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horizontal stripes on vertical tail parts - how to do it?

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  • Member since
    October 2019
horizontal stripes on vertical tail parts - how to do it?
Posted by phil172 on Friday, January 24, 2020 9:43 PM

So I'm working on a P-47 that has a black horizontal stripe (supposed to be 5mm wide) across the tail, with red on top.  So I figured I'd just paint the whole thing red, then paint the black stripe over it.  I thought I did a pretty good job but after I pulled the masking tape off, I'm not sure it is horizontal.  It's not that it clearly isn't, but I'm not sure it is, either.

Now I'll put the black stripe over it, but I really don't know how to be sure it is truly horizontal.  There is nothing I can clearly line it up on.  And now I'll have to do two pieces of masking.

Anyone have any tips about how to do that?

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, January 24, 2020 10:57 PM

Line it up parallel with the control surface or panel lines.  

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, January 25, 2020 6:30 AM

What I do is take a piece of masking tape that is slightly wider than the stripe,  and carefully cut it to the right width.  Tricky but you can redo it easily- tape is cheap.  Then, I put it on the base coat and carefully view it.  I can easily pull it off and reposition it until I get it right.  Now I mask above and below it, and remove the tape stripe.  That first tape is a disposable reference.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, January 25, 2020 9:49 AM

It raises an interest point. Level to what? I suppose level in level flight, but I really don't know.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Saturday, January 25, 2020 2:21 PM

keavdog
Line it up parallel with the control surface or panel lines.  

You can also use the propeller axis too.

Straight back (inline) from the center of the prop.

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Sunday, January 26, 2020 6:53 AM

keavdog

Line it up parallel with the control surface or panel lines.  

 

 

Indeed, in cruise flight, the horizontal stab will be very close to direction of flight vector, so that is what I use as a reference.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    October 2019
Posted by phil172 on Sunday, January 26, 2020 2:59 PM
Thanks everybody for the advice. I held it up and looked at it and it looks pretty straight compared to the horizontal part of the tail. I think it looks off when it's sitting at an angle because of anglular view issues. I have a ceiling vent in my house that I stop and look at every now and then because most of the time it looks crooked compared to the wall, but it looks fine when I stand underneath it.... To put the black stripe on, I plan to lay down a line of 5mm thick tape where the stripe will be, make sure that is straight, then mask above and below it.
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