Nav Lights...

[Micro]

So I got my first kit and I'm just like I kid at Christmas. I really forgot how much fun this stuff is. Anyway, the kit doesn't provide clear plastic for the nav lights. They are simply molded onto the wings and fuselage. I don't want to just paint them, I'd rather have that transparent look. I'd like to cut them off and place clear "lamps" in their place but I have no idea how to make the lamps. Any ideas on how to pull that off?

What I'm trying to replicate are the lights on the wingtip and under the belly. Any ideas on how to pull that off?

Edited September 19, 2010 by Micro

[CrowTRobot]

In the past I have used tiny dabs of 5-minute epoxy for this. I "tease" them into the correct teardrop shape, let them harden, then paint them. I use Tamiya clear paint, and I apply multiple coats to provide the desired color intensity (eg. deep red for the belly light).

[CBREEZE]

Ditto on what CrowTRobot said except paint the lights silver, let dry then the appropriate Tamya clear (red, green). Looks really good. If you are going to paint wingtip position lights, just paint the area where the light shold be. You don't need epoxy in this application.

[Hawkeye's Hobbies]

I carve and polish mine from LiteBrite Pegs

You can also get the tear drop shape by heating and stretching them. Then its a matter of slicing them in two using a micro razor saw. Give them a final sand to shapen and polish.

[11bee]

Carve the shape from some left-over clear sprue and sand using very fine media to get rid of the scratches. Drill a tiny hole on the inside and fill with clear red / green to replicate the bulb. Secure to the model with white glue and you are good to go.

John

[strikeeagle801]

I carve and polish mine from LiteBrite Pegs

You can also get the tear drop shape by heating and stretching them. Then its a matter of slicing them in two using a micro razor saw. Give them a final sand to shapen and polish.

Now, that is a cool idea! I'm going to start looking around for those now on E-bay or somewhere...I don't think they sell those in stores any more do they?

Aaron

[Netz]

Carve the shape from some left-over clear sprue and sand using very fine media to get rid of the scratches. Drill a tiny hole on the inside and fill with clear red / green to replicate the bulb. Secure to the model with white glue and you are good to go.

John

This is what you need to do for the light you pictured.

I always check reference to see the type of light configuration.

That's exactly how I did my F-16 lights.

Once you sanded them to shape, polish them a bit then dip in future.

Curt

[Micro]

Carve the shape from some left-over clear sprue and sand using very fine media to get rid of the scratches. Drill a tiny hole on the inside and fill with clear red / green to replicate the bulb. Secure to the model with white glue and you are good to go.

John

That's what I was looking for. I'm going to use this for the clear lamps and the lite brite idea for the beacons. I'm going to feel really funny going to walmart and picking up a lite brite all by itself!

[Hawkeye's Hobbies]

That's what I was looking for. I'm going to use this for the clear lamps and the lite brite idea for the beacons. I'm going to feel really funny going to walmart and picking up a lite brite all by itself!

You can pick up Lite Brite pegs on eBay for cheap! A bag of assorted colors shouldn't run more than a few bucks and last you a lifetime. Probably find it hard to source them at stores as this product has been out of the popular fold for some time...of course XMAS is coming, maybe it will make a reappearance.

[CorsairMan]

if you want to do the clear lens with the coloured bulb on the inside you can easily do that with some clear sprue, a saw and a small drill in a pin vice.

A small drop of paint down the hole.

Then you just file, sand an polish until its in place with the airplane:

[Micro]

Now that is nice! I'm going to have to try that.