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Plastic model building guide. Tips for a beginner modeller - Manual: How to build good models. Getting ready to assemble

Good day, dear users of my resource!

With you again Dmitry Ignatychev - your guide in the world of large-scale modeling.

Often the life of a beginner modeler is full of surprises. As well as many seemingly unsolvable questions. Questions, questions, questions… What and how to do, how to cut sprues, how to glue, how and with what to paint…

All this is not easy to understand. Especially if there are no modellers among your friends, there are no large-scale modeling clubs in your city, and there is very little time to search and study literature. Taking into account the fact that there is very little valuable information, and the Internet is filled with disparate arguments on various forums, it’s getting tough in general :)) But ... dear friends, don’t try to quit what you started. The matter must always be brought to a natural finale - to result .

Well, I, in turn, will help you understand the science of scale modeling. And I devote my new material to solving such a problem as the selection of a set of tools sufficient to create my first (s) models. We will figure out what is necessary and necessary to have in the arsenal at the initial stage of gaining the skill of a modeler, and what will not be needed at all.

In general, the arsenal of the master of modeling is very extensive. And it can take up a lot of space. From a small closet in a private room to a whole workshop in a private house or garage. Such instrumentation is similar to the workshops of great violin makers such as Amati and Stradivari. Such things are perfectly displayed in the brilliant Soviet film "Visit to the Minotaur". And like any significant business, such a number of tools are collected and acquired for a long time. Sometimes measured in decades. But this is all the lot of true MASTERS who are in love with their work. Matter of LIFE.

But you, my dear reader, if you are at the very beginning of this path, so many tools are not required at all. Especially if you are not at all sure that you will be doing this for a long time.

Therefore, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of beginner modeller's tools I have prepared.

TOOLS FOR THE BEGINNER MODELIST

MODELING KNIFE

A model knife is arguably the most important tool in your arsenal. Simply because it all starts with him. With a knife you will separate the parts from the sprue. Cut off the cover. Clean up various kinds of defects. Now on sale there is an extensive range of knives, differing in length and thickness of the handle. Modern model knives have a collet for the blade. These blades can be interchanged quickly and easily. The fact is that interchangeable blades are designed to perform highly specialized tasks, to perform various kinds of work.

You can purchase both the knife separately and the whole set, consisting of the knife itself and a set of interchangeable blades. Everything is up to you. For starters, you can purchase a simple knife without interchangeable blades. If there are knives from different manufacturers on sale, ask to hold the knife in your hands. The tool should lie well in the hand, she likes it.

TWEEZERS

Here is another tool without which the work of the modeler will be extremely difficult. This is tweezers. It is necessary when working with small and Very small details. Only with the help of tweezers will you be able to install, paste tiny parts into the limited spaces of aircraft cabins, landing gear niches and others.

Tweezers are a modeler's friend

Tweezers are one of the most common modeling tools that can be purchased not only in model stores, but also in pharmacies and electronics stores. You can also purchase watchmaker's tweezers. It has thinner "sponges", which allows you to work with high precision with small details.

SANDPAPER

After separation from the sprue, all parts of the model must be cleaned from various kinds of defects. It can be all sorts of irregularities, flash. After gluing different parts, it is also necessary to clean the junction. Of course, manufacturers are constantly improving the quality of their kits. But one way or another, sandpaper will be required for a very long time in the work of a modeller.

You can purchase sandpaper at any hardware or automotive store. Also, various kinds of nail files, needle files are useful in the work. Needle files you can use for grinding metal, resin and not just plastic parts. The main feature of the needle file is its durability. It will last you much longer than any sandpaper or nail file.

But still, at the initial stage of work, sandpaper will do.

MODEL CUTTERS

Removing parts from the sprue with a beginner's model knife can be a tedious and in some cases dangerous task. The knife does its job wonderfully in skillful hands, and it can ruin a lot of others. Therefore, at the beginning of your career, it is advisable to use model cutters to separate parts.

At the moment, almost every manufacturer of tools and scale models has model cutters in their assortment. They do an excellent job with their tasks, leaving behind smooth, clean edges and joints. It is advisable to purchase a high-quality and not cheap tool.

WORKING SURFACE

All your work on the model will be related to cutting, sawing, cutting out. It will be necessary to process parts made of plastic and other materials without fear of spoiling the surface of the desktop. After all, you will create a model not in a specialized room, but on your everyday desktop. Therefore, it is desirable to prepare a special work surface. It can be either a piece of ordinary chipboard or a specialized self-healing rug.

Cutting board - the first assistant to the cook

It doesn't take up much space when folded. Lined with a graphic grid. Perfectly protects the surface of the table from cuts and tool jumps.

MODEL GLUE

Often glue is not included with the model. It can only be found in some gift sets and editions. Therefore, it must be purchased separately. Supplied in different packaging options. Either in glass jars or in plastic bottles with a needle. There are 3 types of model adhesives that differ from each other in the principle of action.

I'll glue everything - I'll tie everything

The choice of adhesive to use depends on personal preference and the specific job task. For example, I mainly use glue, which dissolves the edges of the surfaces to be joined. And then creating an integral connection from this.

So we got our very modest in size and cost TOOLKIT FOR A BEGINNER MODELIST. Something like NAZ - Necessary Emergency Supply. As you progress in mastering the mastery of scale modeling, you will become more aware of the essence of the work being done. And start expanding your tool arsenal. But it's still ahead...

In the meantime... DON'T PUT OFF, start building your first model. And all your questions will find a practical application. And you yourself will begin to answer them. And if you don't know, ask. Write in the comments, or to my mail - in the CONTACTS section.

P.S. Don't forget to like the article. After all, if she helped you, she will help another novice modeller. Best wishes. And ... beautiful models for you.

People “come” to modeling in different ways. Someone saw the diorama and liked it, someone heard it and decided to try it. But whichever way you come up with the idea of ​​creating thumbnails, you need to know where to start.

How to choose a model?

The most difficult thing is to determine where you will start your thorny path into the world of modeling. Personally, my experience began with the squadron battleship Borodino 1:350 of the Zvezda company. But, I would not advise you to start with such difficult models. Without experience, it is very difficult to immediately carry out such a global project with high quality. But you want to assemble well, beautifully and not spoil the model. It is better to start with something easier - for example, or a motorcycle.

If you live in a metropolis, you can always visit a model shop and consult with a competent salesperson who will help you choose. If you live in a small town, then you will not find such a store.

You can look at modeling kits in the children's world, but no one there will definitely advise or tell you anything.

The Internet will help a lot. It is worth chatting with the pros on blogs, although they are not always as friendly as we would like.

An excellent option is an online store. For example, LIFE-HOBBY is one of the best and the one for which I am writing this article. You can study the assortment in detail, and then contact the administrator by e-mail or phone, who will help you make a choice, advise paints, glue and related necessary tools.

Required Tools

  1. Knife. To separate parts from the sprues on which they are fixed, it is better to use a clerical knife. Small details can bounce on the floor and get lost when cutting, so it's best to cover them with your finger.
  2. Files. After the part is cut off from the sprue, traces may remain on it, which will interfere with high-quality gluing. Such places are best cleaned with a file or fine sandpaper. I prefer to use a set of needle files. They are comfortable to hold, they are of different shapes - wide, narrow, with ledges - which will help to clean the part without much difficulty.
  3. Tweezers. In order to make it convenient to take and stick small parts, you will need tweezers.
  4. Glue. From my own experience, it became clear that using the "Moment" is not worth it. It sticks together quickly, but over time, its structure disintegrates, which leads to the collapse of the model. Everything has to be redone. Best to use. True, sometimes you have to hold back the parts for the hitch a little longer.
  5. Paints. If you decide that you will paint your model, then you need to immediately take paints when buying a model. Manufacturers on the box or in the instructions describe in detail what paints are needed and for what. It is necessary to study the instructions in order to understand which parts need to be painted before gluing, because. once pasted, it will be impossible to reach them with a brush.
  6. Brushes. For coloring you will need brushes. I prefer natural ones from squirrels or ponies. They lose less hair and last longer. For painting, you will need equipment - for small details, No. 4 - 6 - for large surfaces. For glue, it is convenient to use a flat brush with artificial bristles No. 2 or 3. After work, do not forget to rinse the brushes.

Collect and improve your skills. Modeling is a very exciting activity not only for yourself, but for the whole family.

So, you have decided to get into modeling, but have a very vague idea (or no idea at all) about what it is, where to start and what it generally takes. In this short article, I will try to describe the whole process of creating good, high-quality models in an intelligible and understandable way for each reader.

Please note that no matter how strange some steps of this guide may seem to you, you still cannot miss them, otherwise the model will turn out to be bad, incorrect. While reading the article, you may come across unfamiliar words - I will not compile a list of terms and describe their meaning - just rummage on the Internet. We will study on the principles of aircraft modeling, which are also suitable for other areas. The basics of modeling are the same for everyone. So!

Chapter 1 - Where to start?

Of course, with the acquisition of the model itself. The most convenient place to buy a model, as well as accessories needed for its assembly, is a model store. You will first have to find out where this one is located in your city, and go there.
In the model store you will see a large number (I hope you get to a good model store) boxes with beautiful pictures. If you do not understand anything in military equipment - choose the one that you like the most. And if you understand, then you will probably find the model that you have wanted to see on your shelf all your life. I wrote "probably" because, most likely, you will not find just such a model. And if you ask the seller about the reasons for its absence, you will hear one of three: the first - “there is no such model now, come back in a couple of months”, the second - “the model was, but discontinued and will not go on sale again”, the third - “ such a model is not produced at all by any, even the most miserable company.

Well, you'll have to choose something else. Have you chosen? Great, let's move on to the next item - buying a tool. You can choose the tool completely intuitively. The fact is that in reality, to assemble the model, you absolutely need absolutely all the tools sold in the model store, but you shouldn’t buy everything, because when you start assembling, you will still understand that you still didn’t buy the most important tool due to its absence in the store and you will have to make it yourself. But more on that later.

Most importantly - do not forget to buy glue - the model cannot be assembled only with the help of a moment and PVA lying around in your box, but do not worry, they will come in handy. I advise you to buy several adhesives at once - the usual model, second, helium second ... in general, choose what is closer to your heart. Don't forget to buy some putties, needle files, sandpaper... Then go to the paint shelf. Here the situation is no better than with the tool. You need ALL the paints sold in the store again, but if you drive to the store on your own and realize that you simply cannot take the entire counter home, buy at least all the base colors, as well as those indicated in the assembly instructions your model.

Choose 15 brushes for yourself (if the store does not have 15 brushes of different sizes, you can also buy brushes of the same size, but from different manufacturers). Now you can move away from the counter with paints. In fact, to paint the model, you still need to buy an airbrush with a compressor, but you can not hurry yet. Until the moment when they are useful to you, you will find yourself in a model store more than once.

Now a very important tip: while in a model store, under no pretext, do not consider how much money you will have to spend. You NEED to buy it anyway - why spoil your mood in advance? Remember? Great, now go back to the model shelf and choose another model for yourself (why - you will understand when you become a really experienced modeler). Now go to the checkout and pay for your purchases. If you do not have enough money - do not try to leave something from the selected product. It’s better to call your wife and ask him to urgently bring the money set aside for the purchase of a refrigerator (do not regret it, you still won’t buy a refrigerator tomorrow and you can always put it off again, and you will have to assemble the model in the near future).

Chapter 2 - Building the Model

Based on the fact that you did everything correctly according to the first chapter, I can assume that you are already at home and ready to proceed with the assembly of the model. The first thing you need to do is take everything out of the box and carefully examine all its contents. You need to spend at least 15 minutes on this process. What is it for? Doesn't really matter - just look and enjoy. After you finish looking, put everything in a box, close it, find someone in the apartment (preferably a relative) and repeat the procedure with him. It is advisable to try to interest a person, but if you fail, it doesn’t matter either - just show him the contents of the box, put everything back and leave.

Note: if there is no one in the apartment except you, then the second time you will have to look at the contents alone, but do not miss this important step in building the model.

Now take everything out of the box again, find sprues, on which there are halves of the fuselage and wings. Find in your purchases such a tool with which these parts can be separated from the sprues. Separate and fold the fuselage halves together. Consider this design for 5 minutes, then attach wings to it. Uncomfortable to hold? Try!

You can’t even pull a fish out of a pond without difficulty, and this saying fits perfectly for modeling. Now find something to temporarily fix your structure, such as tape. Wind all the details together, put on the table and admire a little more. Now disassemble everything in its original position and put it in a box. Close the box and set it aside.

Chapter 3 - Workplace

To assemble a good model, you need to properly prepare the workplace. To do this, you will have to allocate a separate table (the more - the better). If you do not have an extra table, or there is nowhere to put it, you will have to convert your workplace (whatever it was intended for before) into a modeller's workplace. Suppose we are talking about a desk. If possible, remove from it everything that cannot be useful for assembling models in any way and try to come to terms with the idea that you will have to write in the kitchen or somewhere else - it is not convenient to remove all model accessories from the table every time, especially since assembling models should take up most of your time.

Lay a special model "mat" on the table. Oh yes, I forgot to add it to the list of necessary purchases in the model store, well, it doesn’t matter, order it right now via the Internet. If you don't know what it looks like, just look through the entire catalog of the online store, and when you see it, you will immediately understand what it is about. To simplify the search, I’ll still hint - it’s green and beautiful. The main thing is to buy a larger rug, preferably A2 or even better A1! But suppose that you still thought of buying it in a store and we can move on. So, lay out all the tools around you. You can not try to follow the order or some kind of sequence - anyway, after half an hour of work, everything moves between them. Arrange the colors. Well, that's enough for today, you can go play with the child or do something else.

Chapter 4 - Assembling Again

Let's get back to building the model. Ask your wife where she did everything that you laid out on the table yesterday (or when it was), explain to her that these things need to be handled very carefully and that in order to rewrite a cake recipe from the Internet, it is not at all necessary to remove everything from table.

Look in your builder's toolbox for some model supplies (I think they should have been there), and set aside anything that seems relevant to building the model. It can be wire cuttings, pieces of plastic, a burnt transformer - everything can actually come in handy, so choose for yourself.

Return to the room and prepare the workspace again. Put the box with the model on the table, put the parts on the table and start studying the instructions. Do not anger your wife and go to eat, if you do not go too long - she will be offended. Arguments that you are busy with an important matter will not have any force, you will also have to come to terms with this. After lunch, wash your hands and try to get back to assembling the model. If you are distracted by something else, then postpone the assembly until the next free day.

Chapter 5 - Accuracy and Aftermarket Buying

So, you are back at your desk. Have you read the instructions? Now a very important point - based on the fact that you want to assemble a good model, you can say with a 100% guarantee that the parts that are in the kit are either inaccurate or poorly detailed. There are a lot of parts missing at all and you will have to buy additional detailing kits, such as a resin cockpit or photo-etched parts. Most likely, these kits will not be available in the model store and you will have to order them via the Internet. After you order them, turn on your computer and find as many photos of the original aircraft you are going to model as you can. Think about what components and details in your model are made incorrectly or missing at all.

As you go through the photos, you will have some questions that you will not find answers to and you will have to find some good modeling forum, register there and ask your questions. After that, while waiting for an answer, you can start browsing through all the topics in a row. Look at the clock - it's time for you to sleep. The next day, read what they told you, put the model aside and grab the second one you bought in the store.

Repeat the whole process from the second chapter up to this point. Now you need to wait for your order to arrive from the online store. But you have something to do: while reading the forum, you probably realized that you did not buy some very important tools, as well as an airbrush compressor. Take all the money set aside for the refrigerator and go to the store.

Make a list in advance, but you can not take it with you, anyway, you will need to look at all the counters and you will definitely remember everything. Buy everything you need and another model. You can go home. At home, repeat all the steps from the second chapter with the new model and hide it somewhere. Explain to your wife the need for a compressor and an airbrush, prove that an old refrigerator can be used without problems for several more years.

Chapter 6 - Assembly with the aftermarket

Did you get the package? Great! You can continue to collect the model! Consider a photo-etch kit, decide which of its parts can still be used, and which still have to be made by yourself. Everything, you can start. I will not delve into the assembly process itself in great detail - all its aspects have already been described more than once, and skills will come with practice. I, perhaps, will stop my attention only on the most important dogmas of modeling:
  • Try not to lose the instructions - the thing is quite useful. If you still can't find it - start looking in the other boxes, then in the pile of magazines in the toilet - if this does not bring results, then you will have to spend a lot of time searching.
  • Before assembly, do not forget to check how the model fits into the drawings. Even if the inconsistencies are negligible, and you understand that no one will notice this on the assembled model - still correct this drawback, no matter how much effort it costs you. After all, it does not matter whether the error will be noticeable if YOU know about it!
  • When you cut off parts from the sprue (so, for fun) that you will need only at the 30th assembly step, still think about how easy it will be for you to identify this part in the future. If you are assembling a cockpit and understand that the external antennas are very similar to each other, after cutting them off, try to remember well which one was under which number.
  • Try to detail the internal components and elements as detailed as possible. Do not worry about whether these nodes will be visible on the assembled model. Even if not, and in order to admire them again you will have to break the model - work hard! And what if someone someday still breaks it and sees emptiness inside! The only thing - do not forget to take a picture of everything before you hide it in the fuselage forever.
  • If you had the imprudence to drop a part smaller than 30x30mm on the floor - do not try to find it - the probability of a positive search result is minimal - just spend the time you can start making this part by hand, the more homemade it will be better anyway. And when your wife brings the lost part in a week and asks: “dear, what kind of plastic did I find today under the refrigerator?” Thank her and put this part in a special box as a keepsake.
  • If you don't like a handmade part even a little, remake it, no matter how much time you spend on it. Remember the main thing - YOU will know that this part is not as good as you would like.
  • If during assembly you need to sand some part of the model (for example, after puttying) - do not be afraid to damage the jointing. Anyway, it is not correct and you will have to cut it completely!
  • If you do not find the tool you need for work, remember: every tool (exactly every one) can be made from things that are in your home. The only thing - sometimes for this you have to spoil something else, but do not stop even if this other one costs more than the necessary tool - you don't have time!
  • Don't be discouraged if something doesn't work out for you - the prefix "re-" is essential for modeling. So words like cut, repaint, re-paste should not scare you. On the contrary, it should mean that you are doing everything right and gradually become a real modeller!
  • Try to develop a reflex in your cohabitants - not to interfere with you when you are assembling the model. If the reflex is not developed, try not to pay attention to what is happening around you - abstract.
  • Your relatives should also remember that all the chemicals you use are NOT harmful to health. But nevertheless, use them in a ventilated area and do not let children into the room during use - just in case.
  • If during the assembly you will face such a problem that you cannot overcome at the moment (for example, the lack of the necessary material or the ability to make some part) - put the model aside and start assembling another one.
  • So that you do not face another problem - the lack of a model that can be collected, every time you go to the store for one can of paint, buy at the same time one or two new models.

Chapter 7 - Painting

So, your model is assembled and ready to be painted. Of course, you had to paint the internal nodes, I did not focus on this - you probably figured it out yourself from the instructions. The only thing I forgot to say is that manufacturers are very fond of confusing modellers and specifically indicate the wrong colors in the instructions. Therefore, before you paint anything, guided by the instructions, be sure to check the original color photo. Since you most likely won’t find the right photo, and even a color one, buy yourself a few books on the apparatus you are assembling and try to find information in them about what color this or that part could be painted on the model you are assembling.

If you do not find such information in the book, try to look for an eyewitness. In fact, there are quite a few ways to find out what color to paint, say, the back of the pilot's seat or any other part. But even if you fail, remember the main thing: in no case do not paint everything one-on-one, as indicated in the instructions!

Now start painting the model itself. First choose which coloration you want to reproduce. The instructions usually indicate several options, but this is not enough for a good color. Find a few more (5-10) on the Internet. Now you can choose. The choice should be to look for the option with the most difficult camouflage (even if it doesn't turn out to be the prettiest). Otherwise, everyone will think that you are looking for simple ways and no one among the modellers will respect you.

Apply a coat of primer to the model. Scratch the back of your head. While you are scratching, think to yourself: “I kind of puttyed it ... I sort of sanded it too ...”. Re-spackle and re-sand the model again. Prime again. This process can be repeated an infinite number of times. As well as the painting itself. The main thing is to learn how to remove the paint with which you paint. And go ahead, do not be afraid - the air in the compressor will not end, and paints, in general, are not so expensive. After you finally achieve the desired result of painting, put the airbrush in the drawer, put a large fingerprint on the model in the most visible place, remove the airbrush from the drawer and repeat all over again.

Repeated? I hope you don't repeat the fingerprint mistake and be more careful. Get to the decals. I think you already guessed that the decal that was sold to you with the model is wrong and bad. Order some suitable decals from well-known, expensive manufacturers, ruin some of the most difficult pictures, and make them yourself. Now the model needs to be given a realistic look. To do this, you will have to "spoil" the flawless result of your work with an airbrush - scrape, scratch, stain, wash off, because there are no clean, paint-free and scratch-free aircraft!

Conclusion

Well, here is your first high-quality model. Spend a few hours taking pictures and put the model in a prominent place. The only thing, in a conspicuous place, the model is subject to many risks - such as, say, dust or inaccurate movements of cohabitants. And, unfortunately, no matter how hard you tried on the model, it still cannot fly, and, touched by his wife, who is wiping dust on the shelf, it rapidly falls onto the parquet and shatters into small pieces there. Therefore, quickly rearrange the model from a prominent place to a safe place. Let her be hard to see there, but the model will live longer. Yes, and you collected it not in order to look at it, but for the sake of the assembly process itself. Well, have you found a safe place? That's all, you can take on the next model.

Afterword

Of course, in this article I have not described everything related to modeling, I have described very little, and with each model you will receive more and more new skills. And if you really have never assembled models, and this article turned out to be the first one you read, do not stop there, maybe you should read other, more serious articles, but I hope that the essence of modeling is now clear to you. And if you have already assembled more than one model and read this article just out of interest, while the fifth layer of paint dries on the assembled model, I hope I at least cheered you up a little.

Dopeless aka Rostislav Chernyakhovsky

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Collecting, as well as collecting aircraft models, occupies a special place among the many different types of hobbies. When assembling a model from ready-made plastic parts, you should be as accurate, accurate, patient and assiduous as possible. Also, you should have an idea about the history of the equipment that you began to collect.

To assemble a beautiful aircraft model, the instructions included in the kit you bought are not enough. In order for your model to turn out without glue streaks after assembly, its surface to be even, with well-applied paint, you should study the basic rules for high-quality assembly. These are the basic rules that will be discussed in today's article.

So, let's go directly to the collection of a plastic model of the aircraft, but for this you should purchase the kit you are interested in. If you have not yet decided on your future choice, you can familiarize yourself with the large assortment of our store, as well as buy liked . In our store you will find a variety of kits for assembling both military equipment of various periods and civilian ones.

Before you start assembling the model, you should prepare the necessary set of tools, such as: a model knife, model glue and PVA, a special model tape or adhesive tape, tweezers, sandpaper, brushes or an airbrush, as well as a primer, putty and paints.

Then you should take out the entire contents of the kit and check the presence of all parts, as well as the absence of damage or deformation on them. If after checking all the parts are in place and not damaged, proceed to the next step.

Next, you should prepare the workplace - it should be a large, spacious table, which is covered with a special model rug. The room where the aircraft will be assembled must be well lit, the light must be bright. If you have an airbrush and the assembled structure will be painted with it, then the room must be equipped with good ventilation.

An important factor is how the model will look in the end. To do this, you should find images of a real prototype of the selected model in historical literature or on the Internet.

Main assembly steps:

1. First of all, we select sprues, to which the main parts of the hull are attached - these are the fuselage and wings. Carefully, using a model knife, cut off the parts and process the attachment points to the sprues with sandpaper.

Separate the parts from the sprues sequentially so as not to confuse their belonging and place in the model in the future.

2. Next, fold the body halves together and secure with a model tape or adhesive tape. Also, using a model tape or adhesive tape, we attach all the main details to the structure. After making sure that all the details fit together and clearly occupied their niches, we can start gluing the aircraft.

3. Before you start gluing the parts of the fuselage, you should assemble and paint the cockpit. After the cabin is completely dry, we place it between the halves of the fuselage and begin gluing the halves.

4. Now go directly to gluing models. Aircraft parts should be glued one by one. Glue each subsequent part only after the previous one has dried. Try to apply the glue carefully, without leaving streaks.

5. After gluing all the parts and completely drying the glue, we perform polishing aircraft models. This is done with sandpaper. This procedure is necessary to give a smooth surface to the structure.

6. Next, apply putty, to avoid all sorts of cracks, dents and other things at the joints between the wings and the body. Gently apply putty to the desired areas, remove the remaining excess with a wet rag.

7. After the putty has completely dried, we re-sand the aircraft body with sandpaper.

8. Having achieved a smooth surface of our case, we proceed to its priming. But before doing this, you need to degrease the body, for this you should use a special degreasing agent or alcohol. We also cover with modeling tape the areas where the primer should not fall, such as the cabin window, lights.

This procedure is necessary to identify imperfections on the surface of the aircraft model before painting it, as well as to ensure that the paint lays down in an even layer and does not chip when it dries.

The primer should be applied with smooth, quick movements along or across the model. The container with soil should be kept 30 - 50 cm from the surface of the aircraft. Since the soil is a toxic substance, the procedure should be performed with a respirator and gloves.

First, prime the upper part of the body and leave to dry for 30 - 40 minutes. After drying, we primed the lower part, and now the model should dry for two days.

9. After the primer has completely dried, the aircraft body must be carefully sand. We perform this action until the surface becomes smooth.

10. Before painting, we thoroughly blow the model so that dust particles and hairs do not remain on it. Only after this procedure, proceed to painting the assembled aircraft model. Small parts should be painted without removing from the sprue

Assembling is only part of the exciting work on the model. The final stage of such an interesting process is painting, applying decals and varnish to the assembled model. And after completing all the stages of assembly, painting and applying the final touches, the model of the aircraft you have assembled will take its rightful place in your home collection.

To assemble the model, the actual model and glue are completely insufficient. To assemble a model with high quality, you will need a lot of tools, tools, mainly inexpensive ones - a model knife. tweezers, sandpaper, glue, masking tape and paints.

Model knives and cutters

The most important of all tools is a good knife. A knife with a narrow blade is more suitable for working with model aircraft. The quality of the knife must be very good so that you do not have to sharpen the blade in the process. In the role of a knife, a surgical scalpel has proven itself well.

Skin

To clean the assembled model, you will need at least two types of skins: with a larger grain for initial processing and very fine for finishing. It is advisable to use a waterproof sandpaper, since the grain is quickly clogged with worn plastic. Water-resistant sandpaper should be dipped in water from time to time to wash off plastic filings.

Glue

The easiest way to assemble the model is with liquid quick-drying glue. It does not hurt to have a special glue for connecting transparent parts.

putty

Special model putty is absolutely necessary for sealing all kinds of cracks that form after gluing, leveling surfaces, etc.

masking tape

Masking tape is widely used in the assembly of models. It can not only protect surfaces during painting or puttying, but also fasten parts during gluing. It is advisable to use as thin a tape as possible.

Dye

A wide variety of model paints are available, from miter to water-based acrylics. Finishing is best done with acrylic or oil art paint. In the latter case, the finished model must be blown out with semi-matt varnish so that the entire surface becomes homogeneous. Oil paint gives a matte finish, while the aircraft model should have a slight sheen.

brushes

For painting, you will need three brushes: thin, medium size and large flat. It is advisable to buy artistic brushes with sable hairs. Brushes should be thoroughly washed and dried after use.

Brush "Revell", marten, №4/0 Brush "Revell", №2

A properly organized workplace is a big deal. It is best to have a separate large table for modeling, but you can also work on the kitchen when it is free. Lighting plays an important role. In dim light, you may not notice the defects of the models.

Instrument location

The entire tool must be placed neatly and at the same time so. to have it at hand. There is nothing worse than looking for a missing knife during the assembly process.

File and KP

Separated small parts are well stored in transparent plastic files - everything is visible and will not be lost. For files, it does not hurt to start an album.

Tweezers

In the kit of the combined model there will always be parts that are too small for the rough fingers of the modeller. Tweezers are indispensable in this case. It is good to have two tweezers: regular and with bent tips.

Airbrush and compressor

Without an airbrush and a compressor, the vast majority of modellers cannot imagine the process of painting. In any case, you will have to purchase an airbrush and a compressor if you really want to do modeling more or less seriously. The airbrush and compressor will require the largest financial outlay, cut off from the family budget. Be prepared for this yourself and prepare your spouse (the last - the most important !!!). It is generally accepted that painting with an airbrush is easier than with a brush. The question is debatable, however, in any case, the result of painting with an airbrush, all other things being equal (experience of the modeller), is superior to the result of working with a brush. In addition, a number of camouflage schemes for aircraft (Italian, German) during the Second World War can only be done with an airbrush.

Knife set

One model knife is sometimes not enough, it is better to get three: with a sharp, cut and rounded blades.

And you definitely need spare blades for a model knife. You can buy them in the tool store or on Aliexpress: .

"Extra Hands"

Small metal clips "alligators" help a lot in the work. Used by radio installers. They are good at holding small parts when gluing and painting.

When assembling and especially when finalizing a model, you often have to drill holes, so it makes sense to get an electric micro-drill and a set of small diameter drills. The drill can also be used to process the surface of the model using different nozzles.

wire cutters

Separate parts from frames, bite off flash, etc. best of all with small side cutters, borrowed from the arsenal of a radio amateur.

file

The model with cut control surfaces looks much more realistic than the one in which the rudders and ailerons are simply outlined by the linework. It is best to cut with a miniature saw. made from a razor blade.

Hole puncher

Hole punches of different diameters are useful for making stencils for identification marks, for example, the Japanese circles of the “rising sun”. Painted identification marks are preferred over decals.

It is hardly possible to list all the tools necessary for assembling the model. In addition to the objective factor, there is also a subjective one.

We buy a model

We have acquired a tool, now you can choose a model. At first, the wisest decision is to stop at something simple, for example, one of the single-engine fighters of the Second World War period: the North Amerpyun P-51 Mustang, the Mitsubishi Zero, or the R-public P-47 Thunderbolt. By assembling these models, you can acquire basic assembly and painting skills.

The models of these aircraft are relatively simple. Both in the 48th and 72nd scales they contain not so many details. For the most part, that Thunderbolt. that the Mustang and the Zero were painted in only two colors - a plain top and a plain bottom. It is better to start with the 72nd scale, if only because of its cheapness compared to the 48th. If you have no experience, then why ruin an expensive model when you can ruin a cheap one?

After assembling several single-engine propeller monoplanes, you can proceed to experiments on multi-engine machines, “jets”, biplanes, as well as “whales” in 1:48 scale and above (if you have a desire and there is a separate apartment for finished models).

Examination

Having received a model from the seller, do not rush to thank him. Open the box and make sure that all parts, decals, and especially the cockpit canopy, stated in the instructions, are present. It would be useful to compare the casting with the aircraft declared on the box. Manufacturers from China can manage to put a Messerschmitt in a Spitfire box. not to mention the replacement of Bf.109E with Bf.l09G. Check the quality of the castings - there are underfills.

If you find the complete match of the kit - thank the seller and run home to collect the model. At home, select the necessary tools and carefully lay them out on the desktop. You can move on to the next step.

Studying instructions

You will probably start studying the instructions along the way. This is by no means forbidden (but not welcome either - you can get hit by a car). Evaluate the instruction from a critical point of view. Its author has his own view on the model assembly process, you may have your own. Sometimes it makes sense to change the build order. However. do not rush to scold the author if you did not like something. Try to delve into the ideas that led the technologist to this particular assembly order. Maybe he is right, not you?

Check for lice

The overall quality of the model is fairly easy to check. Separate several large parts (halves of the fuselage or wing planes) and attach them to each other. If it worked out easily and without displacement, then you bought the Thing. If not, stock up on putty, sandpaper and patience. Cut off parts, so as not to lose, it is recommended to keep in a special box. Parts should be separated from the sprues with a knife or side cutters, but in no case should they be broken off. If necessary, the places where the parts are attached to the frames should be cleaned after separation.

Fuselage assembly

So, you have examined the model. The euphoria has passed, you can get down to business. Let's start with the fuselage.

Parts cleaning

On the castings, there may be traces of mold lubricant, and other grease stains, they should be removed. Immerse the sprue or already cut parts for ten minutes in warm water, then thoroughly scrub them with soap with an old toothbrush. Rinse in running water and leave to dry.

Cleanup

After the parts are dry, clean the flat surfaces with a large piece of sandpaper, go over the sandpaper with the ends of the fuselage halves. The operation has two goals - to remove possible large irregularities, and to make the place of gluing the halves absolutely flat, removing traces of the pusher (if any), and slightly rough for better adhesive adhesion. Clean also the places where parts are attached to the sprues.

It happens that one of the halves of the fuselage is molded with protruding parts, for example, with the tail landing gear. There are two ways. The first is to cut the part and glue it after the fuselage is assembled. The second way is to take a small wooden block, wrap it with sandpaper and process the end of the fuselage rugs, sanding especially carefully in the area of ​​the protruding part. At the very detail, it is best to scrape not with a sandpaper, but with a half of a razor blade. Remove the burr with a model knife. In addition to the factory, a small “flash” may appear when sanding. Some plastics peel off. Pay attention to the flash not only at the ends, but also in the area of ​​​​the cutout for the pilot's cabin lamp, in the air intake hole, in the places where the stabilizers and wing planes are glued. Remember: when a defect “comes out” during painting (and it will definitely “appear”), it will be too late to correct it.

Lantern fitting

Fold the fuselage halves. They should fit together perfectly. If necessary, repeat the stripping of the halves on the skin. Attach a flashlight to the folded fuselage (as long as it can be fastened with rubber bands). The lantern, again, should fit perfectly "in place". Otherwise, carefully sand it to fit the fuselage. There are "deadly" options - the lantern is thicker than the fuselage. Well - with-skinned plexiglass, then run to the store for the GOI infusion. With GOI paste, it is quite possible to restore the transparency of the lantern to a more than acceptable level.

Modern modellers use Future Floor Finish (Floor Wax)- American liquid for polishing floors. Adds transparency and shine to transparent decals.

It is much worse if a gap is formed between the canopy and the fuselage, and the top of the canopy fits perfectly into the rear of the fuselage. Such a defect is “treated” with putty. The trouble lies in the color of the putty - white or light gray. The interior of the cabin has a completely different color. Painting the putty from the inside with a glued lantern is a more difficult task than assembling a ship model in a bottle. The process is elementary only in one case - when there is a huge cutout for the center section at the bottom of the fuselage.

Cab Interior Customization

It is time to separate the elements of the cabin interior from the sprues: dashboard, floor, rear wall. Fit the parts in place by grinding and inserting them into the fuselage halves. Often the floor and dashboard are too wide for the glued fuselage halves. On some models, the cockpit side panels are molded integrally with the fuselage halves, on some models, the cockpit floor, together with the side panels, forms a kind of bathroom. The bathroom is also often wider than necessary. Get it in place.

Now cut off small details of the cabin interior from the sprues - the control knob. pedals, pilot seat. Clean them up and put them in a box so you don't lose them.

Cabin interior painting

Sometimes, in the process of building a model, it is necessary to paint individual parts or subassemblies, the cabin in particular. Small parts should be prepared for assembly and painting in the same way as large ones: removal of breakage, traces of pushers, cleaning of molding seams, washing, drying and degreasing.

Pay attention to the selection of paints for the interior of the cabin. Group the parts by color. Details that are painted in different colors are conveniently clamped in "crocodiles". Make sure that the alligator's "teeth" grip the parts securely - a jet of compressed air is quite capable of sweeping a loose part. First of all, the cabin itself is painted in the base color (most often these are the inner sides of the fuselage halves). After the base tone has completely dried, proceed to “painting” with a brush the elements of the “decoration” of the cabin: radio stations, trimmer controls, oxygen supply tap, etc. Most often, these elements are painted black, but other colors are also found.

Before assembly, it is also worth painting the visible inner surfaces of the air intakes and engine cylinders.

Dashboard trim

The easiest way is to transfer the enclosed decal to the dashboard. Almost all models are equipped with such decals, and almost all decals correspond to the realities by 20-30 percent at best. Much more realism is possible by painting the dashboard with a brush with water-based or oil-based paints. It is necessary to paint the dashboard in the base color even when using decals. It is easier to paint dashboards on which individual instruments are simulated during casting, especially if the base color of the board, as on the Mustang or Zero, is black. The part is completely painted with matte black paint, then the edges of the devices are outlined with a lead pencil. In conclusion, a drop of liquid glass or at the worst end of colorless nail polish is poured onto the scale of the device; after drying, the varnishes or glass are slightly polished.

The instrument panel of the Thunderbolt was painted black, the instrument scales were painted white. Again, you will have to start by painting the dashboard in matte black. After complete drying, a drop of white paint is applied to the center of the imitation of the scale of the device and “smeared” to the edges of the device. After drying - varnish or glass plus polishing.

The next step towards realism is the imitation of the instrument scales themselves. This work requires experience and accuracy. Scales are drawn with a thin brush.

Cabin interior assembly

After painting the cabin interior elements, you can start assembling. Provided that the parts are pre-fitted, it should not cause difficulties. Contact points should be cleaned of paint. It is best to connect parts with liquid glue, using the capillary effect known from the physics course. Two parts are pressed tightly against each other, a drop of liquid glue is applied to the joint. A drop will fill the smallest pores of the joint and the connection will turn out to be both strong and neat. When gluing, it is important that the glue does not get on the painted surfaces, especially on the dashboard - painstaking work will go down the drain.

It is most convenient when the interior of the cabin is made in the form of a "bath", as in the Thunderbolt model. The bath is assembled separately from the fuselage and must dry at least overnight after gluing. With the first rays of the rising sun, you can try on the assembled module to the fuselage. If the module fits, glue it to one half of the fuselage and lie down to fill up. If not, adjust with a familiar method of sanding, cutting and undermining excess plastic. After gluing the “bath” and lightly setting the glue, make a final check - put the fuselage halves together again, one of which has already glued the cockpit.

Assembly of the fuselage halves

Usually, the manual recommends applying glue to the mating surfaces of the fuselage halves. Most do just that, but in this case, there is a high probability of uncontrolled extrusion of excess glue on the outer surfaces of the assembly. It is better to use the already familiar capillary effect: fold the halves and smear them along the contour with liquid glue, apply the glue carefully with a brush. True, in this case there are some pitfalls: adhesives can easily get on the fingertips, and the latter leave hard-to-remove prints on the surface of the fuselage. Try to keep the fuselage away from the seam with your fingers when applying the adhesive. The glued halves should be clamped with something (rubber bands, clothespins) and left to dry.

After a few hours of drying, it is necessary to flush the adhesive seam, having previously protected the cockpit from sawdust with adhesive tape. Sometimes the seam has to be puttied. The putty should also be allowed to dry well. The seam is cleaned with skins of different grain sizes (from medium to fine).

The first step in assembling the aircraft model has been made. You can smile proudly, proud of your achievement.

Add a wing and plumage

It makes sense to start with the tail: until the wing is glued to the stabilizer and the rudders are easy to rise.

Correction of defects of the brutal tail

On most small-scale Mustang, Thunderbolt and Zero fighter models, the halves of the stabilizer are cast in one piece (top and bottom together). Most of the time they are defect free. If there are defects, then it is recommended to apply "hot cleaning".

Heat the water to a boil and lower the part with an unnecessary bend into it for a few seconds. Remove the part until it has cooled straighten it. Repeat the operation (heating-bending) until the defect disappears.

Thinner parts require less heat. All surfaces of the tail unit have fairly thin leading and trailing edges, if you eliminate the defect by bathing in hot water, you can easily damage the edges. It is desirable to bend only thick tea "stabilizer.

Prepare the halves of the stabilizer for gluing - sanding, washing, drying, degreasing.

Fitting surfaces of plumage

Insert half of the stabilizer into the fuselage. As a rule, the junction even on good models requires adjustment. The gap will have to be puttied after gluing, but for now it is necessary to assess how accurately the surface of the stabilizer fits the fuselage sagging. If the bead is thicker, then it must be adjusted to the profile of the stabilizer, if the stabilizer is thicker, then it would probably be better to increase the bead profile with putty after gluing the half of the stabilizer.

Alignment and attachment of tail surfaces

Now that you have fitted the tail assembly in place, you can start gluing it. If a rudder is given separately, then start with it. Apply maple to the docking surfaces and press the rudder against the fuselage. In most cases, the rudder is glued on as if it were in the neutral position, so be sure to look at the front, rear, and top of the model several times to make sure the rudder is in the correct position.

After the adhesive seam of the rudder and fuselage has hardened, you can proceed to attaching the horizontal halves. Each half must be glued strictly at right angles to the plane of symmetry of the fuselage. By eye, the correctness of gluing the stabilizer is best checked by examining the assembly strictly from behind with a turn of 90 degrees. In this case, the stabilizer occupies a vertical position and it is easier to mentally compare the relative position of its halves, the halves must be on the same axis. Having set right angles, fix the halves of the stabilizer with something (for example, masking tape) until the glue dries completely.

Wing

The wing planes are sometimes given in two halves, the upper and lower, sometimes the right and left upper parts and the common lower for the right and left planes, there are also wing planes cast in one piece. Problems that can arise with a wing are akin to a stabilizer problem.

Alignment and gluing of the rigid wing

Rigid wing defects are eliminated by the already familiar “heat-bending” method. Then the plane is adjusted to the center section. When gluing planes, the angle of the transverse "V" and the installation angle of attack should be controlled. It is important to maintain the same angles of attack and "V" for both planes. Even small discrepancies in the angles of the planes will be clearly visible on the assembled model. The uniformity of the transverse angle is conveniently controlled by the width of the slots between the planes and the center section. Gluing planes. Check the installation angles and fix the position of the wing with masking tape or tape. After the glue has hardened, the cracks are puttied and sanded. It is extremely inconvenient to work with emery at the junction of the plane and the fuselage, moreover, the paneling is almost always damaged during work. However, there's nothing to be done, not to leave gaps. It is quite possible to restore the stitching with the proper skill.

Alignment and gluing of the wing planes from two halves

The first step is to grind the ends of the halves of the planes on the skin, a similar operation has already been done with the halves of the fuselage. Let's put the halves of one plane and carefully examine. Ideally, the ends of the halves, their ends and the lines of the jointing should converge. In practice, you usually have to remember the saying “pulled out the tail - the nose got stuck. After combining the highlanders, one of the endings “leaves” somewhere, the lines of the jointing do not match. It is best to take as a starting point when gluing the coincidence of the lines of the jointing of the upper and lower halves. Preparation for gluing is carried out as usual. The halves are folded again and fixed with narrow strips of camouflage data. Bonding occurs due to the work of the capillary effect - but the perimeter of the plane is passed with a brush with liquid glue. After which the adhesive has set, the fixing strips are removed, and glue is dripped onto those joints that they covered. While one plane dries, you can do the second. Finishing surfaces and, especially, the edges of the plane is carried out only after the adhesive has completely dried. The assembled planes are glued to the fuselage as well as the whole halves. Once again, it does not hurt to remind: control the installation angles, first of all - the angle of the transverse “V”.

Aligning and gluing a three-part wing

The process of assembling a wing from three parts (two upper halves of the planes and one lower, cast in one piece with the lower surface of the center section) will be different than assembling wings from four and two parts.

Prepare the parts for gluing as usual. Reinstall the lower part of the wing and secure it with masking tape. Check installation angles. Then attach the upper ladles of the planes in place and also fix them with adhesive tape (the same problems may arise here as when joining the upper and lower halves of the wing of four parts: mismatching of the tips and joint lines). Check the cross "V" again. If you need to reduce the angle, insert spacers made of thin plastic of the same thickness into the slots between the fuselage and the upper halves. Glue the lower wing piece to the fuselage. After drying, once again check the transverse “V” and the correct fit of the upper halves of the planes. If everything is fine - make the capillary effect work for the good deed of gluing the upper halves with the lower part. After setting the main adhesive seam, remove the adhesive tape, coat with glue the joints previously covered with masking tape.

The assembly must be completely dry before sanding and sanding. Sanding the edges of the wing and the junction of the planes with the center section completes an important step in the assembly of the model. Now the model already looks like an airplane.