The Little World

Go look it up on Google for yourself. The IAF keeps a museum out in the Negev at Hatzerim AFB and parks their exhibits out in the sun. Which then gives them a unique sort of finish – kind of like sandblasting and a UV bake.

” Bozzy “, or old 41 – the P-51D I had decals for – has been parked at Hatzerim for some time – the IDF having moved on somewhat since the P-51 was the current fighter plane. I have no doubt that if they needed it again they would dust it off and bomb it up. They probably leave the keys in the ignition and a Shell roadmap of Cairo in the door pockets…But I’m concerned about depicting it in one of its dusty weathered phases.

Oh, it seems to go in and out of these – they probably polish it up or renew the paint every so often . I’ve seen internet pictures where it is sitting there tethered to two old truck tyre rims but looking quite neat. Then I think the sun gets at tt again and dulls everything off.

So the plan was to find a combination of dirt-coloured paint and dull final coat to catch it in aslightly ugly mood. This is the plane as finished in clean condition. The Ventura decals are no better than the ones that went on the IAF Spitfire Mk IX but there are fewer raised rivets to give the game away. It is what it is, and they are what they are, but do not expect me to buy more out of Wellington.

And here’s the result after two heavy sprays of an old Tamiya bottle of matte varnish. Just enough weathering to suggest the sun.

Silver aluminium doesn’t show the dulling and lightening as much as coloured finish would. Wait until you see what I do to the IAF Meteors…