Lesson learned

I'm not one to typically mix and match paint components. I've been very lucky over the years with experiments. However, I just recently built two Vintage Performance Super Combat Streaks. I just completed and flew one this past weekend with hopes to have the other ready for Vintage Combat in New Jersey. I painted the one a solid color using a Tesla color which is the pearl white. I never sprayed a 3 stage paint job and this was a first. It came out absolutely terrific. I had some of the white base left.
The model had many many coats of brushed clear and sprayed coats prior to spraying the white base. No issues with the white, it went on perfectly and leveled to a amazing finish. Seeing I had no issues with compatibility, I figured let me use the white base as a blocker coat on the other Combat Streak as it had some dark spots and some browned edges from the laser. The other Streak is also entirely covered in silkspan. The white was sprayed and it looked spectacular. I masked it and began applying dope over the white base. Everytime I pulled the tape, the dope came with it. The white base is exceptionally hard. The white is also a catalyst type paint which uses a reducer and hardener. It's too hard and the dope wouldn't melt into it regardless of how much thinner I used.

My neighbor who provided me the paint said I should've used a etch type primer on the striped areas first which would've resolved the lifting issues. I sanded all the bad areas, remasked, sprayed and it did it again. I gave up at this point and sanded all the paint off of the model all the way back down to the wood. I then sprayed two coats of clear dope to seal and lock down the sanded areas. I sprayed white dope as a blocker coat over the entire model and some of the tight areas which still had residual color began to once again lift. At least these areas were small and only in two spots. I had to sand it all the way off this time using 600 and shot clear over it again.

At this point, I can honestly say that I was seconds away from smashing this one. I did manage to stop all lifting and now I finally after all this am able to go to color without risk of problem. Bottom line is I should've sprayed it out on a sample first
before investing all the time and material into a failed experiment.


Most of this issue is too much dope brushed into the intersections which causes blisters down the road when sprayed. I sanded and cut back these areas and sprayed two coats of clear to lock it down


The dorsal fin checked and cracked because of incompatibility of the two part and dope getting under it. I sanded all the way back down again and sealed with clear dope. I will touch these areas up with white and all will be good once again.