I would like some suggestions on colors and method of painting and weathering marsten matt. i have a pre made base molded in black i would like to paint up to display my mitchell build on. what is a good base color and how to weather it for European theater, i guess pacific theater too since i would like one for that too. i just can’t visualize the colors to use
Thanks Joe
I would probably start with Tamiya Hull red as base first then paint some with hull red mixed with dark colors and hull red mixed with light colors to vary the overall panels then all ranges of rust tones from there. You could mix in some speckled od green from where parts might been painted and worn. Could even do the hairspray technique with hull red base and od green as the top layer.
Europe would have a darker overall appearance when compared to a Pacific because of the sun and salt air would weather the Pacific matting faster. European front would have dirt and grass on the matting and the Pacific would have sand.
Hi Joe - whatever your favorite method for rusty metal . Here is mine - Tamiya red brown and dry brush lighter tones.
Surely the colour depends on the era your portraying? During WW2 much of the PSP would still be the Olive Drab colour it was painted. It only rusts over time depending on the environment
Just guessing here…but rusty, or not, they would most likely be chipped and worn (which would lead to light rust) just from handling; and dirty and muddy (from weather conditions); and worn smooth and clean (in areas) from contact with rubber tires from landings, and take-offs.
Marston matting from the Vietnam War era.
I think most of it was painted with a light coat of Olive Drab, which wore quickly, exposing bare metal, which eventually rusted, specially in the damp environment of the Pacific Theater.
US Navy Seabees maintaining the Marston Matting on Toronika Airstrip, Bougainville. 1943.
Repurposed Marston Matting used as fencing in the Philippines.
i thought most pacific runways were crushed coral. has anyone see a photo from above of a whole island airfield including the dispersal/ revetment area and the living quarters/area and tents? i would like sometime in the future to make a diorama
Joe
However, it seems to me that all of the examples shown (except the Vietnam era not yet put in use) show matt that has been sitting for a significant time without much use. Shouldn’t matting in use at an active airfield get worn back to a dark steel color wherever tires went over it frequently.
that’s what i was thinking also but maybe tires are not abrasive enough. also what shade is dark steel? nay be close to the color of the rest of the matt.
J
Wouldn’t necessarily be worn down to actual bare metal. Could be just darkened color of the mat (OD?). Mix some black in the color and airbrush some nice straight lines to indicate tire marks. Sudden vehicle braking on asphalt pavement shows similar. Combine that with occasional chipping and wear down to bare metal.
Shiny dark grey is I guess how I would describe it, feathering out to full rust colrs. At sites where road work is going on, they’ll often throw down steel plates to cover holes in the asphalt. Look at the color and sheen where tires frequently go over it. The rubber tires don’t so much abrade the metal as polish it.
