In my early days of model building I managed to build at least one example of each of the major fighter types available except the Jug. There is A big plastic kit sale in my area very soon. And I want to get a later model P-47 and give it a proper metal skin.

Silver paint has always been one of those things I used because nothing else better existed. So, i wanna give bare metal a try. I've read tutorials. Does anyone have any 'don'ts' or bare metal disaster stories?

Thank you for reading!
...and replying!

From my own experiences:

1. Use Alclad. There are many options out there, but Alclad is simply the best IMHO. It is easy to spray, will resist abuse when dry, and comes in a large variety of shades. Floquil Old Silver (if you can get it) is also a popular choice but limits you to a single shade which isn't realistic for a real aircraft. I have zero experience with Model Master Metalizers, so can't comment there.

2. Prep the surface thoroughly. The plastic and any fillers you used during construction need to be SMOOTH. Pretty much all imperfections will show through.

3. Prime it so there is a uniform color under the metalic finish. Some metalics are so thin any changes in the underlying color will immediately show. This looks horrible if you have nice shiny grey plastic with one or two small spots of say Squadron green putty under that aluminum topcoat. Ask me how I know.

I typically use plain Tamiya grey primer under everything except high gloss colors such as polished aluminum or chrome. It doesn't need to be black unless black is specifically called for by the final topcoat.

4. If you use a colored undercoat as primer, use laquer! Or something that really, really adheres to the plastic. I was foolish and tried acrylic gloss black as my undercoat once for a P-47D... I had some small areas that peeled up during masking. Alclad makes a gloss black laquer undercoat that comes in a big bottle for cheap. It has never let me down.

Future does work fine also (I've tested it myself), just remember it won't hide the issues I mentioned in #3.

5. Vary your choice of metal on some panels to make the finish interesting. Only modern restored warbirds look like polished aluminum from head to toe. The real aircraft were far more dirty or dull in most cases.

6. Have fun and don't be afraid to experiment! Personally, I find NMF easier than camo in some cases. There are no complex patterns to it, you don't have to fade or darken it, and it is much easier to apply decals usually.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Gary,
I'll 2nd everything Paul has said. I only use Alcad 11s for a NMF. For a primer coat I've been using Tamiya Gray Surface Primer, then Alcad's Gloss Black base. Then the Alcad, which is very easy to apply with a air brush.

I found that the Gray primer needs to be very smooth as the Gloss Black ends up with the texture, and the NMF isn't as smooth as I want. So now I don't use the primer. I do seal all putty work with CA glue, and make sure it's smooth as silk. Then I use the Alcad Gloss Black primer which is an enamel base, not a lacquer, yet it dries quickly. Go figure.

Light, easy passes are the key. A heavy coat is a quick road to disaster.

The latest thing is using a clear coat to seal the polished base coat to make the surface even smoother. I'm going to be trying that method next time I do a NMF.

Joel

Hey fellas, thank you for the informative replies! Having only discovered (online) Bare Metal Foil the other day, Alclad was completely unknown to me. Prior to last year I'd been on a building hiatus since 1988.

I will definitely get some...because I have some really bad images floating around in my head of what would happen when adhesive, foil, and my fumbling fingers meet.

Thanks for reading!

No argument from me, Alclad is by far the best choice for NMF in my opinion.

I use Tamiya acrylic semi-gloss or gloss black as my undercoat for Alclad and have never had any problems with the Alclad lifting afterwards.

As stater earlier, many light coats gives the best result. There's a great thread called "Alclad Adventures" here on Kitmaker by Lampie, a quick search should turn it up for you, well worth a read.

Cheers, D