Rub'n Buff Natural Metal Experiment

Photo 1: Top two stabilizers have rub'n buff onto straight plastic. Bottom 2 stabilizers were first spray painted gloss black lacquer, before applying two light coats of rub'n buff.  

Photo 2: Right side = straight plastic; left side gloss black undercoat. 

Photo 3" Close up of straight plastic. It appears that the rub'n buff has been rubbed away (except at the raised panel lines) and the silver plastic is visible. 

Photo 4: Top stabs = gloss black under coat, not yet buffed. Bottom stabs = straight plastic and buffed with a little rub'n buff re-applied for good measure. 

Photo 5: Left stabs = straight plastic (glossier shine, but less opaque); right stabs = gloss black undercoat (more opaque, but less shiny) 

Krylon Premium Metallic Chrome Paint, about $8 at Michael's craft stores in the US. 

B-17G nose turret painted with Krylon Chrome Paint. Looking good. 

Four engine cowlings, with simple paper cones to prevent overspray on the inside of the cowling, again Krylon Chrome Paint. 

Son "painting" details with a silver paint pen. "Sharpie" marker used for black, blue, red & bright green highlights. 

Fuselage and wings painted prior to assembly. Krylon Premium Metallic chrome silver. 

Lower wing, initially sprayed with Krylon Premium Metallic Chrome Silver paint, and then buffed slightly with Rub'n Buff Silver paste. Not nearly as shiny as straight Krylon chrome.. 

Close-up of lower port wing showing Krylon paint to good effect on cowling, but also showing slight pebble effect on broad wing panels. 

Port lower wing with straight Kylon paint to contrast with Rub'n Buff on Stbd lower wing. 

Fuselage assembled! Elmers clear craft glue used to secure windows. Remaining glazing will be attached after final assembly. 

Even after curing for ~36 hours, the chrome paint is still susceptible to fingerprints, hence the cotton cloth for holding the fuselage. 

Wheel hubs painted by hand with Testors Chrome silver enamel paint. Tire seem filed, but not yet painted flat black-grey. Struts altered for wheels up version. 

Wings assembly with finished nacelles attached. Oops! Must have missed dry brushing cylinders on inboard engine! 

Take 2. Stbd wing had Rub'n Buff applied to underside while port wing did not. Maybe it needs more buffing? 

Wings attached to fuselage. 

Starboard view. Oh, and my Falcon WP-3A radome in the lower left! 

When we attached the wings, the weight caused the upper fuselage seam to split apart. So we reglued & clamped the fuselage with C clamps and upper deck clamped with Rhinocort medical clamp. (No idea of origin.) 

Colored Sharpie markers used for various details. 

Elmer's transparent glue used for all transparencies. 

Craftsmart silver paint pen used for transparency frames and a few touch ups. 

Almost done! Just the nose plexiglas, waist guns and horizontal stabilizers to glue on. Me-109 & FW-190 are for later. 

Close up. Still have to paint the anti-glare panels on nose and engines. Touch up of fuselage crack paint evident. Hmmm...