Hello everyone, i was looking into getting me a p-51 mustang model but i have a problem with finding paint. Now seeing real mustangs, i know that the silver or chrome on them is almost mirror like but all i can find is a dall silver. So, if any one has some recommendations for a nice shiny silver or chrome i would greatly appreciate them. (Also, i have heard that i can thin down a chrome pen but not to sure about that and how to do it.)
Thanks to everyone for there time and help.
An all too common myth folks think the Mustangs were shiny silver chrome during WW2. The reality that during WW2, the P-51 Mustangs weren’t always shiny and new as if they’ve been rolled out off the factory during conflict. If you’re doing wartime P-51 Mustang, go with Tamiya Bare Metal Silver.
If you want to do a modernized restored P-51 Mustang just like you see at air shows today; go with the shiny chrome finish. A shiny chrome finish on a P-51 during wartime doesn’t fit in accuracy-wise.
Personally, I don’t like the shiny chrome look of WW2 Mustangs. They look too unrealistic. Sure, show me photos online of WW2 era Mustangs, but they’re restored photos to make it look like they have a chrome finish. They’re dull silver reflecting off the sun.
Sure. Any time that you reference to a restored aircraft, do bear in mind that those aren’t representative of aircraft in service.
A natural metal P-51 would have a shiny but somewhat subdued finish, and the wings were painted silver lacquer so they’d be pretty flat.
If you have an airbrush, try Alclad II lacquer. The color they call airframe aluminum is the shiniest one I’ve tried.
Testor’s sells a spray can named Chrome Silver I think, which is also good.
There are numerous acrylic mettalic paints now, others who have used them can opine.
I’ve just used flat aluminum (XF-16).
Thank you Blacksheep for pointing that out. I didn’t think that modern mustang are going to be much shinier than WW2 mustangs. I’m going to see if i can find any tamiya bare metal silver because I’m going for WW2 accuracy.
I would recommend Alclad. There are three or four versions of their aluminum, all with different sheens. Even their polished aluminum, which can be used for a highly polished appearance, does not have to be. You can control the sheen as you apply it. A very thin coat over a flawless gloss black undercoat will be extremely shiny. But the thicker you put it on, the duller it gets. And, by using that, and also their aluminum and their white aluminum on various panels you can alter the sheen on different panels to see the the varying sheen you see on unpolished bare aluminum on real planes in service.
I agree with Don’s explanation. I’m also an Alclad user and love the results which is easier to apply than bare metal foil. As sheep said, the mirror like shine would eventually get dull on service aircraft.
Thank you for mentioning Alclad, i whatch a youtube video a while ago and the guy building his mustang use Alclad paint, which came out perfect( just couldn’t remember what type of paint it was). Except now that i look, my local hobbystore has many different type of Alclad aluminum, semi-gloss…semi-dall…matt…high gloss…and so on. Which type would be the best (well most accurate) for a WW2 mustang. Thanks for your help.
Do you have an airbrush? You need one for Alclad, it isn’t designed for brush-painting.
Start with Aluminum, ALC 101.
[Greg]
[Do you have an airbrush? You need one for Alclad, it isn’t designed for brush-painting.]
Yes, I have a airbrush, not a great one but still an airbrush.
Alclad is easy to a/b. It atkes a number of coats, but when applied over black you have grtat control over th 'depth" of the coating.
Best thing to do when trying out a new product is to experiment and test on some sheet plastic cards till you become familiar.
Here is a link to the Alclad site:
Oh yes, i have many old and broken models that would love to be a test subject. 
Good. That gives you more options. [Y]
I stopped using Alclad after despite careful priming it melted a kit and refused to cure and dry on an engine.
I now use AK Xtreme metal which is just as good and doesn’t melt anything. It does hate masking so I would put on a coat of AK’s intermediate Gauzy shine enhancer which puts a protective clear coat over the metal paint if you do intend masking at some point.
They have several shades of Aluminium in the range and you need their cleaner for it as it is an Acrylic Enamel.
This is one of the engines of my latest build, ZM’s Ki-45, Metals by AK, rest chipset accurate Vallejo model air. (Exhausts are actually Vallejo Metal colour burnt iron)
James
More than one. I would use just plain aluminum, white aluminum, and polished aluminum, varying panel to panel. What I do is start with the polished first, you can dull it down somewhat by putting it on normal thickness (polished effect must be very thin). When thoroughly dry (a day or so) then mask some panels with very low tack tape (I use post-it notes) and spray with aluminum or airframe aluminum. Then remask for some panels in white aluminum. I do most panels in the just-plain aluminum, fewer in the polished and white.
Thank you Don for mentioning the different types of aluminum I’m going to need, I’m definitely going to try that (on a spare model first ).
By the way, if anyone is interested this is the mustang i was looking at.
Excellent choice of model.
Excellent kit indeed. Ease of assembly and fit.