Scale instrument panel

[Trevor 25]

Has anyone got any tips for making (rather than buying) scale-looking instruments and instrument panels for aircraft. I want to make panels for my 1/6th Miles Magister and these look very similar to Tiger Moth panels with very similar instruments.

[Darren 0]

Peter would be your man for everything Miles, but I've used pictures found on the internet, printed in colour, stuck on a balsa cockpit and glazed with some thin plastic does a reasonable job.

 

I guess you could simulate buttons, knobs etc with blobs of pva and use plastic card (as used for model boats) for anything structural. I guess it depends if your aim is to wing Top Gun or just to have something that passes inspection at a casual glance.

 

Don Coe will have some ideas given the quality of his cockpits

[Peter 0]

Trevor,

I have a wealth of info on Miles Aircraft and some very good articles on the Magister with close ups of the cockpit etc.

I have a particular technique for making instruments and have over the years accumulated lots of different styles of instrument faces. If you can wait I will bring some info to the AGM. If not give me acall. Really depends on if you want to go the whole picture and do a real scale or just want to give an impression. Funnily enough when you do a model the one thing that creates some interest is the cockpit every body wants to poke their head into the model. It doesn't really help the model to fly better.

Course you can only get the real scale detail if you start planning it as the model progresses and you can fit parts before the model is covered etc .

Best of luck

Peter

[Trevor 25]

Peter,

I want to have a go at making a good scale panel and not just a passable one. I am very interested in your technique for making instruments and any information you have on the magister. I will try and make it to the AGM.

 

Thanks

Trevor

[Peter 0]

Trevor,

Start saving different sizes of metal bottle caps the screwable ones and particularly the ones from the miniature spirits bottles the type you get on flights etc. Also the rings that you get free from battery powered toothbrushes seems strange but all these make great bezelsfor instruments at no cost.

Peter