Buccaneer S.1 in the Anti-Flash White Scheme

[Tiger331]

Hi Folks,

I am in the midst of completing a Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 conversion and will be finishing it in the overall Anti-Flash White colour scheme. It has been difficult to discern from photos how I should finish this model......Is there much in the way of weatheing required (apart from the obvious exhaust stains) and should I do some pre-shading ?. I have scoured my modelling references for some info on pre-shading techniques for all-white aircraft (rather than grey, natural metal or standard camouflage) but have not found anything on the best treatment for overall white. I know from previous experience that white can be a tricky colour to apply. Also, should I do it in gloss or semi-gloss ?.....I guess this is dependant on how clean the aircraft is....straight out of the factory/paint shop or after some months of operational service. Any advise gratefully received.

Thanx

Tiger331

[Col.]

From what I've seen they were kept quite clean so perhaps a light grey pre-shade to keep it subtle?

[Mike]

I've used my primer (Mr Surfacer) as a "pre-shade" before now on white aircraft. You just prime the airframe all over as normal, then build up the white slowly and leave subtle variations in the panels, to give it a bit more interest.

[Tiger331]

I've used my primer (Mr Surfacer) as a "pre-shade" before now on white aircraft. You just prime the airframe all over as normal, then build up the white slowly and leave subtle variations in the panels, to give it a bit more interest.

Mike.....Many thanks.........................Nice Valiant BTW.....Assume this is the Mach 2 kit ?........Looking forward to seeing the Airfix one later this year. Am I right in thinking its a semi-gloss white finish you have applied ?

Tiger331

From what I've seen they were kept quite clean so perhaps a light grey pre-shade to keep it subtle?

Thanks for the response

Tiger331

[Mike]

Thanks It was Xtracrylix white, which goes on as a semi-gloss, but then it got a coat or two of Klear (floor wax) that made it a proper semi-gloss.

I'm also looking forward to the Valiant, although I suspect it'll be 2011 before it reaches the shops (based on previous kits).

[hazza]

Hi Folks,

I am in the midst of completing a Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 conversion and will be finishing it in the overall Anti-Flash White colour scheme. It has been difficult to discern from photos how I should finish this model......Is there much in the way of weatheing required (apart from the obvious exhaust stains) and should I do some pre-shading ?. I have scoured my modelling references for some info on pre-shading techniques for all-white aircraft (rather than grey, natural metal or standard camouflage) but have not found anything on the best treatment for overall white. I know from previous experience that white can be a tricky colour to apply. Also, should I do it in gloss or semi-gloss ?.....I guess this is dependant on how clean the aircraft is....straight out of the factory/paint shop or after some months of operational service. Any advise gratefully received.

Thanx

Tiger331

with the issue settled i suppose you better post us some pictures

[Tiger331]

with the issue settled i suppose you better post us some pictures

Is your Buccaneer Group Build a "Back to the Future" set-up or are those dates on the 'flyer' wrong ???.....I'm assuming its Feb 2011 ???

If so, I may actually get it finished................I'm not the fastest in the west !

Tiger331

[Mark M]

yes hazza has got it wrong AGAIN"!!!!!

its untill 2011, we are acepting builds from 0 - 50% so come join us

[AMB]

Hi Folks,

I am in the midst of completing a Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 conversion and will be finishing it in the overall Anti-Flash White colour scheme. It has been difficult to discern from photos how I should finish this model......Is there much in the way of weatheing required (apart from the obvious exhaust stains) and should I do some pre-shading ?. I have scoured my modelling references for some info on pre-shading techniques for all-white aircraft (rather than grey, natural metal or standard camouflage) but have not found anything on the best treatment for overall white. I know from previous experience that white can be a tricky colour to apply. Also, should I do it in gloss or semi-gloss ?.....I guess this is dependant on how clean the aircraft is....straight out of the factory/paint shop or after some months of operational service. Any advise gratefully received.

Thanx

Tiger331

I recall seeing a couple of all-white Buccaneer S.1s at Farnborough in 1961 and '62, which were pristine gloss white. Now how long they stayed like that is unknown, but looking at my photo archives, I would say they remained pretty clean but would lose their gloss through weathering on board carriers and exposed to the salty air. The only dirt I can see appears to be exhaust stains which also affected the air brakes when opened, which became grubby. Other than that, I personally would not bother with any pre-shading, which might make it look dirtier than it really was. A good overall coat of satin white should do it, with just the staining behind the exhausts and on the air brakes. Some people over-do the pre-shading and pick out panels that are hardly noticable on the real thing

[Colin W]

Hi

The main thing is to avoid the pristine white scheme. Rather than spraying white use an off white such as Humbrol 130 or similar. This looses the bright scheme of pure white and makes it look more realistic. Remember white will discolour faster than other colours for obvious reasons. The Vulcans could be identifed by squadron according to the dirt accumulated sitting on the ground. Those from northern bases around Sheffield were darker and dirtier than the Gaydon or Lincoln based machines.

Being white I give a white base coat with a cheap white and then dirty back with greys and off whites.

See my Vulcan and TSR2 on ARC for more detail.

Colin W

[Kes]

You'd think being Royal Navy types at sea they'd be cleaned regularly to remove all that corrosive salt? I'm on with an Airfix NA39 at the minute, but I prefer the 'showroom' look anyway!!

. . . Kes