A question about making a cano

[spaceshiprepairman]

I've been putting together a model of the SNCAO-Niuport ACA-5, a little resin kit in 1/72 that I bought from Unicraft. While most of the model has been something of a challenge, mostly due to some mistakes I've been making with trying to cut some of the parts off the sprue and trying to shape them just right(in particular the fins, which I ended up crafting from card stock after copying the instruction sheet, which had a 3 view the same size as the model, so I had something with which I can compare outlines when trying to sand off excess on a part, such as happens with flash), something happened with the canopy as I was trying to trim it to fit.

Apparently, I was holding it with a bit too much pressure between thumb and forefinger, and it snapped out into orbit(out of sight). This was a very tiny piece of clear plastic, seemed a bit thick for scale, and very springy.

I have a couple packs of .005 clear styrene sheet. So, my thought is to try to make a push mold and heat form this.

My problem is I don't have experience with trying to heat mold plastic that thin.

On the full size ACA, if it actually existed, had a one-piece blown plexiglas canopy that completed the curve of the fuselage down the nose, so it isn't a matter of a single curve, It has a slight but noticeable downward curve, If it had a frame, that'd be easy. Somewhat tedious, but easy.

So, would I be able to get away with making a male more, putting a square of the plastic in the over, or hold it over a burner until it sag, then pushing the male mold through the plasticv, into the female form?

Or is the plastic too thin to use?

[Av8fan]

No chance of a replacement from unicraft?

Wow what a design for that airplane. Would like to see it when done.

I was going to suggest something like the blister pack packaging from a pen, find something with a close profile and width etc..but if what I see on the unicraft site is close I am not so sure.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Av8fan

[spaceshiprepairman]

Well, I hadn't thought to contact Igor, so I might.

No, I hadn't considered using a piece of flat plastic off a blister pack.

No, I've tried looking around.

I was going to show pics of it after I had finished putting it together, but before I tried painting it(I have an airbrush, one that uses compressed gas in a can, but I don't have any place I can use it, and it is far too cold outside, but I'm going to see if I could use a brush and thinned paint, that way, I could put more than one coat for each color) for a couple reasons, 1, because I'd like to show it off, and 2, because I'm not sure about color schemes for French fighters 1938-1949, and ask if there are any French Amy Air Force nose art decals in 1/72 scale available.

And as I've been putting this together, I've been wondering what kind of RC electric model this would make.

[Av8fan]

Sorry, I wasn't clear in my description. I was thinking that you might be able to use the curved pointy end of the blister pack of the pen etc to make the canopy. But I think that you have already explored that option.

As for nose art..love the idea. Hopefully someone here is a member at master194, and can help you out?

Best of luck with this build.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Av8fan

[spaceshiprepairman]

I tried that, and all I ended up with is a lot of blister pack scrap.

I'm thinking I might have to fill in the cockpit with something I can remove after ward, and then make a push mold with that. Mebbe use 5 minute epoxy to fill in the cockpit I made with the dremel tool, with a dam made of tape around so it can be done in one pour, then after it sets, carefully grind away until the right shape is met, because the canopy follows the contour of the top fuselage from turtle deck to nose, with no surprises like protrusions or the like. Then use that as the male part, and make a female hole (and yes, that does sound obscene, or mebbe because I have a filthy mind), heat the plastic sheet, and see the results. I'm still wondering of I could use .005 sheet, or if it is too thin.

As to the markings, well, here is the link from Unicraft, an illustration of it, and the nose art is a flying stork(I think):

http://www.unicraft.biz/on/aca5/aca5.htm

I'm wondering if there are any decals like that, otherwise, I'll have to, as may turn out to be the case, improvise.