Just a quick question. I’ve seen posts that shows aircraft antenna wire that looks very realistic. Can anyone tell me, or provide a web link that explains how this is accomplished? I usually work with 1/48 scale planes.
Thanks in advance.
A lot of builders use the sprue that the kit parts come on. Very simply you heat it over a flame and stretch it to the desired thickness you’re after.
Or you can try E-Z line thread. It comes in 2 sizes and is stretchable. Less fragile than sprue and already comes in a dark gray tint. It can be a little harder to work with in some applications because its not as stiff as stretched sprue. Check out Roll models or google E-Z line thread.
I never could master stretching sprue, so I use monofilament thread. One tip- do not use either black or white thread- it stands out too much and looks bigger than it really is. I use either smoke colored (translucent) monofilament or a dark gray stranded thread, as small a diameter as I can get.
Stretched sprue is ok but i find its drops after a while. I have been useing fishing line recently, but am going to try EZ line for the reason Nathan mentions.
I use stretched sprue and - at least for aerial wires - haven’t found anything comparable. EZ line always seems too thick to me. Monofilament is awesome - I use it for rigging biplanes - but it really needs a way to be pulled taut, and that’s just hard to do with your standard point-to-point aerial rigging. I’ve also found it can be a PITA to paint.
For stretched sprue, cut a length of sprue from a used-up sprue tree, hold it over a candle until it starts going melty, then pull it away from the candle and STRETCH! It’s a bit hit or miss. Last night in the garage I probably went through 15 pieces before I got one I was happy with (I’m rigging a 1/32 Bf 109).
Once stretched, cut it more-or-less to length, and glue it at each end with CA. I’ve found having some accelerator on hand is a real lifesaver. The pump spray is overkill, but loaded into a touch-n-flow or just applied with a toothpick or old airbrush needle, it works like a charm.
Once glued in place, take a slow-burning something (cigarette, incense stick, fireworks punk) and hold it near-ish to the sprue. It’ll snap taut and look awesome. I know some people who use just-blown-out matches, but I can never get them to work. Either they are still too hot and snap the sprue, or too cool and do nothing.
The “tauting” part of the process is intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before, but it’s really quite easy. Try it out on a scrap kit, and once you get a sense of how it goes it’ll be easy.
This is what I was getting with monofilament before switching to stretched sprue…
And stretched sprue…
Bf 109E-7 1/32
Mosquito NF.II 1/48
Fiat G.55 Centauro 1/32
PV-1 Ventura 1/48
As a heat source, I use a soldering iron when tightening the sprue. A little flux on it shows where the heat is rising.
hey hows it goin, just wondering how you got your pictures up here, i was trying to post some myself
Guitar string also works …008 or .009 is pretty close for 1/48. Very stiff,won’t sag
Also the wound strings are good for all kinds of stuff,tow cables for armor etc
I have had good results with this French made Nylon fishing line that an expert Fly maker gave to me. The diameter is .0031 and I can easily tighten it by using a regular match from a standard pack of matches. Just simply light the match and after a second or two blow it out. Hold the warm match head near the line but move at a steady pace and don’t get it too close. The Radio line that I did with this worked very well, with no sagging. And it is definitely small enough to look scale. I colored it before attachment by using a black Sharpie permanent marker. I don’t know where he got this line, but you could try places like Gander Mountain, Bass Pro, etc. It comes on an Orange spool of about 110 yards. This should last you a life time. NOTE OF CAUTION… don’t use the kitchen size box matches. I found out the hard way that the warm head makes too much heat and the line will melt / break. Stick with the regular matches in a pack. Good Luck !!! Bob
Hey skipper. So far I’ve had pretty good luck with EZ line. I’ve used it several times and for me it has never let me down. As for where to find it Mike Bobe at Bobe’s Hobby House in Pensacola Florida will be glad to help you out. Here’s the link
I’ve had a great deal of success with fishing line. You can get it in any diameter (test) you need and I just run it over a colored Sharpie to get the desired color. It’s easy to attach and very forgiving since you don’t hvae to worry about getting it tight. To get the belly out of the line once it’s attached, I just run a a hot match (blow out the flame first) under it which causes it to contract.
I use stretched sprue, and invisible thread, a nylon sewing thread, depending on the project. For stretched sprue, I’ve moved recently from using the colored sprue to the clear. Sometimes I’ve left the clear sprue as is, unpainted, because from a distance it has the effect of a fine silvery wire. Other times, I’ve colored it black with a Sharpie.
I stretch sprue (a required skill for any ten-year old scratch-builder, BTW) or just use a strand of m’ hair…
BTW, those wire antennas are made of insulated wire, folks… Also, check your refs… That “antenna-mast” may in fact be a blade-antenna and therefore gets no wire run to it, or it may have a small “whip” antenna instead… Especially true with 8th, 9th, 12th, and 15th Air Force P-51s… Same planes, but each numbered Air Force’s Fighter Groups had different combinations of transceiver and receiver set-ups, and therefore, different antenna set-ups…
Also something any scratchbuilder should learn and know, my Don, con tutti respetti
You know what I found works best for me and is the perfect scale and looks the most realistic? My wife’s hair. It’s long and she sheds all over the place. I never have trouble finding a strand in the carpet or on her brush. And best of all…it’s free! Plus it’s nice because hair has a nice elasticity to it so you can stretch it to get it extra taught and not have line droop. Just my [2cnts]
Wow! Now that’s a gap in posts right there! I used to use hair as well but am pretty comfortable with stretched sprue now. I tend to use black sprue and it works out great.
[dto:]
I saved all the sprue from the Revellogram P-61.
I actually tried to use my hair for the rail on a recent sub build…it was too thick…stretched some sprue (everything on this sub is stretched sprue of various sizes)
Since we’re in the aircraft section…stretched sprue for the antenna wire on this dink!..if ya can see it…that’s 1/350.
SPECTACULAR!!!