DH88 Black Magic

[Rhino]

Bob, I've been up close and personal with the US replica and I wouldn't do a wash on the wings at all. It was a smooth continuous finish.

What John said! That, and a civilian racing airplane might be fastidiously washed and polished. Make her SHINY!!
Do the little gaps in the tailplanes and vertical stabilizer need some attention?

 

[moon puppy]

Do the little gaps in the tailplanes and vertical stabilizer need some attention?

Uh..don't know, since you're asking I'm guessing it does?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

What I would suggest is use some Alclad gloss black on it, then once it is covered, give it a wet mist of Mr. Color Leveling Thinner over it. The gloss black will level out smooth and like a black mirror. The pebble finish the Alclad tends to spray on as will smooth out with the wet thinner mist.

I used this trick with my P-47 metal finish for the base coat.

Only bad thing is any lint or flaw will stand out like it would on a metal finish.

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks Paul but I think i'll stay clear of Alclad on this build, I'll use the Tamiya family. But will do that thinner trick.

 

[moon puppy]

Now she's glossy.

Gonna sand her down and do some light coats trying to get a high gloss, or should I do that with the clear coat?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Did you mist on a wet thinner coat? I did that and the only thing I needed was to pick at the dust specs. It looked like black glass.

 

[sharkman]

Man that is a sleek looking aircraft!

Looking great Bob! Keep at it!

 

[jknaus]

Looking good Bob. Too late now but when I use Tamiya gloss i first paint with the appropriate flat colour. So flat black and then gloss. Works well. If you have a practice kit try painting it black as you did this one. Then mist of a light coat of smoke. Then gloss. I think that will give you depth but I hate to tell you to experiment with this beaut. This comes from a funny trick when polishing boots for honour guards. Polished the boots to a high gloss with Kiwi black and then used Kiwi Oxblood shoe polish for one coat. Then black again. Gave it a deep gloss look and the black looked like a mirror. Hope that helps.
James

 

[moon puppy]

Too late now but when I use Tamiya gloss i first paint with the appropriate flat colour.

I did, think you missed a earlier post.

You talking about Tamiya smoke, X19? Don't have that but after trying to find some clean sanding sticks and pads I think I'm about to do a spruebro order.

 

[rob hart]

I always polish the clear coat after I apply it over the decals.

 

[moon puppy]

Short of some acid rain hitting it I'm happy with the black gloss now.

Now the question is what clear coat, Testers or the freakin' Alclad. I can hear the collective gasp as I type

 

[Rhino]

OOoooohh! Sleek and speedy looking!
Mist on several coats of Future after enough time has passed you are absolutely sure the paint has cured and the masks are off?
Decals first!!

 

[moon puppy]

OOoooohh! Sleek and speedy looking!
Mist on several coats of Future after enough time has passed you are absolutely sure the paint has cured and the masks are off?
Decals first!!

Time...I have to have instant gratification!!

OK Maybe I turn to the Jap tank on the beach for a week.

 

[Impisi]

yep, it looks really sleek and speedy - very cool.

I don't get that clear coat question ... why not put the decals on now and then a sealing Future and after that the clear coat of the shine level it needs?

But as Rhino said, with or without a clear coat before decals, let it dry for at least 2 to 3 days

 

[moon puppy]

Martin I want to have a good seal coat on the black to protect it, give the decals or more smoother surface to bond with. I really don't want my chicken grease fingers to mar the paint job either!

 

[Impisi]

understand, I'd just use Future then. The two you show there I've never used, the only other one I have besides Future is the Vallejo PU varnish

 

[errains]

 

[Paulw]

I would go with the Alclad that way the decal setting solution wont attack the finish then seal it well.

 

[moon puppy]

I'll have to practice with that alclad before doing it. It would surely seal it in wouldn't it?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Have not used the clear base coat. Spray some blackpaint on a piece of plastic then the clear over it and see what it does.