AK Extreme Metal has a "reputation" for flaking or coming off when masked. (Even under a clear coat!) I suspect most people apply it directly over a glossy base, which will reduce the "bite" the metal has on the surface under it. I alway thin a matt model primer (Lacquer) then apply lacquer gloss black and then the metal topcoat(s) over that. (my Go-to for primer, gloss black AND metals is Alclad. for metal, also Lacquers. (All lacquer paints will bite into the layer beneath.) By the way during WW2 the Natural metal finish on the P-51 was confined to the fuselage. The wings were primed and pottied, then sanded as smooth as possible, and a Silver laquer gloss dope applied overall, except for certain panels (eg the flaps and ailerons, LE gun covers and certain bottomside panels. While glossy, the wings actually were visually more like silver paint, than metal. I mix about 30-40% light grey to any alnminium colour to scheive that effect. The rudder should also be a dull matt Aluminium Dope colour. The elevators (early on-up to D-10 machines were fabric covered) so were that colour also, with later all-metal elevatores in NMF. Post-war the priming and filler was often sanded away and the Natural metal restored, including on restored airframes. This was also done on other US fighters like the P-38 and P-47, but with differing panels left NMF. ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/p-51d-filled-wing-panels-help-please.30982/ About 2 screens down for image.
Wow, thank you for sharing with me. I will go back to your points before I start my next Mustang. Appreciate the time you dedicated to write the comment and share your knowledge.
That's some real painstaking work there but definitely worth the effort. I plan to make all my USAAF fighters generic silver without unit markings so they will all have a factory fresh appearance. I hope that I will be able to recreate aluminum as well as your have.
@@modelfun sorry I didn't respond earlier. I actually like the generic look for my models. I know it's kind of boring this way but unlike most people I happen to enjoy the factory fresh look. So overall silver with OD glare panel would be my first choice.
In my experience, the metal effect paint is actually pretty resilient , but the AK Black Base is garbage! If I want a high shine finish, I use Revell enamel or Tamiya lacquer gloss black, both of which can be easily flatted & polished for a much better starting point
Well , google and my calculator say it is 9,525mm. Regardless of the minor difference between 9,4 and 9,5 - How come Revell could make such a mistake? 11,9 vs 9,5 it is quite a lot...
Thank you for showing your setbacks as well as your successes. We all have setbacks! Very nice model by the way!
@talgov01 Thank you.
Thanks for sharing. Very informative and inspiring.
The best paint to imitate Dupont Silver in which Mustang wings are painted is Tamiya LP-11.
Thanks for the hit. I will try it next time.
AK Extreme Metal has a "reputation" for flaking or coming off when masked. (Even under a clear coat!) I suspect most people apply it directly over a glossy base, which will reduce the "bite" the metal has on the surface under it. I alway thin a matt model primer (Lacquer) then apply lacquer gloss black and then the metal topcoat(s) over that. (my Go-to for primer, gloss black AND metals is Alclad. for metal, also Lacquers. (All lacquer paints will bite into the layer beneath.) By the way during WW2 the Natural metal finish on the P-51 was confined to the fuselage. The wings were primed and pottied, then sanded as smooth as possible, and a Silver laquer gloss dope applied overall, except for certain panels (eg the flaps and ailerons, LE gun covers and certain bottomside panels. While glossy, the wings actually were visually more like silver paint, than metal. I mix about 30-40% light grey to any alnminium colour to scheive that effect. The rudder should also be a dull matt Aluminium Dope colour. The elevators (early on-up to D-10 machines were fabric covered) so were that colour also, with later all-metal elevatores in NMF.
Post-war the priming and filler was often sanded away and the Natural metal restored, including on restored airframes.
This was also done on other US fighters like the P-38 and P-47, but with differing panels left NMF.
ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/p-51d-filled-wing-panels-help-please.30982/
About 2 screens down for image.
Wow, thank you for sharing with me. I will go back to your points before I start my next Mustang. Appreciate the time you dedicated to write the comment and share your knowledge.
That's some real painstaking work there but definitely worth the effort. I plan to make all my USAAF fighters generic silver without unit markings so they will all have a factory fresh appearance. I hope that I will be able to recreate aluminum as well as your have.
It took much longer than expected.
Do you have any favourite silver paint for your USAAF fighters?
@@modelfun sorry I didn't respond earlier. I actually like the generic look for my models. I know it's kind of boring this way but unlike most people I happen to enjoy the factory fresh look. So overall silver with OD glare panel would be my first choice.
In my experience, the metal effect paint is actually pretty resilient , but the AK Black Base is garbage! If I want a high shine finish, I use Revell enamel or Tamiya lacquer gloss black, both of which can be easily flatted & polished for a much better starting point
Thanks Craig. I will try Tamiya next time.
In actual fact 12" (300mm) is equal to 9.4mm in 32nd scale
Well , google and my calculator say it is 9,525mm. Regardless of the minor difference between 9,4 and 9,5 - How come Revell could make such a mistake? 11,9 vs 9,5 it is quite a lot...