Hey all Happy christmas! I'm back for some down time

[slupanter]

Hey all Happy christmas! I'm back from some down time

Thanks all for you kind words. I found I was stuck on my 1:24 stuka and a crappy airfix Zero. I still stuck but feel that fire inside again.

So, anyone got any ideas on quick painting stuka cockpit glass?

[Ian M]

Quick and cockpit canopies dont go together!

Its out with the masking tape and mask off the windows I'm afraid.

Ian M

[Guest]

Yep, Ian has it in a nutshell. I personally hate masking canopies even using pre cut masks which are available for some models. It is sometimes tempting to just get a good quality fine brush and hand paint the frames, seal it with Klear and then glue it in place with a full mask over it or even mask off the cockpit and put the hand painted canopy in place after spraying the rest of the model. I say tempting as I have never had the guts to try it yet lol

[Ian M]

A good idea if you do try to brush paint the canopy. Don't do it on a day when you have the shakes or your arms are tired. You need to be nice and relaxed and fresh! My last Mosquito on her; I had been having a right game trying to get the masking to 'be where I wanted it' and was very close to giving it a good slap! I peeled what tape was on, off and painted it with a hairy thing. Primer and topcoat! I almost worked, Its a question of getting the paint thin enough to not drag out, but thick enough to be in control of.

Some canopies are harder to mask than to paint others are easy to mask and a swine to paint. If the frames are raised, it will be easier to mask but if the frames are marked by two thin ridges its almost impossible to see them when the tape is on and you have next to no idea where to point that scalpel !!! The double lines are though quite good to paint with a brush as they more or less control where the paint goes.

I love the idea in the BIG mossy from airfix. The frames are in grey plastic the winows lose. Paint canopy put glass in! If only all canopies could be like that!!!

One thing is very certain Alex, That blade needs to be sharper than you can dream of and the tape needs to be thin and easy to cut. I fine Tamiya tape is rather good but am mystified as to why the different widths are made from different types of tape! The wide one they do, 48mm I believe, is thin and can be seen through enough to find the edges. You will need the minimum of pressure on the knife or you risk marking the canopy.

Ian M