I am just finishing up Tamiya's Skyraider, and was wondering what is the best technique for painting the thin yellow lines towards the front of the bomb so they come out even and look good. I've been blown away by the model itself (only my 3rd airplane), and don't want something as minor as the little yellow lines to mess it all up.

Hi Jeff

Two easy ways are:

1. Paint the bombs yellow and, when dry, mask the stripes with thin strips of masking tape. Next, paint the bombs olive-drab, wait for this to dry and then remove the masks to reveal the yellow stripes.

or

2. Paint the bombs olive drab and apply the stripes as thin strips of yellow decal.

I hope this helps.

Rowan

As Rowan mentioned, masking if probably the easiest way.

So i would paint the whole bomb in its OD colour and then mask it and spray the yellow. If the colour bleeds into the tape, just touch it up.

Hi again

Either way is fine, but I usually apply the yellow first, simply because yellow paint often doesn't have great colour density over a dark base.

All the best

Rowan

I read an article once I think it might have been in FSM about painting the bomb yellow.. then useing really small rubber bands (maybe dental ones can't remember) as the masking material and spray the main color on..

Yep... I go along with Dilbert on the rubber band---- or small rubber "O" rings. Paint yellow, slip on the O ring... spray OD......
You can pick up a small assortment of O rings at the auto store for a few dollars.

I usually paint the bomb OD, then hold a paintbrush loaded with yellow up against it and roll the bomb across the table! (obviously keeping the brush in contact!)

Another version - just cuz....

Paint the bombs the base color. Then mask off the entire base so the entire tip will be painted (not just a stripe). Paint the unmasked area yellow. Then with the yellow tip dry, fill a shallow container with the base color. The depth of the paint should be amount of the base color. Then simply dip the yellow tip in the container. As long as the depth is correct the stripe will be fine.

One thing I've noted is that most US bomb's rings appear to have been brush-painted, not always straight nor uniform.

Thanks for the responses!!! Talk about a variety of techniques here. I think I'm gonna give the O-ring idea a shot first, as I have piles of tiny rings kicking around here.

That is very true, the same goes for Armoured ( or indeed any army ) vehicles. The paint application and finish can be very rough and shoddy on the real thing, unfortunately if you replicate this on a model everybody thinks you just did a shoddy job... .

Cheers
Henk