# Commercial Aircraft model question



## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Hi Guys, wondering if anyone has suggestions as to how to upsweep the flat wings of the 737 Max, 747-8, 757-300, 767-300, 777-300, 787-9 into flight position. They are in landing position on these 1/144 kits. By flight position, I mean the tips of the wings are at a level equal to the top of the fuselage or higher. 

Also, anyone have ideas on how to do slats and flaps for take off or landing scenarios?

Thanks!


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

For the upswept wings the only trick I can think of right now is a strip of brass in each wing bent to the proper angle, provided the wings will cooperate and go along with the bend.


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## finaprint (Jan 29, 2006)

The problem with the wings is the flat that glues to the body determines the upsweep. Both flats meeting actually.

If talking recurving the wing to match actual lift, that's a whole nother ball game. 

In that scale flaps and slats will be a lot of custom cutting.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

The 737, 757, and 767 don't move up all that much. Only a few feet.

The 787 and 747-8 move a lot. I think 10-12 feet, but thats just from memory.

The easiest way is also the most dangerous. Heat. But I can think of many ways this can go bad.

When I built my F-104/ Enterprise kit from Star Trek I wanted the simulate the F-104 being bent by the Enterprise's tractor beam. I built a jig out of bricks, put it in the oven at 180F. The results were very unpredictable and not very satisfying.

Good luck


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

The jig is probable the easiet way to go about the process. Support the outer wing tip and heat the middle inner wing area until the fuselodge sags to the ground. Then do the other side.

The heat factor can be an oven, heat gun or water bath. The softest plastics begins melting at 165 degrees so set your temperature point below that and increase until you find it for your plane.

Dont forget to support the nose and tail so it doesnt sag under its own weight at the same time.

Your jig should represent the scale difference between flight and stationary.

If possible introduce the curve before you attach the wings.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Ok, all of this makes a lot of sense to me. The only kits not assembled yet are the 707-436, 747-8, 757-300, 767-300, 777-300. I am thinking of getting another 787-9 (hoping a -10 will be out), so I can finesse that with the flight position. The plastic and wings are very thin. But, I like the quality of the kit (Zvezda). I do have a cheap hot air station with adjustable temperature. But I have to do a calibration table, as the temp on the led display is lower than the temp of the air coming out of the nozzle when measured with a digital meat thermometer. I have an extra partial 767-300 Revell kit (missing a wing part) that I will experiment with. I expect the melting temperature will be lower for the extra thin plastic shipping out of China these days. The 70s kits are way thicker and sturdier, though more brittle due to age. I will also work with the shaped brass strip, if I can get it to fit. The 787-9 wings are very thin in cross-section.

One thing I am experimenting with is using white glue on the passenger windows before gluing them into the hull halves. That way, they are auto-masked for painting. Otherwise, I will have to paint the hull halves except a strip surrounding the seam lines. Fill, sand, mask off the pre-painted areas and hope to match the existing paint. 

Although not a realistic depiction, all of the models will be done in the 70s-00s older American Airlines livery. Polished aluminium skin, gray paneling. 

I am also experimenting with very small 1/200 scale 727 and 737 kits. Not sure I like the scale, as it is very hard to sand the seams and not affect the detail. The curious thing is the 1/200 scale kits are, in general, as expensive as their 1/144 scale brothers. At least, I still have the 1/100 and 1/72 scales to work with once I have my skills down.


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

finaprint said:


> The problem with the wings is the flat that glues to the body determines the upsweep. Both flats meeting actually.
> 
> If talking recurving the wing to match actual lift, that's a whole nother ball game.
> 
> In that scale flaps and slats will be a lot of custom cutting.


I have .030 plastic sheet that I will attempt to use for the extended slats and flaps. Question is which kit to try this on...?


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

You may have to cut the pins off the parts to make heat bending a little easier.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

charonjr said:


> .... Question is which kit to try this on...?


Just toss them into a pillow case - shake them up - and the first one (or part of one) you pull out is the one to start with. :cheers2:


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

ROFLMAO! Thank you, Milton Fox Racing! That was a great suggestion.... 

Oh, turns out white glue is not the way to mask windows. I dries and shrinks, and when it hardens, it bends the window strips. Attempting to cut through the hard glue with a sharp exacto blade is remarkably difficult. Very tough stuff! Unfortunately, when I remove the glue inbetween the windows, the part covering the windows is thick enough to prevent the part from fitting into the window aperture! And also, the white glue masking can pop off the window to fly off into illegal airspace, never to return!

Maybe I should try rubber cement? It shrinks very badly, though. Another alternative is to buy window masks from Russia.

Any ideas would be a great help!
Thanks!


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

The have this product called masking tape that I have heard of. Or the improved version of it called painters tape. 

Hope its not like that aircraft stripper stuff though.

Did you know you cant use aircraft stripper on aircraft - marketing geniuses!

:cheers2:


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

There's also something called micro mask and it's water soluble!!!


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## charonjr (Mar 27, 2000)

Micromask.....I think I do have an unopened, several years old, bottle of it around here somewhere!

I use blue painter's tape to help 3D printed parts stick to the build plate....

Aircraft Stripper....not used to strip aircraft? How do they look so sexy then?

I have seen on Ebay window masks for sale, out of Russia.


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## Hobby Dude (Aug 7, 2019)

Find a sacrificial bird, build it, take the plane and stack up 2 equal sized stacks of books. place the plane in betwixt the two stacks and secure the tips on top of the books. Use a hair dryer or a monokote heat gun on the roots of the wings, if the body droops, then you are in bidness. allow to cool. If my idear works, then proceed to build your bird, and rinse and repeat...:nerd::grin2::wink2:


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