Masking a straight line on a tapered radome.

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

I’m curious how others have masked a straight line around a curved surface that also tapers.

The particular part is the nose of a 1/48 F-14 Tomcat in the mid 70s gray over white scheme. The standard spec called for the radome to be Insignia White part the way toward the nose, then Radome Tan from that point tapered to the nose.

Standard masking just doesn’t work as the tape cannot be kept straight while dealing with the decreasing radius of the taper?

Any ideas?

2

hi Mike (again, lol)

maybe try to do them like the end of a very large bomb?

do the radome tan,roll up some paper and tape combo, push the tube up onto the nose, do the white, make a larger tube

or a combo thing,the “back edge” of the White is on a taper so that tape can be put on, and then cut your line,after that tape is on, you can do your radome color, then the tube thing,leaving you with your white area open ready for paint with tape on the back side and the tube on the front edge

I hope this is clear enough to visualize,I “see” it right in my head, hah

Rex

3

This will only work well if the nosecone is not installed yet. Wrap up the nose in tape. Use a block of wood, book, whatever as a riser for your knife, whatever height the blade needs to be. Hold the knife down tight, making sure the blade is parallel to you bench, and simply spin the nosecone around against the blade. Make sense?

4

I use a compass to draw a reference line or marks around the radome and then use narrow tape. Like 1/8 inch or even 1/16. It will bend around a curve. Then I can piece in wider tape and paper to mask the rest.

Tony

5

Use a circle template. Mark some reference marks on the nose cone. Find the appropriate sized circle on the template, slip the nose cone into the hole. You can either trace a new reference line around the nose cone or simply paint it using the template as a guide and mask.

6

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Gerald, the template idea seems very workable.

Years, ago I used the tube method on a 1/72nd F/A-18. A drinking straw worked very well. With the larger scale F-14, I’ve been just a bit fumble fingered trying to fit up a tube of paper.

Somedays, the fingers work better than other days.

Thanks again.