Painting Aircraft Tires

7474
I am pro 1/48th builder w/ a dab in 1/72nd .When it comes to painting items I break the rules. What I do as for the tires, I base coat the tire scale black( whatever black you prefer). Then either I mask around the innereds or do a wash using white. With the white I build it up till I am happy w/ the results(creates natural shadowing). Doing the whole a/c is another story in itself...LOL
With painting tires in 1/72 or smaller I may do the reverse but then again each model I do is different. Flaps up, Mike

does any body know how to paint the small wheels such as tail wheels on tail draggers, or small scale airliners, like 747 in 1.200?

I like to use RLM66 or Pactra hot rod primer. Some thing in a very dark gray black. Testors has a color Rubber Tire. It is more brown.

I usually use Scale Black with Flat Black ground contact areas, but it does appear that the natural rubber tires used up until the 1930s could be a light gray sometimes, or a brown-black. The Germans used synthetic rubber during WWII, and this material often appears dark gray, which may indicate that they did not use as much carbon black as did the Allies.

Hmmmm.... I thought gunze sngyo makes a colour called "tire black" code no: H-77... It works quite well....

Cheers,
Nandakumar

Marzoo,
For painting a/c tires I usually go w/ "scale black" by Poly Scale. Basically it depends on how I feel and what I want to use!!
Like FreedonEagle said "Happy modeling" Flaps up Mike

Painting a/c tires ... I mix Model Master flat black with a little Model Master gloss gull gray ... it isn't black ... it really is not gray ... it is a light black ... if that makes any sense ... and it isn't flat ... but it isn't gloss either. You have to mix it by "eye", you can't really goof. Give it a try sometime. Happy modeling!

I use Pollyscale Grimy Black acrylic... it's actually a really dark gray that looks pretty convincing. It brushes really well out of the bottle and dries quick.

J.C.