I am considering buying some Alclad II NMF paint for a 1:48 scale B-29 Bomber project I am starting. Here are my questions:
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Did the B-29 Bomber have a “High-Shine” NMF, or a “Dull” NMF appearance?
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What color of Alclad II should I get for this project? Is Alclad II the best product I can use to get the NMF of the B-29?
Thanks for any help.
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It varied with the age of the plane. They came from the factory rather shiny, but got duller with weathering.
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Please see the post in the Painting and airbrushing Forum on “Metallics Test Shots.” There are pictures of samplers showing the differences in colors over various color undercoats. Compare them with color pictures of B-29s on the Web or in books to select the color you like. Almost any of the aluminums will work, and with all the variations in actual aircraft, who is to say your choice is wrong?
In my humble opinion, Alclad2 is the best product available. SNJ was very popular, but I never tried them and they have since gone out of business. Many people (including me) have experienced problems with other product finishes being too delicate and rubbing or peeling off.
It may be a PITA, but look into doing your B-29 in Bare Metal Foil. I did a Lockheed Constellation in total BMF, took awhile, but the end effect is really fabulous.
Hocking, As far as Natural Metal goes it varys on weathering. At present I am doing the Academy " Enola Gay " B-29. I have a lot of reference material on the aircraft and they all show Enola Gay as very highly polished. The photos also show the aircraft with no black deicer boots at all on the aircraft. Cosequently I am going to use the Alclad 2 with the black base and the highly polished aluminum final finish. I have used various shades of Alclad 2 on some of my other models and when used with their black base the end result is absolutely beautiful. Especially the Bright Aluminum.The one and only thing I do not like about Alclad is how long it takes for the Black Base Coat to dry. Give it at least a couple of days. Once your past that minor problem the rest is easy. Just take your time . If you would like to see some photos of a Hobbycraft C-45 Expeditor that i had done up in a Royal Canadian Air Force scheme of Bare Metal and Red send me your e-mail address and i will send the pics to you as an attachment. I think you will be convinced that this product is great. The model took first place in its category at the Livonia/Warren IPMS contest in 2005. Hope to hear from you. Dennis. e-mail me at dsc070744@wowway.com Happy modeling