I used to use hardware-store varnish (not the Varathane, as it's got too much plastic in it and decals hate it) because it worked well and was impervious to ANYTHING I did to it. Made a great gloss. But, of course, it's slightly amber-colored and darkens with age, so what starts out as a slight color shift on application turns into something worse as time goes on. I've also used Metalizer Sealer but it gets weird under washes too. So I'm stuck with Future. For now.
As for Dullcotte, I thin it 50/50 with hardware-store thinner and hose it on. Never had a problem. I never use lacquer thinner with it. Irony...
On with the fiesta!
I grind up graphite for powder stains and mash the powder into the finish with a sawn-off brush:
Then blend the muck with a Q-Tip (better touch up that gun):
I use a makeup brush to apply pastel powder for exhaust stains.
I wasn't careful or subtle, which was a mistake I paid for later. I stopped when I made sure I'd really overdone it.
Then I got busy with the fuselage and the wings. Rather than making brush strokes to apply the panel-line highlights, I tap a brush loaded with powder along the lines. I get this:
Then I blend with Q-Tips, brushes and my fingertip until things look more like this:
Since I was having so much fun, I did the wings while I was at it.
I removed most of the powder, and was left with this look:
Port side mostly done, but I still had some overdoing to do...
Prismacolor paint chips. That exhaust stain is just too much. In spite of what one may believe, you actually CAN'T remove the powder if you do as I had done. Once it's burnished into the paint, you're stuck with it.
But I was still having fun and I had plenty of Goon Shows left. So I did the starboard side. Now, if you know 109s, you'll know the starboard exhaust stain is much larger than the port one. On the port side the supercharger intake kinda gets in the way. So what did I do? I made the starboard one SMALLER.
In other news, I got my camera today and if all goes well I'll be able to do some glamour shots of this turkey for you. Gimme a couple of days...