|
|
Forums - Modelling / Construction |
The construction forum is for the discussion of techniques on the construction phase of AFV modelling and the tools and materials used. |
| Topics | 1891 |
| Messages | 8718 |
|
|
| Subject: | Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? |  |
| Date: | Jun 4, 2008 |
| From: | Christopher C Tew | |
John -
1. It's probably better if the flag doesn't touch the muffler/exhaust. Heat = scorched fabric. The flag has to touch the muffler/exhaust as you have it because:
2. Gravity is the law! Everywhere the flag hangs, it has to hang "down" relative to the center of the Earth - for the most part, down means perpendicular relative to a line parallel to the bottom of the tank. Wrinkles cannot be shaped "up" (referring to the flow of the wrinkles, not their peaks and valleys) unless they are held in place by an underlying structure. Parts of the flag cannot float in space as the edges over the muffler and the left side do. Even if you fold part of the flag over itself, the fold will still lie basically flat and not stand up or form a hollow area (you could make a hollow where the radiator fan blows air out the engine deck vents, but you'd be better to save that for after you've practiced good techniques for a while). The longer a flag has been in place, the flatter it gets unless something around or on it moves and pushes up a wrinkle.
3. Cloth usually doesn't produce sharp-edged wrinkles but rather curves - smoothly flowing valleys and hills rather than jagged mountain peaks. This is why kitchen foil has to be used with caution: It tends to bend wrong for this use. Lead foil, used with proper caution, is probably easier to bend smoothly than kitchen foil.
4. Consider putting the flag over the deck without hanging part of it off the side. A flatter surface will give you more opportunity to practice techniques and allow you to start training your eyes to see how the flag needs to look. Adding more stuff under the flag would only make the folds more complicated, and adding stuff on top of it means you have to plan out where it would be stretched, forced into lower areas, or otherwise additionally wrinkled.
5. You've already recognized the need to do a more thorough painting job. Next time, paint the flag before draping it (with flexible paints), and use a stencil for the circle. Also, Archer makes an excellent set of flag rub-down decals, and water-slide decals are available from several sources. If a new sheet is too expensive to justify, ask friends who do 1/48 or larger a/c if they have a leftover Hackenkreuz you can use to make that part of the job easier and more accurate. If you want a hand-painted identification sign, put it on some boards or a sheet of metal so you don't have to worry about folds and wrinkles - if you want to bend a metal sheet, then heavy kitchen foil will do the job, or you could break some thin wood for a splintered effect.
6. Look at all the photos you can find and try to match what you see. The Germans often used their national flag for ID purposes in the early years of the war, but you have to consider the historical background. By the time the PzKpfw IVH was in use, the Germans had lost control of the air over all fronts. I don't think I've ever seen a photo of a IVH with an ID flag like this. Maybe you have such a photo. If so, use every bit of information you can get out of it. If not, maybe this is not the model to use a flag on, and you can practice these techniques for a PzKpfw IVC, D, or E in a paint scheme that would more likely have carried such an ID marking.
Best wishes,
CTew |
| |
|
|
 | Does the Flag look realistic?? [IMG] - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 3, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? (2nd Pic) [IMG] - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 3, 2008 |
| . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? (3rd Pic) - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 3, 2008 |
| . . . . . . . . . Hand made. - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 3, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Christopher C Tew - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Gary Cooper - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Eddie Turner - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Mikko Rautiainen - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 4, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Some assistance [IMG] - Arun Bauer - Jun 5, 2008 |
| . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Some assistance - Christopher C. Tew - Jun 6, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Christopher C. Tew - Jun 6, 2008 |
| . . . . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - Johnathon Courtot - Jun 6, 2008 |
| . . . Re: Does the Flag look realistic?? - MByerley - Jun 13, 2008 |
|
|
