Landy Mann

Hi i am making a west wings Olymapian and have got round to painting it whattype of paint do i need for it?

thanks

david

Greyhead

If you want it to fly then I’d either use no paint at all or if you really have to just use a small amount of acrylic of enamel (Tamiya or Humbrol) to colour say the nose block and wing tips to brighten it up a bit.

On models like this even the weight of a coat of paint is very significant, it is preferable to use coloured tissue if you want an overall colour.

Landy Mann

since i have spent so long making it (its my first model) i don't really want to fly it in case i crash it!! i just want it to look nice so from what you said erlier i presume enamal air fix style paint is best. an i correct

thanks

david

Greyhead

David

If you don’t intend to fly it then really just about any paint will do, the important thing to get a good finish is to make sure the tissue and balsa are well sealed and clear dope is the best for this. By the look of your photo the tissue is already quite tight so I assume it’s had at least one coat of shrinking dope, if it is indeed tight enough a couple of coats of non-shrinking dope will prepare the tissue to take the top coats. Humbrol (Airfix type) is certainly a favourite of mine.

Grahame

Landy Mann

I gave it a coat of shrinking dope (celulose) in a 50% mixture with thiners. This morning so i presume from what you said i need to give it several coats of non-shrinking dope (What it it's proper name?). before i painted it also, would i need to mix non shrinking dope with thinners?

thanks
david

Greyhead

David

Non-shrinking dope is the correct name so that’s what you need to ask for and thinned is best. If you use more coats of shrinking dope it will start to warp (twist) the structure.

Grahame

Landy Mann

Thanks I presume 50% dope 50% thinners would be about right.

Thanks

David

Greyhead

David
Yes 50 /50 is OK

Grahame

Landy Mann

thanks i just need to go to the model shop now