Building some WW2 birds after being away from the hobby for 25+ years. Im just building some easy/cheap Revell 1:48 kits to get the hang of things and try new techniques (as well as teaching my kid). Some kits ask for “natural metal finish” (P51, P38); after searching this forum it seems that you need an AB for most of the techniques (like using Alclad2).
I have spray enamels (testors) such as Flat Dark and Flat Light Aircraft Gray, and Metallic Silver. Seems to me that these colors can be used as a resonable fascimile?
I plan to spray the hull, Future coat, apply decals, Future coat and try a wash. Should I use Flat Gray Primer before spraying the colors?
Any comments or suggestions? getting an AB is not an option for now or the near future, so I need a way to paint fuselages…
Oh, I think you’ll find that many if not most modelers in this forum use/ have used Testors Metallizer, and as well as for the AB it comes in rattlers too. I also use their silver for the laquer silver paint on aircraft, which is the case more often than you might think.
I think bondoman is right. You can use the spray cans and get good results. Also I believe the top of the wings on p 51s were painted silver on the natural finish planes. Im sure someone else could tell you more on that subject.
Thank you for your responses and help; after looking at the online catalog of my LHS (going there this weekend), I have a couple quick follow up questions:
I see that the metalizer paints come in BUFFING and NON-BUFFING… I think I understand the technical difference (one has to be buffed of course), but what is the “modeling” difference? A matter of sheen/polish?
Do I need the “sealer”? My plan is to paint, Future coat, decal, future coat, wash, Future coat.
Ditto to all of the above. I might add though if you use spraycan silver, let it try for many days before touching it. Even though it is dry to the touch, if you put your finger on it for more then a couple of seconds you get permaprints.
Aside from that and wanting pics if possible, with aircraft it’s Fuselage instead of Hull. [8-]
Yes. A buffed coating is flatter and shinier, resulting in a more metallic appearance.
I believe the sealers produce a thinner coating than Future. Future will change the appearance of the surface. I have not used the sealers for MM Metalizer yet—just haven’t gotten around to it. However, I did discover just yesterday that they can be brushed, with care (flowed might be a better term) and buffed. This technique looks like it would be good for small areas or single panels.
BTW: Since you are just getting back into it, airbrushes are MUCH less expensive than they were 25 years ago. You can get a decent airbrush and compressor for around $100 US if you shop carefully.
You didn’t say why an airbrush wasn’t in your immediate future, but unless you are in an area where you legally or physically can’t spray, then you may be short-changing yourself. Assuming that you are in the US, I’d recommend saving your dollars and hitting a Hobby Lobby with their 40% off discount coupon. Drop a little cash on a Paache single-action brush. It is a GREAT first-timer airbrush.
As far as having a place to spray, consider a local community center or college with art classes. See if they have a space dedicated for such things. Or, check out a local body shop and see if they wouldn’t mind you doing some spraying there.
For me, I have taken a 2’x2’x2’ cardboard box and attached an old box fan to the back to make a spray booth. I use an A/C filter over the box fan to catch paint, etc. and haven’t had any issues with the thing catching fire despite spraying paint thinner, turpentine, and lacquer thinner into it.
As far as brushing metalics goes, I would definitely prime first, but more importantly, study other modelers in FSM who have used brush painting techniques. The Liberator in the October issue is a good example. Also consider using actual aluminum foil or BareMetal Foil. The aluminum foil technique was demonstrated in a previous issue of FSM on a P-38 and the result was VERY nice. The article can be downloaded in PDF format here: http://www.finescale.com/fsm/objects/pdf/foiledlightning.pdf.
Gigatron - Thanks for the info, Ill give it a try as part of my “testing”
Triarius & CentexModeler - Thank you for the information and tips. I should have mentioned that I cannot get an AB now due to logistics constraints and not budget. I currently share a 'workbench" with my daughter in our basement. I need to make some minor remodeling in order to be able to install a hood and then be able to AB. I have been researching AB/compressors as well as hoods… cant wait! I will forgo the “home built” spray booth as I have to be extra careful due to sharing basement space with my kids and my wife’s pantry
CentexModeler - Thank you for the links! I will use them for sure… my P51D will look a tad weird with half fuselage spray painted with and without primer (and two shades of silver) and other half covered with 2 types of foil… but this is my “test” airplane after all… thanks again!
SOmething else to use is Krylon ultra bright chrome. It comes in large spray cans and is found at Wally world for a couple of bucks a can. You don’t need to prime the plastic first if you don’t want to. It doesn’t eat the plastic - well yet on any of mine anyway. It is very bright and has a look similar to Alclad. Just mist the coats on lightly to be sure. It dries fast, but spray it outside until you get your spray booth going.
It fooled two judges at a contest three years ago with it. They both swore the finish was Alclad, and argued over the exact shade. When I picked up my model, I told them it was a shade of chrome. I bet they still think it was Alclad [(-D]
Only because we are passing along the basics, I’d be hesitant to use Krylon as sold down here in the petulant colonies. I find it too “hot”. Swanny uses it as a basis for Alclad, and good grief I’m not him, but it has been a failure for me as a base coat on bare plastic.
I’d also say here that as a start, foil is a big task, which your humble correspondent hasn’t tried but for the reason that it seems, well, too obvious, and not really matching anything I’ve seen except airshow birds.
But that is why I have my long suffering test bed Stymie, the 1/24 Airfix Mustang, and there was a pearl in an earlier post abt testing on the INSIDE of wings of a kit. Brilliant, no pun intended.
Bondoman - So I get this right. You get the diluted beer, I get the diluted paint[8-]
I took a look at swanny’s site and agree with you. I must have some different formula up here. I use it just fine, albeit not the primer. Given that, I should not recomend it for a beginer then. If it is that ‘hot’ it will lead to problems later on. Thanks[tup]
I will forgo the “home built” spray booth as I have to be extra careful due to sharing basement space with my kids and my wife’s pantry 
