I'm getting ready to buid an old Estes F-22 Air Superiorty Fighter #2124. It's a B/G and the material of the body of the fighter jet is called "Tufflite" which appears to be a relatively dense, closed-cell foam.

The kit has no scrap pieces for testing paints. I've used Krylon H2O latex spray on the Quest MLAS with success, but I only have it in white. It doesn't appear to come in light gray--and besides--I think it's discontinued. yadda, yadda, yadda..................

So, do any of you R/C plane builders have a recommendation for foam-safe primer and top coats?

Thank you!

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Krylon H2O comes in Gulf Gray and is in several online art supply stores.
http://www.pearlpaint.com/shop-Kryl..._8633_1111.html
http://products.misterart.com/h2o_g..._1142010073.php

__________________
I love sanding.

Oh, then it IS still made. Thanks!

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

I reckon. It's still on Krylon's website and in the supply pipeline anyway.

__________________
I love sanding.

The old stand-by is an airbrush with artist's acrylics (tube paints). You mix a special 'medium' instead of water to make it flow smoothly as a mist.

For primers, you might also look into a water-based Kilz. I like regular Kilz because it is a bit thicker, and sands better than other primers; a latex Kilz might work similarly.

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Craig McGraw

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SAM 0044
AMA 352635

Well, as it turns out, the answer was right in fron of my face the whole time. Testors all purpose spray enamels are safe for styrofoam (says so on the can.) Of course I tested it anyway, and the gray primer and the aircraft flat gray are both safe on the foam.

Yay!

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

I was going to suggest Testor's...it however is NOT glow-fuel proof, so use it only for ELECTRIC R/C aircraft, not glow. TopFlite LustreKote I believe is foam-safe, and old favorite Pactra Formula-U was also but had a DISMALLY long drying time. Formula-U CLEAR was the only common paint I knew of that was both fuel-proof and foam safe. Do not know if old Hobby Poxy and K&B super poxy were foam safe or not. Suspect not as they used MEK solvents.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

That's the important step!

I've built several rockets using different types of foam and haven't had any problems with any paints I have tried. But, I remember building some sort of car model when I was young. The body was made of some soft plastic similar to the vacuum form stuff Estes sometimes uses. I spray painted it in the morning before school. When I got home, I went to check on it and found a sticky mess that looked nothing like a car. :-)

-- Roger

The F22 B/G and Death Star are finished. Whomever decided the F22 was "easy to build" (as the package states) must have been huffing Scotchguard.

Now that I know that Testor's Enamel is safe to use on foam, I'll no longer be afraid to finish the Estes MIRV.

Thanks for all of the sage advice on this thread!

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

What brand of silver did you use on the booster?