

began layering on this colour to

blend in with the Desert Yellow.

Once I was happy with my

bleached efect, I decided it was

time to add some real pink into

the mix. Thus, I added Tamiya

X-17 Pink to the XF-15, in about

a 50:50 ratio. I carefully painted

this new mix onto the model,

and I’m pleased that I was able

to create a nice subtle pink

tone. I then glossed the model

with a few layers of Johnson’s

Future, and after it had properly

dried, I began the process of

adding the decals. The decals

are beautifully printed by

Cartograf, and my irst step was

to add all of the tiny stencils,

followed by the main decals.

FINISHING TOUCHES

I kept the weathering to a

basic level, and used some I

some Testors Enamel Rubber,

thinned with mineral spirits

and painted in the panel lines,

removing any excess with a

wide brush dipped in Mineral

Spirits. I started from the

front section and moved to

the back, creating thin streaks

as I went, and leaving the

panel lines painted in. I then

applied a coat of Army Painter

Anti-Shine Matte Varnish,

which turned out to be quite

excellent. Coming to the inish

line, I removed the windows

so the masks that could be

removed and the windows were

properly cleaned. I also began

building the two turrets that

are included. The lower turret

should be in a raised position

and stowed in the underside

of the fuselage, but it gives of

more character with the turret

lowered. This section simply

snaps into a lower loor and is

I found a fantastic website that explained the

‘Earth Quakers’, the RCAFs involvement, and

the oddest part, a pink camouflage scheme

Testors Enamel ‘Rubber’ was thinned down into a panel line wash Mineral Spirits wiped away any excess wash

SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL • APRIL 2019

1/

19