I was responding to a thread ;
The product " Rub N Buff " came up . I remember my first all Natural plane .It was a Y.B.49 " Flying Wing ."( I still have it too ! ).
What was your first all Natural Aircraft ?
When did you do it ( you can fudge on time , by the way ).
What product or products did you use , and what did you think . Have you done it since ?
Do you think the various methods using some paints are valid ?
If Not , Why not ?
I graciously await your replies . Tanker - Builder
Mine was Lindberg’s 1/64 scale B-58. I used some canned spray paint from the Ford dealer, it was when I was 10 or so, which means it might have been “1967 Ford Platinum Silver Mist” or whatever they had in 1967. I remember it because my ship building uncle warned me just in the nick of time to put a primer coat on my model before spraying automotive lacquer on it.
I wasn’t a guy that put clear coats on my models yet, I didn’t start that until I was 12, but, I remember that the decals went on that model just great, and stayed there for a number of years.
That aircraft is gone now, but, I still have the four engines, they were my first J-79s for the engine dollys that I set around my Phantom models. shrug, they were 1/76 in length, so, I planted them on Revell’s Dolly from the F-16 kit. Not as “correct” as it could be,but, I am doing another set with Fujimi’s dolly and engine upgrade parts from Hasegawa and Revell.
I had an XF-90, but, I don’t remember what I used on that for Natural Metal.
I sure would like to find some sort of one step “paint it on and you’re done” natural metal paint today. Either that, or just “go back to building as if I were 15 again”, lol.
Always fun strolling down memory lane, TB
Rex
I returned to scale modeling in the mid-late '80s. I had built all sorts of subjects as a kid, and then moved to all autos around 12-15. My first NMF aircraft was the Monogram 1/48 P-51D. I built it while we were between houses of our own and were living in my Grandmother’s old house, which meant the modeling area was her kitchen table. [;)]
I used Humbrol Metal Kote Polished Aluminum, sprayed with my trusty Paasche H. The paint worked great and I was quite proud of the finished model. It was the 4th or 5th plane I had completed since resuming scale models. I still love that Metal Kote paint and use several different shades. I especially like the polished steel. It looks flat when sprayed bit wait about 30 minutes and it buffs into a great steel color. I’ve even used it on metal; here’s an old Enfield magazine sprayed with it:
before:
after:
.303 Lee Enfield! My favorite rifle (even over the M1). I own one; a Mk IV. I fell in love with them in JROTC. I used two back then – both Mk III’s. The Serial numbers were: 30993 and 50358. I don’t even have the serial number to my Mk IV memorized lol That’s how big of an impact those rifle made on me. Lighting fast and powerful. Sorry, I’m finished[:#]
P.S. If anyone is wondering why an JROTC unit would use a British rifle, it is because we could not afford M1’s lol!
Mike, they are wonderful rifles! I have three at the moment, after giving one to my son-in-law last year. Coincidentally, I received another No.4 Mk I today, a '43 made at the Long Branch works in Ontario. A fellow sent it to me to inspect and shoot pending my purchase of it. It’s in really nice shape , with great looking wood.
Can you stand a few pics in this high-jack?
1955 UF series No.4 Mk II (unissued, unfired since the proofing rounds) The very last British Enfield bolt guns made. A so-called “mummy wrap” Enfield:
a group shot of the three .303 versions and an Indian Ishapore 2A in .308 caliber (1965):
I avoided building NMF for a very long time because it was always a bit intimidating. My first NMF was only couple years ago for the My First Time GB on a Revell 1/72 Snap-Tite P-51D. I used Alclad paints and was impressed with how it came out. Of course the prep is way more finicky than OD/Neutral gray, SEA camouflage or any other “color” that I have applied to plastic. I haven’t done another NMF since but the paints are ready and waiting for the next NMF plane to cross the hobby desk.
I recently picked up AK Interactive’s True Metal paste but have not tested it out on anything yet. The plan is to test it with AK Interactive’s worn & chipping effects on a WWII Japanese plane. School and homework dominate my time so it will be a couple months before I get to test the new stuff.
I read in a magazine you can thin true metal paste with white sprite and airbrush it
First NMF was a hand painted, Testors square bottle Monogram F-86. I don’t think the paint is entirely dry yet and it has been 35 years or so. Next effort was a Testors silver spray can on a Monogram B-36. Silver came out great, white belly looked like it had been applied with a putty knife. Always been shy of NM ever since, but now that I have an airbrush, I am looking forward to trying again, maybe with a F-84.
John
I watched a YouTube tutorial where they applied with brush and airbrush then wiped/buffed with towel, sponge, finger and q-tip. It looks easy to work with and in the video the finish looks good.
First (and only) was a Tamiya P-51D I did 2-3 years ago with Bare Metal Aluminum foil. I used the recommended rotation of the foil between panels. I like how the foil looks, but it is a rather tedious, but relatively easy process. Not overly thrilled with the weathering or the clear coat I rattle-canned on with the cockpit already installed, but a decent model none the less.
Apologies for the cell phone photo, and the flaps are there, just down. I had the worst time trying to get the canopy to sit right (never did quite get it there, so it’s about half open, wouldn’t go full open or full closed and I couldn’t figure out why). As you can see the gun marks are way overdone as is the exhaust, but it was a learning experience.
Now that I think about it, I’ve been on here almost a year and this is the first model photo I’ve shared. I honestly haven’t completed my large and smaller project during that time. Really close on both, but not quite yet!
Groot
Mine was the Monogram F-100D that I built for my dad sometime in 1986. Used a can of Krylon Silver paint. It actually came out looking pretty darned good.
Loved Enfields ever since watching A Bridge Too Far. Bought a Savage one as my first rifle, and it’s, uh, multiplied since then.
As for the NMF on models, my first one was the Monogram B-17G when I was a kid. Metalizer paints were new, and they seemed beyond me. I just left it bare plastic, brush painted the other colors and applied decals. It’s still in a box under my parents’ house.
Right now, I am working on an HA-1112M1L (a Spanish Merlin-engined BF109G). It will be in the NMF (on top) soon. I don’t have high hopes for it, given the amount of fitting required on the top fuselage seam, but it’s a practice run for my P-51D.
-BD-
The Thud that came with “battle damage”.
I don’t remember the first one, but I painted all NMF subjects in those days with aluminum paint. Then, Testors introduced a few kits with vacuum deposited aluminum finish- those were really nice. Then, heard about and tried rub n buff. Eh- so so. Then tried Alclad- it is now my goto for NMF!
My very first natural metal finish airplane was a F-104C I built as a kid @1979. It was a disaster. I had some type of adhesive foil which went south fairly quickly. It was covered with wrinkles seams and the works. I used a spoon to get some of them out. Fast forward to last year I tried to use foil again and its another disaster. The partially built kit went back in to my stash and I hope one day it will vanish. Otherwise its Tamiya XF-16 with a dullcote sprayed over.
First and only NMF build that I am working on now is the 1/48 F-86 by Academy. Honestly was too scared to even try, but figured what the hey… Came out pretty well. 