How To Make Aircraft Models
Building a model aircraft is a hobby that's enjoyed by people of all ages. From choosing the model to painting it, the entire building process requires skill and artistry. Building a displayable model takes both time and patience, but by taking the process one step at a time, even the newest modeler can create an aircraft that they'd be proud to show.
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Things You'll Need
- Model kit
- Hobby knives
- Sandpaper
- Liquid cement
- Clamping tools
- Model putty
- Airbrush
- Paintbrush
- Paint
Instructions
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Building the Model
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1
Purchase the aircraft model kit of your choice. Nearly every aircraft in existence, and a few that are merely fictitious, have model kits available. When choosing a kit, your choice will usually be between a plastic injection-molded and a resin kit. Resin is a heavier, stronger material that's often used with rarer aircraft types. Resin kits tend to contain fewer parts than the injection-molded ones. Injection-molded kits are less expensive and have a wider variety of models available.
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2
Prepare the parts of your model by rinsing them in a warm, mild detergent mixture to wash away any residue left from the part molding process. Rinse with clear water and allow the parts to dry. Once they're dry, take high-grit sandpaper (between 150 and 300 grit) and lightly sand away any glossy layer on the model parts to prepare the surface for later paint application.
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3
Build the aircraft's interior of the aircraft. Concentrate on the detailed parts such as the instrument panels and seats. Use the hobby knife to cut the parts from the sprue, trimming and sanding away excess plastic from the parts, and join the parts together using the liquid cement.
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4
Assemble the aircraft's fuselage. Use clamps to hold the pieces firmly together. If there are any gaps in the joining of parts, fill the gaps with model putty, allow it to dry and then sand the putty smoothly, even with the model's surface. Once the fuselage has been completed, join the wings together and then the wheel units.
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5
Attach the wings to the fuselage, clamping them until the pieces have dried.
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6
Apply a coat of primer paint to the model using light, steady passes with the airbrush. Your primer coat with provide a smooth, even surface for the final paint layer to adhere.
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7
Paint all the aircraft parts their final colors. Use the airbrush for larger parts and the paintbrush to apply paint to smaller areas, such as the cockpit, propellers and wheels. With all pieces painted, apply any decals, and then a clear lacquer overcoat.
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8
Glue all the parts together to complete aircraft assembly.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The higher grit of sandpaper that you use, the smoother the final finish of your aircraft. When painting smaller parts, use a pair of tweezers to handle them in order to prevent fingerprints or oils from your hands damaging the paint job.
Use glue or paints only in a well-ventilated area.
