# Photos of My 1/48 Ryan "Spirit of St. Louis"



## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Fellow Modelers,

Below are photos of my Revell 1/48 scale Ryan NYP model named “Spirit of St. Louis”, and used by Charles Lindberg in his solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. The kit is excellent and went together without any problems. There is not much of an interior, but you cannot really see inside the model anyway. I built it straight from the box and used the kit decals. The total project time was 30 hours, which is quick for me since I am a very slow builder. The exterior was painted Model Master Metalizer Aluminum, and then coated with Model Master Metalizer Sealer. The sealer dulled down the bright finish, added a protective barrier and provided a good surface for the decals to adhere to. A weak wash of flat black was airbrushed at random over the “fabric” areas as the finishing touch. Doing this was critical as it created a worn and dirty look, which is very realistic. The nose spinner and propeller were polished with aluminum powder to give contrast against the rest of the model. A highly recommended kit! I hope you enjoy the photos.

Phillip1


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

*More Ryan Spirit of St. Louis Photos*

Final photos...


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Awesome looking! I have seen this model for many years for sale, but never thought to get one. After seeing yours, I will have to get one.


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## surfsup (Apr 19, 2009)

You have done a beautiful Job on such a famous Aircraft.....Cheers mark


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Nice and clean!


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments! It is an easy build for anyone who is interested in this airplane.

Phillip1


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

All you need now is to do a pic in B&W. Great looking! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


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## Al Loew (Jul 3, 2008)

Excellent job! I've been thinking about doing this with Metalizer Aluminum as well, but was worried it would be too glossy, even after the sealer. Did you buff the paint before sealing?


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## Phillip1 (Jul 24, 2009)

Al,

Thanks for the compliment. I used Model Master non-buffing Aluminum paint. It goes on great, but is very fragile and would not stand up to any buffing. I toned it down with Model Master Sealer and then made it look dirty and uneven by airbrushing a weak flat black wash at random. If you want to use a "dull" aluminum, then Alclad offers several aluminums of varying brightness. Good luck.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Excellent work.


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## kdaracal (Jan 24, 2009)

Clean as a whistle!


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