I've used both. The lacquer was PPG Duracryl. The polyurethane basecoat was Deltron 2000 DBC, used under the tutelage of Mark Scarborough. Both cover nicely. White and yellow lacquer can cover in one (1) coat if you know what you're doing. It took me two coats. The lacquer with DCA 468 lacquer clearcoat got both me and Bob Parker, who taught me how to use it, on the front row of the Nats. I think it's nicer to use than dope, but it's not at all fuel proof. Also, it's getting hard to find. I had to scrounge all over town to get all the colors for the last plane on which I used it. I made two planes with the PPG lacquer basecoat and PPG D893 catalyzed clear Isocyanate Death Paint, recommended by PT Granderson. Darker colors couldn't be left in the sun, because the paint would get lumpy, presumably because lacquer solvents wanted out and couldn't get though the clearcoat. This was a bit of a nuisance. because it needed to be continually sanded and buffed, but still got on the Nats front row. I used the polyurethane basecoat on my current dog, with the PPG D893 clear. This worked great. One peculiarity of the Deltron basecoat is that the instructions say to put the clearcoat on within 24 hours of tooting the basecoat. It took me four days, but it worked OK. Mark put all the paint on his new Impact profile in 12 hours: http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php/topic,34731.msg373144.html#msg373144 . I don't have the weights handy, but I sorta remember the urethane as being heavier.
Just imagine if you put wheel pants on your planes, you might get 21 points. Derek
Don't rock the boat dude, not now that I have gotten used to the Howard no wheelpants look on my Dreadnought.