Just some pics of my latest aircraft build–the Revell/Monogram X-15 in 1/72 scale, mold circa 1987. Comments and critiques welcome–I’ll save mine for after others have had a shot to see if my own self-assessment matches others’.
Nice build!
She sure is pretty! I’m really digging the metal contrast on the NMF of the tank mounted on the sid[tup]
I do have a question though…
Didn’t the X-15 have more of a matte finish? (ironball finish it’s called, if I remember correctly)
I think “ironball” paint was used later on with stealth aircraft (for radar absorbtion). My reference pics showed a definite semi-gloss finish to the 1:1 actual planes, so I was comfortable using Dullcote, which I can only get a (scale) semi-gloss finish out of. The camera’s flash exacerbated the gloss I think. Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the dullcote? Is there a prescribed method for applying it to get dead-dead flat finishes?
Further, does anybody know what the VERY FLATTEST finishes come from? I’ve heard PS flat finish is dead-dead flat but I can’t find PS stuff in my area (Toronto).
Good job on the X-15! The X-15 at the Air Force Museum in Dayton is definately flat black though. No hint of any kind of gloss. I don’t know if this is from flying the thing or the paint faded out to flat. From what I remember the markings are even flat. That being said the finish still looks good to me. She looks like she is ready to be put under the wing of a B-52. [8D]
Huh! Well, I stand corrected then. I’ve never seen any high resolution pictures, so it’s always been hard to tell.
I did have somewhat of a similiar situation though. I finished a U-2R last december. Of course, that has the ironball finish. But after the future for decals, I’ve never gotten it back to the matte finish no matter how much dullcote I applied. In retrospect, I wonder if I should have just not used the acrylic and just dealt with the silvering…
A fair enough observation about the gloss–but here’s a pic of an X-15 in the USAF museum:
Think they re-finished the airframe before putting it on display?
I’ve been to the X-15 at Dayton twice and it’s definitely flat. I use Testor’s Flat Gloss Lacquer in my Iwata to yield very flat finishes. Often however a dead flat finish looks a bit unrealistic in scale so I will sometimes mix flat with a bit of semigloss clear lacquer to adjust the reflectance of the final finish just a bit.
Nicely done! The X-15 is one of those aircraft that just looks fast sitting there. I agree with the NMF tanks, nice touch. [tup]
Good looking build. For dead flat, I use Polly Scale Flat acrylic, but availability has become an issue in this Area.
Regards, Rick
Perhaps one day I’ll get the dullcote/gloss thing worked out…
I would like to know more about the NMF on the tanks. Which shades did you use? Once I get back up and running at the bench, I’m really wanting to do something in a NMFfor the first time, and I’m curious.
She sure looks Purdy. I have no idea what colours it should be but looks good from this side of the pond. It looks like one of those crazy Land speed record attempters from the early 90’s.
…Guy
About the tanks:
I planned to do a standard aluminium finish on the aft 90% of the tanks and, as per instructions, the formost tip area with a shiny aluminium. To this end I used Alclad II with Krylon Fusion gloss black for the primer/base coat. Anyway, you all wanted to know about the neato tri-shade thing going on. As I said, I did the tanks in base, then all in regular Alclad II ‘Aluminium’. At that point I masked off the forward tip area with 10mm Tamiya tape, thinking I could be careful enough to not need any more protection. I painted the tip area with ‘Polished Aluminium’ and when I pulled the tape off, my thoughts were something like:
“ahh…shhhii…oh wow! WOW…it looks like somebody competant actually painted this thing!”
Clearly, some of the polished aluminium somehow landed well aft of the tape, but with a lovely effect this time. I’m not 100% sure but I’ve also heard about a psychophysical phenomenon (i.e. an optical illusion) called “Mach bands” where light and dark areas’ percieved luminocity is accentuated based on context.
Also, I noticed my pic of the glossy X-15 at the USAF museum wasn’t showing up properly, but I think I have it fixed now–notice the white/red tanks reflecting in the airframe. I was pretty confused about the finish myself since I’ve also seen the Smithsonian example–pure, flat black from what I recall. I don’t suppose anybody can clear this issue up?
Wow! It seems everytime some actually applies a NMF that turns ut really spectactular, they are always using Allad! Clearly that is the standard nowadays! Thanks for sharing that! Just looking at the X-plane is exciting, but it’s even more fun to look at with touches like the tank! Congratulations on a great build!
Nice work, I like the fact that the plane is almost light speed.[;)]
I find nothing wrong with the finish. If you look up X-15 photos on the NASA site you will find some where the X-15 had a flat finish and others with a gloss finish paint job. The best one with a gloss finish shows the X-15 hanging from the B-52 on flight. It definitely a high gloss paint job. In the March issue of FSM Matt Usher said he paint his with flat black and used a coat of Future before applying the decals. Then he put a light coat of flat on the model to seal all the decals. I think it’s a matter of personal choice.
That’s a sharp build, BGuy! What serious modeler wouldn’t want a classic black X-15 in their collection, and that one SURE will make a beautiful display!
When I was a junior in high school, early sixties, somebody had one on the back of a flatbed at the WMCA parking lot in Tazewell, Virginia, with the canopy up letting people look at it. I offered the man a whole $10 to let me set in it but he couldn’t be bribed! [:D]
Dang, that was a long time ago!
Take care,
Frank