I’ve had really good luck with canopy masking in my first two aircraft attempts (109 G14 and a Dora, both 1/32 Hasegawa) and they came out great thanks to the advice on this site and Swannys Models. Painted both with Vallejo Air and Model Masters. I’m done with major assembly on the Trumpy 1/32 Me 262, and I’m trying Lacquers for the first time (Gunze Mr. Color), mainly to get better spray characterstics for the mottled cammo. My initial testing shows it spraying like a dream compared to any acrylic I’ve tried with Mr Leveling Thinner.
I’ve got a couple of coats of Mr Surfacer 1200 on the model now. Canopy is not attached. Just went and dipped it in Future per SOP, and it occurs to me that neither Mr Sufacer nor Mr Color is going to like Future too much. Do I have any options here, or I’m just going to be stuck painting the canopy with Vallejo Air RLM 82 while the rest of the fuselage is Mr Color RLM 82? Do Mr Color lacquers play well at all with clear plastic?
Second question… the mottling pattern crosses the canopy in the scheme that I’ve decided upon, so if I can figure out the Mr Color delimma I really need to affix the canopy to the fuselage before painting (wasn’t an issue with either the 109 or the Dora). The model will be posed with the canopy open, however. What is the best option for ‘fixing’ the hinged portion of the canopy to the fuselage to keep it in place and keep paint out, but still have it easily removed once the painting is done? I used rolled up tape for the cannon bay hatches, but I really don’t want to deal with tape residue on a clear part if there’s a better way.
The lacquers, not sure, haven’t touched them. The temporary canopy placement though - I’d try double-sided tape (but you’d rather avoid the residue, so…) or a tiny little dab of white glue on the corners. It should hold well enough for airbrushing, but should pop off no problem with a carefully placed exacto blade or some other thin, flat instrument.
Why do you have to attach the canopy to apply the camo…why can you paint them separately? I do. I do however paint the canopy at the same time to ensure the paint is the same throughout.
You can set the canopy in place, hold it in position with a stick pressing against the masked off glass, give it a quick squirt with the airbrush and its done. Set it aside and continue on after filling the cockpit with foam to keep paint out.
On my first two completed craft I painted them totally separately, and they came out great. On this one, though, the RLM82/RLM83 line crosses the hinged piece. I can try and eyeball it, but using a single mask with the canopy in place would make it perfect as a matter of course.
Not really that big a deal… the canopy will be fully open, so it would be rather difficult to tell if I don’t get the camo lines perfectly aligned.
I am afraid the Mr Color and Vallejo paints won’t match up, though. Have a feeling I screwed up by dipping the canopy in Future.
Why would Mr Surfacer/Mr Color have issues with Future? Lacquers can play havoc with enamels or bare plastic (though I don’t believe Gunze is as anywhere near as hot as Alclad), but should go just fine over Future or Vallejo.
Also…are you not painting the interior frame color first?
I mix masking with free-handing canopies, m’ self, always brush-painting them… For attaching canopies and windscreens temporarily, I use rubber cement… Makes a good mask too…
I use Micro Liquitape to attach canopies during painting. A small drop at the corners will hold just fine during painting. If it should be dislodged during handling just press it back in place.
Good point on the interior frame color. I’d read here and on ARC that lacquers over acrylic stood a good chance of eating the acrylic, but acrylics went just fine over lacquer. Both the Mr Surfacer and Mr Color are lacquer based, and the Future is most definitely acrylic. If the lacquers attack the acrylic future, will you even be able to tell since it’s clear?
Thanks for the tips on holding it in place. Time for Hobby Lobby to eat a bit more of my money…