The Airfix 1/72 Hawk canopy. The MDC is moulded in place, how can it be improved? Easy, paint it!



The chord is actually engraved on the inside of the canopy, so the trick is to make a thin mix of water-soluble paint and flow it into the recesses. Don't worry if you overshoot the detail, let the paint touch dry for a few minutes and then...



Taking a clean cloth, remove the excess. If there are any stubborn spots, moisten the cloth. Take care not to crack the canopy.



Job done! An easy improvement over the unpainted MDC chord.

Definately gonna give this a go next Hawk - looks pretty good.

MUCH less hassle than the PE one that I fitted to my vacformed CMK canopy... that was a heart in mouth moment.

Jonathan - these tutorials are great

Have you dipped the canopy in Future first?

No, for the simple reason that in trying to remove any excess paint from the MDC chord you might scuff through the Future, or use a paint that might react with the Future. Better to get the MDC done, give the canopy a good polish (I prefer Model Wax) then dip it in Future.

Great stuff..additionally on my Hawks I reduced the thickness of the canopy from the outside by gentle (VERY gentle!) sanding down using wet n dry then progressing on to Micro-mesh. This also removed the raised centre frame (which in reality is the sealant INTERNALLY between the rear seats blast screen and the canopy.). As a result the MDC seems (for some reason!) to appear with a finer outline........................................

Airfix should be congratulated in attempting to mould in an MDC on a canopy.....and doing so remarkably well. I've certainly struggled with Hasegawa's decals and etched MDC's in the past.....

What a cracking tip! I'll try that when I get around to building a Hawk...erm....sometime this decade.......or not! Speaking of which is the warp in the wing where the sprue is attached easy to get rid of? When I first got the Airfix 1/48 Hawk I was quite alarmed by it!

Many thanks Jonathon

That is really handy, I am currently doing one of the 100 series Hawks from Airfix and this is really handy. Although it is a long way off before the canopy goes on.

All the best and cheers for sharing.

Chris

Yep, certainly does work - even a muppet like me can do it! :cool:

http://www.britmodeler.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3442

Tried this myself recently on a 208sqn T1 build, and it worked an absolute treat! Photos to follow quite soon - the airfix Hawk is quite nice to just throw together and if you use fast drying paints and doing go all 'advanced modeller' with aftermarket bits its possible to build one very quickly indeed!

Hi Jonathan,

Nice one - thanks for the tip. Never thought of that and it seems to come out very well - so will give that a go when I get to my Hawk. Thanks again.

Best wishes, Geoff

I followed your instructions and this is how mine turned out.

Thanks,

Wayne Beattie

Good job no your canopy Wayne, looks great!!



MarkC

Had to delete links to my pics guys because the links had gone dead and I can't find the originals, sorry.

Wayne's excellent photo does show the results better than mine did anyway!

SO as I make it, the MDC cord is and incused design and not a raised relief detail. That IS a nice touch and way to go Airfix. The decals look good, too, when shown in your other post. I think I may have to hunt up one of these kits. This leads me to two questions:

1. Why is Airfix so little represented here in the States, compared to the other brands?

2. What does MDC stand for?

Down to the distributors!



Micro (or Miniature) Detonation Cord.

Thank you for the tip Jonathan, mine turned out fantastic

Superb trick there! I did the same, only instead of a water-based paint, used a pastel wash... figured if it went wrong, i could clean it up easier!!!

It works on the new Airfix 1.72 Hawk too
I dipped the canopy in Klear, let it dry and used thinned Citadel Skull White and cleaned up the excess with a moistened cotton bud - simple!

Are MDC's White or Grey, if Grey which shade?

Doug

Kinda lead coloured. IIRC it is actually lead tube filled with bangy stuff??

Don't know exactly what it is made of, but it aint lead, very plasticy to the touch. The colour in Andy Mullen's post is just about spot on.
Did a see-in on a Hawk at Valley with a very pale looking student pilot in the front seat, the live MDC had disbonded and was hanging around his neck.

Cheers Scarlet, missed that.

Doug.

No probs. Found my Hawk Composite Servicing course notes in the garage the other day - have'nt seen them since 1989! Spent six happy years at Valley fettling the little buggers.

What a great tip tried it worked and will do it again what more can i say

My method is to carefully paint the MDC with a fine brush using acryllic paint and to the use a common, un-colored wooden tooth pick to carefully scratch away the excess paint around the edges. Works every time!

WARDOG

Jonathan

GREAT tutorials and nice simple easy steps too..

Thank you

HOUSTON

So simple, yet so effective. Have a couple to do when I get some time, will definitely use this technique

nice trick will this work on the revell 1/32 model too

chris

Thanks Jonathan... Just used that now on my 1/72nd Hawk, and it worked a treat.

no the dec cord on the 1/32 is a decal, i wish it did

Hi folks, New to this site so please excuse if I get the posts wrong. How do you go about the cream coloured canopy sealant? That always gets me.

Just tried it and it works. Even for me.

Thanks! Great tip. A good reason to start with the Hawk.