I just purchased one of the Hanger 9 pilots (1/7 Japanese).

Does anyone have experience painting these? If so, which paints seem to work the best?

What's the preferred method of affixing them to the plane? I'm making the assumption that you stuff these, or put foam in them prior to gluing down.

Paint it with latex available at an artist supply shop. Is it a full figure pilot, or just a bust? If it's a bust, and one of the real light flexible kind then it can be stuffed with tissue to fill it up. They can be mounted with Zap a Dap a Goo.

Vince

I have used Testors brand enamels on about 5 of these with no problem. On a pilot that will be mounted outside of an enclosed canopy I usually give it a finish coat of some type of fuel proof flat clear. To stuff the pilots I use all of the lint from the wifes clothes dryer. I works great.

Make sure you scrub the pilot in soap and water after you cut the little deformities off from when they molded it. Also cut your pilot to fit your plane if need be before you start painting. Cotton, fiber fill works really well for stuffing the pilot (it should have come with some already in it), but you always have to add some so that the pilot will keep its shape. Cut a styrofoam base that will fit inside of the pilot's body .Glue the pilot to it and then glue this base to your plane. Latex paint works well. Always paint the lighter colors first that way if you mess up, it's easier to cover with the next darker shade. If you need more information, let me know. I paint around 400 of these a year.

Thanks,
Roy
HP Pilots

Thanks for all of the input. I'm feeling a bit more confident about how to proceed.

Question for 76.ta, or anyone else, what color(s) would you recommend for the skin tone of a Japanese person? Oddly enough I lived in Asia for 5+ years, but as far as putting my knowledge to paint - that's a different story.

I mix 4-5 different colors to come up with the skin tone that I apply to my pilots. Not real feasible in your case. I would start out with a basic skin tone, usually if you go to a craft store they will label it as medium or base skin tone. Then mix in a drop or two of brown until you get a tone that you like. Remember that nobody's skin is consistent throughout their entire face etc... and there are highlights, dark areas, so on... Also adding a touch of red for cheeks etc. Remember that what you see in the wet state is not what you will end up with in the dry stage. This is where lots of trial and error comes into play. Let me know if you have further questions.

Thanks,

Roy Seals
H.P.PILOTS

OK, I am going to give away my secret for a near perfect skin tone. I have only tried this on vinyl busts and it works great. I got several different shades of base makeup from the women of the house and painted the lighter shade over the whole bust. Then I used progressively darker shades, usually 2 or 3, to add shading under the eyes, below the cheeks, nose, bottom lip, etc. I used a slightly redder shade for the lips. The makeup is suprisingly easy to work with and if not satisfied with the results, you can simply wash it off and start over. This works only for those pilots that are not exposed to fuel but this is also true for most of the other paints that have been suggested.

There is a Video about painting pilots I use it and always get great comments about my pilots. I think it is from Robins View Productions. It is quite simple to get great results. Sometimes my wife and daughter will do the pilots for me and they always seem to do a better job.
Sparky

Just noticed the video I posted iin the last post is mentioned in the Jan 03 issue of Model Aviation page 146.
I have often thought that at scale contsts that the video should be given out to pilots who used the factory painted pilots, they are so fake. $5 worth of paint and an hour of time and you will have a very nicepilot for your plane.
The other thing is having recently retired from Tactical Naval Aviation I know quite a lot about aircrew flight gear from 1975 to present, so at jet flys a guy shows up with a modern pilot in a Korean era plane, way wrong. Or the planes that have the pilots with the VF-1 "Wolfpack" paint sceam on the helmets. You see lots of them in Air Farce planes, yikes!
Merry Christmass
Sparky

I have a little input on this, My roommate in college was an artist and a very good one. He now does movie posters for a living. For putting tones on a face he thins down red then paints the lips and other areas and then blots the paint off leaving a pinkish stain on the lips. It works with darker colors for cheek bones and eyes.

check them out!

Air Farce!!! your Navy bias is showing through Sparky.

You and yours have a good one also
Vince
USAF 1969-73
463rd Combat Support Group Cam Rahn Bay, RVN 1971-72

Thanks for all the input on this . . .

I checked out my LHS and they have quite a few acrylic paints, so I should be set.

As for Elmshoot, hate to say it but when it comes to the "Air Farce" you're barking up the wrong tree . . .

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Troy, USAF
1984 - present

Troy, Vince,
You are right my Navy Bias is showing, a carreer flying off, (and on 949 times) of aircraft carriers made me that way. Merry Christmas
Sparky
My point is still valid, you souldn't put pilots that are Navy in a USAF plane, some of us know the difference

Moderator:
I thought mentally ill people were prohibited from this site! You have people here who fly off boats! Boats R 4 fishin!
Red X Fred USAF 65-85

It's Ok. I spent 4 years in the Navy. Fortunately for me, I also spent 6 years in the Air Force. The Air Force was able to instantly correct any mental disorders acquired in the previous 4 years.

Most Navy personnel are not so fortunate, but we must cope with their delusions. After all, they ARE still veterans, and we should respect that.

We just have to humor them sometimes.

Elmshoot . . . I wholeheartedly agree with you. For scale realism noone should place a Navy pilot in an Air force aircraft, and vice-versa.

As for the other comments, we've got to have some sense of humour on these boards. I have nothing against the Navy. I've had the fortunate pleasure, in my Air Force career, to live on a Naval Air Station.

Question for you though . . . why is it that naval pilots keep such an accurate account of their carrier landings? Is it because they're so tough to accomplish? I guess I could figure the number of landings I've got . . .

Yes I have 949 landings, I guess it is because no one else in the world does that sort of thing, It is unique to all of aviation. The list of people who have been into orbit is longer than those who have over 1000 carrier landings. I never got a chance to command a squadron, if I had I would have surpassed the 1000 goal but things didn't work out> Now I land a 727 some were down a 10,000 foot runway, kind of a step down as far as airmanship goes, however it was a nice payraise.
Sparky

Here is my modest attempt at painting the 1/7 scale Japanese pilot:



I used various hobby acrylic paints. The pilot is currently sitting in a VQ Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero.

Richard,
Looks good.lots of time and work.
roy

Thanks Roy. Yep, it took a long time and a lot of paint. He got at least two coats of acrylics on him. Here is my 1/7th scale American pilot:



It's too bad this guy has such a bad complexion. There was nothing I could do. I suppose I could fill his face up with balsa filler and sand it smooth, but it's too late now.

Richard L,

I just wanted to say thank you for posting your photo of the Japanese pilot. It's helped tremendously in figuring out how to paint mine.

Troy

Here's a quickie . . . does anyone "primer" their pilot with white paint, or do you just go for it (lighter to darker)?

I just go for it, painting lighter colors or deeper surfaces first.

Acording the the video mentioned above, start with the eyes then basicaly work out from there.
Sparky