Hawkeye’s Squawkbox

Just a quick note about the model featured in the banner. This is Hawk Model Company’s 1:245 scale Graf Zeppelin which was assembled and painted for me by Roger Witt. Thought I’d share a few of the other shots I’ve taken of this model which I have used for various promotion purposes.

Once this model is assembled it is HUGE! Comparable in size to the 1:72 scale submarines that are now being released. It requires an extra large photobooth to contain it. I used a 60 inch wide backdrop and some PVC rigging to suspend it in place, hanging the model with fish line fastened to the molded in eyelets. It filled the full width of the backdrop paper!

I had fun experimenting with the lighting to get various effects. I remember movie scenes where the Zeppelins would use the overcast skies over London to mask their approach to drop their payload of death upon the city. A lonely fighter plane hoping to catch a glimpse of the enemy airship. Then by chance a sudden break in the clouds would expose the monster Zeppelin bathed in the moonlight. Quickly the pilot would turn towards it firing his machine guns, firing incendiary rounds hoping to light the hydrogen gas within it’s mass.

Roger used SnJ Spray Metal Aluminum, Dark Aluminum and Clear for this project but similar results could be achieved using our Talon Series Acrylic NMF paints.

He experimented with first painting a background color such as black, dark gray and white, but found it easier to proceed without that additional step. Instead, he found he could add a couple drops of Floquil Black into his airbrush paint filled half full of SnJ Spray Metal Clear. This allowed him subtle control over the contrast between the panels, giving him the opportunity to make them as light or dark as he wanted.

“When I was happy with the panels I placed vertical strips around the fuselage to represent internal ribs. I then sprayed as narrow a strip of Spray Metal Clearand black as I could manage along the aft edge of the tape. Removing the tape left a nice, straight subtle line. This is better that free handing and more accurate than simply spraying here and there. I also masked the stationary part of the fins and sprayed the hinge lines giving the control surfaces some depth.”

“The passenger gondola and engine nacelles were sprayed with SnJ Spray Metal Dark Aluminum for contrast.

There are many ways to achieve these results but I happen to like the SMCLR with toning added. It can be very subtle or dramatic and is quite easy to control. The final finish has sheen and texture as the Aluminum so the model has a very convincing overall appearance.“

This model hangs in the “Man Space” with other models of my collection. In a more formal setting it would be a great piece of decor for those wishing to capture that classic era of airship travel. I wish they would have included an aircraft in similar scale to better represent its overall size.

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