I have been getting jealous of the marvelous work you all do here with building and painting models. Some of the work is just stunning.


Anyway, I decided to post the painting of my 1/1 scale Cessna 177 Cardinal .


My sweet girl is getting her spa beauty treatment.







It’s amazing to see her stripped to bare metal. Where the stripper has been cleaned off the aluminum glistens. Some of the disassembly has been done, but there is more. The whole stabilator and rudder will come off. Also the flaps and aelerons. They will replace all the hardware with new stainless nuts, screws, bolts, plates, etc. New bearings and actuators. So it is a major external refurbishment as well as painting. Still a month to go.


This is the color scheme I chose. Going to do some very slight change to how the wheel pants are done and couple small touches.

Cool!

I thought you'd bought an 177 r/g when I saw the first pic before reading.

Too bad bare metal is such a huge PIA to keep looking good...

Awesome looking new scheme though!

"Too bad bare metal is such a huge PIA to keep looking good..."

Oh brother! My SONEX was bare metal. I would never do that again.

I bet...it is so gorgeous when super polished.

Then you walk away, have lunch, and when you come back it's already oxidizing!

I once Captained a 30 year old WORKBOAT with aluminum deck plates that looked that good...for awhile. I wish I still had a picture ( from back in the "back up what?, my computer won't fail." days), it was amazing.

Looks indeed great in bare metal. I hope it won't cost you two arms and two legs (for sure it's going to cost one arm and a leg?)

Somehow I don't think he's going to tackle the job with some rollers and household exterior latex.

1:1, we're gonna need a bigger spraybrush guys! Should look smart when painted up Grog. Nothing beats that feeling when you walk out to your toy for the first time ready to use it when she has a brand spanker paintjob!

LOL Ajay, was just thinking of you. Want to practice your skills?

Think of this: the second flying B-29 (after CAF Fifi) is in polished aluminum finish.

That is a LOT of upkeep.

That's gonna look sweet, OG!

I don't think Grog would let me and my paint anywhere near his machine

Progress. All the parts are off and chemical stripping complete. Big difference from preceding pictures.








You can see how they clean and prep all the interior parts and angles.







And everything gets a physical cleaning and scouring to remove any signs of corrosion or blemishes. They pay particular attention to rivets since they are repositories of corrosion and imperfections. Then they will buff everything to get a consistent finish. It’s amazing how good 60 year old aluminum looks.









Next is anodyne the metal and prep for primer painting. May be primered when I check on Saturday.

Too bad the new paint won't magically convert your 177 into a Me-109 or a Spitfire.

I do like the new paint scheme you chose.


Wheels

Looks like you found people who take pride in their work to do the job.

Here are the parts treated with alodine.







And now with first primer.








Tomorrow I will see it after corrections and second primer.

Looking nice. Looking forward to the next stage OG.


Wheels

I'm guessing the alodine is a protective coating before priming or is it a pre primer, primer?

It is actually both.

https://www.besttechnologyinc.com/s...e-chem-film-chromate-conversion-coating/

Looks like she is getting the full professional job, you must be happy Grog. Makes me wish i was back in a workshop surrounded by cars in various states of repair.

Here she is in primer. They took her out to look for any problems or flaws in natural light.












It is always sad to go my hangar and not see her in there.






But it won’t be long now.