Oil Effects

[SGS2_33]

Hey all,
I'm a new modeler, just getting my feet wet in the world of scale modeling. I'm working on Cyber-Hobby's 1/32 Bf 109E-3, all OOB. I had been kicking around a few ideas, and am really struck on the thought of simulating critical damage to the engine resulting in oil leaks and engine seizure. The problem is, I really have no idea how to show the streams of oil from under the cowling, over the canopy and from the coolers. I think I will display it on a simple grass base, a bird abandoned after suffering major damage, her pilot scarpering off into the distance.
Any thoughts, ideas and suggestions on how to pull this through to a finish would be so welcome.

-J

 

[the Baron]

Welcome to the Herd!

For the kind of staining you want to do, I recommend using some thin mixtures, almost to the consistency of a thin wash. I have used oils and acrylics for this kind of weathering, each with its respective thinner--I use mineral spirits with oil paints, and isopropyl or water with acrylics. For engine oil, I'll take a brown, like a burnt siena (oils), or plain ol' brown (acrylic). For a thick wash, I'll add the thinner to a quantity of the paint, and for a thin wash, I'll go the other way, adding a little bit of the color at a time to the thinner, till it looks right to my eye. I load the brush, and then apply the wash, bearing in mind how gravity and airflow affect the oil or fuel as it leaks out.

Here is a photo as an example, on Monogram's TBF kit. I added some oil staining from the vents behind the engine compartment:



And here are some examples of fuel staining. I saw this kind of staining in photos, so I added it on an Hellcat:



and on a Wildcat in Atlantic colors:



I'd forgotten that I added some oil staining on the Wildcat, too.

On the Wildcat, I didn't make my own wash, but used AK Interactive washes, just to try them out. They're basically the same thing that you can make yourself, but some folks would rather buy a prepared wash. On the drop tank, I used AK's "Fuel Effects", I think it's called. It's basically very thinned-out burnt siena. I figured that fuel stains will tend to follow gravity, and flow down, while oil leak into the airstream and follow the airflow.

Hope that helps!

 

[SGS2_33]

That is all wonderful work! I think I will need a few more models under my belt before I start posting on here... but you have given me some wonderful ideas to work with!
Cheers,
-J