How to Paint a Model Aircraft
Painting a model aircraft often requires more time then assembling it. You must take precautions to ensure you do not paint parts unintentionally. Some parts are extremely small and require you to apply a thin layer of paint to avoid changing the shape of the aircraft.
Things You'll Need:
- Tape
- Knife
- Brushes
- Primer
- Paint
- Paper towel
- Apply painter's tape to the transparent parts of the airplane, such as the canopy window. Cut the painter's tape to an exact fit with a sharp knife to ensure it covers these parts precisely.
- Apply a spray primer to your model airplane so the paint will adhere to the primer. Hold the nozzle of the primer can about 1 foot from the model airplane and spray the airplane in short bursts. Apply a thin coat to ensure you do not cover the detail of the airplane.
- Paint the model airplane with the base coat of paint. A model airplane typically has a single color that covers most of its surface. The base color for a model airplane is often olive drab.
- Apply additional detail colors according to the instructions on the model airplane. This typically includes markings and insignia for that particular model. Model airplane hobbyists often paint raised features on the airplane a slightly lighter shade of the base color. This allows the features to be more easily visible.
- Wipe most of the paint from your brush with a paper towel before you paint small features on your model airplane. This technique is known as dry brushing.