How to Build a Plastic Model Plane

Building plastic model aircraft is a hobby that appeals to a wide variety of people and age groups. From the young man building his Christmas gift to the veteran recreating a piece of history. Usually following the basic instructions is a good place to start, but there is a whole world of knowledge beyond the instructions. Here are some tips to create a more attractive model:

Wash the parts first. The parts are made by injection molding and covered with a release agent to help detach them from the mold. This agent will prevent the paint from adhering well to your model. Wash the parts with soap and water, then air dry. You can use a hair dryer to help.

Cabin. Assemble and paint the booth below. The cabin will be permanently enclosed within the fuselage halves, and it will be almost impossible to paint later.

Minimize the glue. Use only a thin line of glue on each side of the fuselage, or on each side of the wing. Use just one touch to join small pieces. You can apply the glue with a pin to have better control over the amount of glue. Excess glue enters the surface of the boat yacht decals and creates lumps that must be cleaned with sandpaper.

Alignment. Take care to align the wings and tail relative to the fuselage. A crooked plane is easy to spot. Use tape to hold the larger pieces together to verify alignment, before applying glue.

Gap filling. Sometimes after pasting there will be gaps between the pieces. A space between the fuselage halves, or where the wing joins the fuselage, is common and easy to detect. Fill these gaps with putty or cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). When the filling is dry, smooth with sandpaper.

Brush. If you paint with a brush, get at least 3 sizes (width, medium, and fine). Try not to overlap your brush strokes or repaint an area that is still wet. Wait until the paint is dry, and then apply another coat if necessary. After painting, clean the brushes well with the recommended thinner and store them upright in an old cup.