B-17 Outside color

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I have no doubt this question has been asked numerous times.

I have just primed my 1/48 monogram B-17 in glossy black.

I have seen B-17’s at airshows. I’ve watched YouTube videos of production plants during World War II.

I have done a few tests with Krylon and Rustoleum aluminum spray paint and silver spray paint. I really do not want to use Alclad because of the amount needed to paint this B-17 and my paint booth isn’t big enough.

However neither are that “shiny look” that I’ve seen in the YouTube videos at production plants or at airshows.

I just bought some dupli color chrome and a can of there aluminum to test.

Would I be going out of bounds if I use the chrome for the shiny look?

https://share.icloud.com/photos/069S9Qh9DUL-dMrM34BLtw1gg

2

Any silver that if fine grained should be fine if you rub aluminum powder into it before it is completely hard.

3

I think that your decision is based upon if you want to depict a current warbird, or an actual WWII combat aircraft. During the war, the NMF aircraft tended to get dull rather quickly due to exposure, and ground crews did not polish them up.

4

Thank you stikpusher. The “exposure” is a great point and because I’m doing an actual WWII B-17 you have made my decision easier.

5

Don’t forget it add the oil stains from the engines.

6

For that super shiny brand new look Alclad Airframe Aluminum is great ALC119. I did this little DC-3 with it