A-Wing - my first model with an airbrush

ohbejuan

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I don’t know why I was so hesitant to get an airbrush. It is a revelation. Just a cheapie single action and I love it. I made (and trashed) and Airfix Hawker Hurricane to test it out. This is my first “real” project is a Bandai 1/72 A-Wing. In purple
 

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That is looking fantastic. I just hope my first air-brushed model looks even half that good.

What airbrush is it anyway?

(I'm starting with two suction-feeds - an old Badger 200 I've had for years, but never really used, and a new Paasche SI set that I snagged on a one-day special for under $50.)
 
I have a Paasche H that I got at my local hobby shop for $65. and I got the Zeny compressor that is around $95. The H is great for large areas and masked work. It is not good for detail. In a year or so I will get a dual action
 
Purple squad!?...

I seem to remember Apollo and Starbuck pulling a stunt like that on the cylons.

Seriously tho... If you get the weathering and 'beatupness' right, any color works... That's the beauty of the Star Wars universe in my opinion.

And yes... Beatupness can be a word!

Keep it up.
 
Thanks! I actually had that BSG moment in the back of my mind “purple and orange squadrons”. Rather than try to replicate the studio model exactly, I thought it would be fun to put my own stamp on the kit.
 
Cock Pit Detail
Tee hee hee, you said "cock pit." I reall love that color. I'm glad somebody said it was purple because I'm colorblind and I thought it was a royal blue or something. Pretty nice. I'm currently working on the MPC A-Wing and I wanna make it a Green Squadron. Most everone seems to build the standard brick red A-Wing by default with that same, mismatched gray-colored panel to one side.
 
Welcome to the world of airbrushing! Looks like you've got a good handle on it.
I've got an old Paasche VL, it's a workhorse. Rugged, too. My only complaint with it is that as a siphon-fed brush, the cup dresses to the left or the right, and I can't grip it the way I want. So I've got an Iwata Neo, gravity-fed, the cup is on top, in line with the brush's center line.

Where did you get your clamps? I made a bunch with a bag of skewers and a bag of alligator clamps. I saw the cat-scratching box some people use to hold the clamps, so I made my own, out of a candy box bottom and strips of corrugated cardboard stock.
 
Welcome to the world of airbrushing! Looks like you've got a good handle on it.
I've got an old Paasche VL, it's a workhorse. Rugged, too. My only complaint with it is that as a siphon-fed brush, the cup dresses to the left or the right, and I can't grip it the way I want. So I've got an Iwata Neo, gravity-fed, the cup is on top, in line with the brush's center line.

Where did you get your clamps? I made a bunch with a bag of skewers and a bag of alligator clamps. I saw the cat-scratching box some people use to hold the clamps, so I made my own, out of a candy box bottom and strips of corrugated cardboard stock.
The clamps are 35 mm photo clamps for crafting. pack of 50.
H&W 50 Pack Metal Wire Alligator Clamp, 4'' Long-Tailed Alligator Iron Clip, Stand Photo Holder Stand Memo Clip
 
I have three or four airbrushes. I have two Harbour Freight specials - one that I bought and modified with a greazert fitting and the other was given to me by a friend. The other two I got are a Paasche VL Orchard and the other is a Zeny that I bought from evilbay. The Zeny came with an airbrush compressor that I bought last year. It was around $63.00 with free shipping. The latter of the two is a great deal! I bought three more needles for more versatility. A single action airbrush only allows for you to push the button down to release the air. A dual action airbrush allows you up and down and forward or backwards movement in the needle. Meaning that you can pull back on the needle inside the capsule to open the air for more paint and air pressure.
 
I have three or four airbrushes. I have two Harbour Freight specials - one that I bought and modified with a greazert fitting and the other was given to me by a friend. The other two I got are a Paasche VL Orchard and the other is a Zeny that I bought from evilbay. The Zeny came with an airbrush compressor that I bought last year. It was around $63.00 with free shipping. The latter of the two is a great deal! I bought three more needles for more versatility. A single action airbrush only allows for you to push the button down to release the air. A dual action airbrush allows you up and down and forward or backwards movement in the needle. Meaning that you can pull back on the needle inside the capsule to open the air for more paint and air pressure.
As far as single vs dual action, I decided to just start with an inexpensive single action. I am already thinking about my next one. It will be dual action, and gravity feed. But not for a while
 
Yeah, my VL is a dual action, but I haven't found that I really use the feature all that much. I may grow into it as I get more experienced with the brush.
 
Flory models from England? He's pretty good. I watch his videos on YouTube.

Yeah I bought Testor's airbrush when they first came on the market 30 years ago and then some. It was pure garbage - literally! It ended up in the trash bin after about three or four uses. It wasn't easy to use and it became obsolete after three or four years. I remember seeing them at Wally World for a time then no more. Now it's the Aztek model which is just a newer version of the same old garbage. Harbour Freight makes a pretty decent airbrush or at least a good offering. I have three siphon feed and one gravity fed airbrush. Just use those until you get really good at it.
 

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