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Antonov AN-2 Gunship


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Has anyone out there in Modelerland ever built the 1/72 Italeri Antonov AN-2 Gunship? (Kit no. 009) I've looked around and can't find where anyone was ever serious enough about this model to finish one. I'm just starting. I've held off building this one, but I want it in my SE Asian wars collection, so it's got to be done. The biggest problem I'm facing (other than a lot of scaping, sanding, filling and cussing at this sorry kit) is masking the many-faceted canopy. I can't find a mask for this particular version. There's one for the Trumpeter AN-2, and for the Revell, but neither looks like the right one for the Italeri canopy. Am I missing something?

I'm also dreading trying to glue on the four clear parts that form the lower portion of the canopy. In my wildest dreams, I can't imagine white glue holding this thing together while I install, mask, paint and finish assembling the beast. Any suggestions? Or has everyone who tried to build this kit slashed their wrists with a dull #ll blade?

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I think a german modeller once did the whole canopy by scratch, using RC-modellers techniques to do it all by his own: http://www.modellversium.de/galerie/8-flugzeuge-modern/2134-antonow-an-2-colt-bilek.html

The whole text is in german, though...

HAJO

Thanks, HAJO, but that's not the kind of help I need. That guy is in another league from me — and 99 percent of other modelers, I think. One thing: Looking at that work, it makes my puny effort look a little less daunting than before.

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Some years ago, Pavla made a resin cockpit set for that kit that included a vac formed canopy:

http://www.pavlamodels.cz/katalogy/detail.php?k=cockpits&c=C72037&styl=styly.css

It's not up to their current standard, but the one piece vac formed canopy should make your life much easier and makes the set worth tracking down.

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Thanks, HAJO, but that's not the kind of help I need. That guy is in another league from me — and 99 percent of other modelers, I think. One thing: Looking at that work, it makes my puny effort look a little less daunting than before.

Uops, sorry, I never meant to discourage you! ;)

HAJO

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Some years ago, Pavla made a resin cockpit set for that kit that included a vac formed canopy:

http://www.pavlamodels.cz/katalogy/detail.php?k=cockpits&c=C72037&styl=styly.css

It's not up to their current standard, but the one piece vac formed canopy should make your life much easier and makes the set worth tracking down.

Yeah, I saw that, and there's one for sale on eBay for $8.41, but when I saw the quality of this kit, I decided not to spend any more money on it. I'll struggle through, and maybe learn something in the process. I do wish there was a mask for the Italeri gunship kit, though. There are 22 odd shapes to mask, not counting the windows in the rear, which I'm going to make with white glue after the model is finished. (I'll mask over them with a strip of tape while I paint.) The windows that come with the kit are not even close to being flush with the exterior. Thanks for the suggestion.

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Two ideas:

1. (I always do that): Brush-paint the frames of the canopy, preferrable with Acrylics. You can easily remove any unwanted paint with a wooden toothpick 15 minutes after the painting (and even hours later).

2.: Paint a clear decal sheet with the color you need and cut out stripes. Apply these stripes over the frames so they look like beeing painted.

HAJO

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Two ideas:

1. (I always do that): Brush-paint the frames of the canopy, preferrable with Acrylics. You can easily remove any unwanted paint with a wooden toothpick 15 minutes after the painting (and even hours later).

2.: Paint a clear decal sheet with the color you need and cut out stripes. Apply these stripes over the frames so they look like beeing painted.

HAJO

Good ideas. I haven't tried either one, so I think I will on this model. It's good one to try things on. Thanks!

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Mask a couple of the frames at a time, and gradually work away until finished

I don't know why I didn't think of this. It simplifies the masking. I'm using acrylics, so it will be easy to clean up mistakes. It's a way to eat the elephant one small bite at a time.

Thank you!

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