Paint to match polished aluminum?

psween

psween

Pre-takeoff checklist
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psween
So the 150 I have is mostly polished, with red accent on the top of the cowling and turtledeck and a white side stripe. One thing that bugs me about the scheme is the dorsal fairing is gray plastic, and doesn't look good next to the polished vertical or the red turtledeck. I'm looking to freshen up the paint sometime, keeping the same scheme for simplicity and cost, and wonder what you all think about "fixing" that fairing. The way the existing paint goes, it really should be bright like the vertical, but being plastic that is a challenge. Is it possible to get a 'chrome' like paint that would be a reasonable match for the aluminum? Alternately, I could paint it red to match the turtledeck, but then the lines don't flow so well. Not a big deal, but would appreciate any ideas/thoughts.



Patrick
 

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Call someone at American Airlines and ask them what they use on the 'Busses.
 
I painted my 170 a standard automotive silver which turned out very nice. Airplane was originally polished aluminum when it left the factory.
 
While good 'chrome' paints have become available over the last years, they are IMHO too shiny to match polished aluminum. Automotive silver, as suggested by Fearless Tower, however seems to be a good match.

Personally, particularly for parts with such a relatively simple shape, I would try vinyl wrapping it in a silver color. The modern stuff lasts forever, but if you don't like it, you can simply peel it of. There is a number of manufacturers of vinyl wraps, 3M is probably the best know.
 
Hadn't thought of vinyl, good idea. We have a local sign shop that did the graphics on my FIL's RV-10. Bet they would have something close. In the meantime I may try some samples of different silvers/chromes and see if any would work. Patrick
 
Don't know how well it will hold up, but if you want to try a "rattle can" option, try NAPA Chrome, or NAPA Chrome Aluminum. No experience with the NAPA Chrome Aluminum, but the NAPA Chrome is very shiny, Available almost everywhere, and it's $7 a can!
 
Vinyl wrap in chrome
 
The faring on top of the rudder is white, the faring on top of the vert stab, is grey. I would continue the white, from the rudder to the vert stab.
Then down the front of the vert stab, to include the dorsal.
 
I would paint the dorsal and leading edge of the vertical stabilizer white. It would flow nicely to the rudder cap. I am not a fan of polished airplanes with fairings painted to look aluminum.
 
it wasnt even a close match to aluminum, it was more of a gray, when the 300 sat next to any other plane the difference was very apparent.
bob
 
I agree that trying to match the aluminum would be tricky. I've seen a number of polished RVs with "silverish" cowlings and it never looks quite right. Hadn't even considered bringing the white down and around, but now that I look at it again, I think that's now my favorite approach. Thanks for looking with fresh eyes for me! Plane is out of state for winter, and when it comes back I'll be too busy flying to worry about paint right away, but sometime in the next year or so I think it should get freshened up. Thanks again,

Patrick
 
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