How to Paint Aircraft

There are as many paint jobs for model aircraft as there are models, but the basics remain the same.

Painting is an important part of completing your model airplane, but it can seem tricky especially if you don't have much experience. One big mistake new modelers make is building the entire kit and then sitting down to paint, making recessed parts like wheel struts or jet turbines hard to get to. And, while you can paint with brush strokes, you will get the best results with aerosol cans or better yet, an airbrush. Working in stages and planning ahead are key aspects of getting the paint job you want.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth or cardboard sheets
• Gray spray primer
• Assortment of acrylic paints
• Assortment of brushes
• Spray sealant
• Spray paint or airbrush
• Mineral spirits
• Glass jar with lid
• Black oil paint
• Painter's tape
• Water
• Clean rags

Instructions

Painting sub-assemblies

1. Study the directions for opportunities to paint sub-assemblies that will be hard to paint after complete assembly. Cockpit details, engines, wheels and struts, machine guns, and bomb bays are likely candidates.

2. Set out a drop cloth or cardboard to paint on.

3. Prime the parts using a spray primer in a well ventilated area.

4. Paint sub-assemblies with acrylic paints using brushes.

5. Spray two coats of sealant on the sub-assemblies, allowing for them to dry completely before applying the second coat. Flat coat sealants work best overall.

6. Mix about 3 oz. of mineral spirits or paint thinner in a glass jar with a dab of black oil paint until it is totally dissolved in the thinner to create an oil wash.

7. Brush the oil wash into the recesses of the sub-assemblies like engines, struts, machine guns, or other metal parts. Allow the wash to settle in for a minute or two before wiping the outer surfaces gently with a clean rag to remove excess.

Painting the body

1. Assemble the plane as directed including sub-assemblies.

2. Mask off any areas already painted with painter's tape and spray the plane with gray primer and allow to dry.

3. Spray the underside of the airplane with a spray paints or using an airbrush first and allow to dry.

4. Spray the base coat of the top paint next.

5. Mask off any areas of the base coat that need to retain their color and spray on additional layers.

Finalizing the kit

1. Spray flat sealant over the whole kit twice to seal the paint job.

2. Put a small amount of paint that is a shade or two lighter from the primary colors on to the tip of a flat brush.

3. Pull the paint off with a rag until little to none can be seen and then pull the brush across the surface to create highlights. This is called "dry brushing."

4. Dry brush details like the cockpit, wheels and other structures and spray again with sealant.

5. Apply decals.

Tips & Warnings

• You should plan to take several hours and perhaps a few days to complete the painting due to drying times.

• Research your topic before you begin. It will help in the decision process.

• Be patient. This is the biggest difference between success and frustration.

• Always spray paints and airbrushes in a well ventilated area.

Resources

• Model Aces: Modeling Tutorials