Hi all...

Ok... I know I STILL have to cover my model even if I paint it!

I'm looking to get a nice shiny new model for christmas, and I was wondering how best to finish her...

I haver had plenty of experience in using iron on/geat activated coverings (and by the way, the video guides on these forums are EXCELLENT!) but so far I have only used Solartex and applied a single clour scheme on a piper cub.

My next model will be a more complex scheme (an RAF Chipmunk) so what would you recomend? I'm happy to use Solarfilm and solartrim for this project, but I see a lot, if not most people paint their creations...

What benefits are there to painting compared to coloured films and can you recomend some good reading on the subject?!

And also, if I were to paint, while I can understand how you would seal the wood on a sheeted structure then paint it, what material would you cover the open structures like the wings with before painting?

Thanks!

You would get more replies if you posted this in the Kit building forums.

Cover your Chipmunk with Solartex and then prime and paint it. Use the white covering. It is not painted yet. Fill the weave by putting a couple coats of primer on it. Then sand the primer with 400 grit sandpaper and paint your base color. Tape off where you want the other color and sand and paint it. If your going with multiple colors just paint your base color where it is going to be. Then tape your second area and tape off the rest of the plane. Continue doing this until your done. I clear coat mine after I put the decals and pin-stripping on. This keeps everything sealed and it is permanent. Heres a few pic's of my Chippy painted with this method.

Gibbs

Great advice from Gibbs/NCIS. Paint that thing!!
Film is great when weight and finishing speed are key. In my opinion, painting a plane gives you much more opportunity to make it perfect vs "what you see is what you get" with film... I still use film for some planes, but have really shifted toward fiberglass or a fabric with paint (koverall is a good choice as well as the Solartex). Pardon the ignorance, but are you planning on the Chimpunk color scheme with lots of red stripes on the wings & so on?? Lots of seams with film! Seams in film are a real bummer... They are just "there" to begin with & then they always seem to collect gunk, get snagged by the cleaning rag, etc. Applying clear to the seams can help but isn't as sure a bet as paint. You might even try latex for the colors & then of course clear over this with ideally an automotive 2-part clear as this is one of the very few types of clear which will not yellow over time. If a flat is needed, PPG DCU2026 mixed with regular clear will create anything from a slight satin to an eerily dead flat depending on the mix. I've used latex & clear on two planes now, a B-17 (over glass) and a SE5a (over Koverall).
good luck!

Robnewman,
Personally, I prefer fiberglass cloth and paint. This process provides a very realistic looking surface and adds a lot of strength to the aircraft. There are lots of videos available at your LHS and On Line on "How To Fiberglass". Check out my thread "C-47 Normandy Tribute June 6, 1944" here on RCU. She is covered with .75 oz. fiberglass cloth and painted with automotive paint. You can also see a couple of my planes in my gallery her on RCU. Good luck.