I new my bad fitting F82 twin mustang was going to look even worse if I used MM metalizer aluminum plate...so I decided to experiment....

I used MM Acryl Aluminum, and airbrushed the F82 with 2 coats of aluminum. I admit, it was not as mirror like like metalizer, but looked ok...

then I furture coated that paint, but mixed about 1 drop of raw umber to about 40 drops of future for the first coat.. it really highlight the panel lines..when dry, 24 hours, a 2nd coat of PURE future was applied.

The result was a really nice natural metal finish.not mirror like, but more like you see in the field....

Give it a try....on an old P38/P51 or whatever you decide to experiment on.....

Once the F82 is done..I will take a digital pic and post....

Hi there Propboy!

I've got a Modelcraft F82 up on the shelf and I know a natural-metal finish is really going to highlight just HOW bad the surface texture is!! I think the short-run mould was beginning to break up by the time they made my one...

That sounds a neat tip. Like you say, most service a/c weren't polished like mirrors anyway, and there's an art to getting a good "used" n/m finish (which I haven't mastered...). I'll see if I can match your success.

Looking forward to the pics - I need some encouragement to start that particular beast!

All the best

Rowan

:-) adding burnt umber, Interesting. My last NMF plane, a P-47N (in the gallery) was finished with a coat or 2 of Future (Klear), after a wash of Warm Grey oil paint. I would like to see the affect of adding the wash to the Future. I don't like mirror finish NM, looks to toy like. I'm angling towards using kitchen foil. I'm hoping to do a trial model sometime soon, I might try this on part of it :-) results will be here first :-)
Mal

Very interesting technique. I would very much would like to see the effect of this as well.
Always looking for ways to really weather NMF without getting to gaudy.
Looking forward to it.
:-)

Fly Navy! Check your six!

Here is the final result, of the long range escort fighter version

INTERESTING TECHINIQUE

ROBERTO

Propboy and All,

First, I would be pleased to have a NMF like yours on any of my models!

Now, thoughts on NMF. It has been mentioned that they were not so shiny in the field. Everything I have seen in b&w and color film in the 25+ years of interest convinces me that NMF can be 'airshow mirror' (AirMir) or tin can-drab.

Replacement acft (aircraft) often were quite reflective. Some crew did spend time polishing their steeds for speed, there are some 8th AF P-47 & -51s I've seen that are close to airshow look. By and by, I think that work demands, lack of metal polishing (outside of the 8th's UK bases) compounds and buffers, weathering in all its variables, and attrition disallowed many shiny NMF.

Post-war I have seen AirMir acft, but I have a book with some '50s F-86s that show AirMir next to tarnished birds.

I flew C-47/DC-3s as a freightdog for a year in Ohio. Granted the newest was a 1944 model and we were a few miles from a steel mill, let me tell you, there was NO sheen on the aluminum. Most NMF acft I see these days do not have AirMir though most are shiny.

What I want building NMF is smooth with reflection of decals, fingers, and figures, without being a mirror. This appears to be what I see in photos of the period, as well as standing next to acft these days. Yours shows this, thus I grade it a success.

I have never used metalizers. Too much trouble and I like 'playing' with my models. I use Floquil's Old, and Bright Silver and Platinum Mist. Tape will not remove them, and they can be buffed! But they are enamel (I still have some original lacquer!) and I want away from the fumes. The Polly Scale Aluminum worked well as a tarnished NMF on my Grace's underside. Their Stainless Steel tends to orange-peel. Lately I have found that if I thin it 50-50 with distilled water or Polly S airbrush thinner that it works ok. I've tried it on primer (smooth but not so shiny) and bare plastic (very shiny but the finish isn't always uniform). My next try will be over a primer of gloss white, a'la Alclad.

My big find is automotive hubcap spraycans! Several silvers, impervious and smooth finish, inexpensive! I plan to do my B-24 Dragon And His Tail with it. Just ensure it isn't a 'hot' paint that'll melt the plastic!

All the best!

Nicely done! I admit, it was really a nice finish

Greets All,

Ach! I used the afore mentioned auto spray on my Otaki Tony. WOE!!!!!!!

First, the paint has gone sour, coming out not a smooth shiny silver, but a corroded aluminum, more gray than metallic.

Second, the paint attacked the plastic! The surface uniformly dried rough, and in places the plastic crazed slightly. It only took about 20 minutes with 3200 through 12000 grit polishing cloths to return a smooth finish, but it was nowhere near silver.

Now it is a nice NMF via Polly Scale stainless steel.

For the record, I have tested the auto spray on a Minicraft B-29, an Italeri HE-111, and a Monogram B-17. In all cases the paint dried smooth and uniformly NMF. Now, these models did have paint already on them, whereas the Tony did not. However, the Tony was affected by the superglue kicker, the plastic remaining tacky. perhaps this model's plastic is just goofy?

I tired some other silver sprays on a Italeri ME-110 wing. Severe crazing in areas.

I wonder if the paint crazes because it is to 'hot' for the plastic, or if the plastic is to smooth and the paint tends to pool?

Hmmmmmmmm

Did you prime the model first? It sounds like the silver paint was applied directly to the plastic. If that's the case, then the cure is to prime first. You can use auto primer and wet sand it to an extrememly smooth finish before you apply your silver.