RAF WW2 camouflage. Hard edge or soft edge?

[TimHepplestone]

Recently in several model magazines I’m seeing more builds where paper or tape masks , applied flush to the model, have even used to create hard edged demarcations on RAF camouflage subjects. My preference is always to create a softer edged appearance either by using a mask slightly lifted off the surface or by freehand spraying. Does anyone have any thoughts on what would be more historically accurate though? My reference photos seem to show a slightly soft edge although interpreting old period photos can be difficult 

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tim

[Ryan]

I seem to remember a wartime shot of rubber masks for spitfire camo.

 

So hard edge, but I'm hardley an expert.

[LSP_Ray]

I've seen hard edge and tight soft edge.

[LSP_Ron]

11 minutes ago, LSP_Ray said:

I've seen hard edge and tight soft edge.

 

Yes,

 

I think it depends on aircraft type also. Lancaster = tight soft edge,  most Spitty's hard edge.

[MikeMaben]

The Brits have some info ...   https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/29585-british-camo-rubber-masks/

 

 

[LDSmodeller]

32 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

If that were the case (and you're far from alone in maintaining that it is), then it stands to reason that you would see Spitfires, or at least groups of Spitfires, with identical (absolutely identica because they were painted using the same rubber/leather matsl) camouflage patterns. I defy you to find me two Spits with factory applied camouflage - even Spitfires within the same serial number batch - that have absolutely identical patterns. You simply Do. Not. See. Them.

 

 

 

 I don't know, these Spitfires at the Castle Bromwich factory, their fuselage camouflage applications

look pretty identical to me?

 

Spitfires Castle Bromwich

 

 

[DrDave]

Hoisted, by his own petard! 

[PhilB]

The smaller the scale then the harder the edge.

What might be a soft edge on the real thing would scale down to a harder edge in 1/32 and even less as the scale reduces.

I always used blutack rolled into 1/4 " "worms" to mask the edges and then sprayed from vertically above.

Not quite a crisp/hard demarcation but I think looks good in scale. 

Edited September 13, 2019 by PhilB

[Ryan]

Tim, no matter what direction we waffle back and forth on this, it’s your model, finish it the way you want to.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Ryan
spelling

[dennismcc]

Got to agree it is your model and finish it as you see fit, I like soft edges using paper masks and blu tac but it is a very time consuming operation so for my last three Spitfires I have used masks and they came out great and it was a lot easier.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[nmayhew]

5 hours ago, LDSmodeller said:

 

 I don't know, these Spitfires at the Castle Bromwich factory, their fuselage camouflage applications

look pretty identical to me?

 

Spitfires Castle Bromwich

 

 

 

hmmm...a 5 second glance at the two Spits bottom left - there are differences

clearly the same pattern is intended - maybe even the same mat or mask or template etc - but the end result is differences between airframes; sometimes subtle, sometimes immdeiately obvious

moreover, some parts of the schemes are as close to the same as i can see with that small pic and my crappy eyes, whilst other parts do have differences etc

 

as others have said if you are building a MkI / II Spit then absolutely hard-edge

 

let us know what aircraft you are building and you may get more info / helpful images etc

 

 

[PhilB]

5 minutes ago, nmayhew said:

as others have said if you are building a MkI / II Spit then absolutely hard-edge

 

Then as far as I recall, you can throw in the A or B pattern for the earlier spits which corresponded to the last number of the serial being odd or even.

I miss Edgar!!!!!

[Juggernut]

I remember Edgar saying that the spitfire was painted using masks but for the life of me, I cannot find the thread or that it was on LSP for that matter.... so FWIW...the spitfire I've read had A and B schemes which were the same pattern but using the opposite colors...dark earth and dark green swapped.

[nmayhew]

4 hours ago, PhilB said:

Then as far as I recall, you can throw in the A or B pattern for the earlier spits which corresponded to the last number of the serial being odd or even.

I miss Edgar!!!!!

 

Generally, but not necessarily 

 

Always go with what you see in the photos of the actual airframe rather than a rule of thumb

 

one very well known example: QV / N3200 Dunkirk beach

 

an sure there are dozens possible hundreds more

[PhilB]

1 hour ago, nmayhew said:

Generally, but not necessarily 

Always go with what you see in the photos of the actual airframe rather than a rule of thumb

one very well known example: QV / N3200 Dunkirk beach

an sure there are dozens possible hundreds more

Wasn't saying it's a rule of thumb Nick.

I was pointing out about the early spits making things even more complicated with the A and B camo.

Of course there may be exceptions.

That's why we have these forums for research.