canopy frame and canopy?

[Guest]

I have only completed 3 models, so I'm quite a newbie (mind you I did bin 3 or 4 that I thought were rubbish or I made a mess of them, and I have 5 in progress), so this question may be a bit daft...

Has there been, or is it possible to have, a separate canopy frame that then has a clear plastic canopy "mated" to the frame, thus avoiding all that fiddly masking or delicate brush work?

[stona]

I have a vague recollection of some after market canopy frames for the Bf109 that needed soldering together but such things are not generally available. I think you'd be looking at scratch building something yourself which means a bit of fiddly masking would be a much simpler option

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Depending on the scale my favoured method is ordinary masking tape laid over the whole canopy if possible or sections if not, burnish into the indented panes with a cocktail stick then with a new our recent sharp scalpel blade cut along the indents, peel away the frame sections, mask three innards and airbrush, or just brush as haphazardly as you like.

I'll mention it's a doddle on 48th scale, even a hurricane, fiddly but manageable on 72nd and nigh on impossible, (for me) on 144th

[stona]

I've some time tomorrow and will do a step by step on some unfortunate canopy part from the spares box and post it here if you like. My method of masking is pretty standard though everyone develops their own little tricks and variations.

It really isn't that difficult in the common scales,it takes about fifteen mintes for a typical section (and bl**dy hours for something like a Ju88).

Let me know!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Know how you feel Mark. They are remarkably fiddly & time consuming.

But the last one I did for a Mosquito started to look good after the previous six & gave me satisfaction. Also can make or ruin a model. So I find that it is a challenge which is really worth all the effort I put into building the model. Also found that they look much better if fitted before painting rather than just stuck on at the end of the day.

Doe not really help with your problem other than to say you have joined the band of love hate jobbers.

Laurie

[Guest]

Just read your first article posted Mark. I have to admit with my first 2 models I bought another model of each to repalce pieces I messed up very seriously in places. But finished them & they are now in the hall of infame.

Good though a recognition that it is not good enough must try better more determination. Do not give up we will go onto the end. Hum ! Where have I heard that before ! Seems this person had a knack of saying the right things at the right time in the right way. Doubt though that he ever painted a canopy but he admired who the men who worked inside it.

Laurie

[Ian M]

The only Kit I have seen that has septate frames and glass is the big mossy by airfit.

The short version is the best way is to mask and paint...Having said that some canopies have such obvious framing lines they are a breeze to brush. Others have such fine marks for the frames they are almost impossible to either mask or brush paint. Still not the reply you hoped for, but the gist of it is it rather depends on the canopy as to the best way to paint it.

Ian M

[Guest]

thanks for all the input guys. I am working in 1:72 at the moment so that doesn't help but it's not a job I hate actually..... no, really I hand-brushed a Hurricane frame and touched up after, and it came out nice. The canopy work is the first thing I look at in a model plane and it's nice to see clean lines, but I just would have thought it possible nowadays to have a frame and canopy that marries together nicely, maybe subtle depressions in the clear plastic matching the frame pattern, then mating them together such that the outer surface of the "glass" is realistically flush with the frame.. if that makes sense? I am experimenting with Tamiya tape masking, non-mask hand-painting, and parafilm-M.. haven't been at it long enough yet to develop "my way"