Whats the best way to mask aircraft canopys for painting?

[Gerry]

Good day everyone! I wonder if anyone here could tell me how to mask aircraft canopys and windows just prior to painting? Im currectly working on a Revell 1:48 Junkers JU-52 and the model is already assembled. Thank you very much for your help..

 

[rjwood_uk]

there are a number of ways.

some people like to mask the whole canopy off then paint the frame by hand.

one way of doing it is to cover the whole thing in strips of foil, burnish it down and with a very sharp, brand new blade cut around the frames so you are left with the glass parts covered. a good rub down and you shouldnt get any seeping.

you can also try this with tamiya masking tape or a similar low-tac tape, but if you do this, go around the edges with a liquid mask such as maskol from humbrol.

yet another way is to use just liquid mask, you can either try painting the mask on by hand onto the glass parts (if you feel you have a steady enough hand) or you can cover the whole thing and after every section run your finger over the raised parts (the frame) this should remove the liquid mask only from the frame whilst keeping the glass parts covered.

and last but not least, you can buy a pre-cut masking set. eduard make some good ones but they are not always 100% accurate and will sometimes need some liquid mask around the edges. these pre-cut masks are very very thin and quite easy to manipulate. i love using them personally.

here is one for the JU-52 (desinged for the revell/monogram 1/48 kit.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=EDEX070

let us know what you choose and how it turns out!!!

 

[Gerry]

Thanks Richard for the valuable tips. Ill try using aluminum foil strips. I was pondering on the idea of using facial mask (the ones used for makeup). they dry to a rubber-like substance which you can peel of when its dried. I really dont know, I fear it would harm the clear plastic, or so.

 

[Richard1964]

I use plastecine. Get some play-do or similar, push it into the canopy recesses and use a sharp craftknife or toothpick or similar to 'cut' around the canopy frame. Then gently push the plastecine into any spaces and burnish down gently with the toothpick. Works for me.

Richard

 

[wolfflarsen]

I have used the tamiya tape and liquid mask. The one thing with liquid masking is to put it on heavy, too thin and it is hard to remove.

The method can depend upon the canop: large areas, many window frames and how well the frames afre defined. A few dips in Future will go a long way to protecting your clear parts, I alwats dip at leas two times.

 

[stona]

I second the above. A couple of dips in Future (Klear in the UK)is a must. If you do get any leakage under your masks the layer of future will make a tidy up much easier. It also gives your clear plastic a lovely glass like shine!

Steve