I’m working on a 1/72 P-51C, and thinking of trying to replicate the antenna wire, which goes from high on the vertical fin to the fuselage just behind the antenna. I’m looking for tips on how to do this. I did a quick look in this forum and haven’t seen the topic in the last few months. I know how to stretch sprue, but how do you glue the ends to the surface without breaking it, leaving too much sag, or making a mess? Any tips or links to tutorials would be appreciated.
Dan
p.s. - it’s going really well. I’d post some pics if I could find my %$%^ camera.
Whatever method you use, CA glue is the way to go, especially for the stretched sprue or it will dissolve in a heartbeat. Drill a tiny hole with a #80 bit in the front of the tail and top of the fuselage. A drop of CA on one end and insert in one of the holes. After that sets do the same at the other end and try to get it tight. If there is some sag, light a match let it burn for a sec and blow it out. While the match head is still hot, pass it under the antenna without touching it or getting to close or it will melt and break. Use extreme care when using the matches around plastic since it burns so well. And do it away form the bench since there are so many things that burn even better than plastic. Use the smoke trail as a guide to see when you are under the wire. When you get it right, the sprue will tighten up nicely.
I do the exact same thing but use dark invisible thread. Very thin and a lot stronger that stretched sprue so it can take some tugging and will tighten with a match the same way. There are some choices for real wire too but these will not shrink and you gotta get these tight with the gluing process.
There is wire that can be found inside those little earbud headphones that is about as thin as a hair but I have not goten around to getting a photo of it yet. The invisible thread is about the same as the wire from the charger.
I build almmost exclusively in 1/72 and always use .003 or .005 fishing line, drawn though the tip of a black Sharpie. I’ve tried to stretch sprue but can never get a consistent thinness or diameter. I use all of the above mentioned methods of attachment (drilling holes, heating to make it tight, etc.). If you dip the end of the fishing line in a small puddle of CA it will leave a perfect little glob on the end for inserting into the drilled hole. A glob of CA in the right place can also be used to make the insulators sometimes found along the length of antennae.
Here’s a pic of my Dornier. I built this almost four years ago and the lines are as tight today as the day I finished it.
Hello guys, interesting thread, specially for guys like me… beginners. I was wondering, since I come from a model railroad school, if this product may be usefull for simulating antenna on 1/72 aircrafts. The product is called EZ Line and is used by model railroaders to simulate telephone pole wiring. It is 0.003 inch diameter intended for HO scale (1/87) and there is a 0.006inch one for larger scales (O scale =1/48). The product is flexible (maybe lycra fiber) and can be glued with CA. It comes in different colors (blacks and grays) and isn’t very expensive. Here’s a link describing the product and some videos demostrating its qualities and you can buy on-line. http://www.berkshirejunction.com/
