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Micro Detonator Cord in cockpit canopies


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I thought about this a while back and feel that it is something that companies like HGW could pick up on. If you have used their carrier film free decals (rivets, stencils and the like) you can see how it would be possible for them to come up with a similar decal that (with a bit of fiddling, admittedly, especially in the smaller scales)  you could apply to the inside of the cockpit transparency to replicate the MDC's used in a lot of the British jets. It could also be used for heating wires or other details that are often found on the transparencies but are nigh on impossible to replicate by the average modeller. Traditional decals with their carrier film simply doesn't look right, and are tough to apply anyway, as they are necessarily skinny little decals that you have to tease into position, but the beauty of the HGW stencil type decals is that the decal is held in shape by the backing that you subsequently remove when dry.

 

I've tried to use the photo-etch ones that the likes of Eduard produce (actually successfully for a change on my Hasegawa Harrier) but it doesn't look right and I'm pretty certain that over time it will come way as it is just held in place by Future, the only way to do so without fogging the rest of the canopy. 

 

Maybe I'm expecting too much of these types of decals but it certainly feels like there should be some way to use them like this

 

Cheers

 

Les

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 12/7/2018 at 10:43 AM, lesthegringo said:

Traditional decals with their carrier film simply doesn't look right, and are tough to apply anyway, as they are necessarily skinny little decals that you have to tease into position, but the beauty of the HGW stencil type decals is that the decal is held in shape by the backing that you subsequently remove when dry.

Yes, the traditional decaling looks not so good:

30720065927_e56b808bd7_k.jpg

 

On 12/7/2018 at 10:43 AM, lesthegringo said:

Maybe I'm expecting too much of these types of decals but it certainly feels like there should be some way to use them like this

It’s a good idea Les, maybe a some manufacturers will offer their solutions soon...

 

On 12/8/2018 at 3:20 AM, BillS said:

One of the trickiest to replicate is Blue Angel and Thunderbird F-4 ADF antennas installed in the rear canopy.

Sure William, and some days ago I thought that I will done it for my future Voodoo builds with a careful masking and a gentle airbrushing.

 

It’s a very interesting thread here, thanks guys! 🤝

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Are you aware that I've had MDC cords for the AV-8B available in gray self adhesive vinyl since 2005? Both 1/48 and 1/32 scale for the Hasegawa and Trumpeter kits. In the last few months, I've released canopy lightning strips for the Tamiya F-14 and the A-10's from Revell, HobbyBoss, Tamiya and Italeri kits. These last items are in my canopy mask sets for the same aircraft and they're done in silver self adhesive vinyl.

 

Kits on the 'to do' list for this quarter are the Bae Hawk, T-45 and Tornado for all available kits. 

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/ordv48003.htm

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/ordv32003.htm

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1097815-flying-leathernecks-flv48003-av-8b-canopy-detonation-cord

 

https://www.flyingleathernecksdecals.com/c/148-vinyl-detail-sets

 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/ordflm48014.htm

 

 

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Nope, wasn't aware  - being non US based means my searches don't necessarily find stuff in certain areas, especially if (and please don't think this is a criticism ) it generally pertains to UK aircraft and their peculiarities. It tends to be a small market!

 

Thanks for making us aware!

 

Les

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16 hours ago, Dave Roof said:

A-10's from Revell, HobbyBoss, Tamiya and Italeri kits. These last items are in my canopy mask sets for the same aircraft and they're done in silver self adhesive vinyl.

Looks great Dave! Any plans to do an antennas?

 

15 hours ago, lesthegringo said:

It tends to be a small market!

Unfortunately, an overseas shipping prices can be unacceptable.

 

Cheers! 🙃

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On 12/7/2018 at 7:20 PM, BillS said:

I’m in agreement. Lots of subjects out there are in need. One of the trickiest to replicate is Blue Angel and Thunderbird F-4 ADF antennas installed in the rear canopy.

+1!  If/when I get around to building a BA Phantom, I was going to try to draw up the antenna and print my own. The decal film is a problem, as Nikolay has shown, but it might be hidden a little better if the canopy is dipped in Future both before the decal is applied and again after it has dried.

 

BTW, Bill, your paint FINALLY went out last Friday. Sorry for the delay. 

 

Ben

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2 hours ago, Ben Brown said:

The decal film is a problem, as Nikolay has shown, but it might be hidden a little better if the canopy is dipped in Future both before the decal is applied and again after it has dried.

This was my first experience, I thought about the clear coat after the decal was applied (actually, I forgot about it 😕)... Is the gloss varnish is OK or an original «Future» needed?

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  • 2 weeks later...

One I would love to add to the Det cord wish list would be for the front canopy of a NASA T-38N. The rear canopy doesn't have it, but the front canopy does and I imagine it might be present on Mk 16 seat equipped USAF T-38Cs as well. I've thought about trying to replicate that on a 1/48 model I have and this thread is nice and timely.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Bulldog 09 said:

Hey Dave, Any plans on releasing the AV-8B MDC cords in 1/72?  I have several Harriers that would benefit from them.  

 

Thanks,

Dave Fassett

Nope.... tried it and they don't come out. They're just too small.

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On 1/12/2019 at 6:52 PM, Bulldog 09 said:

Hey Dave, Any plans on releasing the AV-8B MDC cords in 1/72?  I have several Harriers that would benefit from them.  

Thanks,

Dave Fassett

 

The last time I did one in that scale was when making Arnie's AV-8B from the True Lies movie, which indicates how long ago it was.

What I did was to as accurately as possible size and draw the pattern - or half the pattern, then fold and trace its mirror image - onto ordinary paper.

Tape the paper to the outside of the canopy, then using a fine nibbed mapping pen with white ink, follow the pattern to draw on the inside of the canopy.

The ink was acrylic, so could be wiped off if errors were made, but luckily none were.

 

It' works well for 1/72 scale, but you'd really need three stripes (two outer white, silver or dark grey central core) in parallel with each other for anything larger, to indicate the heater element, which is way more difficult..

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