NMF - gloss or flat

Soviet planes, like the various Migs, were generally silver/aluminum painted.  I suspect most silver paint actually uses aluminum as a pigment.  I volunteered at a museum that had a Mig-15, and it was painted all over. I know using museum planes is no guarantee of authenticity, but I looked into references afterwards and they all said Russian planes were generally painted.

Think about what you are trying to depict. An NMF bird in some climes will weather more harshly and rapidly that the same type of aircraft in another clime. Also think about the service life of the aircraft. Some are so busy flying sorties that there is not much time for clean up work by the ground crew. Just time to re arm, re fuel, and necessary maintenance...

@GAF - cheers, thanks for posting those pics.  Helps to understand how they fade under the sun and in the weather.

@Don - I didn't realise some planes were actually painted silver, I had just assumed they were not painted at all.  Thanks for the input!

cml

@ Don - thanks Don, i thought as much, but just wasn't sure.  I'm assuming on the real things the aluminium didn't have any actual protective coating?

Correct.  There are several protective coatings/treatments but they are all visible and greatly change appearance.  Such treatments were invariably used before painting.  Now, one thing that confuses the issue futher are aircraft such as Golden Age (pre-WW2 US Naval Air) planes that were painted aluminum or silver (Navy fighters had silver or aluminum painted fuselages).

These are not exactly your subject, but they do show the wear and tear of sun and weather on NMF aircraft.

These were taken at the Global Air Power Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA in March of 2013.  It was cold, and the wind was blowing, so there are not as many pictures as I wanted.

The Thunderchief shows some oxidizing.

This P-51 shows different colored panels.  This could be the result of stripping off old paint.

I can't tell if this B-24 is partially painted with aluminum dope or it's just weathered.

This Mig-21 may be painted with dope, or it could just be that the Soviet metals oxidize differently.  Looks very flat, except underneath.

It's a shame these aircraft are outdoors exposed like this, but the government will not expend money on keeping them in shelter when they need new office furniture at the IRS!

Someday I'll post all the photos I have of the museum aircraft.  Quite a collection.

Gary

PS> Of course, click on the picture for a large version. 

@ Don - thanks Don, i thought as much, but just wasn't sure.  I'm assuming on the real things the aluminium didn't have any actual protective coating?

@Theuns - that's a good idea.  I've seen people using the different shades method.  To be honest though, i don't know where to source Alclad close by, so i just stick to the normal acrylic and enamels.  Your suggestion of layering with the one type of paint is a great idea. I'll give that a try next time.

I think the more "important" thing with nmf is (especially alclads) is to try and get diffenrent tones and pannels to break up the mono tone look.

I tend not to use difenrent shades of alclads , it becomes just to expensive, I rather get 2-3 coats of say airframe allu on to get a dark shade (as on my Hun's span wize wing skins) , mask off some panels and then shoot another 3 coats to get a lighter shade.

For me the difference it more subttle

Then I can tone it down with clear coats.

Theuns

Gloss or flat is not a binary function. A metal finish can have various degrees of gloss.  Polished aluminum is the most glossy, heavily weathered, very old planes will be the most matt.;

Excellent - Thanks Theuns and Wing_Nut.

I'm modelling one with a bit of wear and grime, so think i'll go with a flat finish.

Theuns is correct.  You almost wont be wrong no matter what ya do.  Jugs can be shiny to near dead flat and anywhere in between.  best thing is to check a ref pic of the 1:1 if you can.

The allu does "rust" a little and go more flat, but then the OC's plane was usually pollished a bit shinier??

In either case you will be correct.

Here ismy Hun before

and after a few light coats of alclad semi matt

Theuns