Dear agony aunt,

right I'm plugging away on my project x kit and getting to the stage were some assemblies will need weathering if I'm going to do it. now I've done the cockpit little drybrushing ect but as this is really my 1st wingy thing not sure if to make it a pristine model (wive thinks so) but i'm half temped I do have another kit of the same A/c as it was quite expensive dont really want to mess up but the other half of me says have a go...........what should I do

Really depends on the aircraft and scheme.
US Naval AC tend to look a mess, even for airshows, while USAF AC tend to be very clean.
Is the aircraft depeicting something that's flying combat sorties daily or being used for weekend drills? Is the AC in natural metal or painted?
Where is it being flown?

the A/c never existed and there are a few schemes it can be done in from natural metal european and if I copy the gekko graphics from antaric through to africa

Just my 2 cents, but I wouldn't go overboard with the weathering. As you say it never existed, I imagine you are building a factory fresh prototype. It may be a little dusty, but unless you are going to display it in a bombed out factory, I would leave it looking pretty new.

Hi Davy

If you're modelling Luft '46, you can do whatever you feel confident about! You're presupposing that the War continued... so the a/c can have seen as much, or as little, service as you see fit.

Personally, I'd go for a bit of weathering...

Have fun!

Rowan