PaintingTo add a priming layer to give the following coats a bit of 'grip,' I pre-shaded the model with Tamiya Flat Black XF-1. This also helps the weathering and shading by giving the following paint applications a bit more depth. I followed this by painting the undersides with medium gray in an erratic pattern to simulate wear and tear and the patchiness you will find on war weary aircraft. The upper surfaces were painted with dark earth and dark green in a patchy pattern. I then applied Aeromaster decals using micro sol setting solution.

Diffused Shading Once the base colors and decals were on the model I began the weathering process by post shading. For this I mixed up a blend of Tamiya Flat Black XF-1 and Flat Brown XF-10 thinned with approximately 90% Tamiya Acrylic Thinner. Using my Iwata Custom Micron B airbrush I sprayed this mixture along the panel lines. I also streaked the panels irregularly using the same mixture. A high quality airbrush with a fine tip is essential in achieving a subtle effect. A side benefit of post shading is that an oil wash can be avoided. Oil washes can be tricky and unfortunately are not very subtle if too dark a color is used for the wash. Conversely, if too red-brown a color is used, it can look like rust has accumulated in the panel lines.

In my opinion merely fading the panel centers results in an unrealistic weathering pattern. Paint doesn't fade evenly in the panel centers and automatically stay dark just because it's near a panel seam. By varying the amount of paint coming out of the airbrush when fading the paint you will achieve a very patchy and beat up finish instead of obvious cloud patterns painted in the panel centers. A look at period color photos will give you a good idea of how dirty combat aircraft get, so use this as your starting point.

ChippingOnce the model started looking suitably weathered it was time to add some chipping effects. Due to the climatic conditions in their theatre of operations, SEAC aircraft tended to get pretty beat up, and chipped paint is an essential part of the realistic weathering regimen. There are several ways to achieve this, enamel paint and a brush is one method, various masking methods also work, or you can use a silver pencil. It's all good mate, the key is to keep it subtle and use the method you're most comfortable with.I used a silver pencil on this model paying particular attention to access panels etc. One advantage to using pencils is that they aren't as bright as enamel paint and only shine when light hits them at certain angles. This can work both for and against you as depending on how your lights are set up when its photo time. You may not get enough reflection in some areas and too much in others. However, in person and under normal lighting conditions it's a more subtle effect than using paint.

PastelsFor some added weathering that can't easily be replicated by an airbrush I used ground up artists pastels. These are the 'chalk' type, not the oil based ones. Simply grind them into a fine powder using sandpaper and you have an economical source for weathering powders. These are available in a variety of colors: black, white and a selection of earth tones are a good start. I used black pastel powder for the staining caused by the .50 cal MGs, dark browns around some access panels and medium browns to weather the tires and wheels. Additionally, when weathering as model that operated in desert conditions, the pastel powder is perfect to simulate dust which tends to accumulate in seams etc.For oil staining and 'wet' effects you can mix up a small amount of pastels with some Tamiya thinner and create some interesting muck effects. If your aircraft has been operating out of a muddy airfield, simply add less thinner to the pastel powder and it should form a muddy paste that will look great when dry on wheels and areas where mud would splatter.

ConclusionOverall, a great kit to build. Painting/weathering the bubbletop was a lot of fun and gave me a chance to try some new finishing ideas. My thanks to Groiheimisch MacGinge for sourcing the SEAC decals for me.