I recently read a post in which the modeler detached the control surfaces from a B-17 and then, using brass, reattached them in a particular position. I felt this was a great way to add realism to the model. However, there wasn’t a lot of detail as to how those surfaces were reattached. Can anyone provide some detailed guidance on this, or a particular website which addresses it, thanks.
This really is a simple way to add a touch of realism. One of my peeves, is seeing a great build and finish, with straight elevators and rudder. For a single piece tailplane/elevator, I simple cut off the elevator, round it off a bit and CA it back in place, dropped of course. With a two piece (top and bottom halves), I’ll cut the elevators off before joining them. For long, straight cuts, I use the backside of a #11 blade to score through, where there’s tabs, I use regular old sewing thread to saw around the tabs.
Once these are off, sometimes it is neccessary to add a bit of plastic to the forward end. I also scrape/bevel the inner edge of the tailplane to accept the modified elevator.
Top and bottom halves.
Here, you can see the extra styrene added to the elevators and trim tabs. These were strips of sheet styrene, stacked up then rounded off by sanding.
These were just CAed into place.
Basically you create the same fixtures as are used on the real deal. You have to add a hinge and pivot points as well as add the details of the now expose trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the control surfaces.
Its easy enough to remove the control surfaces, something I recommend doing before you assemble the assemblies you are removing them from. Less chance of damaging the parts themselves and easier to hold while doing the cutting, slicing or sawing.
The best thing you can do before tackling such a task…find photos of the control surface in a “Walk Around” gallery that someone has taken of the aircraft. There are many sites which have such reference shots.
Such as this image I took of a Mosquito’s flap.
!(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/hawkeyes_bucket/Real Aircraft/P1030036ec5.jpg)
You’d have to recreate that hinge mechanism. Or this elevator hinge from the same aircraft.
!(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/hawkeyes_bucket/Real Aircraft/P1030050ec5.jpg)
Thanks a lot, awesome pictures. Have you ever used brass, or any other material, during re-installation to make the surfaces moveable?
Brass is a good material for hinges, but it isn’t necessary. Working brass especially for small parts is more difficult that styrene. I use brass tubing but I have the tools and experience to do so. If you’re just repositioning the surfaces for appearance not functionality it isn’t necessary.
This only works on surfaces with a straight hinge line and no visible fancy hinges, but for these drill little matching hole in wing or stabilizer and in the surface- cut fine copper wire (from electrical wire), glue first in one of the surfaces, when dry attach other surface. Will allow putting in any position. Put at least two pieces of wire on a surface- three is better.
I have not. I hate moving parts on models. Even if moving parts are an option in the kit, they get CAed.
Wingnut Wings describes this method on their manual for the Sopwith Pup. You can view it online - just head to their site, products, Sopwith Pup, then check out the manual.
Don’t think the idea is so much that they surfaces are moveable (they are…but kind of like how you can move a paperclip, move it too many times and it breaks), but that they are easily positionable without necessarily getting CA all over the place.