ICM FIAT CR.42 in Belgian service.

[quang]

56 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

this is not a more complex approach as you have first to study the light reflection and shades on the full scale airframes.

Just hold the model under your desk lamp and you’ll see the light. 
 

@dennismcc The Stormo site is the promised land to us poor pilgrims in search of the perfect mottle.  Thanks for your input.

[mozart]

1 hour ago, thierry laurent said:

You're so right! Actually shading refers to natural light. This is what gives a natural and somewhat 'organic' look that has nothing to do with straigth perpendicular lines! This is why I hate so much that approach that asks for "pre-shading" all panel lines. This gives more visual interest than an uniform coat of paint but it does not look 'real' in any way! A more random 'pre-shading' pattern based on how light is playing with shapes is clearly more relevant. However, this is not a more complex approach as you have first to study the light reflection and shades on the full scale airframes.

This I believe is known as “zenithal” light and involves the painting of shadows on models rather than allowing natural light to make them, the argument being that naturally formed shadows are on a 1 to 1 scale which creates a flatness to the model whereas painted shadows applied as a series of glazes creates an accurate form and depth……depending of course on the skill of the modeller painting them. I’ve never done it I must confess but I can see its merits. 

[quang]

 Zenithal, indeed.

Now Max, my dear compadre, we’re getting into Indian er… miniature figure painting territory.

I never quite understand why some people draw a line between model and figure painting since the two disciplines in fact obey to the same laws and thus follow the same rules.

As a matter of fact, figure painters always consider themselves more ‘artistic’ because they use the same traditional (think ‘outdated’) ’material and tooling as the artist painters. They also use the same jargon and vocabulary as in the art world. 
On the other hand, we styrene fondlers, benefit of the new technologies be it modern paints (more coverage, faster drying and tough as nail) or 3D prints, …

So why not take the best of both worlds and make it our own?

[mozart]

Indeed old chum......but I consider that I have a foot in each camp (think "Jake the Peg with his Extra Leg").....I'm an oil painter, a modeller of aircraft and a figure (54mm only) painter, so all the rules apply as far as I'm concerned, but then I'm an outdated kind of guy!

[quang]

I’m a firm believer in crossing-over. Why not use your oils technique to paint a cockpit, or put the basic colours on your figure with an airbrush? What have you got to lose? A figure in the paint remover bath? 

[Dpgsbody55]

Making good progress with this.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[quang]

Now that we’re ready for the painting, time for a quick and necessarily simplified wrap-up of the Regia Aeronautica camouflage in WWII as we know now. For more details, please check the obligatory R.A. Color BIBLE .

 

The painting of the Italian warplanes in WWII can be divided into 3 periods: pre-war (1923-1938), serie mimetica (1938-1941), tavola 10(1941-1943).

The Belgian FIAT dated from end 1939 and therefore it’s the Serie Mimetica which interests us.

There were basically 3 colours -yellow (sand), green (olive), brown (rust)- used for the upper surfaces and 1 colour for the lower surfaces - grey.

Although they shared the same hues, the Mimetica colours were NOT identical to the later Tavola 10 colours often quoted in modeller’s circles.

Each of these 4 basic colours had various intensitiy and tints designated by numbers: 1, 2, 3,…

Add to that each aircraft manufacturer had its own paint provider.
Therefore the Mimetica yellow3 used by FIAT was not necessarily the same as the Mimetica yellow3 used by MACCHI. 
 

Now you get the picture. 

 

According to most sources, the upper surfaces on the Belgian Fiat had a Yellow3 base with a Green3 and Brown2 mottling. The lower surfaces were Mimetico Grey (grigio mimetico).

Now comes the first head-scratch.

The grigio mimetico (ref FS36231) is often referred in modelling circles as ‘light blue-grey’ which is a literal translation of ‘grigio azzure chiaro’, a Tavola 10 reference. The grigio mimetico is akin to the RAF dard sea grey and is much darker than Tavola grey which looks more like the RAF sky.

 

Second head-scratch.

While there’s a general consensus about the ‘standard’ camouflage was green and brown mottling over a sand base, some Belgian experts assured that at least some of the Belgian Fiats had an overall green on green appearance, meaning that their camouflage could be dark green mottling over a light green base.

Since nobody seems to agree, the sensible thing to do is to apply the ‘normal’ livery and during the process take desaturated pictures in b/w and compare them to the period photographs.

 

So off we go. 
Grigio Mimetico on the underside : various mixes of AK and Gunze lacquers applied in layers

 

Giallo Mimetico. AK lacquers mixes

We’ll let them rest until next time.

Thank you for watching,

Cheers,

Quang

[dennismcc]

A most impressive summary of Italian colours and a cunning plan, I like it.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[quang]

Thanks @dennismcc I’m glad you appreciate it.

 

The national insignia are added next since at this early stage, they will act as an ‘anchor’ to the camouflage pattern which remains to be added and help us get a preview of what we’re trying to achieve.

 

First the masks were cut on masking tape using an Olfa circle-cutter.

 

Yellow is applied. Several thin coats of different tints are applied to give some depth to the colour.

 

The yellow is masked.

 

Red and black applied.

 

THE MOTTLING

Every style of mottle has its own characteristics: shape, size, distribution, overspray. They have to be studied carefully before applying. 
 

-The shape and the size of the mottling depends generally on the painter’s posture relative to the surface to be painted.
The mottling would be slightly different on the top and the bottom of the fuselage.

Incidentally the camouflage on the wings would be significantly different as they were stood vertically on the leading edge while being painted.
-The distribution is very important to get an ‘authentic’ feel : it’s random while having a certain regularity like doodling with a pencil on a piece of paper.

-Another factor of note is the amount of overspray. Some styles have a small overspray, being more precise and sharp while others are more ‘fuzz’ with a large overspray.

 

First attempts

One can see how the colours of the roundels have their influence on the overall look of the camouflage.

 

We will now let it rest and come back later with our eye freshended up.

Until then, keep well.

Cheers,

Quang

We will let it rest for some time and come back with a refreshed eye.

Edited September 17, 2022 by quang

[LSP_Kevin]

Beautiful work, Quang!

 

Kev

[mozart]

Excellent Quang! “One” likes the use of the Royal “we”! 

[quang]

38 minutes ago, mozart said:

Excellent Quang! “One” likes the use of the Royal “we”! 

Watching BBC too much these days

[Fanes]

Wow - thank you so much for posting your work here.

It's a pleasure to watch!

Is it me, or do some of the mottles on the port fuselage look darker than the rest?

[mozart]

36 minutes ago, quang said:

Watching BBC too much these days

I hope you have a licence to watch it Freeloader! 

[quang]

1 hour ago, Fanes said:

 

Is it me, or do some of the mottles on the port fuselage look darker than the rest?

You’re right Joachim. Still there’s no need to worry. This is but the very first try. Anything can be adjusted or corrected afterwards.

 

This is a building-up process. What’s important is the first impression which has to look good and correct. Details can always be dealt with later.

 

1 hour ago, mozart said:

I hope you have a licence to watch it Freeloader! 

Well, we have BBC1 and 2 on our national channels in Belgium since the 1980s.

Edited September 17, 2022 by quang