I've been building Hasegawa's 1/48 Raptor and its been a giant exercise in frustration. I usually use MM & Tamiya Acrylics but because of the special colors there's just no analogs in those paints.
The base gray, a 50/50 mix of Mr. Color 314 (FS16440 gray) and super stainless, doesn't seem to stick to plastic. I've tried sealers and gloss coats but if I try to mask it then it peels right off. We originally tried mixing Tamiya X-11 with MM 16440, but it did not look good at all.
The afterburners are burnt iron and steel, but again, the burnt iron doesn't seem to stick to the plastic either. I've been trying to use liquid mask and it just takes the paint right with it.
I'm about ready to throw the whole thing in the trash and start over, which is really a shame because I did a great job on the cockpit and gear bays. Any suggestions for how I can salvage my model? Is there at least a good way to crack open the fuselage so I can save the good bits?
The very existence of flamethrowers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, “You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.”
-George Carlin