| SEAMS AND RADIO ANTENNA WIRES |
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FILLING SEAMS AND SANDING THE MODEL AIRPLANE
Removing the seams and joint lines is essential for
the model airplane to look like a fine real life replica,
and not just a bunch of plastic parts carelessly glued
together. Some assemblies almost always tend to result
in unnatural gaps or cracks between the parts. Usual
problem areas include the wing roots (where the wings
meet the fuselage of the aircraft) and the mating line
between the left and the right part of the fuselage.
If left unattended, these areas will give your plastic
model airplane a rather "toy-like" appearance.
Getting rid of these areas is not a hard or complicated
task, but it will take time, patience and a few tools:
a sharp model knife (X-Acto knife), some wet-and-dry
sandpaper of various grades (600 - 1500 grade), model
putty, primer and a paint brush or an airbrush. Sometimes
- on more expensive Japanese models - only some scraping
with the back of the blade is needed to make the worst
mating lines disappear. But on other models, several
filling and sanding sessions must often be completed.
I use Insta-Cure + (cyanoacrylate gap filling super
glue) and add it to both ends of the fuselages and wings.
Glue will dry in approximately 10 to 15 seconds. Then
you can start sanding and wet sanding until the seam
is totally gone. Then prime the model airplane with
a grey primer. Another tool I use is Tenax 7R, it’s
a super fast-dry formula that melts the plastic. Hold
both fuselages together, with a thin brush, apply the
glue to the joints. At first, press gently and then
with more pressure, you will see that the plastic melts.
When dry, use your X-Acto knife and scrape off the excess
glue. Start sanding and wet sanding until the seams
disappear before your eyes. If you see any flaws, then
it is at this point where you can use putty if necessary
to fill minor blemishes. |
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CREATING THE RADIO ANTENNA WIRES FOR YOUR MODEL AIRPLANE
Adding a radio antenna is very essential in creating
a realistic model airplane. The method that I use is
stretched sprue.
Using a candle and employing some excess sprue from
any of your kits, cut out about 4 - 5 inches of straight
sprue. Holding each end of the sprue about half an inch
close to the candle, heat up the middle portion of the
plastic, you will see that in a few seconds it will
start to melt. This is where you remove the sprue away
from the candle. Now, gently and steadily, stretch out
the plastic. Be sure to NOT GO TOO FAST and not go too
slow either. You will get a very thin sprue, which is
perfect for an antenna wire. You will need super glue
(e.g. cyanoacrylate) for gluing each end. First, glue
one end of the sprue to the model airplane carefully,
then wait about 20 to 30 minutes for it to dry thoroughly.
Next step is to glue the other end. This is the difficult
part; you will need to be patient and accurate, using
the right amount of tension for it not to break. On
a few aircrafts like the Me109s and Fw190s, they had
ground wires. You can also use a stretched sprue to
create these. Simply glue one end to the main wire using
Tenax 7R (which is a glue that melts the plastic) and
applying a bit of pressure using tweezers to have it
secured, then wait about 30 minutes. Now to insert the
other end, drill a hole into the fuselage with a pin
vise, you can either use just a small little drop of
Tenax 7R or super glue to install the other end of the ground wire.
Another method that I tend to use is human hair, yes
that’s right, HUMAN HAIR! This is the easiest
way of making an antenna wire for your aircrafts, it’s
easy to glue and I think it’s the most accurate
size for a 1/48-scale aircraft model. But remember,
the hair will have to be long enough to reach from the
tail to the antenna. Seems difficult and frustrating
at first but with practice you’ll get the hang
of it. |
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