Mike Freeman Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 (edited) Hello all, I have an old but still perfectly flyable Baudis 2.4m Salto. Its a lovely model but I found the GRP V-tail way too heavy and the incidences were all wrong too so I made a new V-tail out of balsa and covered it with white Profilm. All was fine but 10 or so years later on and the GRP has gone yellow/cream coloured and the pure white tailplane sticks out like a sore thumb now. Is there a way of treating the Profilm to match or does anyone know of a covering which would match the fuz? I tried to polish the GRP but it looks like the off white colour isn't just skin deep!! ? Many thanks. Cheers Mike Edited April 30, 2022 by Mike Freeman Add photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 It does not look too bad at all and would be even less noticeable if some coloured trim went along from fuselage onto the tail. Maybe a red or gold line made from film? Lighter than repainting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 Mike, respect, you sorted a suboptimal design. It’s an old bitsa, a nice flyer. It’s entitled to show its evolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 (edited) The only option left it to paint, preferably spray, the GRP with both a suitable surface prparation & paint. It would only need to be a thin coat as it is white to start with. It would only be cosmetic as it would nothing for it flying characteristics. I agree with Don. Sometimes a plane is best left to show its history. Edited April 30, 2022 by Simon Chaddock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 1, 2022 Share Posted May 1, 2022 Our local paint distributor zaps the finish with a laser gun and mixes the paint to your colour,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted May 1, 2022 Share Posted May 1, 2022 I have a saying that should help with this "You can't see it at 50 feet" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Freeman Posted May 4, 2022 Author Share Posted May 4, 2022 Thanks for the replies and the reality check. I've decided to leave it as it is. As Peter says it's hardly noticeable when nipping back and forth along the slope and if anyone asks; there is a story to tell, as Don suggests. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 Have you tried using polishing compound on the fuz. It's only the top layer of gel coat that gets discoloured as do many paints. Try a medium grade Faracella finishing compound . Test on a non conspicuous part before buying any compound with either some very fine wet and dry paper or a tiny drop of Cif cleaning cream or similar. If its going to work the yellow discoloration will quickly rub off and original gel coat colour will show through. The Faracella will also restore the factory shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 I have a problem of trying to match gel coat to a new but faded hollow moulded wing (Wik ASW 20), I think it will involve an airbrush! Three recent restorations involved 2K painting of the fibreglass fuselages, recovering the wings (HobbyKing white film) on the Cortina and a strip and repaint of the whole Arriba (wings were glassed and painted with Dulux gloss). The Akro is a new build but the fuselage came unpainted and had millions of pinholes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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