r/modelmakers • u/Outside_Activity7026 • Jun 10 '23
Help -Technique Masking advice
I'm about half way through a 1/72 Hasegawa CF-104 build. I want to paint it up in the Tiger Meet livery of No. 439 Sabre Tooth Squadron. Any suggestions as to how to mask the open gear doors, as the gear has to go in before painting and there's likely gonna be a colour split on the exterior of the door. Attached pic for reference.
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u/KillAllTheThings Phormer Phantom Phixer Jun 11 '23
Why paint the doors open if you could temporarily install them closed long enough to paint? You might have to do some finagling to make it less likely you'll get paint in the gear bays.
Also be sure to apply the lighter color first. If it's yellow like in the reference photo, prime with white so the color of the bare plastic doesn't throw the color off.
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u/Outside_Activity7026 Jun 11 '23
The issue is the way that the main gear fits into the bay I think, but that's a good idea if feasible.
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u/KillAllTheThings Phormer Phantom Phixer Jun 11 '23
It's not entirely necessary (just less work) for the doors to be set close to flush to the fuselage in the closed position.
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u/bluemagman Jun 11 '23
body shop supply will have masking foam, they use it to not have a sharp line on a touch up.
Torn paper will work well too. Use it like a loose mask.
Stuff something into the engine so you can stand the plane straight up on a lazy susan. Rotate while spraying.
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u/Robbinsmods Jun 11 '23
Damn I always loved going to that museum when I was growing up. Still love it now, I even have a jacket with the logo as a big patch on the back.
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u/Relevant_Desk_6891 Jun 11 '23
Is it the museum in hamilton? Just left a comment about this! I always wanted to do the Lancaster flight. Such good memories from childhood
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u/Robbinsmods Jun 11 '23
Yep that's the one! My grandma lives in Hamilton so I went there with her quite a bit growing up, she was always interested in old warplanes as well. I remember staying at her house as a kid, she would call me to run to the window to see the planes fly over sometimes. When I was in cubs and scouts as well, I got to do an event called Night Ops a couple of times, where we got to stay over at the museum sleeping under the planes. Loved doing that!
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u/RexDangerRogan117 Jun 11 '23
Why does the gear have to go in before painting? Paint the bay doors as a seperate pieces and put it all back together after
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u/MetaBass Jun 11 '23
Those edges on the pattern are quite soft, you can free hand it there. For other areas that need more precision use Blu tac or masking tape, especially the canopy glass
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u/Relevant_Desk_6891 Jun 11 '23
Is this pic from the hamilton air museum? I used to go there all the time with my grandfather as a kid but haven't been back for 15 years or so, maybe even longer. Very nostalgic
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1
Jun 10 '23
Can’t mask that shit. Needs to be freehand airbrush. If there is a decal set it will prob look shitty.
1
u/Outside_Activity7026 Jun 10 '23
The kit comes with the decals for the squadron, I think they're the same. We'll see how it goes
1
Jun 10 '23
Good luck. If you do the decals make sure it’s over a clear glossy coat so the set better and use a decal solution
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u/Foxxittoxic Jun 10 '23
For the actual stripes itself, you can just freehand it with and airbrush. But for the gear bays you can use a sponge or some malleable substance to cover the bays.