SPA Modeler

Thanks Bruce! Ask away about airbrushes. I'm no expert but I've gone through a progression of different types of brushes that has been educational.

Here are my three airbrushes. From top to bottom: Iwata HP-CS Plus, Paasche Model V and Paasche Model H.


I started with the Model H. Very basic and can get the job done but it really isn't ideal for scale modeling. It's a single-action brush, which means the trigger can only do one thing: control airflow. Controlling the paint flow requires that you turn the nozzle so no, on-the-fly paint flow adjustments. It excels at single color coats but if you are spraying smaller amounts of different colors, you are going to be inconvenienced. Being a siphon-fed airbrush, the paint flows from the bottom of the cup through the feeding siphon into the needle assembly and then out through the nozzle. Every color change requires that you remove the cup, clean it and the siphon. That's not all folks... you also have to use an allen wrench to remove the needle and nozzle and clean those too. Every time. Sound onerous because it is.

After I got the hang of airbrushing, I picked up a Paasche Model V. This one is a bit more refined than the H. It is a double-action brush, which means the trigger can control airflow (pressing down) AND paint flow (pulling back). The paint is fed through a cup that attached to the side of the airbrush. It has much finer control over paint than the H. Cleaning is simplified but you still have to remove the cup, clean it and clean the tiny siphon tube as well. Better but still lots of room for improvement.

A couple of years back, I picked up an Iwata HP-CS Plus. Like the V, it is a double-action brush but it differs in that the cup is integral to the airbrush. It sits on top of the airbrush and this arrangement is known as gravity-feed, for obvious reasons. Spraying-wise, it is similar to the V but that cup... oh that gravity feed cup... how could I have lived without you all of this time??? Cleanup between colors is now a breeze. I simply put a few drops of thinner into the cup and using backflow (blocking the nozzle and forcing air back through the brush into the cup), I'm able to clear the cup in seconds for the next color. Another great advantage to a gravity cup is the small amount of paint that the brush will still spray. For the spot repairs on the crosses, I was using a single drop of paint. For any scale modeler that builds 1/72 to 1/32 scale aircraft, I strongly recommend a double-action airbrush with a gravity-feed cup.

My Iwata is a workhorse and can spray just about anything. I now use it for 99% of my work. I set up the Paasche V with a smaller needle/tip (0.254mm vs 0.300mm) but I don't find the need to use it very often.

This is my current compressor. It is labeled as a GMC but it is more commonly sold under the California Air Tools brand.


I bought this compressor after my crappy Campbell-Hausfeld from Walmart mercifully died on me. I think I would've ended up putting a sledgehammer to that thing if it hadn't died of its own accord. It was teeth-shatteringly LOUD. Modeling was an exercise in fear as the periodic explosion of the C-H compressor kicking into action would invariably make my jump in my chair each time. After doing some research, I found California Air Tools and have been happy ever since. It is not silent but quiet enough to hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. The air tanks hold enough air pressure for about one or two full sessions on the work bench but the auto-fill feature is set to re-fill more often.

My compressor is not small but I have enough room in my modeling room that space is not an issue. California Air Tools has smaller compressors that would be better for more cramped conditions. Note: I am not affiliated with California Air Tools but simply like their products.

(click on the thumbnail and watch the video)

A short update... I've started the decal work. So far I have done most of the port side.

I only have experience with these three airbrushes. There are other quality airbrush makers out there... Badger, Aztek, Thayer & Chandler. I've heard very good things about H&S airbrushes so I'm sure they are good too. My main intent was to point out the advantages of the double-action, gravity feed airbrush for modeling work. I'd like to answer your question but I'm not sure what you mean by "tips".

The quote about Axel Urbanke's book is from Crandall's Dora book, I believe. There are two photos of Black 1 in Dora's book. One is the photo on Page 1 of this thread. The second is Dortenmann standing next to the fuselage. It is closely cropped and the fuselage is covered with camoflage netting but you can make out the welle marking.

speedgraflex wrote:John, apologies! What’s a nozzle and what’s a needle? Both are changeable, but size must remain consistent? Is a “needle” a tip? I am so confused. The H&S Evolution ships with a 0.2mm fine tip.

Ah, fair point! Sorry to jargonize the discussion without setting a baseline first. Keep in mind that I'm no expert so this is a little "blind leading the blind" routine. This is my basic understanding of how an airbrush works. Pulling back on the trigger of a double-action airbrush retracts the needle from the tip, allowing paint to flow, the amount varying by how far back the needle is pulled from the tip. The nozzle serves mainly to protect the needle/tip arrangement and, unlike the graphic below, extends somewhat beyond a fully forward needle. So imagine the needle and tip being tucked into the nozzle. That allows you to cover the nozzle without damaging the needle or poking yourself. Blocking the nozzle forces air back up into the paint source and this is one good way of rinsing the airbrush clean.


So yes, the needle and tip need to be matched. The smaller the needle/tip diameter, the smaller a spray pattern you can achieve. My HP-CS Plus has a 0.30mm tip which I find to provide a very usable range of spray for my scale modeling needs. My Paasche V has a 0.254 tip. I personally find the Paasche tip a bit too fine for every day scale modeling work and prefer the 0.30mm tip of my Iwata.

John,

Thank you so much for including the diagram with your concisely worded explanation. It is very helpful to understand what the terms mean, in order to figure out what kind of gear to order. I feel I should write a lot more but my brain is fully mulling over ideas... I am pretty sure I will pick up the Iwata and the same size tip to start practicing... compressor has to wait for more space.

You won't be disappointed in the Iwata. But the price seems to have gone up since I purchased mine a few years back. I got mine on Amazon in 2014 for $128.

Just trying to wrap up the decaling and some small details before the next big step of weathering. The welle marking and the Werk Number have been added to the port side.


I like how even the small stencils are legible.


The walkway stripe decal has been layed down on top of the wing. Starting to accumulate dust and fingerprints on the surface.


These little things are the landing gear indicators that go on top of the wing. These served as visual confirmation to the pilot that the landing gear was locked in the down position, ready for landing. These were simply cut from a spare PE fret.



I fashioned a couple of tensioners for the aerial. They are wound from thin gauge electrical wire. The pin vise in the background was used to hold the smallest micro drill-bit that I have to serve as the form. I made the spare since they are easily lost. I actually made three but yup, one of them went springing into the twilight zone.

Amazing work John