Saturn V paint techniques

[kdbarrett]

I'm working on the AMT 1/200 scale Saturn V but I'm having trouble getting the black sections on the fuselage painted. My first problem is that I sprayed the whole thing down with a white base (Tamiya, with a Paasche air brush), but that's coming off on my hands. Should I have followed up the base with a coat of some kind? But I think that's why the Tamiya tape I used isn't sticking properly so I'm getting bleed instead of clean edges when I try to paint the black sections. Then there's the tiny little ridges on parts of the fuselage. Any suggestions on how to get tape into those ridges to keep the lines sharp?

I assume only people familiar with the model or ones like will know what I'm talking about, if I'm making any sense at all.

[kurth]

Exactly what paint did you use for the white? Tamiya Acrylic? Flat or gloss? What did you thin it with?  You can burnish tamiya tape into the ridges to some extent. 

 

 

[RSchnell]

I had the same problem with the black sections. First I tried black bare metal foil, but the black rubbed off pretty easy. Then I tried solid black decal sheets, cutting out what I needed for each section. Had good luck with that. I think I got the black decal sheets from Microscale, it's been a few years since I built that Saturn V!

[Kit Basher]

I also had that problem with the 1/144 version. If I was to do it again, I would mask for the black, then spray a couple of coats of white to seal the tape before I sprayed the black. I don't know if that would work, but I would try it. The black decals sound like a good option too.

[El Roberto]

Was the plastic really clean before you shot the primer?