replicating a silver doped fabric finish

Hi Mike.

Just as a matter of interest for some of your future "dope" projects. "silver" dope is purlely a clear butrate or nitrate dope with alluminium powder or paste mixed in to form a UV base.

It is only "semi" shiny when brand new and tends to go a little dull when exposed to the elements.On your WW1 and some WW2 planes the tipe of finnish you might look at is to brush on the silver (Tamiya X-11 works well) on to the surface.The production planes had the dope , even the colloured dope aplied with a brush ,it wastes less dope and any unskilled person could do it.The planes I have seen has quite a streaky look to it.

I aply silver dope to the planes I rebuild for folks with a spraygun only because it gives a nicer finnish.

With regaurds to the fabrick being more shiny than the metal painted aluu fuselarge I find confusing.The paint on the allu would most likely have been an enamel or similar ,wich is usually more shiny than the dope.

Good luck witrh your plane

Theuns

Wow!! The Nieuport looks great!!  I used the pollyscale ATSF bright silver then buffed with SnJ metal flakes....looks pretty good.

Im trying to get a doped look. Not too shiny like metal, but so it looks like painted fabric.

SnJ Spray Metal or Talon Acrylic

SnJ

Talon:

I used the Testors non-buffing metalizer for the fuselage of the F3F. The instructions say the wings were silver doped fabric, and that the finish was more "reflective" than the fuselage.

Im thinking of using Tamiya Chrome Silver, or the Polyscale ATSF silver, check the results and see then if I should apply any satin or gloss coat. The Floquils enamels may be another option....

Model Master non-buffing Aluminum enamel or, better yet, Floquil Bright Silver enamel will give a good replication.

Regards,  Rick 

I use either the Testors Aluminum enamel or their Metallic Silver.  Depends on what prototype.  Aircraft varied.  Ordinary aluminum doped are not super glossy, but some special planes (racing and aerobatic) have pretty nice finishes, sanded, rubbed, polished and clear doped.  For these I use the Metallic Silver which seems to provide a higher gloss but is a trickier finish to apply.  Again, for most, though- like production finish- I use the aluminum.

Thanks. Is there a way to use airbrush paints and not the spraycans??

Yes, you could use what I use, Tamiya or Testors gloss aluminum in a rattle can.  An additional coat of clear acrylic is optional.

You might even be able to use non-hobby silver paints in rattlecans, like Krylon or Rust-o-leum.

Hope that helps!