I am building a TF P-47 .60 size warbird and am considering using Rustoleum spray paint because of the ease of use and the fuel proof qualities. Has anybody had Good/bad experiences that I should know about? Can I get good results this way? I`ve used cans on smaller parts , and had good luck, but something the size of a whole plane is another story. Am I asking for trouble? Also what types of clear are compatable? Thanks in advance for any help.

-Elric

If you're planning on using metallics such as silver, or flats, you won't have good luck with it.
I've had real good results with their gloss color paints but it has to dry thouroughly. Two weeks isn't overkill.
Also, the clear is not fuel resistant.
I've had excellent results using it on gasonline powered planes.

Ditto what Greg said. I just finished painting my Hurricane with Rustoleum over monocote and it came out very well. As was mentioned, let it cure thoroughly before exposing to fuel. It shouldn't need a clear coat and if you let it weather a while, it will get a nice semi-flat finish.

Well I was planning on using some type of silver, but I don`t like the aluminum look I`m getting. What could I use to get a Silverish looking Thunderbolt? Gray looks too dark. Rustoleum has limited colors here. Any Ideas? Running out of them here. If I go with latex then I have more of a chance screwing up because I am unfamiliar with painting with a paint gun. I am looking for roughly the same COLOR as the silver Ultracoat. Any suggestions?

Elric

The only rattle can silver (aluminum) paint I know of that's fuelproof is the stuff you get at the hobby shop. Lusterkote, Chevron, that kinda stuff. Same for clear.
I have seen some dynamite looking covering jobs where aluminum was duplicated with iron on films cut into scale sized panels before being applied. One was Ultracote chrome and the other was Coverite chrome "Presto". They were to most realistic I've seen outside of using actual aluminum, eg. Flite Metal.

I have a Top Flite Giant Scale Mustang that was painted with Rustoleum Aluminum paint and the gas from the G-45 is taking the paint off slowly. The paint job is awesome so I am hoping to sparay a bit to cdover the missing paint and then figure out what clear I can sopray on it that will be gasoline proof. Anyone have any ideas?

rustoleum is not fuel proof, don't ruin your build by using it. I ruined a one year long build because i read on this forum that it's fuel proof and I used it. A good rule of thumb when buying paint is if it's not sold in a hobby Shop then don't buy it. If you think I'm full of it try this experiment: Take some Rustoleum and spray paint a piece of wood and let it dry for two months, next take some nitro fuel and wipe on the paint, wait a half hour (no one wipes their planes down head to tail every flight, a half hour is probably the minimum time the fuel would be on the plane).

You forgot one VERY IMPORTANT TEST. While many paints are "Raw Fuel Proof", you need to also put the test panel in the exhaust stream of a running engine (about 12" - 14" from the muffler on a 40 size engine ) for about 8 - 10 minutes. Then let it sit for 45 minutes - 1 hour before wiping it down. I found this out the hard way with some clear coats I tested. While the majority of ACRYLIC clear coat enamels were raw fuel proof, not all of them passed the exhaust test also.

Like Irwin has pointed out you can't take everything you read even on our forum here as gospel. We all try to share our experiences and help each other the best we can but with the best of intentions sometimes we err. Usually what you buy in the hobbyshops will be safe but then you do pay premium prices for some of those products when you don't always have to. I have used acrylics with very good results but the clear coat can make or break a good paint job. Always test your paints as described by irwin and campy above and save yourself a lot of grief. They gave us some very good advise

Simple solution which worked for me as a young man building kits for control line? Use whatever paints you like, the cheaper the better as long as it's compatible with the material you are painting, and then hit it with a couple of coats of fuel proof clear coat.

what's a good fuelproof clear to use ? that would work with the rustoleum ?

I have used spray paint on planes and if the fuel proof clear gets scratched then the underlying paint is toast,its a little bit more pricey, but for a good non bad smelling water based fuel proof paint, I have been using www.warbirdcolors paints with great success I thin it about 30% with water and it shoots well with my airbrush a little less with a HVLP gun.
there is also a clear coat available for sealing the paint job.
for a silver metal paint,a product available from paint stores called Modern Masters(Silver Opaque)looks pretty good and has actual metal flakes in it but gives a fine metal finish.
my prefered tools for spraying a compressor powered Binks wren-B airbrush,a graduated syringe for acurate measuring just enough paint and water to do the job.
and some results of my labor my 60 size TF Jug