Tips/suggestions for F-106 curved anti-glare area?

[Ken Middleton]

Hi Guys,

The current F-106 I am doing has the curved black anti-glare section in front of the cockpit. The last 106, and only other one I have done, had the straight one.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for doing the curve in either masking tape or decal? I was thinking of using a protractor and some how doing the curve onto solid black decal at least for an outline of the pattern.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Ken

[ilpwnp]

I did mine by first painting the nose like you normally would, with a square edge at the rear. Then I painted the area in front of the cockpit with straight edges, which left a 90* square where the two meet. Next I stuck a piece of masking tape to my self healing mat and using a coin for the shape of the curve cut ot two masks and by just "eyeballing" them masked across the 90* and painted the curved part, very easy to do and it looks perfect. I hope this makes sense...

[Mumbles]

Heres how I did my Hustler (currently in the in progress forum)

1. Laid down a thick pice of tape wide enough to include the whole curve, and marked in with pencil the rough curve I wanted. The tape is aligned on a couple of prominent panel lines

2. Removed the tape, and cut the curve with scissors, angling as I went to produce a gradual fine curve along the marked rough line. Once cut the tape was reapplied to the model.

3. Then its just a matter of painting like anything else!

Hope this helps!

Edited December 28, 2008 by Mumbles

[Ken Middleton]

ilpwnp and Mumbles, thanks for the quick replies. I actually like both ideas, and I think can be used together - thanks!

[scotthldr]

I cut strips about 3mm wide from Electrical Insulation tape which will stretch into the curved shape, however with the tape being a lot more adhesive than masking tape I always allow the paint to cure for at least 3 days before applying and take extra care when removing.

[Ken Middleton]

I cut strips about 3mm wide from Electrical Insulation tape which will stretch into the curved shape, however with the tape being a lot more adhesive than masking tape I always allow the paint to cure for at least 3 days before applying and take extra care when removing.

thanks - I had thought of that, but not sure the tape can conform to the curve I need to make

[richter111]

Thanks for the tip!

I usually freehand stuff like that, this will look so much better

[Fishwelding]

For a D3A Val Dive Bomber I did a couple of years back, I used a french curve as a template to cut two mirrored curves on a strip of Tamiya tape. The advantage of a french curve set is you can choose any curve shape you want, especially if the ARC gets sharper through its length. Then, on either side of the nose I chose a point on the engine cowl (or in your case, radome) for the bottom endpoint of the curve, and laid the curve down to the top point at the canopy. If the bottom point is equal on either side of the nose, the curves should be identical, either side.

Edited December 29, 2008 by Fishwelding

[Ken Middleton]

For a D3A Val Dive Bomber I did a couple of years back, I used a french curve as a template to cut two mirrored curves on a strip of Tamiya tape. The advantage of a french curve set is you can choose any curve shape you want, especially if the ARC gets sharper through its length. Then, on either side of the nose I chose a point on the engine cowl (or in your case, radome) for the bottom endpoint of the curve, and laid the curve down to the top point at the canopy. If the bottom point is equal on either side of the nose, the curves should be identical, either side.

thanks Fish - another good idea

[jholt]

French Curve like the other guy said. They make them in diffrent sizes.

[Ken Middleton]

French Curve like the other guy said. They make them in diffrent sizes.

thanks, I will check those out

[Julien (UK)]

I cheated a bit on mine, I kept the bit down from the cockpit fairly straight then free handed the curved bit, does not look too shabby, watch that protrusion on the centre line of the nose cone it is difficult to mask around.

Julien

[Ben Brown]

Hi Ken,

I use that narrow tape from Testors to do the curved stripes on my airliners. It's flexible enough to easily get a curve like what you have there. The hardest part is matching the other side, so I'll use panel lines and a pair of calipers, plus the Mk. 1 eyeball, to get everything lined up.

Cheers!

Ben

[Ken Middleton]

Julien, that looks great

Ben, thanks for the info - yeah, it is making it uniform is a concern of mine