Improve Your Model's Scale Looks
by Aaron Baldwick
I was at the flying field with my new Fokker D.VII not long ago when a fellow club member gave the biplane a once-over. After a few minutes he pointed at the nose and asked, "How did you make your model look so real and weathered?" The aircraft was an ARF I had repainted. He said, "It looks so, so—scale." I promised to share my secret on condition he wouldn't tell anyone how easy it was.
Product
My method for making details and panel lines "pop" is to use a hobby and craft product called Rub 'n Buff Metallic Finish, available from AMACO (American Art Clay Company). It is a waxy paste used to give an antique or worn look to craft items such as picture frames and knickknack boxes. The material comes in several colors; I use the silvery Pewter (item 76380A).
How to apply
- Put a small amount of Rub 'n Buff on a paper towel.
- Lightly dab your fingertip into the paste.
- Wipe your finger on the paper towel to remove most of the substance.
- Rub the residue over edges, corners, panel lines, and other surfaces where you want to add depth and wear.
With items painted black (for example, machine guns and engine cylinders), a quick swipe adds an instant degree of weathering and a used, realistic look. It also works well on painted parts with molded-in details, such as engine cowls.
Tips
- The real secret is to add only a bit. If you apply too much, the effect can look wrong.
- If you over-apply, it's not permanent: the paste wears off with time. Fly your airplane and clean it as usual to reduce excess.
- I carry a tube of Rub 'n Buff in my field box for touch-ups.
- For scale competition, examine the model and add the paste where appearances need weathering.
- Apply the product to obvious panel lines or features that would be subjected to wear—areas where a full-scale pilot entered and exited the cockpit or where mechanics installed and removed panels.
You might be amazed at how much Rub 'n Buff can improve the scale appearance of your airplanes.
Contact
Aaron Baldwick [email protected]
Sources
- AMACO (American Art Clay Company)
- Phone: (800) 374-1600
- Website: www.amaco.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
