Hello friends. Working on an Airfix Ka-25 Hormone and the windows from the kit have sink marks in them as shown below. I tried to make a replacement window on a test mule with scotch tape and epoxy. I taped one side and put clear 2-part epoxy on the other side. But the window came out cloudy and with air bubbles as shown. Any suggestions? Or, does anybody have any other ideas for making good replacement windows?
Hello!
Around 2006 I have re-built my old Airfix Ka-25, and I also HAD to do something about those windows. They not only have sink holes, but are also armored-glass-thick - which, in this case, is a great help, because you can sand both faces of the windows until the sinkholes are gone, and then polish them out with a multi-phase nail polish. A dip in future finishes off the process. You then may have to deepen the inner openings for the windows in the fuselage in order for the windows to be flush with the outer skin. My results of the process described above were like this:
(sorry, only have this one picture)
Hop this helps - good luck and have a nice day
Paweł
How big are the windows? If they are about 5/16 inch or smaller, you can use that window making stuff. Testors and Micro Scale make it. It is like white glue, but holds together better. Forget which each vendor call it. You use a toothpick and wet the edges of the window first, then add more and pull the edges together. The stuff is opaque when wet but dries very clear.
I have used the epoxy trick where you apply a piece of masking tape over the window. Then mix up the epoxy and from the inside cover the window area. The epoxy will be rough on the outside, but you can polish it because it is flush with fuselage side. Does not come out perfectly, but it may end up better than kit windows.
How much detail is there in that area of fuselage? If not much, painting the inside of fuselage flat black will reduce visibility of flaws on inner window surface.
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the help.
I went to an office supply store and bought a box of cheap document covers. These are made of clear acetate similar to the transparency sheets they use to use for overhead projectors. It is thin, clear, flexible, bendable, Easy to trim/cut, and does not fog up with CA glues. I use them in place of the clear side windows on aircraft even if the kit windows are fine. It was $6.00 for a box of 25. About 200 models worth of suppy.