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Replicating polished metal on 1930s biplanes?


MigModeller

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10 minutes ago, MigModeller said:

Thanks Smithy for pics and returning to theme of thread.

 

Have you any tips for making the Revell Fury?  It looks grand so far.  I must admit to laziness into staying with Modeldecal's 1 squadron markings.

Matchbox produced some questionable kits, but excelled themselves now and again and this was such a winner.

 

If you remember which  automotive chrome paint you used, do let us know because you have solved the problem of getting two distinctive finishes.

 

 

 

The Revell (ex Matchbox) kit is a wonderful little one and has an ingenious method of ensuring the stagger of the upper wing and strut angle is correct. There's nothing problematic about it as such and it's actually a good first biplane kit. If you intend to rig it using monofilament (fishing line) it's best to drill the holes before assembly. The model in the pics above is actually the old Lindberg 1/48 Fury which I've had on the go for a few years - really must finish it up!

 

I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the paint that I used for the cowlings, it was Australian though and was for use for painting bumpers and other chromework on cars. Amazing stuff and in the flesh looks just like polished sheet metal. Have a shufti around your local autoparts shop as they should have, if not the same thing then, something very similar.

 

Cheers,

 

Tim

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2 hours ago, rossm said:

Humbrol also do a chrome silver aerosol which I have seen looking shiny on someone else's model so bought a can for myself but haven't used it yet. https://www.humbrol.com/uk-en/191-chrome-silver-metallic-150ml-acrylic-spray-paint.html

What would the undercoat be?  I've never used acrylic before, feel reluctant to start here.

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17 minutes ago, MigModeller said:

What would the undercoat be?  I've never used acrylic before, feel reluctant to start here.

I don't know if it needs a specific one, unlike Alclad. I'd just use a grey or white primer, you can experiment on a yoghurt pot or similar first.

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Have yet to try it myself, but I have a friend who sprays Mr. Surfacer 1000 as a primer, then applies matte or glossy aluminum paint, as appropriate. Evidently the Mr. Surfacer is so fine-grained , it really works well for bare metal/silver dope finishes.

Mike

 

On my Matchbox Siskin, I mixed a few drops of light grey with Pactra flat aluminum for the silver doped areas, and Floquil platinum mist or bright silver for the polished metal areas...does that tell you how long ago I built that one? I found adding  a few drops of white or light grey to aluminum paints made them spray a lot better. Have yet to use any acrylics, although I have a ton of them, so can't help you there. The AK Interactive paints seem to work well and have gotten good reviews- you can look up their videos.

Mike

Edited by 72modeler
corrected spelling
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6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

My apologies for sidetracking the thread, it wasn't intentional.
 

Dennis 

A welcome sidetrack since I also have a Bulldog waiting for a moment of lucid modelling.

Also some photographic examples of what we are discussing

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For airbrushing metallic colours I personally use AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paints. They are pre thinned enamel based paints that spray beautifully and are touch dry within minutes. i usually spray them onto a grey Primer but if the plastic surface is smooth enough they can be sprayed straight onto the plastic. If I am using the Chrome or Polished Aluminium  I will spray a gloss black base coat first, either the dedicated 'Black Base' primer or a gloss black enamel.

Vallejo also now product metallic colours which are water based acrylics. They get good reviews so I have recently bought some but haven't had a chance to try them out yet.

 

IMG_5655-L.jpg

This has various AK Xtreme Metal colours applied to it (but no Chrome) and hopefully you can see the variation in shades on the panels and on the control surfaces. If I remember correctly I used the Light Aluminium for the control surfaces and Aluminium, Dark Aluminium and Duralumin for the fuselage panels. I also sprayed a gloss coat over the fuselage panels but had the control surfaces masked off which adds to the variation.

 

IMG_5719-L.jpg

Still not chrome but the centre of the engine is sprayed with AK's Polished Aluminium over a black base which I think gives a nice finish.

 

A lot of subtle effects can be achieved just by varying the type of clear coat you apply after painting your choice of silver colour. Mask off various panels and then apply a coat of your preference for clear coat, Matte, Semi Gloss etc, so for the RAF types you'd want the engine covers to be glossy and the doped areas to be more matte finished.

 

Duncan B

 

 

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18 hours ago, dogsbody said:

Beautiful paint work, Duncan. Would not the engine's centre have been painted that dark blueish grey that most ( or all ) US military aircraft engines were painted?

 

 

 

 

Chris

Thanks Chris, yes it should really have been painted a grey colour and was meant to get a grey coat over that but I liked it so used some 'artistic licence' and left it like that.

 

Duncan B

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Has anyone tried ‘Plastikote’?
 

It’s available in general hobby stores in the UK and supposedly works on plastic (hence the name).   I keep meaning to try it but so far, haven’t got round to it.  
 

I’ve a 1/48 Hawker Fury in the stash somewhere, and a part-built Bulldog.

 

Jonny

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1 hour ago, Jonny said:

Has anyone tried ‘Plastikote’?
 

It’s available in general hobby stores in the UK and supposedly works on plastic (hence the name).   I keep meaning to try it but so far, haven’t got round to it.  
 

I’ve a 1/48 Hawker Fury in the stash somewhere, and a part-built Bulldog.

 

Jonny

 

No!  The name's off-putting enough   Thought it was solely for children's toys and their bedrooms😜

 

 

Is Humbrol 191 chrome-silver enamel a good representation of polished metal for the engine cowling?

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/16/2019 at 9:46 AM, Duncan B said:

For airbrushing metallic colours I personally use AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paints

 

If their Chrome paint finishes like that example, I'd be well pleased.

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4 hours ago, alt-92 said:

For airbrushing metallic colours I personally use AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paintspersonally use AK Interactive Xtreme Metal paints

For those of us still living in the Twentieth Century are these enamels?  And at £4.50 a throw, I'll stick with what I know.  Thanks alt-92

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17 minutes ago, MigModeller said:

For those of us still living in the Twentieth Century are these enamels?  And at £4.50 a throw, I'll stick with what I know.  Thanks alt-92

Enamels, yes but very thin for airbrushing.
and I haven't tried them yet, I was admiring Duncan's work.

If it works like that, it's worth it to me ;)

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16 hours ago, alt-92 said:

If their Chrome paint finishes like that example, I'd be well pleased.

That was the Polished Aluminium if I remember correctly. I think Chrome is too bright for scale aircraft (apart from small items like propellors) but would great for automotive models, just my opinion.

 

Duncan B

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3 hours ago, Duncan B said:

I think Chrome is too bright for scale aircraft (apart from small items like propellors) but would great for automotive models, just my opinion.

I'm giving it a try to see whether it works for G-IRTY (Silver Spitfire)

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I’ve used Vallejo Metal Color (mentioned above) quite a lot, and they’re great.  Having said that, so far I have only used them in small areas (e.g. Townend ring on a Tamiya Swordfish and assorted bits of engine in various aircraft), rather than substantial surface areas.  I’m very interested in the answer, though, since I recently acquired a 1/48 Flycatcher...

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