painting a super-tight spiral

[Dave Goessling]

I want to do a 1/72 scale Croation Fiat G.50. Some of these aircraft had a super tight black spiral line on a white spinner.

Fiat G50 Freccia Croatian AF 3504 Aug 1944 02

How could I paint that accurately? It's daunting to think of doing a masking tape mask for the black line on white: the black line is so thin. Can't really paint white on black... ?

Some kind of jig to spin the prop next to a black pen?

Ideas appreciated...

 

[Capt. Vick]

Pictures of your prototype please?

 

[Crimea_River]

Normally not a fan of painting white over black but in this case I'd make an exception. After painting the spinner black, I would cut a very thin mask, preferably using vinyl tape, and apply it in the tight pattern then paint the white. I suspect some delicate touch up hand painting with a very fine brush would be needed at the tip.

 

[newst]

Paint the spinner white and carefully apply a series of small segments of thin black decal. Sounds tedious. It may well be. One reason why I avoid such subjects.

 

[Dave Goessling]

Pictures of your prototype please?

There's a photo in the link in my first post...

tia

 

[fubar57]

The spiral is the main reason I avoid Luftwaffe aircraft. I'm still learning to airbrush mottles and then BAM!!!!, there's a spiral to stop me from a great looking subject

 

[Capt. Vick]

What psycho painted that original spinner?

 

[Wurger]

La castrato .. he must have had a very tiny little voice.

 

[bdefen]

What psycho painted that original spinner?

Mussolini

 

[pbehn]

I am surprised aftermarket suppliers havnt come up with pre painted spinners!

 

[fubar57]

I had a look a few hours ago. There are a few in the larger scales

 

[newst]

There's a photo in the link in my first post...

tia

Check that photo carefully. The spiral is tight, but it isn't painted perfectly, there are flaws in the original. It must have been difficult to paint 1/1 also. That should reduce the tension just a bit.

 

[Airframes]

For fine-line, tight spirals like that, in the past I've used a paint pen, or a fine=tip ink marker pen.

 

[sxh62]

My wife looked at the photo and said people do similar decoration on small pottery. She reckoned you could get a small ceramics wheel and use a fine brush drawn down the spinner.

This is theory, it's not been attempted.

 

[SaparotRob]

Damn the ceramics. Full spin ahead!