Snowspeeder Part V: Weathering and Final Assembly

So I finally took photos of the progress on the Snowspeeder. At last I got to work on the fun part. There's a lot of joy in streaking grease-colored paint across your until-now clean grey model; this is the phase when your creation takes on a life and tells a story.

 

The speeder is weathered with two artists' oil paints, Van Dyke Brown and Black, thinned almost to nonexistence with Testors paint thinner. Slightly heavier coats were applied into panel lines. Light streaking was achieved through applying small dots of black to the leading edge of the wing and then wiping toward the rear of the model with a lintless paper towel soaked in thinner.

I tried to keep the weathering minimal. Although this is a rebel alliance craft, subject to worse conditions and less maintenance and upkeep than their well funded imperial foes, it's a repulsorcraft, so it is not in direct contact with the ground. Also, it's easy to let these effects get away from you, and end up with what looks like a wreck instead of an operational vehicle.

I never found a conclusive reference for underside markings of Luke's speeder. The best I could find was toys, and they varied on these details. This is my excuse for a mostly empty bottom (and of course you'll mostly see the top in game). It is weathered but carries no squadron markings.

All that remains is to create a base/flying stand. And of course run around the house making zooming engine noises, but that goes without saying...