Issue 23 of the Weathering Magazine from Ammo Publications has an interesting proposition - How do you convert a die-cast object to what us modellers would think is an outstanding replacement? See just what Paul thought about the idea after he read the magazine in his review...
Read’n Reviewed: The Weathering Magazine #23
Available in both English and Castellano languages
ISSN 2340-289X
78 Pages
Price 8€
Product Link on the Ammo Website
I’ve often said that The Weathering Magazine is more like a showcase of Ammo of Mig’s modelling products, and issue 23 is a perfect example of this. For those of you who attend model clubs, I’m sure you all know that one “modeller” who loves models but never actually gets around to building any.
The latest issue of The Weathering Magazine is slightly different in that its focus is not actually models, but-die cast vehicles. While die-cast models generally do have more toy-like features, and are the domain of collectors rather than modellers, they are an option for those who do not enjoy the actual building, or just don’t have the time.
First up we have Sergiusz Pęczek who brings Doosan’s 1/50 DX140w excavator to life. The author starts off by removing paint off the plastic components, and giving the die-cast sections a matte coat to help paint adhere to the model.
The author starts by highlighting some panels before moving onto panel lines with a black felt pen and Mig’s Oilbrusher series, and a variety of Mig products are applied to the lower surfaces and underside to re-create the weathering that would be seen on a vehicle like this. The heavy panel lines give the model a slightly cartoonish look, but it definitely looks much more like the real vehicle as opposed the original vehicle you get out of the box.
Graziano Ghetti takes Sun Star’s 1/18 Lancia Stratos out of the box and makes it look like it has really been through a rally. The author dives straight into the weathering process, again using a variety of Mig Ammo dirt and dust products to dirty up the Lancia, giving it a much more realistic appearance than the original model.
Domingo Hernádez starts off with a very toyish looking Start Scale Models’ 1/43 ZiL-157 Fire Truck. The details are definitely on the chunky side. Unlike the earlier builds, the author does use supplies from other brands to weather the wheels and underside, and has achieved a great looking lower chassis to me.
The author uses a lot of fading, as well as a variety of scrapes and chips which give the fire truck a very worn appearance, and while the details, in particular, the headlight guards are still quite thick, the overall finish is very convincing.
After three civilian vehicles, Javier López de Anca takes us back into the military arena taking Hobby Master’s 1/72 Douglas A-1 Skyraider. Once again starting with a pristine vehicle out of the box, the author takes to the model with various products and techniques.
Techniques like streaking on the underside are familiar to us modellers and the end result is once again, a much more realistic looking model.
Mig Jiminez makes an appearance and takes us through the weathering process of his Electrotren RENFE 303 Switcher Locomotive. Once again, a very realistic result has been achieved, although the one weakness of this build is the need to paint rust over the painted die-cast sections. This brings us to the weakness of this process of weathering die-cast, since it is pretty much impossible to remove the paint from those sections.
Rick Lawler pulls apart Premium Classixx 1/43 AT-T, and takes it from a pristine military artillery tractor to a civilian rust bucket. The model is a mix of die-cast and plastic, however, it is not clear which parts are metal or plastic, but the author covers the upper surfaces with Migs One Shot Primer before painting the layers of colours and chipping it away with Migs Chipping fluid which is a lot more convincing than painting rust on.
While Diego Quijano could have easily used Bandai’s Shoretrooper as a base for this article, in keeping with the die-cast/ pre-made theme of the book, the author has taken Kotobukiya’s Shoretrooper, which gives arms and leg options, rather than the posable ones in the Bandai box. Once again, the weathered model is much interesting than the clean one you get out of the box.
Alexandre Benvenuti really goes to town with a 1/43 Mercedes O321H bus released by Hachette, taking the factory fresh bus and making it into a junkyard wreck with a missing door, graffiti, and broken windows. The only real weakness of this project is the fully inflated tyres, but that is the weakness of using die-cast models as a starting base.
Some pictures taken of models and people at the Belgian Scale Modellers Convention (BSMC) rounds out the issue, and a sneak peek at a well worn Coco Cola truck round out the issue.
This issue is not going to appeal to all of us as scale modellers, however, I’m sure we’ve all received the odd die-cast vehicle as a present from someone who just doesn’t get modelling. This issue of The Weathering Magazine is an excellent example of what you can do with those die-cast vehicles rather than just putting them on ebay, or giving them to someone else.
Paul Lee
