Quick one - is a Corsair F-4U-1A finished in a gloss or flat (or semi-gloss?)? My references aren’t terribly clear on that tidbit. I am pretty close to done and just want to get that detail right?
Thanks a bunch!
Mike Dahlstrom
I may be wrong, but I would do it thus: if its in overall dark sea blue, its high-gloss. If its earlier blue-grey over gull grey, or the tricolour finish, its matt (or semi-gloss, depending on your taste).
Thats what I do anyway.
I sent an email to the Vought Heritage Foundation a couple of months ago and asked that question of them. Keith-A is exactly right, the earlier two-color versions were “Non-Specular” whereas the later Dark Sea Blue versions were gloss.
Keep in mind that this only applies to when they were new or nearly so. Exposure to sun and salt, as well as the exposure to combat, will ruin even the best gloss finish.
Music City has got some great advice and I cant agree with him more.
And I think I know what you might be able to do to make the model look even neater, severly weather it, but only if it is a marine aircraft, if it is a carrier based fighter than just fade the paint, very little chipping, some weathering and it will look great, but Im shure you already know about all that stuff so.
But good luck to you.
Oh by the way Music, you are one brave soule for building that Revell Monogram Spitfire in 1/32, I take my hat off to you.[C):-)][bow]
That was my first model after a layoff of many years from the hobby [:)] It looks better in the pix than it does up close, but all in all it really wasn’t too bad a build and I had fun doing it.