what to use for aircraft antenna wire

You can use the synthetic hair found in cheap wigs. Piano wire ( musical instrument strings) as well as the other threads, strings and such available on the market. But to me sprue is so easy and cheap!

I've tried most materials, and for 1/144 through 1/24th, I think clear stretched sprue works and looks the best.

Thank you for your reply. I guess I should have more patience with spues.  P.S. Your SnJ NMF is Great!!

I use thread.  I use the clear monofilament for 1:72, regular grey thread for larger scales.  Do not use white or black thread.  White looks weird- I have never seen  white antenna wire.  Black calls to much attention to itself, makes it look a lot thicker than it really is.

I use regular hair, drill a hole on the tip of the tail where the antenna would come from and glue with CA. let it dry and then attach the other end to the area you need the antenna to go to.  then trim the excess.  Then after that you can paint it black and also make the antenna link attachments out of CA.

I've only done 4 planes so far, but clear monofilament fishing line seems to work pretty well for me. You can get in in different diameters ("test" in fishing lingo) depending on your build, and I just drag it over a colored sharpie to get the color I want.

It's easy to get tight too. Once you have it attached on both ends, there's bound to be slack. Light a match, let it burn hot, blow it out, and run the red hot end up and down just below the line. Don't touch the line or it'll break it. The heat will cause the line to constrict.

Mike

Here is a thread I posted in a WWI forum a while back...

http://armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=188769#1579276

There's a lot of good ways to model it, but in the end, I'm a sprue stretcher. I usually end up not having to paint them, since they come in a variety of colors.

Glenn

I have heard of a product called E-Z Line, which is used as telephone or power lines by model railroaders.  It is elastic and supposedly easy to work with for aircraft antennas, but I have never tried it.  You can find it at stores that cater to the railroad guys.  It comes in various colors and gauges.

In addition to the clear mono, I have some smoke colored stuff that looks a little bigger, even though it is the same size as the clear stuff.  I use the clear stuff for smallest scales, smoky stuff for larger.  Woven thread for largest scale.

I'm a sprue stretcher as well.

Practice with it, it has many more applications than just making antennas. Varying the amount of time over the flame determines how thick/thin the "stretch" will be. Less time, means less heat, resulting in a thicker stretch...usable for anything round (tubing/plumbing, scratchbuilt control sticks, etc.). For fine "wire" hold the sprue over the flame till it bulges and sags a bit, stretch your arms out farely quickly, and you'll end up with a farely consitant, fine "wire". The slower you pull, the thicker the "wire".

Practice, practice, practice.

I also use the monofilament for ship rigging, as well as aircraft antenna wire.  For safety reasons, I don't like to use a match (afraid I will scorch or burn model surface).  I bought what is known as a stamping blower, from Michaels. It is like a small, lower powered hair dryer/blower.  Cheap and does a good job of tightening up monofilament thread with no danger of burning anything.

E-Z Line is fantastic.  It's elastic, doesn't seem to deteriorate or sag, and attaches with a spot of CA followed by trimming any excess line.  There are two different "gauges" and a couple of colors, as I recall. I've used it on ships, subs, and aircraft.  Google Bode's hobby shop, and I think that'll get you to a source.

Tom