I've been flying/building for 3 years now(I'M 17) I just silkspaned my second plane with hopes of it looking better then the first (a 51 sized impact).its a vector 40 arc,it has 4 coats of 60/40 on bare wood,silkspan applied and another 5 coats of 60/40 dope mix.I'm about to spray a filler coat and was wondering does it have to be silver?

p.s. any other finishing advice would be greatly appreciated

                                         thank you
                                                   Steve

Mr.storick

what do you use?

H Steve,

Are you reffering to a "blocking coat" such as the silver Windy uses after he applies the "filler"? 

For filler, you can use the Aero Filler Randy Smith sells in clear dope, or automotive primer in the spray cans.  Duplicolor makes a large spray can of Filler/Primer that i use for the first coat and regular gray primer after that as needed when I use the auto primer.

After either filler I use a gray that is almost white for the "blocking coat".  This doesn't need to be a full coverage, "deep" or thick, application.  Just enough to even out the color of the plane.  When you get a coat of that on it, look at the surface in "reflection" This is called "candleing" the surface.  You look across it with light reflecting off it, you don't look "at" the surface.  You will see any imperfections that exist.  Go back with spot filling of your choice and spot paint the blocking coat again.  This can be repeated as much as you have the patience for!

Just remember to sand 99.9% of the filler (whichever kind you use) OFF!  It is only needed in the low spots.  And use a SANDING BLOCK at all times as much as possible.   If you go through at anytime to the wood, just patch that area only and go over it again. 

Then the color goes on.

You want to put as little paint as possible on the plane, as evenly as possible (a "flat" surface is what you're after when preparing the model), and still have it "covered".