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Three Years and a BF-110 G-2

Wash

The wash is next. My idea of a wash is not simply to highlight the panel lines but to add another dimension to the tonal variations achieved with pre-shading and applying the paint. I have tried all different types of paint for washes and to each their own but for me nothing beats the flexibility of oils. More importantly oils will leave a translucent hue over the model which you can manipulate quite easily. It's this that adds extra dimension to the tonal variations of the basic camouflage colors. I never use straight black and I never keep records of mixes. This is partly because I can’t be bothered and I know what I use anyway and partly that it ensures at least a subtle difference between aircraft with similar camouflage. For this Bf 110 I used, for the underside, a mix of Warm Grey, Madder Brown and Black. I couldn’t tell you the ratios because I haven’t got a clue-it was a browny-grey-colour. I use White spirit, as the thinner-it’s cheap. There are many substances you could use. It doesn’t matter as long as you don’t use Isopropyl Alcohol because that will remove the Klear. My washes are a cross between a conventional wash and a sludge wash in so much as they need a bit of help to flow because they are comparatively thick. Once the underside is washed I add more black, to darken the wash and apply this to the upper surfaces. I also go back and re-wash the flying control surface hinge lines with this darker color. I don’t have a picture of the 110 washed but this 109E-4 is in a similar camouflage and has been washed with a similar mix. (Yes I had forgot the tail at this point but it was done later).

I have left washes on for over 24 hours with no ill effects. What you do want is the wash to have dried sufficiently, to adhere to the panel lines but not be dry-several hours will do it. When you come back to it take a dry lint free cloth and wipe the wash, in the direction of the air flow. What you are looking for is for the wash to leave a subtle tint over the model. If the wash is stubborn or the tint is not subtle, dampen the cloth with white spirit and wipe again. Continue over the whole model. Any parts you are not happy with go over with the wash again, leave and wipe off. You can, if you like, add minute amounts of straight oil paint and “pull back” with a white spirit dampened cloth for oil and grease affects.