A-7 Anti-Glare paiting

[Spectre711]

I'm looking for suggestions on how to mask off the anti-glare area ahead of the windscreen of an A-7.  I'm working on a 1/72 scale one and could struggle with thin pieces of tape but figured there has to be an easier solution.

 

Maybe someone has a trick I can use?

 

I'm trying to accomplish what is on this aircraft.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Spectre711

[Finn]

You could always do this one:

 

 

Jari

[Spectre711]

I'm actually doing this one but the other photo has a better angle.

 

Edited February 9, 2017 by Spectre711

[Finn]

Looks like the squadron had variations of anti-glare panels:

 

 

Jari

[Janissary]

I think the key is to find a solid object that has roughly that contour. I used a spoon as a template to cut the mask for the front of an F-18 windshield. I say roughly because you can in fact cut a thin strip of the contour (you may see that on the Tamiya tape under the spoon). So the cut strip will have generally the right shape, but will still be malleable enough to get the correct end result. In your case, you may need to do this only for the front arc, as the two sides are straight. You may even use a circle template like the one in my photo. You just need to make sure the tangents of the circle matches the straight line so that you don't have a kink in the contour. At least, that's how I would do it.

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2017 by Janissary

[Superheat]

Spectre,

 

The VA-86 anti-glare panel is different from the VA-153 panels.  On the '76 cruise, the anti-glare panel extended down to almost the tip of the radome and came to a point, which you can almost see in the photo you posted. Although it is a thumbnail of a different , but contemporary, aircraft, this one shows it better. The bottom line is it will be much easier to mask than you thought.

 

HTH,

 

Tom

[Darren Roberts]

Oh how I wish someone did those markings in 1/48 scale. That would make a nice addition to my Bicentennial collection.

[Bill Staudt]

I would make a decal for that. Paint the windscreen black, and radome white, then cut a half circle or oval shape black decal for the front section.

 

EDIT:

Or a triangle shape based off Superheat's pic

Edited February 5, 2017 by Bill Staudt

[Bob Beary]

13 hours ago, Janissary said:

I think the key is to find a solid object that has roughly that contour. I used a spoon as a template to cut the mask for the front of an F-18 windshield. I say roughly because you can in fact cut a thin strip of the contour (you may see that on the Tamiya tape under the spoon). So the cut strip will have generally the right shape, but will still be malleable enough to get the correct end result. In your case, you may need to do this only for the front arc, as the two sides are straight. You may even use a circle template like the one in my photo. You just need to make sure the tangents of the circle matches the straight line so that you don't have a kink in the contour. At least, that's how I would do it.

 

 

 

 

This!!

[Pete]

20 minutes ago, Bob Beary said:

 

This!!

Agreed!!

[Murph]

Outline the anti-glare panel with thin strips of black decals, which you can bend and curve appropriately, then fill in the remaining area with paint.  That's generally how I do D-Day stripes and curved anti-glare panels, as it gives time to work the decals and make sure it's set the way you want.

 

Regards,

Murph

[Spectre711]

On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 0:48 AM, Janissary said:

I think the key is to find a solid object that has roughly that contour. I used a spoon as a template to cut the mask for the front of an F-18 windshield. I say roughly because you can in fact cut a thin strip of the contour (you may see that on the Tamiya tape under the spoon). So the cut strip will have generally the right shape, but will still be malleable enough to get the correct end result. In your case, you may need to do this only for the front arc, as the two sides are straight. You may even use a circle template like the one in my photo. You just need to make sure the tangents of the circle matches the straight line so that you don't have a kink in the contour. At least, that's how I would do it.

 

 

 

 

this looks like what I have to do but now I have to find a better shot to see if the pattern is what I think it is or what Tom posted.

[Spectre711]

On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 1:28 AM, Superheat said:

Spectre,

 

The VA-86 anti-glare panel is different from the VA-153 panels.  On the '76 cruise, the anti-glare panel extended down to almost the tip of the radome and came to a point, which you can almost see in the photo you posted. Although it is a thumbnail of a different , but contemporary, aircraft, this one shows it better. The bottom line is it will be much easier to mask than you thought.

 

HTH,

 

Tom

Tom, do you think all of the aircraft of the unit had the same anti-glare at this point?  Notice the NM was red on this one where the one I have decals for are black and is an A-7A.

[Superheat]

Hi Spectre,

 

I don't have photos of all the VA-153 aircraft on the 76 cruise, and you cannot see the anti-glare panel in many of the ones I do have, but where it is visible, all have it as in the photo I posted.  But that seems to be moot, since it appears you are doing an A-7A from one of 153's first three A-7 cruises, and most of those have the round type as on the VA-86 aircraft you posted. That being the case, I think Janissary's method is probably your best bet.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom