What kind of markers work best to color your R/C models?

Are you guys using something else...that is equally as light-weight?

From : Don Stackhouse

Permanent felt markers are the lightest. Some of the models are not so sensitive to a few extra grams of weight, and on those we sometimes use very light coats of spray paint, just fogged on with the can about 18" or so from the model, just enough to tint the wood. For example, I've used "Dupli-Color" "radiant silver" automotive spray touch-up lacquer from the automotive dept. at our local Meijers store to create natural aluminum paint schemes such as on the Lockheed Electra in the website photos. The gray paint scheme on the A6M2 Zero was done using "Lustrecoat" spray paint. Another technique that Joe used for the green color on the Sopwith Camel is to use airbrush paint, but wipe it on instead of spraying. Airbrush paint has very intense pigments for good coverage with a minimum of paint, but wiping it on with a barely dampened rag puts less paint on the model than spraying (it doesn't soak in as much). Hybrid methods work fine too. For example, the gray underside on the Curtiss P-40B was done with Lustrecoat, and the brown and green on the upper surfaces was done with permanent markers. The C/A glue in some of the seams made the permanent marker in those places lighter colored than on the rest of the model, so I touched those areas up with a brush using some of Tamiya's water-based acrylic paint they sell for Lexan R/C car bodies.

The bottom line is that any method that colors the wood without damaging it and without adding too much weight is fine.

For the insignias and numbers, I create those in Microsoft Paint, then print them out on label stock. You can also print it out on regular paper and then stick the insignias on with a light coat of spray adhesive.

I've accumulated a respectable collection of Paint files for many of the RK series models, and we're planning to have our webmaster post them on the website for folks to download.

Don Stackhouse
DJ Aerotech