I’m currently finishing Hasegawa 1/72 hellcat.
I’m painting it all navy blue with a spray can from Tamiya AS-8. The color is quite dark. I was wondering how to get the panel lines (which are raised FYI) to stand more out. I’m afraid a dark wash would just make the airplane more dark so should I use a wash made of white or something?
On a dark colored aircraft you have to ask yourself if you really want enhanced panel lines. They are hard to see on dark aircraft. At least, this is true for the normal non-removable panels.
For frequently opened panels, this is something else. These frequently get chipped along the edges, and show bare metal. This can be simulated a couple of ways; prepainting and leaving something that can be dissolved away, painting silver with a toothpick, or using silver artists pencils are common.
I’d suggest lightening the upper surfaces to represent the harsh fading effects of the Pacific sun and salt air. You can do so in a way that helps accentuate panel lines, but you need an airbrush for the work.
Also, a word of caution about chipping on naval aircraft - some did occur, but I’ve read that they were pretty aggressively touched up on carrier-based craft, since bare metal = entry point for corrosion. For land-based aircraft, such as Corsairs before they gained clearance for carrier ops, it’s a different matter entirely.
Thanks for the answers. I will leave it as it is then. Hopefully the decals will add some life to the model.