Painting and Repairing A WW2 Body Questions!

[Grumpy pants]

I’m getting ready to paint this at the weekend if I have the time, but I have a few basic questions first-

1. Does the body need a light going over with sand paper to help the paint to adhere to it?

2. Is an undercoat of primer really required? 

3. One of the wings has a split- super glue or 2 part epoxy.

I have paint, primer and glues so my plan is use what I already have here in stock.

This will be a light runner that I would like to look nice, but I don’t want to still be prepping and painting it at Christmas 😉

And this will only be a 2nd paint job so please be gentle 😂

[Nobbi1977]

Always key and always primer.

Primer tends to be less likely to react with the base so it gives an even regular bond for the top coats. 
 

Primer a few layers and then a very fine dusting of a colour before you flat it back. Where the colour stays you have low sports that need filling or more primer.

Your final coats is only as good as your preparation.

[Grumpy pants]

8 hours ago, Nobbi1977 said:

Always key and always primer.

Primer tends to be less likely to react with the base so it gives an even regular bond for the top coats. 
 

Primer a few layers and then a very fine dusting of a colour before you flat it back. Where the colour stays you have low sports that need filling or more primer.

Your final coats is only as good as your preparation.

Thanks @Nobbi1977 for the top tips.

Would you reassemble the body to paint as the parts are all now loose?

What glue would you use to repair the cracked wing?

I’ve got a 2 part export or super glue I can use?

I realised this morning the front grill has gone MIA! Which I need to track down now.....

[Nobbi1977]

32 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said:

Thanks @Nobbi1977 for the top tips.

Would you reassemble the body to paint as the parts are all now loose?

What glue would you use to repair the cracked wing?

I’ve got a 2 part export or super glue I can use?

I realised this morning the front grill has gone MIA! Which I need to track down now.....

Paint it assembled so the joints can be filled and sanded with primer.

As for the crack I have a few ideas but not sure how good they all are. JennyMo talked about joining her cut up bodies with Arroldite so that is proven for her. I use the motorcycle trip of a hot soldering iron and a cable tie as filler (old spru for kits). I am sure everyone has there own method for this.

[jonboy1]

Agree with @Nobbi1977 

....except - if the body is one colour and not a metallic etc, I paint the parts separately, so it's easier to get a good coverage. Although, @Nobbi1977 is right that this allows you fill the gaps etc, which you may want to do with the spare wheel cover, wouldn't really be an issue with the other parts though.

I usually use a scotchbrite pad for keying - just find it easier to use than sandpaper - and it lasts a lot longer!

Always prime - it'll prevent about 90% of the causes for anguish later on.

With the crack - my best advice would be to try the superglue and see how it goes. If you can flex it without it cracking once it's cured - great. All plastics react slightly differently, and even how big the crack is and where it is will have an impact on it. If it doesn't work, try the epoxy. Next step is either the soldering iron and sprue technique, or the dremmel and sprue friction method. Again, I've had varying success with both.

Once you've got a couple of coats of primer on, lightly wet sand everything with 800grit wet and dry to get it all super smooth, wash and dry, then light coats of paint. Don't try and get a full coverage of paint in one coat - if it takes you 3 goes to get a nice even colour, you're doing it right. Slow and steady. Besides, it's lovely weather out, so if you leave it out in the sun it'll be dry enough to recoat in 10 min.

[Toolmaker72]

If the body is made of the same plastic as the 1:72 model plane kits I would use polystyrene cemet as that will actual melt the areas of contact and create a better join in the cracked/split body.  Once fully cured then as mentioned above give it a slight flex test before prepping for paint.  No point painting if the repair is weak

[waterbok]

28 minutes ago, Toolmaker72 said:

If the body is made of the same plastic as the 1:72 model plane kits I would use polystyrene cemet as that will actual melt the areas of contact and create a better join in the cracked/split body.  Once fully cured then as mentioned above give it a slight flex test before prepping for paint.  No point painting if the repair is weak

Spot on.

[Grumpy pants]

Thank you all for your tips and input, I really appreciate it.

My plan is too pick this up again over the weekend and to glue the crack, key the body and get a coat of primer on it.

And find the MIA front grill 🙈