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Help on painting the F-22


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Hello,

I just got a Italeri 1/48 F-22. So far I have only started a little bit and must say the cockpit really isn't so fancy at all.

But by looking at the instructions, it looks like the paint guide is not really helpful at all. And I can't find any online templates on the color schemes in actuality.

Right now on my desk, I have plenty of Light Ghost Gray (FS 36375), Medium Gray ((FS 35237), and Light Gray (FS 36435). Will these colors be helpful in the painting process? By looking at these photos:

http://www.arcair.com/Fea1/401-500/Fea457_F-22_Stoermer/00.shtm

http://www.hasegawausa.com/product-pages/hsgs7245.html

Looks like Light Ghost Gray could be used in the nose, canopy frame, and wing edges. The instructions call for "Flat matt gray (FS 36186)" for the majority of the fuselage, and gunship gray (or they call it "flat blue gray") (FS 36118) for the darker splotches on the wings and other fuselage.

Before I go into any painting...is there any advice for me?

By the way, I'm still a beginner and I'm still using dry brush. Yes, I realize this could turn out a challenge but I never knew the F-22 was painted such a way!

Thanks,

Jerry

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You think that's bad, look at the Hasegawas... they need some special Gunze Sangyo "Super Metallics" mixed into the grays for that "Raptor sheen", and GSI has completely pulled out of the US market.

Can you Canadian guys get 'em? Geez, i wish somebody in the F-22 program could chime in about the actual specs...

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Thank you mrmark for the link. So it looks like Light Ghost Gray will do for wing edges, and Gunship Gray for the splotches. But using Aluminum (FS 13834) for the majority coat? Hmm...I'll have to think about that.

Yeah, for you experienced modelers, you can probably tell right off the bat what color it is. But, beginner modeler here!

Anyways thanks for the link and I'll see what else I can find.

Jerry

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Thank you mrmark for the link. So it looks like Light Ghost Gray will do for wing edges, and Gunship Gray for the splotches. But using Aluminum (FS 13834) for the majority coat? Hmm...I'll have to think about that.

Yeah, for you experienced modelers, you can probably tell right off the bat what color it is. But, beginner modeler here!

Anyways thanks for the link and I'll see what else I can find.

Jerry

I used light ghost for the edges and nose, medium for the primary color, and gunship gray for the camo color.

I didn't fool with "raptor sheen" or any of that nonsense. I have seen a few F-22s in person and I didn't feel the metallic look was that obvious. But I am sure I am the minority on this.

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Thank you Captoveur for that information. For the "Medium" gray that you used, is that FS 35237, or Model Master 1746? I have a can of that but I am wondering if it has too much of a green tinge to it.

Thank you.

Jerry

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It depends what look you want. The F-22 does in fact have a metallic sheen but it depends on how you see it i.e. is it in the daylight or is it under overcast skies? What angle are you looking at it from?

In this pic the planes look like they have basic flat grey paint jobs: Grey F-22

In this one it looks very metallic: Metallic F-22

You just have to paint it the way you want it to appear. Either way is "correct." I painted my Academy F-22 in a metallic sheen and here's how it looks in indoor lighting:

IMGP3399.jpg

And here's how it looks in sunlight. You can clearly see the sheen on the nose:

IMGP3422.jpg

Edited by Fly-n-hi
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Thank you for the reply. In my opinion, I like the flat gray color better and I'm not so interested into a metallic sheen so much. After all, the place it goes on my display shelf will probably not have much light reflecting off of it, since it's near the top of the shelf.

But anyways, I guess I will try the Medium Gray and see how it looks, after all it's just acrylic and easy to handle.

Jerry

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Hey for all you F-22 wonderers...

I took the time to read the article that mrvark gave:

http://www.usaf-sig.org/index.php/component/content/article/93-revell-of-germany-f-22a-raptor

Scroll about 3/4 down, this particular modeler used a combination of 4:1 Aluminum to Graphite Metallic ratio paint, as well as a 1:3 Aluminum to Graphite Metallic ratio paint for the main wing and its darker splotches, respectively.

I have not had good experience with Aluminum in general...I am almost scared that I will be applying it to such a large surface...

Any suggestions or comments?

And thank you Fly-n-hi, hope to hear from you soon.

Jerry

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I have not had good experience with Aluminum in general...I am almost scared that I will be applying it to such a large surface...

Take a deep breath, calm down and just follow the steps I laid out. I too, was scared witless about what I was about to do to the model I'd worked so hard on. It turned out that the whole painting evolution (after hours of masking!) took about an hour and was one of the easiest paint jobs I've ever done. Then, after I got the decals on I had to flat coat it and again was terrified that I would ruin the spectacular paint scheme in front of me. Trust me (I'm not from the government!), it will be just fine. It's just that it is so different from what you're used to doing. If you paint it with "normal" colors and ever display it next to one with a metallic finish, you'll regret not having taken that leap of faith into the unknown.

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One product I have looked for is Raptor Sheen by Hawkeye Models (made by Alclad).

Has anyone in Canada ever seen this stuff on our shelves? I look for it on every visit to the States but have yet to find any.

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Gents:

Spraying the aluminum and graphite is really easy. I've used it on several builds and I'm now experimenting with a version of it for the F-35B paint scheme which is similar.

Jim are you ready to Beta Test it for me?

Mark S.

Wolfpak Decals

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In this one it looks very metallic: Metallic F-22

You just have to paint it the way you want it to appear. Either way is "correct." I painted my Academy F-22 in a metallic sheen and here's how it looks in indoor lighting:

Just so you realize, that photo has been heavily tweaked in photoshop.

Ultimately, it is your model.

The medium Gray I used was the basic Tamiya medium Gray in the rattle can. So no FS number.

Edited by Captoveur
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Thank you for the replies, guys.

Captoveur, was the medium gray you used the "Tamiya 86528, AS28" paint color?

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKER5

Ultimately it looks like a great color, but it looks like it is really a little too "matte" or "flat" for a F-22. But thank you for the suggestion. And, I also usually don't buy paints if it's just for one airplane...so in that case I'll have to find a substitute.

Mark S, thank you for confirming the ease of applying the paint. But I'm actually dry brushing my model because I'm kinda new to modeling. I got a little bit more confidence now.

Now, I haven't gotten a jar of Graphite yet, but the more and more I look at a F-22, it makes me think that perhaps mixing the Aluminum and Graphite is not so necessary? The link (post #13) gives some ratios for paint mixture. Will this be absolutely necessary? I was actually going to try applying some Aluminum to an area on the vertical stab but didn't really have time before posting this. And besides, the true color of the grays would vary depending on the angle you look at it, yes?

Thanks for the info

Jerry

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Thank you for the replies, guys.

Mark S, thank you for confirming the ease of applying the paint. But I'm actually dry brushing my model because I'm kinda new to modeling. I got a little bit more confidence now.

Now, I haven't gotten a jar of Graphite yet, but the more and more I look at a F-22, it makes me think that perhaps mixing the Aluminum and Graphite is not so necessary? The link (post #13) gives some ratios for paint mixture. Will this be absolutely necessary? I was actually going to try applying some Aluminum to an area on the vertical stab but didn't really have time before posting this. And besides, the true color of the grays would vary depending on the angle you look at it, yes?

Thanks for the info

Jerry

Jerry:

It's your model so anything goes. To me the base color was darker than the Aluminum. The true color of the greys would be defined by an incident angle of 90 degrees for both the light impinging on the object and the line of sight of the viewer. As the light source moves from that angle the colors will shift based on their refractive indices.

Mark S.

Edited by Mark S.
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Thanks for replying. Tiger27, thank you for that link, and you did a very excellent job on your build. But the paints you mentioned, Boltmetal Gray, Codex Gray, and Chainmail, I don't think those colors are readily available for me here in South California. I did a online search, I didn't really find any suitable jars of enamel paint, so I think I will stick to what I have locally. Either way, your model looks great and thank you for the reference.

Mark, thanks for the info. I'll probably go over to the hobby store and grab some enamel Aluminum and Graphite and mix them a little bit, and I'll probably try experimenting on my own as well. So far the light ghost gray for the edges looks great.

Thanks

Jerry

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Been out of modelling for a long time and this is my first post. I have just finished a hasegawa f-22. I used vallejo game color paint converted from the citadel colours mentioned above. You do have to do a bit of work to get them to spray right but the result for me was excellent.

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