These Blue Squadron B-wings were painted for a fellow member of NOVA Squadron . This was a full repaint but I didn't strip the existing paint because I don't find it necessary. I primed the model with Tamiya Surface Primer and then gave it a base coat of Tamiya Flat White (XF-1) and Medium Grey (XF-20) mixed 1:1. The blue was achieved by base coating with RMS Ultramarine Blue, highlighting with RMS Ultramarine Highlight, and then giving it a final highlight of RMS Ultramarine Highlight and VMA Light Sea Blue mixed 1:1. I used various greys for all of the other details before giving the models a coat of Future in preparation for a wash. I used MIG Productions Neutral Wash which is an enamel wash. Enamel washes work a lot like oil washes but the drying time is much faster and when it is dry, it can be wiped away like an oil wash. I also added some streaking with AK Interactive Streaking Grime and Rust Streaks (also enamels). After that was dried, I used some 502 Abteilung oil paint to discolor various panels... the result was pretty subtle and didn't photograph well. After everything was dry, I sealed it all in with some matte varnish. For the engines, I first sprayed the nozzles with VMA White and then sprayed a coat of Magenta Ghost Tint from the Minitaire range. The client was very pleased with them and is looking forward to putting them on the table in the upcoming Regionals!

Those are gorgeous! That blue really pops. Well done!

The pink (or magenta) on the back surprised me. Why pink?

Why pink?

I was given a reference photo by the client and the engines had been painted pinkish. That reason aside, I would have done it for contrast. Orange-red is a more accurate, but the B-wings have so little screen time in Return of the Jedi and it is pretty much their only cannon appearance so I didn't worry too much about it.

I have nothing against pink, it just doesn't mesh for me with colors I would consider suitable for a war game. Not that I haven't seen stranger things in 40k, of course, or even real life; I wore digital pattern cammo for nigh on 5 years, and I've never been sure exactly what I was supposed to be disguised as. Just figured there was a method to the madness.

No worries, mate.

Keep in mind that these photos were taken in a photo box with optimum lighting and then color balanced... On the tabletop in normal lighting they are much more subdued.

I think the pink is often shown as the engine glow in rebel ships. I've got a desktop image with pink coming out the back of X-wings.

I think the pink is often shown as the engine glow in rebel ships. I've got a desktop image with pink coming out the back of X-wings.

That is correct, though in the movies it changes depending on the shot. The X-wings in the Rogue Squadron game for N64 had pink engines as well.

In the scale modeling world, pinkish-red is often used to light the engines of X-wing models (an easy way to do it is dip a white LED in clear red paint).

I have nothing against pink, it just doesn't mesh for me with colors I would consider suitable for a war game. Not that I haven't seen stranger things in 40k, of course, or even real life; I wore digital pattern cammo for nigh on 5 years, and I've never been sure exactly what I was supposed to be disguised as. Just figured there was a method to the madness.

You were disguised as a pixelated soldier.

I wore digital pattern cammo for nigh on 5 years, and I've never been sure exactly what I was supposed to be disguised as. Just figured there was a method to the madness.

Gravel roads and bad upholstery

Actually, one of the best pics I saw of ACU digital camouflage uniforms was, ironically... an article discussing the "new" OCP uniforms (aka. multicam) being issued for use in Afghanistan. The photo showed several soldiers wearing the new uniforms with a discussion of how much better the greens and browns of the multicam patterned blended with the foliage found in Afghanistan. Absolutely no mention was made of the other four Soldiers wearing grey ACUs that were barely visible against the rocky outcropping they were standing in front of. Doh!