Bristol Exhaust Colour

I have 2 beaufighter kits awaiting assembly. They are 1/32 and I dont want to rush into them. From what I have read so far, they were bronze, but darkened quickly after use.

So it is going to depend on how "used" your bird is going to be.

Hope it helps,
Muzzleflash

A very good point made. My father used to have to polish the cowling rings - before the war - on his 82 squadron Blenheims but as soon as hostilities started they were left as they darkened and became dull very quickly. So it depends on wether you want to build a 'factory fresh' machine or a 'in service version'.

I recently rebuilt an old Merit Fairey Swordfish in 1/50th (ish) scale. For the exhaust ring I mixed; Humbrol No 55, Fire bronze, with a touch of compucolor CSF 4 Copper to dull it down (though Humbrol would do) and a bit of matt varnish to add depth. I'm not sure if I didn't add a bit of gunmetal too for that dirty effect. Anyway, the end result was just as I wanted and I've had some very nice comments from other people too.
The best thing to do is experiment on some scrap plastic (The same colour as your model! unless you plan to prime it?)
I've got a Tamiya 1/48th Beaufighter to do sometime soon, so I'll be having another go at that finish.
Also, try adding a tough of metallic blue for that heat - treated look, as on motorcycle exhaust's, I think I may have done that rather than used the gunmetal.
Good Luck, Pete

Thanks, Pete and thanks for the E-mail clarifying the metallic blue application. Also thanks to all who responded to my question. I'll test them all.

I just finished an experiment. I took an old engine cowling from the spares (from the Matchbox 1/72 Wellington). The exhaust collector was already painted gun-metal (either Tamiya or Humbrol, I forget). I then rubbed the collector with a Prismacolor Copper pencil, then rubbed with an piece of old cotton teeshirt. It looks pretty good to me, a dark metallic with just a hint of that broze-like colour.