metalic paint: airbrush or can?

You will get more control from an airbrush. Some metalizers are specifically made for airbrushing. They are thinned to the proper consistency, something that is very important for airbrushing, especially a metal finish.

Without know what you are painting, or which paints you are considering, its difficult to suggest what may work well for you. The "buffable" metallics will render a "polished," reflective look, but are also the most fragile of paints. Great care in the removal of all surface scratches & flaws is necessary to achieve a realistic metal finish, as the defects will be reflected by the paint.

Hope this hasn't scared you, but it is considered by many to be the most difficult finish to apply successfully. The best advice I could probably give is to find a paint that will give you the "look" that you want, and practice, practice, practice. (on a scrap or spare model - your newest project is not the place to experiment)

Hope this helps.

I'm a Testors fan; not to mention that is about all the hobby shop carries. This is for an F-51D Mustang.

I haven't quite been scared off, but I have a small model to work with. My "control" with my Badger 150 is still a little shaky.

Thanks for the info though

I was in my hobby shop the other night, and I saw Testor's Metallizer paints in small spray cans for the first time. I was really looking for the bottles--which they don't have.
*&$#@^!*&^$*& !! But was wondering if anyone has had any success with the Metallizers in the spray cans? Seems as if they would work OK on kits with large surface areas.

Assuming ther're still lacquer-based, I would think substantial ventilation would be required before cranking up one of these babies!

Gip Winecoff

I painted a couple 1/48 a/c with MM metalizer rattle cans and they came out quite good. In fact, I chose the cans because the large subject would have meant refillling my color cup a couple times.
Remember with cans to hold the can further than you normally would because this paint is thinner than the regular suff and you don't want runs. Make sure you can vent the room, too, because these are pretty strong fumes.
I wouldn't use a regular "silver" paint for ac, they just don't look right; the metalizers, however, look great.
If you use metalizer in the airbrush, clean up is not a problem at all if you're used to using enamels.