best metalic paint for WW2 aircraft?

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

just got back into building some models i started years ago…my SNJ finish seperated into 3 layers and is no longer usable… and no longer being produced…

What is the best for a metalic finish . working on a B-17G that my Dad flew and a couple of P-51’s in natural finish. one is done in SNJ several years ago and looks fine but need to do the P-51B but looking for help and advice on what to use…

Have heard problems of the Alclad II Primer not getting hard… any input or is it needed on a gray polished model…??

using an Iwata AB airbrush…

Thanks

CRJ

2

I am an Alclad fan. I don’t use Alclad primer, but do use the Alclad metallic finish itself. You can use it on a gloss gray, depending on the shade of Alclad. The most critical is the “polished aluminum.” For that you need a really good gloss black to get best results. For the just-plain-aluminum and especially the “white aluminum” the base coat is not as important.

3

thanks for the reply… so the white aluminum you don’t think I need a basecoat? will the alclad craze the plastic on a tamiya P-51B…a lot of hours in the body and interior so far…sorta worried aout it…

Read that the Alcald II needs a primer to prevent crazing…?

how do i change the name on my account from WTF( where it came from I have no clue ) to my name? anyone ??

thanks

4

I have never tried Alclad over bare plastic. As a normal procedure I prime everything I paint, regardless of the type of paint and color.

5

found this last night looking for info on Alclad II.

It looks promising…

floch5.com/alcladthoughts.htm

besides the beautiful work he does…

Thanks

Chuck

6

I have sprayed Alclad on bare, black colored plastic and it worked beautifully- no primer, no nothing.

7

wonder how it will work on polished grey Tamiya plastic?

8

Hi,

Don’t know how it would work over grey plastic but HERE is how it worked for me over grey primer.

9

Alot of people like Alcalad for a NMF but they are expensive if you don’t wanna spend $8 a bottle the Humbrol Metal Cote line produce fairly good results and can be buffed as well.

10

Never had luck w/Alclad… but as much as I paid for the stuff going to get it to work just for spite. I like MM Metalizer in the rattle cans, just make sure you seal it.

11

I sure wish SNJ was still around…found an old F-86 that I used for practice and after being in a box for 8 + years still looks great and no finger prints… can’t say that for testors MM metalics…

12

yeah and I remember 25 cent gas- sigh— Oh well the times have changed

But seriously Alclad II has a learning curve- but really no more the anything else we have to use.

With the variety of colors they have you will find something for any project.

Good luck with your search

13

One thing that mitigates the price of Alclad is that it works best with a very thin coat, and you only use one coat, so the bottle goes a long ways. I can get about four typical sized models painted with one bottle of Alcad. So considering what I pay for the kits, an Aclad finish is in the noise as far as cost.

14

While on the subject. My LHS sold me on a Tamiya rattle can of AS-12 Bare Metal Silver For Aircraft. My intent is to use it as a base coat and modulate with various Tamyia colors with an airbrush. I am going to try it on a RM P-51 D. If it works out I will get some more and tackle a B-29 in 1/48 scale (lots of paint). Has anyone had any experience with AS-12?

15

Yes, I painted my Tamiya 1/32 P-51 D with AS-12 and the results were excellent!