My hubby hot something like ( I think) that stuff you was talking about. It's like goldleaf but silver. It's this very very thin sheets of aluminum that you use a brush to kinda tap it on. It's pretty neat. He got it for his plastic models to cover bumperd and such.
he hasn't used it yet
If that guy covered that plane with it I am sure it is expensive to buy it. That aluminum leaf stuff isn't cheap