I have build 1/48 scale planes for a few years but I wanted to take a crack at 1/72 plane. I purchased a B-17f by Academy. I always used either Tamiya masking tape or bare metal foil to mask my canopies. However the Gun turrets on this model is a bit difficult. The lines are very small (1/72 go figure), and trying to mask off off the part so I can paint the frame is becuase somewhat of a chore. Does anyone have a simple way to mask off small parts like this one. I am open for any suggestions. I would also like to thank anyone in advance for your help.
I’m not sure there’s any really simple way to mask the gun turrets, but here’s a couple of different things I’ve done.
- Meteor Productions markets precut masks for the Hasegawa B-17F under the Black Magic label. They generally work well, except on the gun turrets, where the curvature of the glass causes the masks to pull up, creating the danger of paint getting under the mask, onto the window portions. No matter how much burnishing I’ve tried this remains a problem. Check them out at http://www.meteorprod.com/
Meteor also sells masks for the Hasegawa B-17G and the Academy Flying Fortresses.
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You can also cut very narrow strips of masking tape and apply them around the frames. I use cheap stuff from Wal-mart’s paint department. Cut off the excess with a sharp x-acto knife after you get the strips on. Then I fill in the middle with a liquid mask. This is time consuming–it’s easy to spend two hours doing this, but the results are usually very good.
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You can also use a combination of the above two methods. For example, on the top turret, I’ve cut apart the Black Magic masks, applied the parts that lay flat, then finished with the narrow strips of masking tape. The ball turret is an especially pain to accomplish.
Since I’m also on the lookout always for better methods, I’d be interested too in hearing other suggestions.
Good luck with your build!
If yuu have a steady hand, after futuring the part, you can brush paint the frames with some water based acrylic, right after with a toothpick you can remove any excess.
Hope it works for you.
GG
Well, I can only suggest going to swanny’s webpage and checking out his tips on this.
I guess I lucked out, then, because apparently my B-25B upper turret had no metal frames, it was all clear plastic. But as for that 1/72 bombadier’s greenhouse, major heartburn and it’s still not masked off.
One technique that I have used for tricky frame masking situations is to do it in two or three steps. So I’ll cut narrow strips of tape and mask the horizontal frames, and paint. Then I’ll mask the vertical frames and paint. Maybe I’ll then have to do a couple frames that I couldn’t get in the first two passes. It sounds like a lot of work, but bu masking as much as possble in one direction at a time, it’s easy to mask.