An option no one has mentioned yet would be to have your model parts (or perhaps your entire model) vacuum metalized, exactly as they do interior "chrome" plastic parts for cars and other manufactured items.
Vacuum metallization is exactly how subcontractors to Estes processed their nose cones that were chrome metalized. And we all have seen chrome plastic parts on model cars and planes. Ditto for the current Estes chrome Xmas ornaments. The same process is how the chrome Mylar films like Chrome Monokote are produced.
A metal such as aluminum is heated and vaporized in a chamber that has been drawn down to a very good vacuum. The parts are in the chamber and under the same vacuum. The metallic vapor deposits on everything in the chamber. The experts have a special clear cost that goes over the 2-3 molecule thick layer of metal that deposits on the parts without the typical graying out of the chrome-like finish. However, the plastic coating is very thin and not hard to damage. As we all know from our cars, repeated rubbing of metalized plastic parts wears the finish away.
There are a number of small vacuum plating/metalizing companies that specialize in restoring worn automotive parts and many of them will do small car and other parts model parts that are plastic.
The bad news is that, if I recall correctly, they cannot do porous materials like wood or cardboard. They might be able to do a glassed and perfectly finished body tube and an all composite tube should not be a problem. A plastic nose cone should not be a problem, if well polished to start with.
I could see getting a nice chrome finish on an Aerotech kit by having the fins and nose cone vacuum metalized and wrapping the body tube in chrome Monokote.
Google vacuum metalizing for plastic parts and there are lots of vendors out there. Cost is not terrible, but not cheap. Years ago, the shop I work in had a number of built plastic models and some cast resin model vacuum plated by a company.
The link below charges about 24 bucks to do a plastic "tree" from a model kit.
https://www.chrometechusa.com/price-sheet.html
Might be a solution if you really, really had to have a real "chrome" finish on a model or part of a model.
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