STEP BY STEP
CONDENSER TANK
1 The Knightwing Diesel/fuel Oil Depot, PM 116, was used as a basis for the Condenser unit as its diameter and height are approximately correct, when both tanks are coupled together, with no need to modify the basic tank shape.
2
Air conditioning duct tape was embossed with a ‘pounce’ wheel (available from craft shops or haberdasheries) to create cladding joint strips. A new scalpel blade is required to cut the tape, which will blunt it fairly quickly.
3 After assembling the Knightwing tank sections, strips of the embossed tape were fixed in place, following the joint lines of the plastic barrel. Vertical strips were staggered around the circumference to look as realistic as possible. 4 Although there were a couple of fittings with the Knightwing tank kit, more pipework was needed. Gas in/out, water in/out and a drain line gave a total of five pipes, so Knightwing’s UN 11 Pipes and Fittings kit was used.
5
I started at the tank base, where two pipes and valves were installed, using parts from the Knightwing kit, plus an extra connection made from scrap, adorned with plastic nuts from a MENG Model set of moulded fixings. 6
Another water connection was fitted to the top of the condenser and two pipes connected to the upper face. Again, these were taken from the Knightwing kit, with supports made out of small sections of heatstretched plastic sprue.
7 An electrical connection was added to the lower water outlet (a temperature gauge?), from scrap wood and wire. A manhole was added to the top of the tank and a base was made from chequer plating and brick edging.
8 The tank
was treated to an initial coat of matt gunmetal enamel paint, applied from an airbrush. This acts as a good primer for the subsequent finishes and gives excellent cover, so a single coat is all that is needed.
9
The brickwork on the base was masked off and the chequer plate was given a coat of the same gunmetal enamel. The brickwork was going to receive simple weathering, so the base plastic colour needed to be maintained.
10
The condenser was given a light coat of acrylic grey. The density was varied to allow the darker grey to show through. When dry, an enamel wash was applied, most of which was removed by a wide brush dampened with thinners.
11 As the condenser will sit alongside the retort house, a layer of soot was added to the upper surface, applied via an airbrush using a Roof Dirt shade of enamel paint. Gravel was added to the base followed by weathering washes.
12
The effectiveness of using a wash, then removing most of it with a damp brush. The wash remains in shadows and recesses, highlighting detail, while the smooth surfaces and highlights are left with a streaking effect.