How do you simulate gun shots?

An important thing to remember: make sure you work a tiny bit of the plastic out from the inside. When a bullet hits something, energy is expended in an equal & opposite action at the point of contact. In 1/24 scale, this sort of feature wouldn't matter, but certainly aircraft in 1/48 or 1/32 should show this effect.  

Wing_nut and thevinman are right its in the Kalmbach - How to build Dioramas i remember building the a B-17 and that exact photo was on the box art. and i think this is the way to do it right should work on any kind of model.

on aircraft, i thin the area to be damaged with a grinding wheel and then assemble the model. when the model is completed i place masking tape over the area to be damaged then i hang the model in my garage and shoot it with a .177  caliber pellet gun.   when doing this you must have a good back stop and have good aim.  the tape keeps the pieces from going everywhere.  the effect is very realistic especially if you have seen real damage

I have used a tool from a biology kit that has a long needle on the end of a wooden handle.  Just heat the needle tip with a lighter or some heat source and pearce the plastic to the depth and area you need; can stimulate deep and shallow "hits". (practice first).  I am pretty sure microscope kits have this tool in them this tool.  Maybe look in the science section of a hobby or learning store, or contact local school for a used kit.

I found this tool in a biology tool kit; may still be around.  It is a long needle with a stick handle.  Just use a lighter or some flame source to heat the end of the needle, and pearce the plastic to the depth and desired time you want on the that area.  (practice makes perfect).  This works good and the handle prevents burns from the needle tip.  Maybe can find this tool in the science sections of hobby stores and/or at classes offering biology.  I think some microscope kits may have this tool in them.

gburdon wrote:

Raventutor 11: To simulate the bullet hole(s) on a Ford FAT-2 thin the backside of the area(s) to be "shot up" to the point where the plastic is almost opaque...

 

Correct...but just to avoid confusing you... replace "opaque" with "translucent".  The thinner you make the plastic, the more translucent it will be.  It is already opaque.

Raventutor 11:

To simulate the bullet hole(s) on a Ford FAT-2 thin the backside of the area(s) to be "shot up" to the point where the plastic is almost opaque when held up to the light. You can use the tip of a hobby knife to make the jagged "entry" and/or "exit". Most of the body panels on the vehicle were sheet metal so this will work for you. To vary the diameter of the "holes" you can also use a straight pin (unheated) to punch through the thinned plastic.

I would suggest you pick up a copy of Sheperd Paine's two books. How To Build Dioramas and How To Build Tanks and Military Vehicles. Each has lots of reference for you to use and demonstrates the techniques you have asked about recently.

Cheers;

Gregory

I would just make a small hole with a motor tool (if its possible, depends on he scale) then add a bit of black in the center and some silver chips on the paint.

I read an article some 30 years ago, in Scale Modeler I think,  saying the same thing thevinman is talking about.  It suggested the use of a Dremel to remove the plastic very thin and after making a hole just big enough to get a tool or probe in start gently tearing, bending and folding the plastic.  Some of the key things it mentioned where that if you are doing a large area of damage there will be a lot of visible internal parts… wires, hydraulic lines, ribbing, framing etc.  If only doing bullet holes, avoid a round hole as that just doesn’t happen.  Avoid a line of bullet holes since that also just doesn’t happen.  Bullet holes should be very random. And lastly it mentioned confirming whether control surfaces are covered with fabric and a metal skin for the a/c you are working on as they will have a different appearance.

 

Edit:

Well now that I read the bit in your post in the parenthesis, sorry I assumed aircraft, you can obviously leave out the part about the controls surfaces.

try a heated finnishing nail (smallest you can get) just make sure it's not hot enough to melt plastic and gently tap it on the vehicle panle that you want damaged it also works for dents.

There was a good article in a 2004 FSM (can't remember which one) that showed how to make a battle damaged A-10. One of the important ideas was that you needed to "thin" the styrene by sanding it down, carefully. That way, it will simulate real sheet metal's thickness (or thinness in this case)...styrene is just to thick to simulate a scale bullet hole.

what scale? a use of a pin vise would be a good start. if it is metal with a primer and basecoat..drill the hole first then paint over it, then do the weathering, whether it be paint chipping or drybrushing. hope this helps