RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Thanks for your praise, however if you'd seen my early attempts at handling an airbrush, you'd have either laughed or cried.
Despite watching hours of YT videos I made every beginner mistake and probably a few more. The most frustrating being forgetting it was an airbrush and rather than placing it back on the stand, simply putting it down like a regular paintbrush..... guess there's no need to describe the mess! Nothing Superman-like in my learning curve I'm afraid
For any other newbie airbrush users out there please don't follow the often given advice "use a toothpick to stir the paint in the cup". Instead use a decent sized paint brush mixing right to the bottom thoroughly

"Don't 'use a toothpick to stir the paint in the cup.' Instead use a decent sized paint brush mixing right to the bottom thoroughly." That's good advice. And bumbling with an airbrush is normal hobby activity. I still bumble with an airbrush, but, then, I even bumble...

Finally finished the Tongde Churchill. My main aim was to turn something that was rather toy-like into more of a scale model. Despite being my first proper modelling project for seversl decades, I do feel quite pleased with the result.
For anyone who wants to do something similar and/or has an interest in the Churchill tank, I found a book "D-Day to Victory: The Diaries of a British Tank Commander by Sgt Trevor Greenwood" and a website
https://mikesresearch.com/2019/05/26/ch ... nk-briton/
very interesting & useful.
In his diary Trevor describes his Churchill as " looking more like a mobile junk shop than a tank" I did add stowage, but chickened out on the tethered chicken, pots & pans, leather easy chair, plus many other "borrowed" items.
I've added a few photos of what is probably the finished model.

Looking good

Nice looking Churchill

Indeed Keith, you did a good job on this Churchill.
As I still haven‘t used my new airbrush, which is laying in my tank cave for some years now, I will keep your beginner mistakes in mind!
Rob.

Thanks Rob
You should take the plunge with the airbrush
I actually really enjoy using it now. Biggest challenges I found were :-
Mixing the paint and getting it to the correct viscosity with thinner - just needs practice. I paint with the stirring brush on newspaper and look at the degree of transparenc of the paint. Seems to work better than the consistency of milk suggestion.
Filling the reservoir too full ...causing overflow & mess.
Paint drying too fast on the needle. I have used (almost) exclusively AK acrylics and now use their Flow Improver which I find absolutely necessary for trouble free spraying. I think most manufacturers sell similar drying inhibitors.
Cleaning! Don't believe the manufacturers when they tell you how quick & easy cleaning is. Actually it is quick and easy once you have some practice! I've found that cleaning needs to be thorough, both when you change colour and finish the session. I've found a product called McKLords Airbrush Cleaner (on Amazon EU) cheap & effective. This together with cotton buds (plus in my case reading glasses) will get the airbrush spotless inside & out.
Practice disassembly and reassembly until it's 2nd nature for speedy cleaning. Practise controlling the flow, by spraying onto sheets of paper, maybe writing your signature smaller & smaller.
Also practice with different pressures from the compressor I use 15 to just under 25 psi depending on what size spray pattern.
Don't be scared of the airbrush (as I was) and you'll only use a regular brush when you absolutely have to.

Oh dear I seem to have rambled on ...but hope this helps.
BTW I bought a popular mid-range airbrush and a relatively cheap compressor from Amazon.

Good Morning,
You did a bang-up job on the Churchill! I have one sitting between a King Tiger and Tiger in the Tank Room awaiting a detail job like yours. Looks rather lost at the moment but it's Day will come around shortly! Thanks again for sharing what is possible with this very nice AFV.
regards,
Painless