Ninety nine of the skins being done look like they just came out of the paint shop or are on the airshow line.
How about some combat worn battle worn birds ? Plane with missing paint, burned paint, patches, Used, worn hard and put away wet ? It's war with no time to make it pretty.
I think THAT kind of plane has the most beauty. Been there and headed out again...
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Because most airplanes don't look like that. Weathering is usually overdone and that Corsair model is a prime example to an almost grotesque degree.
Most of us use the photographic evidence as the basis for weathering and more often than not the airplanes are in fairly good condition--even in non-PR photos.
They tend to look like this far more often than that ridiculous Hog (and even that, if it were remotely accurate, was in a completely different, unique operational context):
I use source photos along with real-life experience--and maybe a touch of artistic license--but absent photographic evidence to the contrary (like P-51B/F-6C 5M*G) I'm not making a plane that looks thrashed because that would be inaccurate. A dirty airplane reflects a lack of pride in the eyes of their caretakers--and hurts performance badly, especially in a case like the Iwo Jima VLR squadrons. And anywhere else, If there was time enough for nose art there was time enough to wipe her down after a mission at least once in awhile.
That said, I think there is enough variety in the skins to satisfy all tastes. If what we are doing isn't up to your standards then by all means come learn how it's done and make your own. You'll get plenty of guidance...and the best part is...it costs you nothing, just like all our skins do.
