WW2 RAF aircraft Camouflage painting

RAF camo was very specific, pattern-wise. They used mats directly on the surface of the A/C when painting, so it is a sharp contrast line between colors. No "fade" line between colors, such as with Luftwaffe and US camo patterns. I would use heavy paper, such as construction paper, cut out the pattern, and get it as close to the surface as you can when painting. You can use the instructions on the model for the camo pattern. Copy the camo pattern up to 100%.

For Luftwaffe and US camo, cut out the pattern. Stick it to the wing or a/c surface about 1/8 of inch "raised", using an adhesive, such as "handitak", that can be found at hobby lobby. This will get a more faded line between camo colors. Hit it at a right angle. Just make sure you don't set your pressure too high, or the color will "bounce" under your gap.

For straight lined cammo, like the German splinter patterns, tape is fine. But for the sort of scheme you are after, some guys in the US use silly putty, which seems to work great. That would work great for curved hard edged schemes.

What I did on the Typhoon on this  page, is apply pieces of low tack tape to model, draw outlines with pencil on tape, remove tape, cut along lines, re-apply tape.  It worked pretty well.

Don

As others have said, standard RAF camo was hard-edged. Don's approach of laying down tape, sketching the camo onto it, then taking it off and cutting it is a pretty solid way to go. 

You could also photocopy the pattern at scale, lay down tape underneath, tape the pattern on top of it, and trace it out with an xacto (I think one of those swivel blade models would work very well here). Or you could do the same over parafilm, etc. I've also read of people using damp newspaper paper to mask hard-edged camo.

Your easiest option would be to buy vinyl masks like those gatorsmask.com sells. 

On my Spit, I was dealing with some sort of repaint situation, since the reference photos show a tight, hand-sprayed edge. To get that hint of a soft edge, I traced the pattern onto tracing paper, then cut out approx. 1/4" "ribbons" that followed the camo lines. Taped these down on the base color side, masked the rest off with de-tacked tape, then sprayed away. The effect was mostly hard-edged, but the way I'd taped it gave the tracing paper some "flap" so that a very faint soft edge formed. It's a technique I plan on using frequently in the future.

Thanks guys. Nice!

*Doogs the more I see your Spit the more I drool .. hahaha

In addition to silly putty, similar resources are modeling clay and poster tack. More similar to masking tape is frisket paper.  Frisket paper makes a hard edge, the putty and clay-like materials can make either a hard or soft edge depending on how it is stuck down on aircraft.

I pulled out a roll of frisket film when I was getting ready to mask the Spitfire and pretty much immediately threw it away. The packaging's definition of low-tack and my definition of low-tack are pretty far off. 

blu tack is my best friend. some tacks will leave residue. 

DoogsATX

I pulled out a roll of frisket film when I was getting ready to mask the Spitfire and pretty much immediately threw it away. The packaging's definition of low-tack and my definition of low-tack are pretty far off. 

I wouldn't even know what frisket film is sorry dowg!?  Might be a thing you US boys have but Ive never heard of it of meh..

Randy:  Blu Tak... now thats something we do know. Thats a good idea, cheers!

Jester, are you in the UK. If so might i suggest Bostik white tac. Its less tacy then blu tac and also isn't as gritty. Its the best thing i have found especially as its hard to get silly putty over here.

New Zealand my friend but yeah thats a good idea, we have that here and yeah again.. silly putty hasnt been around this neck of the woods for years.

Cheers mate

I have had good results with it on hard edged German armour schemes. Worth a shot.