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So, I need a break from Warhammer for a little bit. I still love the hobby and hope to start working on painting my 1000 point Drukhari army sometime later this winter or early spring. But, right now, I'm working on some WWII models. My first will probably be a B-17G that I want to have a Bare Steel finish to it. From watching a few videos on YouTube about painting US WWII bombers, Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver spray lays down an excellent base for a bare steel finish for an aircraft. And, yes, I know this is available for a relatively inexpensive price on Amazon right now. But, I'd rather spend that money on another model since I have already have so many Citadel/GW paint pots as well as probably enough Leadbelcher Colored Primer to cover the bomber if that's the right base for this project.

So, I need your help. I'm attaching a picture of what I'm pretty sure is a real B-17 with a bare steel finish on it. The remaining markings on the bomber may very well be painted in colors other than what's in the picture. But, I need help getting the entire bomber's surface to that bare steel look.

So, I'm thinking that covering the entire bomber in Leadbelcher Spray, then layering the entire bomber in Ironbreaker. I had considered Stormhost Silver, but I think that may give it a little *too* bright of a shine... making it look more like a plastic toy than real metal. After a coat of Leadbelcher and Ironbreaker, I'm thinking of covering the entire thing in 'Ardcoat (I understand that this sounds suspiciously like the beginning of a Grey Knights paint guide).

So what do you all think? Would that work to get this result?
1) Leadbelcher Spray over the entire bomber
2) Ironbreaker (most likely airbrushed) over the entire bomber
3) 'Ardcoat (most likely airbrushed) over the entire bomber

From there, I can start adding shades and colors to get to the final well defined look and color scheme I'm going for.

Thanks in advance for your help!

SG

I always find GW metallics to have a sparkly finish to them that wouldn't serve scale models well outside of chipping effects or exhausts. Their metallics I find aren't very realistic.

You might be better served looking into the Tamiya range and AK interactive who do some amazing looking metallic paints. I've got no experience with AK but if you check out a scale modeller called Plasmo on YouTube he uses them to great effect (I think he uses AK)

I think you should invest in some good metallics. For the cost now you can get great mileage out of them and it'll improve the models you paint to boot.

Bare Aluminium effect, surely

 Flinty wrote:
Bare Aluminium effect, surely

Was going to add this. That B17 is sheathed with aluminum , not steel, and wartime planes were not polished like the one in your pic. You are looking for a flat aluminum spray paint. Would not use anything in the GW line for this project.

Would give this stuff a try: http://www.hobbylinc.com/testors-model-master-spray-aluminum-plate-buff-3-oz-hobby-and-model-lacquer-paint-1451?source=froogle&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-KjTp62v3wIVxR6tBh3UegDjEAQYASABEgLi8PD_BwE