FighterControl

Next up and in progress is Revell 1:32 Harrier 50 GR1 boxed anniversary kit
Now, as some will be aware this is now a well dated moulding but I have decided not to attempt to change it much. So it is going to be built as per kit plans and original bits.
It has faults I know, but I hope to end up with a nice 'impression' of a GR1 if not a highly accurate model.
1 pet hate from this so far...
I do not like having to fit cockpit glazing before rest is finished...I always end up with scratch or glue or paint marks... Grrr

IMG_5249 by cj9ru, on Flickr

Chris

The trick with canopies is to dip coat them with Klear and dry them off by putting them on a piece of paper towelling to wick off the excess liquid. That will protect the canopy. Then to attach them to the model use a white glue, Krystal Klear for example but I use Hobbycraft sticky glue. As they are water soluble it’s easy to get rid of excess with a damp cotton bud or a licked thumb!

Never use superglue because it picks up the grease from the fingers and leaves fingerprints on the canopy, poly glue dissolves and marks the canopy.

iainpeden wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 11, 2021 10:48 am

The trick with canopies is to dip coat them with Klear and dry them off by putting them on a piece of paper towelling to wick off the excess liquid. That will protect the canopy. Then to attach them to the model use a white glue, Krystal Klear for example but I use Hobbycraft sticky glue. As they are water soluble it’s easy to get rid of excess with a damp cotton bud or a licked thumb!

Never use superglue because it picks up the grease from the fingers and leaves fingerprints on the canopy, poly glue dissolves and marks the canopy.

Yep, I seem to find that the Klear makes the canopies look thinner?!? Don’t know if it’s just me seeing things, but to me it looks like the canopies are indeed thinner.

Good suggestions thanks and I will do that next time.

Well, update..... All my recent builds since I started modelling again have been fairly newish mouldings.
This thing in my opinion is dreadful. You forget how much detail has increased. The raised lines as mentioned to me by Paul actually irritate me.
Second disaster was a paint one. The plastic is kind of shiney and my camo masks lifted off the base grey when I lifted them after spraying.
I will finish this but I am not pleased with how it is looking
I suppose bad models teach you more than good ones... If that true I will be an expert after this one lol
In future I will be doing a little more research before purchase...

Chris

Did you give it a wash in soapy water to get rid of the release agent before painting? If you are not happy and want to strip it and repaint it use Tesco all purpose cleaner, £1 in a yellow bottle. 4 hours on soak will strip the paint and leave th eplastic untouched.

Thanks for all the replies and great information.
I am not going to go the lengths of stripping it. It is not great but I think it will be passable for display on hall wall beside my 1:32 Hawk and Spitfire. From a distance it will be OK.
On a brighter note you always learn more from mistakes....
I have a 1:48 Harrier Gr7a ZD378 with special tail (light blue as in 2001) which I am very happy with so it is not as if I don't have a good one

Chris