white metal 1:144 Horsa Gilder

[phat trev]

I am wanting to construct a White metal Horsa Gilder as a gift, when complete.

It looks to be a war gaming piece (1:144) and is cast in plain white metal. The casting looks ok but is pitted in many places and the tail section is a little bent, as are the trailing edges on the the wing.

What can be done to rectify these problems? I have read up a bit of filling the pitted areas with Miliput then sanding them to create a good base for painting but what about the mis-shaped tail and trailing edges?

Also, I am going to scratch the undercarrage and try and make some wheels.

[Murdo]

Oooo.

Try (carefully) heating the offending parts up with a hair drier then gently bending them back to shape.

[Edgar]

As well as using heat for the straightening process, you can use it for filling, if you use epoxy resin (e.g. Araldite.) With heat the resin becomes the consistency of water, and flows into the holes, usually leaving just a slight dome (and it goes off quicker, too,) so less sanding. Having the oven set to 80 degrees C is normally plenty.

[McYellowbelly]

If the trailing edge is complete, but just bent, try flat nosed pliers, or a hard flat surface and some gentle thumb pressure.

White metal used in wargames models is quite forgiving if you are gentle.

As for the pitted surface, either milliput, which I have used previously heavily thinned with water to fill small hole, or even Squadron White putty

Thick acrylic paint can work to fill small holes and dries quickly

[phat trev]

Thanks for the hints!

Here is the Horsa, you can see the pitted surface and bent tail in the picture, I want to end up with a smooth surface which I can then hand paint and set decals to (D-Day markings will be featured by using very thin strips of black decal on white paint.

I may try and find a 1:144 Corgi C-47 to go with it as part of the gift?

[McYellowbelly]

Prime it with Halfords primer, then wet sand it back using 1000grit paper.

When you reach metal, most of the pits should be filled, what still remain, use Milliput or Squadron, then repeat.

For a 1/144th C47, look for the Roden kit, or the Minicraft one