struggleforlife
Member
The pilot looks great. The paintwork is awesome. Funny you should mention 'to small'; I just re-printed my pilot on a bigger scale, because I found him to be too small. Took the printer more than 20 hours pfff.
While the pilot is a little small, the next size up would have been way too big. These odd scales are problematic that way... which is why we need more PILOTS that can be PRINTED.
There needs to be some surface prep. Either a fine sanding or chemical etching. My plan for paint is to apply my vinyl masks and give a rub with 800 git and apply some primer. This should stick well and then I can spray on the color I need. I will not be applying any sort of sealant as over time, the paint will chip and fade a little and give those touches a little more realism. I could probably leave on the base mask and apply a matte clear coat but I'm liking the option to have a bit of chipping. I may change my mind.
Made some progress on covering last night. The flaps are done and look perfect. You can see that the reflection as-applied is ok but once polished they will be smooth and have a near-mirror finish.
View attachment 126296
I support your choice to paint the tanks ... not the least reason being I've made attempts at covering compound-curved surfaces with aluminum tape and I wouldn't wish that task on ANYONE.