Aircraft antenna and pitot tubes and other small parts

I put 'em on last, as much as is possible, and just be as careful as I can.

When I get ready to paint a mostly-finished model, I mount it on a home-made stand made from a bent wire coat hanger. This allows me to hold the model securely -- at any angle needed -- or set it down solidly, with my clumsy hand always a few inches away from thingies that stick out and dangly bits.

I generally leave it on this stand to finish construction -- adding landing gear, rigging antennas, etc. -- and only finally remove it when the model is ready to display.

All this really cuts down on wear, tear, the odd unintended fingerprints...and especially the risk of those tender bits snapping off and pinging into the void, never to be found.

(Truth in advertising: I'd be lying if I said it works 100% of the time, my ham-fistedness being more than the equal of ANY preventative measures ...but it works a good 95% of the time, and I'm happy to live with that! )

Cheers

Pitot tubes and antennas don't require decals, so they go on absolutely last.  

the Baron

I put 'em on last, as much as is possible, and just be as careful as I can.

MJY65

Pitot tubes and antennas don't require decals, so they go on absolutely last.  

 

On just about any model....absolutely.

I put them as late as possible,then try to be verrry careful

Mike, Over the years of breaking them off, I learned to make pitot tubes and antennas out of metal. Pitot tubes and antenna's can be made from syringe needle tubing and scraps of brass. Instead of syringe needle tubing you can also use brass tubing available on almost all model sites. In addition, lots of modelers use E-Z line for antenna wires instead of thread. It stretches up to 4 times instead of breaking. Just changing these three items can make a lot of frustration go away. Any more questions, just ask.

Hope this helped.

Stay safe.

Jim 

PS - I've been building models for 77 of my 83 years and am still learning.

Thanks everyone.  My last model I put them on last and I still knocked them off.  It's the Tamiya P-51B Mustang.  The antenna mast got knocked off and I broke the under wing pitot tube.  It's the bent kind that I can't use tubing.  It's usually the underwing and antenna masts that get me.  They need better, broader bases instead of a tiny plastic nub.  Laugh...

At least I'm not the only one having this issue.  

Not only do I put that stuff last, but before I pick it up I look  at the model carefully to check best to pick it up.  I usuaully find the wintips or above the nose best but it does vary from plane to plane.

Hi!

 In the few planes I build I do ALL my Pitot Tubes and Antennas after building and painting the plane. Mostly these parts are scratch  built from Bras cuttofs and left over tubing, Mainly from my friend's insulin syringes! He loved Star wars models and was actually a Klingon extra on the show. He came to stay with me on the last few days on this earth.I didn't know till we were sorting his belongings for his wife that he had bought over 5 thousand syringes! I broke the needles off, Used the tubes for columns on buildings and tubes for larger guns and the thumb cap ( the round cap on the top of the plunger for tube covers for torpedoes and Asro launch box tube covers. Go to your found items first !!