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Fly-n-hi

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Posts posted by Fly-n-hi

    Masking Cockpits and other glass? Help

    in Tools 'n' Tips

    Posted · Edited by Fly-n-hi

    Welcome to the hobby! There are a few ways to mask the canopies. You can use masking tape, metal foil and liquid masking medium just to name a couple.

    I think most of us use masking tape and many use Tamiya masking tape to be specific. It has good adhesion and can bend around curved surfaces well. Many people cut Tamiya tape down into very thin strips, frame the canopy and then fill in the frame with larger pieces of tape. This is mostly what I do. Be sure to use a new hobby knife blade like the Xacto #11 blade if you're cutting on the canopy part. Also, be sure to burnish the tape down so that paint will not bleed under the tape. And take your time.

    Metal foil is good because it is very easy to see the canopy framing under the foil so it is easy to trace with a hobby knife. The drawback is that it leaves a residue when peeled off but the residue can be easily removed with something like Dissolve It or Goo be Gone.

    Liquid masking is very good for oddly shaped canopies but can hide the frame lines or make them difficult to see. One other thing I do is to mask the framing with the thin strips of Tamiya masking tape then fill in the rest with liquid mask.

    Some people use a product called Parafilm-M which is a product that is useful in laboratories. It sort of looks and feels like wax paper. It also has good adhesion, can mask fairly complicated surfaces and can be easily trimmed.

    Don't be afraid of seam lines in the canopies, either. They are very easy to get rid of. You can use the blade of your hobby knife to gently shave off the seam and than use a polishing kit to polish it out. Most polishing kits have wet/dry sanding pads or cloths with grits ranging from 3200 down to 12000. You can also use polishing compounds like Novus or Tamiya compounds. You can really end up with a crystal clear canopy! Once you do it you'll see how easy it is.

    Many modelers use a product called Pledge Floor Polish with Future Shine. It used to just be called Future and that's what most people still call it although in Europe and Australia its labeled Klear, I believe. Basically, it is a glossy clear acrylic medium. After you polish your canopy you can dip it in Future and the Future will fill in any micro scratches, dry very hard and make the canopy crystal clear. It also has a side benefit of protecting the canopy from CA glue (superglue) fumes which will scar unprotected plastic. This comes in handy when attaching photo etch (PE) parts with CA glue.

    If you go to the ARC Air link at the top of the page that will lead you to a link called Tool & Tips. There are a few pages regarding masking. Also, use the search feature in this forum and use keywords like "canopy masking" and see what comes up. Get ready, though, cause you'll be spending a lot of time in front of the computer reading...trust me, I know.

    Oregon ANG F-15D

    in Jet Modeling

    Posted

    Just about every squadron in the AF is fully combat capable AFAIK. Heck, even the Thunderbirds can be deployed.

    I fly in and out of PDX alot and I typically see the F-15s carrying two tanks, one under each wing. Never seen one carry an ECM pod, though.

    Looking for decals

    in The Spares Box - add scale to your title

    Posted

    Hi guys. I got myself into a bit of a jam here. Just as I was finishing up my 1/48 Hasegawa F-2A with the 6 SQ 50th Anniversary decals I screwed up the silver half of the tail. All I need really are the 3 decals that go on the silver part. Everything else is done. I emailed Hasegawa USA for a new decal sheet but haven't heard back yet.

    Can anyone help me out? Trade? Sell? Give away? Or should I wait on Hasegawa?

    Thanks

    Bitburg Eagle

    in The Display Case

    Posted

    Looks great! You could try Micro Kristal Klear. It looks like Elmer's Glue and I use it to attach and blend canopies with great results. It grips very well. I've had to really pull on parts to get them off. Plus, you can let small drops of it fry to create lenses and beacon lights.

    Need advice on filling and sanding

    in Tools 'n' Tips

    Posted

    I found this little trick by accident.. If the gap is small enough, get tamiya extra thin cement, and let it soak up in the cracks. I used this to great effect on my f-4 on several locations.

    I use this technique as well. If the gap is still there I use Mr. Surfacer 500, brush it along the joint, wait for it to dry and wipe it down with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. The Mr. Surfacer 500 fills it up nicely.

    1/48 HobbyBoss F/A 18C " Chippy Ho "

    in The Display Case

    Posted

    Nice work! What did you do to the drop the flaps? Did you cut the hinges yourself or did you use Hasegawa parts?

    Also...I don't mean this as a criticism but the AGM-88s don't attach directly to the pylons. There should be a launch rail...which isn't included with the HB kit. Just FYI in case you want to change it later.

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