Painting behind control surfaces?

[gwana]

Looking for some tips. I'm back into modeling after a long hiatus, and fairly new to airbrushing in general. I've got two kits now in the construction stage where I can't go much further without making some decisions.

 

I've got moveable control surfaces that have some detailed frame structure behind them. Besides figuring out what color they're supposed to be, I'm trying to come up with a strategy to paint them and keep them that color. These are the type where say two halves of an elevator are glued together trapping a pin on the horizontal stab that's not glued. So should I paint these inner surfaces now behind the elevator, mask them, temporarily adhere the two halves of the control surface in place, then paint my exterior scheme? Then disassemble, unmask, and hopefully glue the parts with no squeeze-out? These are some thin trailing edges and my usual application of Tamiya extra thin and letting it wick along the joint will mess up my finish.

 

This is especially frustrating because I have a dual rudder on an HE-219 that goes *through* the horizontal structure of the tail, and the assembly instructions have you glue the whole mess together before putting the vertical stabs on the plane. I can't possibly get a good paint job on those 4 pieces and assemble them after, and I need to paint behind them.

 

How do you guys/girls handle your ailerons, flaps, rudders, etc?

[Fred Jack]

I paint everything first, interior and exterior, then assemble everything. As far as colour, that depends on the plane.

[Guest]

What are you working on ?.....Harv

[gwana]

I've just picked up the Revell HE-219 in 1/32 as a break from my stop-and-start HK B-25. The B-25 is going to be "The Ink Squirts", but I got over my head in PE and advanced techniques and I decided I needed to practice on some cheap kits before I burn that B-25 to the ground with mistakes. The Revell is not a bad kit for $40, but no engines or guns. Pretty much a shell with a detailed cockpit. There is simulated framing behind the rudders, etc. that you can see when the surfaces are turned (which I assume is painted RLM02 like the insides of the gear bays and other areas), and I'm roadblocked on when to stop gluing and start painting, and how to resume gluing and not getting overspray on those semi-hidden areas when I paint my camo scheme. When I was a kid, I'd glue everything together and spray bomb it with a can of metalflake and damn the torpedoes (and panel lines). This is more... refined. I plan to fill seams, re-scribe, and make mistakes on the $40 kit first.

[Fred Jack]

I find we tend to overdo everything. I learned my lesson on the 1/48 Monogram Bombers. We spend so many dollars on photo etch and resin products to find out that really in the end, what can you actually see? I've learned my lesson. I saw this great build on an HKM B-17F and realized, that even through the large front window, you couldn't see the details. If I get an HKM bomber, I'll only detail what can actually be seen, seats, instrument panels, Bombay, if I keep the doors open, landing gear, and engines, I really don't care if I have the right props, because in a war outpost, if a prop was damaged or a wheel, they just replaced it with what they had. This is why my Mustang has two different tires. I know I'll get comments on the prop. Yes I know that all three blades have to be the same on a three bladed or four bladed prop for balance, but it doesn't mean that both props had to be the same on a twin engine plane or even the same identicle engine, just something close. I like Engines and More, but they don't make an engine for a Beaufighter, but who would know that the engines I installed were for a Beaufort, or a Stringbag?

Edited February 9, 2018 by Fred Jack

[Rick Griewski]

If I can I modify the ASBY so I can slide them together after I paint them. Sometimes this means just removing a hook or catch-like piece that is trapped inside when two halves of say the horizontal stabs are glued together. Some times I just clip things off and replace with brass pins.

 

HTH

 

Rick

[Juggernut]

You put two different props on any aircraft and you'll vibrate the hell out of you, the airframe and anyone/anything in it.  What 1800 rpm is for one prop, may not be the same for an entirely different prop regarding torque.  The aircraft will probably tear itself apart due to the different harmonic resonances of the different props.  We won't even talk about the aerodynamic differences in the airflow created by the different props and how it affects flight of the aircraft.  Different engines won't even fit on a twin engined aircraft for the most part.  Sure you may be able to put two different R-2800's on a B-26 Marauder but you may kill yourself with the different power ratings of the engines.  You'll also not put an R-2800 on one wing and an R-2600 on the opposite; won't fit.  Even if you did, you'll likely die before you get 300 feet in the air.  You'll die even quicker if you put different engines and different props on a twin engine aircraft.

 

I don't even think Billy Mitchell would've attempted to fly such an abomination even if it did exist.  I'd be very interested to see any photographic evidence of a serviceable aircraft with two, entirely different props and/or different engines on the same airframe.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Juggernut