Metal Finishes

Hi guys !

I would like to know your opinion about this topic. I have been looking in the Internet, and i have found there are two basic metal finishes in WW1 airplanes, besides just plain metal.

First we have the "hammered metal" finish (i don´t know if the metal were actually hammered...but it looks like just like that...). We can see this finish in some Fokker Eindecker or Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter, adn gives the metal a "mottled" look.

Adittionally, there are the "Engine Turned" finish, we can find it in some Sopwith Camels.....and the Spirit of St. Louis, of course.

So, how can we replicate those finishes in 1/48 scale?....Actually, the hammered metal look is quite easy (here at the forum i have found some good tips), but the engine turned effect is a diferent story. Do you know any technique to replicate that look?

Now, talking just about the Camels, i have found a few pictures that clearly show engine turned Camels (WD 26, pages 1, 3 and13)....so my question is Does every Camel should have engine turned metal parts?...or just some of them?


Thank you very much guys, and i´m lookng forward to hear your opinions!!

Carlos

[Sreiko]

I don't understand term tutned? Is this mean high polishing? In this way you have a lot of polishing colors such as SNJ but also there is a range of Humbrol or Model master very shiny and glitter natural metal tones.

Hope that I talk what you want to hear

Hi Sreiko :

Look, i have attached a picture so you can see what i mean...

Greetting!

[Taz]

Carlos- What you show is engine turning, which was used as an anti-corrosion treatment on aluminum. Even though it looks like you would be able to feel the engine turning, it is actually smooth to the touch. Aluminum sheet was engine turned while still flat, and then formed into panels, cowls, etc with what is called an English wheel in English (imagine that). How you duplicate that finish on a model, I leave to the modelers. Fokker Dr.Is used engine turned sheet aluminum on the cowl and removable aluminum top and bottom panels, but all production Dr.I panels were painted so it is difficult to tell. On the Eindeckers, the panels were left unpainted, so it is easy to see. A recent thread described how to duplicate the engine turned look on Eindecker panels. The first two Fokker Triplanes V.4 WN 1661 and V.5 WN 1697/F.I 101/17 had unpainted, engine turned cowls and removable panels.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[jumpinjan]

Use a pencil eraser. There are battery powered erasers too.

[NeilE]

Hi

If you are modelling a turned Sopwith cowl which had a quite evenly spaced turning pattern, you could try Alclad for this effect. Prime your cowling as usual with a gloss black, and then where you want the turning pattern to show, paint small gloss white dots evenly as in the Sopwith Pattern. Then cover with Alclad as usual. When you polish it the white dots will show up as the turned pattern.

I've experimented with this on a Sopwith Triplane cowl and it works fine.

Cheers

Neil

Thank you guys for your tips!!