Cockpit masking for 1:72 scalr

[Rogdoc]

Hi

I have returned to modelling after many years to introduce my grandchildren to the hobby and have watched videos of building and painting although most seem to be on larger scales.
As a start, I have got the Airfix BBMF 1:72......want to make a good job of it but the cockpit and gun turret masking looks very tricky.
Any ideas gratefully welcome.
Also, is it reasonable to hand paint small bits on spruce and airbrush larger sections for initial coats and camo?
Hope you can help an old man!

Rog

 

[Wurger]

Welcome to the site Mate. To answer your question... please check the thread ( the link to it below ). I suggest going through the entire topic but you may start with the post #18 there. And additional information to it... instead of a masking tape you can use a liquid called Maskol. It can be applied with a brush or a wooden stick. The liquid when dry becomes water/paint/enamel-proof. The Maskol is a fluid rubber and can b e easy removed when painting is done. Personally I prefer the masking tape of Tamiya. The first paint you have to apply is the interior one. It the way you will get the proper colour od the inner cockpit frame. Then you can apply the camo colours over the interior one. Masking has to be removed at the end when all paints are dried.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/pa...als-guidebooks/masking-28091.html#post1010722

 

[Rogdoc]

Hi

I have returned to modelling after many years to introduce my grandchildren to the hobby and have watched videos of building and painting although most seem to be on larger scales.
As a start, I have got the Airfix BBMF 1:72......want to make a good job of it but the cockpit and gun turret masking looks very tricky.
Any ideas gratefully welcome.
Also, is it reasonable to hand paint small bits on spruce and airbrush larger sections for initial coats and camo?
Hope you can help an old man!

Rog

Thanks a lot. Looks very fiddley so will try Tamya tape first. One bit of confusion though. Surely you don't tape the inside of the cockpit as well! God, I hope not!.
Perhaps I should get a few dozen various cockpits to try first.

Rog

 

[Airframes]

No, you don't need to tape the inside of the canopy - I believe Wojtek was referring to the interior colour of the frames, visible inside due to being on the outside first.
Once masked, paint this colour first, allow to dry thoroughly, then paint the exterior colour. This will then show the interior frame colour inside the canopy.
I presume that, by BBMF, you mean the Lancaster?
Another way of doing it, although slightly time consuming, can be a little easier, and more accurate in this scale.
Lightly place a length of clear 'Sellotape' onto a sheet of glass, or similar smooth, clean surface. Paint the strip with the interior colour, allow to dry thoroughly, then paint the exterior colour.
When fully dry, and using a straight edge as a guide, cut strips of the required width, but longer than required, and carefully peel from the glass. Place over the lines of the canopy frames, press into place, and trim off as required. Then carefully burnish down to seal. These can be sealed in place, if required, by a coat of Johnson's Klear' (Future/Pledge with Klear) and, once dry, the frames can be touched - in with a clear matt coat, using a 000 brush.
It sounds complicated, but is very simple, and extremely effective, and a lot easier than trying to mask the turrets, in particular. It works better with enamel paints, as those toy town acrylics, although they'll work, are not as resilient, and may crack easier when peeling or placing the tape.
Hope this helps.

 

[Wurger]

Oh.. I'm sorry I haven't been so accurate. Unfortunately I was in a hurry writting the post above. And yes Terry is right I was referring to the interior colour of the frames, visible inside due to being on the outside first. The way we do it usually is quite obvious - a cockpit conopy is whole moulded of clear plastic. And there is no reason for applying of the interior colour inside, especaily for 1/72 scale while it can be seen through the "glass". However it is possible to mask a conopy inside too. It just depends on us only if we want to do that or not.