| Plastic model airplane building is a hobby that appeals | | | | until the paint is dry then apply another coat if |
| to a wide variety of people and age groups. From the | | | | necessary. After painting, clean your brushes |
| youngster building his or her holiday gift to the veteran | | | | thoroughly with the recommended thinner, and store |
| re-creating a piece of history. Following the basic | | | | them upright in an old cup. |
| instructions is generally a good place to start, but there | | | | |
| is a whole world of knowledge beyond the instructions. | | | | |
| Here are some tips for creating a better-looking model: | | | | Spray Cans. Paint delivered by spray can will give a |
| | | | smoother finish than the brush. Cans cool down as |
| | | | they are used which causes the paint flow to slow |
| Wash the parts first. The parts are made by injection | | | | down. Place the can in warm (not hot) water for ten |
| molding, and are covered with a release agent to help | | | | (10) minutes or so to fix this. |
| un-stick them from the mold. This agent will prevent | | | | |
| paint from sticking well to your model. Wash the parts | | | | |
| in soap and water, then air dry. You can use a hair | | | | Airbrush. The airbrush is the ultimate tool for painting |
| dryer to help. | | | | model airplanes. It is like a spray can with much more |
| | | | control. The air pressure and paint volume can be |
| | | | controlled (in some types, simultaneously) allowing the |
| Cockpit. Assemble and paint the cockpit next. The | | | | user to paint fine lines at will. If you plan to keep building |
| cockpit will be permanently enclosed within the | | | | models, it is a worthwhile investment. |
| fuselage halves, and will be nearly impossible to paint | | | | |
| later. | | | | |
| | | | Canopy. The clear plastic canopy has frames that |
| | | | need to be painted. This can be done with a fine point |
| Minimize glue. Use only a thin line of glue on each side | | | | brush and a steady hand. A better option is to use |
| of the fuselage, or each side of the wing. Use only a | | | | masking tape to cover the canopy, then use a sharp |
| dab to attach small parts. You can apply the glue with | | | | hobby knife blade to cut and remove tape from the |
| a pin to have better control over the amount of glue. | | | | frame portions. Then paint, and after drying remove |
| Excess glue gets onto the surface of the model and | | | | the remaining tape. |
| creates lumps which must be cleaned up with | | | | |
| sandpaper. | | | | |
| | | | Gloss Coat for Decals. The water-slide decals |
| | | | (markings) that come with the kit will look much better |
| Alignment. Take care to line up the wings and tail | | | | if applied onto a gloss surface. A clear gloss overcoat |
| relative to the fuselage. A crooked airplane is easy to | | | | should be applied, then after drying apply decals. |
| spot. Use tape to hold the larger pieces together to | | | | |
| check the alignment, before you apply glue. | | | | |
| | | | Flat Coat. If the airplane has a naturally flat (matt, |
| | | | non-glossy) surface, then after applying decals, paint |
| Gap Filling. Sometimes after gluing there will be gaps | | | | with a flat clear coat. |
| between pieces. A gap between the fuselage halves, | | | | |
| or where the wing joins the fuselage, is common and | | | | |
| easy to spot. Fill these gaps with putty, or with | | | | Visit our website for detailed illustrated tips and |
| cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). When the filler is dry, | | | | tutorials on creating a museum-worthy |
| smooth with sandpaper. | | | | World War 2 Airplane Model. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Paint with Brush. If painting by brush, get at least 3 | | | | This article may be reprinted if proper credit is given |
| sizes (wide, medium and fine). Try not to overlap your | | | | and all links left intact. |
| brush strokes, or repaint an area that is still wet. Wait | | | | |