Canopy framing with decals.

[John Symmons]

Hi All

 

Some time back I started experimenting with doing the canopy framing with decals. It started with the old Airfix Ju 52 floatplane, then I resurrected it when I did some Airfix Ju 87’s. Canopy masks in SA are like hen’s teeth and I don’t trust our SA post office, so I had to think of another way. At the time I was having some of my own decals laser printed so had some spare decal paper. A strip of decal paper was painted in the canopy frame colour and cut into thin strips then applied to the canopy. With mixed results but still much easier than masking, especially those Ju 87 canopies. (See my posts on the Ju 52 & 87.)

 

Digging through my stash I found an example of what must arguable by the worst kit ever produced. At the time of purchase I was collecting any WW 2 Japanese aircraft I could find and came across a plane box with a line drawing of a single engined Japanese aircraft that was totally unknown to me, all the box said was C6N1 Saiun (Myrt), but I brought it anyway. When I opened the box the kit looked like a refuge from a cornflake,s packet and the instructions where not any better,at least they were in English, and nothing about the aircraft, and the decals were equally atrocious. Actually about the best thing was the box. I almost threw it out there-and-then, but decided to keep it anyway. Fast-forward 50 years and I’ve still got it. Thinking it could be a quick and easy way to reduce my stash decided to give it a go. It turns according to “Scale-mates” out the kit was an old Aoshima kit re-boxed by Farpro in the mid 60’s

 

After some research it turns out the C6N1 was quite some aircraft. Less than 500 being produced at the very end of the Pacific war, it only became operational at the end of 1944. It looks a bit like a slightly smaller version of the Nakajima B5N2 Kate, actually the Saiun was also made by Nakajima. It had a 2,000 hp engine, carried a crew of three and was used as a reconnaissance bird. Max speed at 380 at 20,000 ft and a maximum range of over 3,000 miles with one drop tank. It was so high flying and so fast that the pilots said they were Wildcat safe. After the war the Americans tested one with high octane fuel at over 420 mph. As far as I know only 2 models now exist, the 48th scale Hasagawa and a 72nd one by Sword.

 

Anyway back the cockpit framing, The canopy was so bad it looked like the mould was made of wood and all the very faint framing detail was on the inside which made it impossible to mask. The only alternative being the decal method. The decal paper was painted in the IJN green (Vallejo military green), coated with liquid decal film and cut into thin strips. Luckily most of the framing was in straight lines. Only one small part was curved that I was able to paint, I also painted the edge framing of the canopy. Some of the decals had a little trouble staying put, but that was easily cured by sticking them down with varnish.

 

From a reasonable distance it looks quite neat and tidy. I was very pleased with the result that I used it on very oldTamiya 1/72 Tojo and Hayate that dated from the mid 60’s, (The Hayate even came with a motor to motorise the propeller. The ultimate in play-value) using silver and IJA grey painted decal film respectively.

 

Hope that those looking for an alternative to painting cockpit frames especially those green-houses the Japanese, German and Italian’s were so fond of, find this useful, A few photos of the results.

 

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Cockpit with framing. The things on the left are some of the Decal strip I've cut.

 

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Cockp[it ready to install. The aircraft is the C6N1 Saiun (Myrt).

 

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Two views of the finished cockpit installed. Don't look too closely at the model it isn't the best, it was a wonder the decals even worked but after some persuading in almost boiling water they finally decided to co-operate.

 

So for all you out there having trouble with masking canopies this method might be an answer.

 

Remember vwe do this for fun                             John the pom

[peebeep]

I've got two or three of those old Aoshima kits in the stash, they were bought as a hedge against state-of-the-art equivalents ever appearing. I think decal framing is a really good way of solving the canopy painting conundrum if you're a bit frit about masking, or there's no proprietary sets available. The only real snag is if you have curved frames to deal with, but if the framing is reasonably narrow then using plenty of decal solvent will tease it into shape. One thing, if you're using clear film you can apply the interior colour first, then the top coat (assuming you're bothered about stuff like that).

[John Symmons]

Hi Paul.

I agree about the curved frames especially if it a compound curve, luckily the ones no the C6N1 weren't compound except one very small one at the frount that was easily painted with a cocktail stick.

 

It's a pity I couldn't show the Ki 44 and Ki 84 frames but, being an Airfix centred site, I thought that might be pushing it a bit to far.

 

Remember we do this for fun                                      John the Pom 

[Peter s]

That's a pretty clever way of solving a problem... New kits tend to have the framing cast in a very obvious way but the Dauntless i recently completed (see elsewhere on the forum) had barely visible marks to overpaint. If I'd seen this post last week I may well have tried decals too. I've generally had good results self printing and applying is no harder than putting bands on bombs

[peebeep]

New kits tend to have the framing cast in a very obvious way but the Dauntless i recently completed (see elsewhere on the forum) had barely visible marks to overpaint. 

 

The tooling for clear parts has to be super smooth, otherwise the parts will look cloudy after ejection from the tool. Each time they get re-polished the lines that form the framing are reduced a little bit. With a very old kit they might disappear completely. Decal framing is ideal in cases like that.