Charles H

Sukhoi Su-27 etc (I agree with Giampiero above!) SAAB Gripen and Dassault Rafale are also amongst my favourites. But maybe F-22 Raptor, EE Lightning and P-51D Mustang, for different generations! Charles

I've finally separated the PVC vacuum-formed canopy from its backing. Thank you everyone for advice given to me above. The needle, held in a pin vice, indeed made an excellent start to the perimeter, and a #3 scalpel blade cut through the row of holes fairly quickly. Then it was sand, sand, sand with ever finer grades of sanding sticks. Canopy now fits properly, although I had to eventually sacrifice the 'hinges' on the back edge, as they were just too hard for me to cope with. I'll have to fill these (I guess with Tamiya Basic putty), after I glue the canopy on. Before I glue it on, the local hobby shop here have suggested I spray the canopy with acrylic clear coat (as sold in auto shops) to further hide the inevitable scuffy marks I accidentally managed to make on it. I'm pretty satisfied I've polished them out to the best of my ability. I sprayed some oil-based clear coat I already had on scrap backing, with no apparent positive effect (but no damage, either). Please, any opinions here... and if it is a good idea (whether with acrylic or oil-based clear coat), can I then paint the canopy frames over the top, using oil-based primer and enamel topcoats? I didn't know that this canopy is made of PVC, not styrene, or what difference it makes? Apart from being less brittle! cheers, Charles

Wishing all Britmodellers a Merry Christmas, and all the best for the New Year. THANK YOU all, for your replies in this thread, especially stevehnz, who surely has the patience of a saint! I've indeed practiced with scrap, and also using your excellent suggestion of using a battery blister pack. I shall finally tackle the canopy after Christmas, when things are less hectic than now, but the practice has primed me well! Thanks, Steve - I would not wish the gastro, etc I got a couple of weeks ago on anyone! UGH!! cheers! Charles

... and I wake up today feeling nauseous, achy and shivery. *Wonderful*! No canopy for me tonight.

Thank you, Steve and PLC1966! I shall be carefully getting on with it tonight.

I'm digging myself into a horrible hole here, sorry. I still don't understand what you mean. Is the sharp side of the blade *upwards*, rather than downwards, so the [blunt] back of the blade actually does the work? "Backwards" blade- sorry (don't know what you mean), and I simply don't understand what you mean about the groove and the needle, or a V shaped point with right angled edges. Are you saying to do everything with the back of the blade, and not the sharp surface? I obviously need help from Stone Age basics. My comprehension is disastrous.

I am sorry, but I just don't understand. How do you use the actual point, but *not* the cutting edge (which you clearly want to avoid, but I just don't know why)? I am just totally clueless here, sorry. Why is the cutting edge asking for trouble? I thought this is what I'm trying to eventually do(?) Sorry, but now I am freaked out to paralysis mode, uselessly clueless.

I must apologise for my clumsy "quoting" of posts I'm replying to. I don't understand how to do it properly, sorry - computer-ese things like this are beyond me.

So, do you mean it's a bond that's strong enough in context, but not as strong as the dissolving-type bond? Which is fine, and so much safer! No friendlier glue than PVA, as long as it is not cold weather. I simply had no idea of the different types of plastic for models. I've only ever had polystyrene. This vacuum-thing tech for replicating plastic model parts is completely new to me; well, I have never bought such before.

Sorry, stevehnz - I am embarrassed to say I still don't understand. Do you mean with the cutting edge turned |upward|, away from the model? I've just got... no idea, sorry

I would have used my Tamiya Multipurpose Clear Glue tube, to glue this vacuum-formed canopy to the model... but is this wrong? With this different type of "vacuum" - plastic, can I really just use PVA glue? The water-based woodwork glue, which is white and dries clear?

Hi Steve Thank you for your reply. After viewing your video, I had completely over-thought everything, sorry. I have an Excel hobby knife, exactly the same virtually, with the two slots at right angles, and I can well see the value of your suggestion of a needle-point installed, instead of a blade. My wife has lots of needles - heck, I used to do some surgical sewing myself, when I worked in a medical research lab, so I'm no stranger to it, at least to some extent! I shall practice in the next couple of days But, PLEASE, what do you mean in "sometimes dragging the blade backwards is preferable to trying to cut it through" - I'm not sure what "backwards" means, sorry! Away or towards you?

Yes, since postage was twice the price of the canopy, from Japan to Oz, you are dead right! I *will* remember your sage advice next time (small item, x2 by same postage)! Thank you!

Thank you! I've devoted tonight to thoroughly reading all the replies I've received, and watching links I've been pointed to. Your help is very much appreciated.

Hi MariosKak - the after market canopy looks excellent; my only problem was how to remove it from the "background" plastic that I now understand it literally "grows" from. I'm sorry you had no reply from Academy. The link I purchased my canopy from is: https://www.hlj.com/1-72-scale-f-a-18d-hornet-canopy-for-academy-rob72063 It was about equivalent to US$5, but postage to Australia was an additional approx US$8. I hope this helps.

Thank you everyone for your extremely kind and helpful replies. I'll reply properly soon! Cheers! Charles

stevehnz - (I forgot you folks who are *ahead* on the clock, even from our Aust Central) - THANK YOU for this reply. I think your skill level is superior to mine, but I do understand... mostly(!) what you say. I will be VERY patient, and very sober (no alcohol, unlike today). I just dread a shock-crack into the canopy, if I am ham-fisted. This new "aftermarket" canopy looks *perfect*! It does not even have the [manufacturing] awful dorsal artefact "seam" the /cracked/ original had. It is one-piece (and I am doing a closed canopy) so it's just fine, as long as it fits. I simply... don't want to stuff this up! I am perfectly happy to spend TIME on something. I am fortunate to be happily retired, and to (within reason) HAVE free time. My previous lab work required a lot of desktop micro dissection of live material, so I'm not scared of "fiddly" jobs. I just DON'T want to spoil what is an aftermarket purchase, to replace a problem in an original boxed kit. I used the old "rubbish" cracked canopy, to simply practice masking it, inside and out, prior to receiving this replacement. This was useful - but I just don't understand why the original canopy was so brittle. I didn't notice it was cracked, until I unpacked it, which should may be a lesson. I deliberately left the clear parts until last; a year after purchasing the kit.

I have just received Rob-Taurus part 72063 (F/A-18D Hornet canopy, for 1/72 Academy kit). I purchased it online from HobbyLink Japan (hlj.com), because the original canopy in my Academy kit was cracked. It's a very nice one-piece canopy; no visible flaws whatsoever - but I have a question, please. It seems to be totally bonded to the protective rigid plastic backing sheet. Do I have to carefully cut the entire perimeter with a hobby blade to separate it, or is it actually to be simply "unpeeled" in some way? Please can you help - I do NOT want to risk damaging it! There does not SEEM to be a "perforation" edge for assistance, so I want to be careful and patient, and ask for advice, please. I have also emailed the manufacturer at [email protected] - but am asking here as well! Thank you!

Welcome, Kipsley! I know nothing about sailing ships, but it's not necessary, to appreciate the beauty of your model. Absolutely stunning - and I can't imagine how much loving work went into it. Only a modeller could understand and appreciate!

Thanks so much, Ray! So Binbrook87 was indeed correct about the safety red door markings, although I think I'll leave them out. I doubt it would have stopped me from hitting my head all the time, FWIW (colour-blindness strikes again)! I'm actually doing the same US Marines Hawks scheme which he did - I explained myself poorly above, sorry. I've simply got more information for this scheme than for the included Australian Ronin decals. However, I can see an RAAF Super Hornet in the future! Your post of the "Afterburner" decals is a bit clearer than the Academy ones included in the box, so I very much appreciate your help, referencing the same demarcation required. This is especially true for the downward "bulge" of the dorsal colour under the tailplanes, for which I assume there is also a very good reason I can't immediately guess.

Thank you, Binbrook. A pity that beautiful model is boxed away, but there's only so much space for display! I had never thought of your theory as to the red undercarriage door edges. I'm sure every paint detail always has a very good reason in military aircraft, even if it is for specific airshows etc, only. The photos I've seen don't definitively show them, and the border of the grey colours being subtle obviously defeats my poor colour vision. Anyway, it is amazing how you achieve the 'feathered' border. I'll remember to paint the inside of the canopy frame black, BTW! 🙂 Also, I very much enjoyed the Lightning show on Youtube, which you posted back when I originally replied to you.

Hi Binbrook87 - Due to my wretched colour-blindness, I am not sure from your excellent photos of your F/A-18D of exactly where the border between the dorsal and ventral colours is. Please can I ask if you could post a side-on view, showing the precise interface location along the length of the fuselage? I particularly am not sure where it is between the trailing edge of the wings, and further aft. I assume the fuselage underneath the wings is all the ventral colour. BTW, I have Humbrol 127 (Satin US Ghost Grey; dorsal) and 128 (Satin US Compass Grey; ventral) Also, did you omit the red edging on the undercarriage doors, as shown in the assembly instructions? I'm not sure why a plane would even have this "fussy" embellishment! Even after looking at hordes of images here, I'm still not sure! https://www.seaforces.org/usmcair/VMFAAW/VMFAAW-533.htm cheers! Charles

Hi Ray (also in Adelaide!) - I am so sorry I somehow forgot to reply to you, all those months ago. Yes, the decals are indeed from Ronin. It says on the back of the decal sheet to NOT use any decal softening/setting agent, as it will destroy the decals. It adds "The decals have been printed using the correct type of decal ink and not with standard printing inks. This gives the decals the flexibility to be able to conform to all types of curves." I'd be interested in what you (or anyone) think of this warning, please!