Help needed building 1930's 'silver wings' models in 1:48

[red arrow jag]

I am going to make a start on a 1:48 Lifelike Hawker Fury I this weekend, long overdue as it sits in the corner longing to be built.

Not having an airbrush (cheapskate...) I am wanting to use spray cans to paint the model and then Humbrol alum  for the metal parts.
Can anyone feed me helpful tips to follow when making 1930's aircraft? ie. how to get a 'flawless finish' for paint application- particularly as the kit already has a 'fabric effect' that I would like to tone down.

Also, I am thinking of adding wheel spats for a mk.II conversion, does anyone know where I could get some, or If they could be vacuformed on the cheap?

advice from those who have experience in making Bulldogs, Gladiators and the likes welcome! Also those who have made the Pyro, lifelike, lindberg Fury I.

Cheers   

[Brian da Basher]

Wow I'm really hoping you'll share these projects with us as you dig into them, Red Arrow. I'm not sure how useful this first bit will be because I work in 1/72 and 1/144 mostly, but I've heard that a good coat of primer will do the trick for you. The thin layer of primer will do three things:

1. Tone down the fabric effect

2. Give your metallic paint more to grab on to

3. Help you spot any flaws before you put on the silver paint

This is something I read over on ARC. I brush paint all my models by hand. I'd reccomend acrylics for their ease and fast drying time. I wish I could recommend a brand of spray-on primer. I've heard Tamyia makes one and there's an auto one that I read about but can't remember the name.

When you get to rigging, there's a lot of options. I prefer to use strands of wire cut to length and kept in place with Gator Glue (which seems to dry faster and harder than Elmer's but still dries clear). You can also use this great plastic wire Jeff Fontaine has a supply of. It's easier to cut and the scale is decent for 1/48.

Top two pics are Jeff's plastic wire on a 1/48 Curtiss racer I scaled down to 1/72:



And here's the Brugeut Baguette made from breadclips rigged with .008 (like the highest string on a guitar) steel wire:



Good luck! I look forward to seeing these beauties!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Krylon's "Sandable Primer" (grey) is the starting point for all my paintjobs, regardless of type of paint, enamel, etc.
I won't paint a model without that as a basecoat anymore. 

[Daryl J.]

How do you handle the Krylon?   Do you warm it and shake for a certain time frame?   Is there any problem with various surfaces, ie brass, resin, or other media different than styrene?



Daryl J.

[Geoff]

If you are in the UK, Halfords primer is good, as is the stuff sold by Wilko which is also a fair match for Medium Sea Grey.

[John Howling Mouse]

How do you handle the Krylon?   Do you warm it and shake for a certain time frame?   Is there any problem with various surfaces, ie brass, resin, or other media different than styrene?

Daryl J.

It's basically industrial stuff so you don't need to warm it like some spraycans.  Just shake for 30 seconds and go.  You'd really have to overdo it for Krylon to pool up, too.  Somehow, they've got the formulation just right so drips and sags simply don't happen.  It does a great job of blurring out sanding scratches and minor imperfections while leaving every rivet and recessed/raised panel line intact.

I've used it on film props that were made out of combinations of resin, styrene, sanded ABS plastic, MDF wood, brass, including all sorts of putties and it worked fine as long as the surfaces had no mold release agent left on them (and even then, Krylon will sometimes cut through and stick, even when most primers wouldn't).  I know modelers who use Krylon as a basecoat on their white metal figures too (so they can overpaint with acrylics without having a reaction). It has never ate into any plastic surface of mine, either.

[sotoolslinger]

Every one is correct, Krylon is excellent, Tamiya seems a little thick to me but gives good results especially if your covering a lot of putty work  Dupli-color sandable primer is also very good
Dupli-color

Tamiya

If your looking for mettalic finishes in spraybombs check out automotive paints

[Joe C-P]

This site, though it is for WW1 modelers, might help with ideas for rigging:

http://www.wwi-models.org/

I'm about to start on a USN bipe myself, though mine is going to be in late WW2 colors - dark blue over light blue over white. I'm looking forward to how yours comes out!