Talon As A Primer
ByFor the most part modern aircraft are skinned with a aluminum, aluminum alloy or other lightweight metals. So why not skin your aircraft with a NMF as a primer? For the most realistic appearance when heavily weathering an aircraft, you want to start with metal. Follow that up with the primer such as zinc chromate before applying the finishing colors. This way when you scuff and chip away at the paint to weather it, it will have the same appearance as the real aircraft.
Take this Huey, I gave it a base of Talon Aluminum which I also polished up to a nice sheen. After wiping down the model to remove any Polishing Powder residue I mixed up some barrier goo to paint where I want the chipping to be located. In this case I used Elmer’s Wood Glue diluted with some water. I applied it with a brush and let dry. You can use other liquid masking solution or materials such as salt.
Once the glue barrier was dry I applied an Olive Drab (Tamiya acrylics) which I thinned with a little Flat White to give it a more faded look. I applied it thin leaving just a hint in places where the paint had faded an worn through. After the paint was applied and had cured. I used a polishing stick to rub away the glue barrier material and scuff at the paint.
If you find that you’ve gotten a bit too agressive rubbing at the barrier material and have over done it…simply reapply your colors again…this will give it an even greater sense of realism.
You’ll find that Talon once cured is suitable to be used as a base primer for either acrylic or enamel paints.
