Painting Realistic Wooden Propellers

[William M. Plansky]

I would appreciate any info on how to get a 1/72 plastic propeller to look
like a real wooden prop. Were props around WWI and the 1920s left natural
or were they stained? What color?
What technique works best and ends up looking real? What Humbrol paints
would be best? A lot of questions, I know!

Thanks, Bill Plansky

[Maiesm72]

Bill

Most wood props were heavilly varnished. You need to check whatever photos of
the particular aircraft to determine grain, etc.

Making a realistic wood prop is really pretty simple.

1. Clean it up and make sure that the prop hub area is well defined and flat.
2. Determine what the base color should be. Anything from a light tan to a
medium brown. Use a gloss paint for this step.
3. After the base color dries pick at least one darker shade of brown. Dry
brush this color from tip to tip. The toughest part is making sure that at
least one streak is pretty strqaight with sharp sides.
4. Gloss coat the entire prop. Future works great.
5. Apply any prop company logo.
6. Do the mounting boss. Natural metal disk with little black spots for the
bolts.

There are a couple of alternatives. Micro Scale/Superscale did decals for wood
props in their Fokker D.VII and Albatros D.III sheets. These are applied to a
gloss coated or Futured prop with matching paint for the hub area. Streak with
a little dry brushing and seal as above.

At least one set of 1/72 scale prop hubs are available as brass etched parts.
Anyone remember who, or do I have to dig deep into the database?

Anyhow, have fun.

Tom Young
5.

[Norman Bulgatz]

Please dig. I'm sitting here looking at an Aero A-100 that needs help so badly...

[Shane Weier]

Norman Bulgatz wrote in message <36E8974C...@netscape.net>...

>Please dig. I'm sitting here looking at an Aero A-100 that needs help so
badly...
>

Fotocut for one. Get them from Rosemont Hobby Shop (BStet...@aol.com)

Regards

Shane