Yea, there is no 'best' if it's a sport job, but here's my thinking:

I'm building a half-A flat-wing plane; something that'll go together quickly, fly nicely, and won't make me cry if the winter winds smite it.  I'm primarily interested in a paint job that'll keep the fuel and rain off, but something that looks good would be a very big plus.

Right now I'm looking at doing what I know, which is multiple coats of sanding sealer with lots of sanding in between, or cover the whole thing in tissue as a first step, then sanding sealer, hopefully many fewer coats, for a lighter quicker finish.

I'm not looking for a mirror finish -- I can guarantee you that this plane has lost all possible appearance contests and it isn't even built yet.

Suggestions?  What's worked for you?

And don't paint it white if you're flying in the snow.   

I live in western Oregon.  We don't get snow -- just rain and mud.

>>I live in western Oregon.  We don't get snow -- just rain and mud.<<

Then stay away from Brown.   

I'd avoid tissue or silkspan on a flat plate 1/2a model...to avoid warps. I would consider about 6 coats of low-shrink Butyrate clear, with a little color trim (colored tissue?) or colored ink decor...stripes or stars, etc...maybe stars and stripes?    Keeping it light will make it fly better, of course. The interesting thing about clear is that you can barely weigh the gain per coat...except the first coat. Not so with colors...    Steve   

          Tim, I've done several 1/2 A models and 1/4 A models using clear and colored tissue. I as stated above prefer to use dope like Sig Lite Coat just to prevent warps. I've used regular Sig Supercoat and also Brodak and had equally good results but I prefer the Lite Coat. I feel the Lite Coat retains its clarity and fuel proofing qualities better. I've done 3 coats of clear and then brushed straight thinner over the colored tissue to adhere it followed by a few more coats of clear. I've also used thinned white glue to adhere the tissue,  glue stick will also work. One thing that happens though with tissue which I haven't been able to control is the fading aspect. One day in the sun will do it . I think it looks great though. I've said this before but Nelson Hobby Paints do a great job with no smell and excellent fuel proofing qualities. I apply the Nelson paint after 2 good coats of nitrate as it doesn't adhere to butyrate too well. Ken

3 thinned coats of clear KlassKote epoxy with 600 grit sanding between coats.  This is the minimum weight non-warping finish I have found.  Since epoxy does not shrink, you don't get warping.  It is proof against every level of nitro I have thrown at it.  For deco, you could use decals between the 2nd and 3rd coats (decal paper can be had at Micromark.com, see my Quikee stunt thread in the 1/2A area for an example of this finish).  A bit of trim color could be done with Painter's Choice, Rustoleum or Lusterkote spray.  Check out my Golden Hawk.  It is Lusterkote over epoxy.  The decals are put on over the final spray finish.

Epoxy

Oregon City.

I turn green when I think of that flying field by the aviation museum.

Uh...how to say this...don't be green (with envy) of the EGAM CL bunch, 'cause their CL circles are gone.

Rumor has it that there will be new ones, someplace else on the grounds...a "Phoenix" of a different sort. Without Voles, hopefully. Somehow, I doubt that it will be as kewl as the original circles were.   Steve

I think I can do a nifty looking color scheme with your method of decoupage using tissue, and if it fades it fades (I suspect that red fades a bunch more than other colors -- red dye is usually pretty susceptible to sunlight for some reason).  I also think it won't take too long to get good results, particularly if I want to do more than one color (I like sunburst color schemes), and I can make #2 son happy by overlaying blue and red tissue to get purple -- maybe it'll even entice him to fly the thing.

So that's the working theory; we'll see how it goes.

BTW:  This is the method I used.  It took longer than just enough dope to fuel-proof, but it sure looks nice.  Flies good, too.