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US Navy
US Navy inter-war aluminum enamel and lacquer
By Brandon Wood. Complied from various sources.
Aug 24, 2013, 08:43

From 1922 or so up until early 1930, the US Navy was coating metals with long-oil iron oxide primer. The aluminum enamel finish was aluminum paste (not powder) suspended in spar varnish. The aluminum finish worked OK over the doped fabrics, but wouldn't last over the iron oxide primer. Due to this problem, the Navy switched to a light grey paint up unitl about 1935. The problem ended gradually in the mid 30s, with a switch to zinc chromate primer and aluminized lacquers (with aluminized dopes being adopted for fabric surfaces).

So the fuselage (of a late 30's biplane. ED) would be a aluminium lacquer, not quite a silver paint, but different from a natural metal finish too.

I have tried a couple of different methods, and really liked the way SNJ looked with a clear coat shot on top of it. I would assume Alcad with a clear coat would produce the same result, but havent tired it yet.


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