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Painting Stripes
Topic Started: Aug 29 2012, 06:09 PM (934 Views)
orionfield
Beast
[ * ]
I am really bad at painting stripes on an aircraft as I discovered with my D-Day C-47, I am about to start "Ginger" Lacey's Spitfire Mk Ia with the red white and blue stripes on the cowling, and I don't want to screw it up. Any tips?
Dan, CEO Out of The Box Models Ask me about custom designed models!
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Graham Boak
Hero
[ * ]
Two approaches I've used.

1. paint the white then add black/red/whatever transfer strips. This is probably best for the wings on D-Day subjects

2. paint the white then use masking tape cut into thin strips to mark where the darker colour should go. This is probably better for the cowling.

Or just practice practice practice.
Lancashire, UK
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Chuck1945
Hero
[ * ]
orionfield,Aug 29 2012
11:09 AM
I am really bad at painting stripes on an aircraft as I discovered with my D-Day C-47, I am about to start "Ginger" Lacey's Spitfire Mk Ia with the red white and blue stripes on the cowling, and I don't want to screw it up. Any tips?

Considering the way many D-Day stripes were applied to C-47s, it would be hard to screw them up :)

I generally mask for stripes using Tamiya tape. If a stripe is more than perhaps 2mm wide (actual width on the model) I will use two (or more) strips masking each side of the stripe and then filling in the middle if necessary. For placement or spacing I will usually cut a couple of strips the actual full width of the stripe and use those to get the correct spacing.

There are generally enough irregularities in the surface being masked to prevent a smooth straight piece of tape the actual wiidth of the stripe, hence my methos of using edge strips and then filling in as necessary.
Chuck
Eastern WA, USA
Finished 2018:
Eduard Spitfire IXc, VIII, Monogram/Starfighter BFC-2
On the active bench:
Eduard Bf 110C, Hasegawa B-24D, SH P-40E
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peebeep
Member Avatar
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious
[ * ]
If you've been experiencing paint bleeding under the masking, try sealing the tape with a thin coat of Klear/Future before applying the paint.

peebeep
www.locate-and-cement.com
Locate and Cement website
RevellAtions
Bring me my chariot of fire
Paul Brown, Chelmsford, UK Posted Image
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orionfield
Beast
[ * ]
Thats not really the problem peebeep, its that I'm bad a measuring and cutting consistant strips of tape for the lines
Dan, CEO Out of The Box Models Ask me about custom designed models!
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Greenshirt
Member Avatar
Tim Holland, Southern MD - USA
[ * ]
Buy a 6 inch steel rule from your local hardware store. It'll make cutting a straight line much easier. It typically also has 1/64th inch and millimeter graduations that help very well with widths for the stripes.

On fuselages I use about 1-2 mm width tape as it's flexible and start on the side to get the vertical edge right, then carefully wrap around to match the top and bottom. Repeat for the other side. Usually it means the tape comes together as a flap above and below. Added benefit is a bit easier to remove.

On wings it's similar, but I use wider strips. If filling in I either use masking fluid or more tape, depending on my mood.

Practice, practice, practice. I still mess them up sometimes...which means I either fix it or call it close enough and buy another kit to try again.

Tim
Tim Holland

I'm a "green shirt" because I work on the carrier's flight deck and maintain US Navy aircraft. Safe sorties are my life so we can be anywhere, anytime -- from the Sea.

http://greenshirt-modeler.blogspot.com/
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Chuck1945
Hero
[ * ]
Greenshirt,Aug 30 2012
07:14 AM
Buy a 6 inch steel rule from your local hardware store. It'll make cutting a straight line much easier. It typically also has 1/64th inch and millimeter graduations that help very well with widths for the stripes.

...Tim

And while you are at it, get a divider, preferably one with a screw adjustment so it will hold a setting. Use the measurements on the rule to set the divider for the width desired. Then with the tape on a hard cutting surface (I use a piece of glass approx 4"x8"), you can use the dividers to lay out the width desired for the cut, guided by the straightedge.
Chuck
Eastern WA, USA
Finished 2018:
Eduard Spitfire IXc, VIII, Monogram/Starfighter BFC-2
On the active bench:
Eduard Bf 110C, Hasegawa B-24D, SH P-40E
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Falcon50EX
Member Avatar
Fortis Per Ardua
[ * ]
Hi Dan,

i pretty much agree with all the opinions posted here.

I have an 18" Steel Starrett ruler with decimal and fractional inches. 18 inches sometimes makes it easier to hold the ruler down while you use it as a straight edge for cutting, but i wouldn't chuck a 12" straight edge just to have an 18" one.

i also use Tamiya tape for just about everything. I have a big green "Hobbyco" cutting mat that doubles as a paint spill protection surface, etc.

Finally, i use a pair of very sharp tweezers to lift the cut pieces of tape from the cutting mat.

i usually spend one evening masking everything off, then i spray the paints the following day. Tonite we mask, tomorrow we spray.....

-d-
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Fadsx
Newbie
[ * ]
1.Cut out measures of overlaying record of consistent size, corresponding to the size of just one red stripe.
2.Is to apply the candy striped place of the air-frame with the qualifications color.
3.Now it's a chance to continue with the staying color job.
Floor Scale
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