Simple Steps to a Successful Painted Finish

LustreKote Adds the Finishing Touch to Your Models!

R/C models nearly always require some painting to achieve a completely finished appearance — even when an iron-on covering, such as Top Flite MonoKote, is used over most of the structure. Why? Certain materials are more compatible with paint than iron-on film...certain parts are easier to paint than to cover.

Materials and parts such as the following are frequently painted:

• Bare balsa and plywood — C/L airplanes, field boxes
• White ABS — Cowls, wheel pants, scale details
• Metal — Piano wire, aluminum landing gear and struts
• Butyrate plastic — Canopy fillets and framework
• Fiberglass — Fuselages, cowls and wheel pants
• MonoKote or other iron-on coverings — To add painted base colors or trim

LustreKote vs. Ordinary Spray Paint

In many ways, painting is more "science" than "art." Unlike ordinary spray paint, Top Flite LustreKote has a special chemistry that offers many advantages in modeling applications. LustreKote spray paints have been formulated to resist model fuels and match MonoKote colors perfectly, without mixing.

Developed specifically for modeling use.

1. LustreKote can be applied easily to most materials used in model building.
2. No mixing is needed — just shake the can and spray. There's also no waste. You can save any unused paint for another project.
3. After drying for about 24 hours, LustreKote is both waterproof AND fuelproof. Your painted finish lasts for years.
4. You can apply another coat at virtually any time, which makes multi-colored trim schemes and repair jobs a breeze.
5. LustreKote colors match MonoKote covering's 20 most popular colors.

Provides a brilliant, durable finish.

A LustreKote finish generally consists of three layers: a primer coat, color coat(s) and a clear coat. Together, these layers provide the longest-lasting, most color-fast and fuel-resistant finish available from a ready-to-use spray paint.

Primer Coat:
Prepares the bare surface of a part to accept paint and provides a uniform white base coating for the color coat. Primer also includes fillers that repair small scratches and surface imperfections.

Color Coat:
Offers excellent resistance to model engine fuels containing up to 15% nitromethane, and to gasoline/oil fuels as well.

Clear Coat:
Enhances or reduces the glossiness of the color coat (High Gloss Clear provides a "showroom" shine; Flat Clear leaves a matte finish, well- suited for scale models). The clear coat also evens out paint lines on multi-color finishes, so they look like one continuously painted layer.

REMEMBER: LustreKote paint colors are represented as they appear with LustreKote Primer as the base coat. Any other base color may result in a poor color match.

Continue to: Surface Preparation