neilfergylee Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Good evening. Being a bit of a masochist, I am converting the Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer into an S.1 using the Whirlybird resin conversion. It's a big project and I'm under no illusions as to the task I face but there is one thing that rather worries me: removal of the MDC cord from the canopy. The Airfix model has the cord moulded into the canopy and unless I model a very late Mk.1 (which would also include the internal windshield) it will be a rather obvious cue. I gather Aeroclub made a 1/48 vacform canopy but would imagine that unless one pops-up on eBay, then I fear I have no choice but to attack the canopy with sandpaper and micromesh's product range. Has anybody on this august forum done something similar? I would much appreciate advice and assistance. Kind regards, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainpeden Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Neil I have never done anything so drastic myself but I have tidied up a few canopies. The trick is first of all practice on something which doesn't matter. Get some of the highest grade sanding sticks or blocks -or micromesh either from a model shop or a car accessory shop and go from there. Toothpaste can also be a really good slightly abrasive agent and then finish by dipping in Klear. At least that's the theory! have you tried You-tube - you can usually find instructions for everything on there. Actually I came across this by going to You Tube and searching "cleaning model canopy" - there are a few demonstrations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 2, 2020 Author Share Posted September 2, 2020 @iainpeden, thank you very much indeed! How did I not think of trying YouTube? I shall study the video and I agree 100% that I need to practice on something less valuable first. I'll only get one shot at this, so I had better practice. Thank you again: I'll let you know how I get on. Cheers, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 Hello Neil, I use small chisels to remove unwanted canopy frames or things like that. I create my own tools using small screwdrivers like these; they can easily be sharpened into chisels using a grind stone. Then carefully sand everything down with a grade 500 or 600 paper with water and finally polish with nail polishing file. The final touch is a coat of Tamiya clear coat (X-22). Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) @Antti_K thanks for the tip (pardon the pun): I shall be acquiring a Dremel tomorrow so should be able to grind a small screwdriver to undertake this job. Edited September 4, 2020 by neilfergylee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 You are welcome Neil🙂 Dremel sounds a bit "heavy" tool for the job. These cheap screwdrivers are made of rather soft metal and can be easily sharpened by hand held grind stones. Let me know how it works with Dremel. Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 2 minutes ago, Antti_K said: You are welcome Neil🙂 Dremel sounds a bit "heavy" tool for the job. These cheap screwdrivers are made of rather soft metal and can be easily sharpened by hand held grind stones. Let me know how it works with Dremel. Cheers, Antti Will do! Finally took the plunge today so I'll be treating it with caution. Cheers, Neil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 It's scary working on a transparency, but patience pays off, be gentle you'll be fine! Go on, be brave! . . . I assume Airfix parts replacement service is still operational? Anyone remember the lovely 'Rita' the parts lady when Airfix was still in Marfleet nr Hull? always remember 'Johnsons Kleer' is your friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 You could try to create a vacform from the original. If you have no use for the original you could use that as the male mould to plunge mould a female version in clear plastic or you could ask someone with one of those dental vacform machines. Regards Robert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 6 hours ago, Kes said: It's scary working on a transparency, but patience pays off, be gentle you'll be fine! Go on, be brave! . . . I assume Airfix parts replacement service is still operational? Anyone remember the lovely 'Rita' the parts lady when Airfix was still in Marfleet nr Hull? always remember 'Johnsons Kleer' is your friend! Kes, Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I suspect Airfix no longer have stock of the canopies but nothing ventured, nothing gained. One question. You mention Kleer being my friend. But which one? Is it this because I seem to get endlessly conflicting advice? https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Pledge-11182-Revive-Transparent-Liquid/dp/B000ARPH4C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=johnsons+klear&qid=1599295079&sr=8-2 Thanks in desparation! Cheers, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 3 hours ago, neilfergylee said: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Pledge-11182-Revive-Transparent-Liquid/dp/B000ARPH4C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=johnsons+klear&qid=1599295079&sr=8-2 Yep, that's it's latest incarnation as I understand it, very useful stuff, not only for reviving dull or scuffed transparencies, also useful as an adhesive for those decals that refuse to conform the model surface 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 3 hours ago, Kes said: Thank God for that because I've just ordered a bottle 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Just now, neilfergylee said: Thank God for that because I've just ordered a bottle 🤣 I got mine from Tesco about 10 years ago, still going strong, I used it a few days ago to hold down those tricky little decals on the prop blades of my Airfix 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 (edited) My only additional tip to the excellent ones given here is the use of Goddards Long Term Silver polish as a final polish. It comes in a blue plastic bottle and is a pink liquid that can be applied with a cotton bud. It dries quite quickly, but if you dunk the cotton bud in water for a split second it keeps fluid. When you think it is clear enough wash with a bit of liquid soap and water. I have found it works with most styrene canopies (not vacforms or soft resin). It was a tip I picked up about 40 plus years ago when clear transperiences often were not. Supermarkets sell it, although it can sometimes be a bit rare. A biggish Sainsburys or Morrisons would be a good start. It lasts a long while and will even work on Mach2 canopies. Edited September 5, 2020 by Mr T Revised some content 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 (edited) On 05/09/2020 at 16:38, Kes said: I got mine from Tesco about 10 years ago, still going strong, I used it a few days ago to hold down those tricky little decals on the prop blades of my Airfix 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M Zero On 05/09/2020 at 19:50, Mr T said: My only additional tip to the excellent ones given here is the use of Goddards Long Term Silver polish as a final polish. It comes in a blue plastic bottle and is a pink liquid that can be applied with a cotton bud. It dries quite quickly, but if you dunk the cotton bud in water for a split second it keeps fluid. When you think it is clear enough wash with a bit of liquid soap and water. I have found it works with most styrene canopies (not vacforms or soft resin). It was a tip I picked up about 40 plus years ago when clear transperiences often were not. Supermarkets sell it, although it can sometimes be a bit rare. A biggish Sainsburys or Morrisons would be a good start. It lasts a long while and will even work on Mach2 canopies. Thank you both for your advice ans assistance. The Kleer shold arrive tomorrow or Tuesday and @Mr T, what a good idea! I have a bottle of that 'under the sink' and shll definitely give it a go. I woud appear that my household cleaning cupboard is providing most of my modelling materials. Meanwhile, the Buccaneer fuselage has undergone some pretty industrial-level construction work to support the rather heavy resin intakes. Since taking this photo, holes have been added to the 'scaffolding' to accomodate metal rods to further support the intakes. As a side exercise, I constructed the undercarriage from Scale Aircraft Conversions metal legs and reskit resin wheels. The hubs are separate which aids painting and other then having to (very carefully) part the whitemetal brackets to accomodate the wheels, the build was straightforward. Cheers, Neil Edited September 6, 2020 by neilfergylee 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 A couple of images taken this morning showing the planned fix for the resin intakes. I couldn't resist putting the model on its undercarriage and add the fin just to give me an impression of how the model will turn out. I have one heck of a lot of work to do before this is complete! Neil 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Wings and tail plane on then you can ' fly' it around the room. Regards Robert 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 8, 2020 Author Share Posted September 8, 2020 Just now, Robert said: Wings and tail plane on then you can ' fly' it around the room. Regards Robert I have been 'slightly' guilty of that already... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 Nice work Neil! I'm already waiting for more pictures😉 I fell in love with Buccaneer in the early 1990s when an S2B (XX892) visited our mid summer feast at Kauhava AB here in Finland. The aircraft had just came home from war and it was still carrying a laser target illuminating pod. The crew told that they were flying out of Bahrain and illuminating targets for Tornadoes. I believe it was the last time a Buccaneer appeared in an airshow outside UK. Hopefully Airfix will release a new 1/48 scale Buccaneer. And one decal option should be for XX892 of No. 208 Squadron! Cheers, Antti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 9, 2020 Author Share Posted September 9, 2020 An update - job done! Thank you to all, @iainpeden, @Antti_K, @Kes, @Robert and @Mr T for your advice and encouragement. I took the plunge this morning after practicing on two surplus canopies where I either carved-away some detail or in the case of another, gently used a newly-acquired Dremel to remove 30+ year old paint. Both were polished-up using Micromesh and for the first time ever, I dipped them in Kleer. Crikey - what an effect that has! Below is a composite image of what I did today: The original canopy before I started. No going-back: I had ground-off the MDC using the Dremel and a fine detail head. Mid rubbing-down using nine different Micromesh finishing pads. After rubbing-down and using Micromesh's polishing liquid and cloth. After dipping in Kleer. This has been a breakthrough for me: I never thought I could do it and I am grateful to you all for your support. Cheers, Neil 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 Excellent work Neil! Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 Good work there, not as scary as it seems 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 How proud are you right now!? nicely done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 Well done on that Neil, that must qualify as taking one for the team. There has been some excellent advice come out of this & some great work going on in this thread. Steve. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilfergylee Posted September 10, 2020 Author Share Posted September 10, 2020 Thank you all for your kind words and praise. It really was a bit of 'deep breath' moment when I started and although it's not 100%, I'm pretty satisfied. Another hurdle overcome. I didn't have much more time for working on the model last night but I did take the plunge and attach the resin intakes to the fuselage. I used Loctite plastic adhesive (see below) and - oh boy! You apply what looks like a highlighter pen to the surfaces to be glued, wait one minute, apply the Loctite and then attach the parts. BAM! Instant fixing - no time to reposition! I was glad I had added fixing bars first because I get the impression that these things are attached forever. I also managed to line-up and fix the rear fuselage which had been 2-3mm out of alignment. It took a lot of holding in place but eventually it stuck together and only a modicum of filler was needed. As a bit of fun, I did a trial fit last night. Crikey, the Buccaneer is a big aircraft! TTFN, Neil 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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