My Bare Metal Foil Air Force

[Johnny_K]

I have been using Bare Metal Foil to produce a Natural Metal Finish on my models for many years. All these models are 1/48 scale and I used a combination of Matt Aluminum and Chrome BMF to provide visual interest. I used 0000 steel wool to enhance the natural grain of the BMF ( just a single stroke is required). I added rivets and weathering to all of the models.  I would like to share them with my fellow modelers.

 

 

 

 

B-48.  This was my first attempt using BMF.  Note the two colors of BMF on the wings.

 

P-51

 

 

 

 

P-38 Lightning.  This a Hobby Boss kit. Very easy to build.

 

 

 

Mig-15. I like the red tail of this model.  I added a lot of weathering to this build. 

 

 

 

 

F-104. It was difficult to add foil to this aircraft. A lot of compound curved surfaces. I add very little weathering to this build. Most of these aircraft were kept very clean.

 

 

 

 

B-25 Most of these aircraft were flown out of jungle airfields and were pretty dirty, so I added a lot weathering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-24 In case you are wondering how long it took to finish this model in BMF, the answer is easy. A LONG TIME! Note the rivet detail on the main wing. It would be difficult to make that look good on a painted surface. Yes, that also took a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-29 This is my absolute favorite looking model.  It looks great in BMF. I used aluminum tubing for the exhaust pipes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-58 This was a real P.I.T.A. to build. The engineering of this model stinks.  It went on the Shelf of Doom for over a year. Ther final result was worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RMCS]

Outstanding work 

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

Quite amazing! I've long been interested in how this foil finish is successful applied. Thank you for sharing your excellent models! 

Regards

Andy

[SAT69]

You do quite awesome work in foil. I'm inclined to agree; I like the B-29 best.

[Andy Dyck]

I am impressed Sir! Each by each model a unique gem!  An amazing work. My poor efforts failed miserably years ago . So I stopped trying.

Even more I value your great job! 
Fantastic!

 

Cheers 

 

Andy 

 

[Maginot]

Superb modelling, amazing finish. The B-58 Vindicator Hustler looks great. I have wondered what had happened to BMF. I might have to get hold of some and have a crack. Tutorials/builds?

[Jackson Duvalier]

Dang.

 

That's impressive work, good sir.

[Abandoned Project]

10 hours ago, Johnny_K said:

B-29 This is my absolute favorite looking model.  It looks great in BMF.

Mine too! Awesome collection sir. Kudos to you JK.

[ForestFan]

Anyone that can master BMF deserves special praise indeed. Bravo.

[Kriss]

Great work, I'm impressed. Congratulations.

[neilg]

Absolutely beautiful work! 

 

I've never tried foils, but the finish is something else!

[IPMS19]

- Amazing work....my prefered, if I had to make a choice amongst these wonders, it could be the B 58 not because it is the best finished of all unpossible task to say, but just because the only one I've ever seen was at Le Bourget Air Show in 1961, I was then a teennager, I had been allowed by my parents to travel by train to the Le Bourget air show as my first trip in Paris with my best friend as crazy of flying machines as I was. The Hustler was standing on static display together with  F 100, F105, Phantom II, Javelin, , Vulcan and many others,  we had not enough of our eyes to admire all these marvels; Sadly once back home we learned the incredible news it was just impossible to believe,the record breaker B-58 had crashed after its flypast unnoticed  from the public......

-Thank you Johnny to reminds me those unforgetable days....

[Serkan Sen]

Each build of this amazing collection is a masterpiece. Congratulations...

Serkan

[Sky Keg]

That is one very impressive collection.  The size of the B-29 gives a good indication of just how large that type was.  

 

Mike

[Homer]

Congratulations on a fantastic collection, they all look brilliant well done 👏 

[arfa1983]

19 hours ago, Johnny_K said:

Ther final result was worth the effort

You are correct sir. Scrolling down each model looked eve  better than the last. My favourites are the B-24 and Hustler. 

[wellsprop]

Wow, stunning collection! 

[busnproplinerfan]

They all look hot, really like the B-58. I can seeI how you burnished the foil on the B-25.  can never get big pieces off my baremetal sheets without it tearing.

[Johnny_K]

Thanks so much for the very kind words!

 

Here is one more, an F-86.

 

 

 

I had fun with Photoshop to produce this photo.

 

I can do a tutorial if there is interest. The techniques for using BMF is not that difficult. It just takes time and patience. 

 

One more thing, I have kind of run out of US planes that were produced in a naturel metal finish. Were there any British planes that were produced in a NMF? That would be fun to do! It would have to be in 1/48 scale.

 

[Troy Smith]

3 minutes ago, Johnny_K said:

I can do a tutorial if there is interest. The techniques for using BMF is not that difficult. It just takes time and patience. 

Yes, I think you did mention some of the techniques, like using a paper burnisher.

3 minutes ago, Johnny_K said:

 

One more thing, I have kind of run out of US planes that were produced in a naturel metal finish. Were there any British planes that were produced in a NMF? That would be fun to do! It would have to be in 1/48 scale.

as in WW2 and after, Made in NMF, no. 

Many were painted aluminium though (or High Speed Silver) 

 

Some planes did get stripped of paint though.  

 

pre was RAF had polished metal panels,  with silver doped fabric. 

like this

 

You can get a Fury model easily in the US, they were last done by Lindberg,  kit originally by Inpact, reboxed by Pyro/Lifelike/Lindberg. 

There was a Hurricane post war in part bare metal/silver fabric if of interest?

 

 

There was a Seafire that got stripped to bare metal as well

"taken aboard HMS Indefatibable (R10) in mid-Tasman, while en route from Australia to New Zealand in November 1944. Pictureed on deck are the Seafire IIs of No.s 887 and 894 Sqdns, which, along with No.s 820 (Avenger) and 1770 (Seafire) Sqdns, comprised the 7th Carrier Air Group which formed on June 30th 1945 and disbanded on returning home, on March 15th 1946, when Indefatigable flew her paying-off pennant for the last time as an aircraft carrier. The Air Group Commander was Lt-Cdr Nigel G. ("Buster" ) Hallett, DSC*, RN from June 30th 1945 to April 23rd 1946; his "personal" Seafire III NN452: S-141 is partly visible in the lower right of the piicture. This aircraft was in a natural metal (silver) finish, its camouflage (and serial) having been removed."

Seafire III's  in 1945. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

the tail showing bottom right,  there have been threads and builds of this

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?topic=178459.0

there is a B/W pic in first post that you can download to see.

or here in better quality

https://www.navsource.org/archives/03/0300808.jpg

 

 

 

see

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/hyperscale/bare-metal-spitfire-s-t206347.html

There were Australian Spitfire stripped back to bare metal

 

and this

 

 

one you might enjoy is a racer Spitfire, 

 

see here

http://spitfiresite.com/2013/08/spitfire-cleveland-air-races-1949.html

 

These markings are in the racer boxing of the 1/48 Airfix Spitfire XIV as well.  

 

HTH

 

[Johnny_K]

I just purchased this:

 

 

It should look real nice in Bare Metal Foil. I'll use this as a tutorial for applying bare Metal Foil.

I have never built an Airfix model. It should be interesting. It is scheduled to arrive in late January.

[Snafu35]

Hello Johnny_K

 

You did a stunning job! Congrats.

 

1 hour ago, Johnny_K said:

 The techniques for using BMF is not that difficult. It just takes time and patience. 

 

I tried the Bare Metal Foil technique on a B25 Monogram: 

I will gladly let you be the first to use this technique, because you excel.

I wouldn't say it was a nightmare, however I don't think I'll do it again. It's time consuming and difficult to keep it looking smooth, how do you keep from crumpling up the sticky aluminum? Do you work in panels?
The B24 and B29 are magnificent. Thank you for sharing.

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

[Spitfire31]

The best use of BMF that I can remember seeing. Stunning work!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[Blue Monday]

The B-29 and B-58 look pretty, as does the rest.

 

BM.

[Johnny_K]

1 hour ago, Snafu35 said:

Hello Johnny_K

 

You did a stunning job! Congrats.

 

 

I tried the Bare Metal Foil technique on a B25 Monogram: 

I will gladly let you be the first to use this technique, because you excel.

I wouldn't say it was a nightmare, however I don't think I'll do it again. It's time consuming and difficult to keep it looking smooth, how do you keep from crumpling up the sticky aluminum? Do you work in panels?
The B24 and B29 are magnificent. Thank you for sharing.

 

Regards,

Eric-Snafu35

 

That is a stunning looking model!  Great BMF.

If BMF is applied in large sections it will wrinkle. BMF must be applied panel by panel, which is why it takes so long to apply. I then use a paper stump to smooth the foil. Plus, rubbing with a paper stump really makes the foil stick to the plastic.