MPM Pe-3 Canopy

[FREDDIEM]

Hi,

I have an MPM 1/48 Pe-2 kit I would love to build. A little problem, the vacuum formed canopy has "yellowed".... What should I do?

Thanks in advance for your input

Fred

 

[ghodges]

Hi Fred! Sorry I missed this question until now.... unless you can find a commercial canopy to buy to replace it, or can ask for a newer one from the kit maker, you'll have to make your own new one. You can do so with little to no "equipment", though if you have a vacuform machine its easier.

1) Fill the yellowed canopy with Plaster of Paris to make a new canopy mold. Try to be sure there are no air bubbles in the mixture when you pour it in.

2) Once the PoP is dry, pop it out of the canopy. You now have a choice: do you want to keep the frame lines on the mold? Most vac canopy framing is overly large and not very crisp, so (personally) I usually gently sand the frames off of the plaster canopy mold. Be sure to DRY sand if you do this, and do it gently. You may need to progressively sand it with finer grits to get it completely smooth again.

3) If you have a vacuform machine, use the Pop form to vac a new one.

4) If you don't have a vac machine, you can PUSH MOLD a new canopy.

     A) You first need to attach some sort of supports to the bottom of your PoP mold. These can be screws, nails, or brass rod, but you need to be able to hold it in                some sort of clamp or vice.

     B) (OPTIONAL): cut an opening in a thin piece of wood, or very stiff cardboard JUST bigger than your canopy outline. The PoP mold need to be able to fit                          THROUGH the hole, but with only about 1/16" clearance on all sides.

     C) Pin your clear sheet to the wood and be sure your PoP mold is firmly clamped by the holders. Heat the clear sheet on the wood until it starts to slightly sag              through the hole, and then push the mold through the hole, stretching the plastic and forming your new canopy. This may take more than one try to get a                useable copy.

     D) (Without using the wooden form) First clamp your PoP mold down so it's about 6" high from the table top/bench. TRY TO WEAR SOME SORT OF                                GARDENING/UTILITY/SAFETY GLOVES FOR THE FOLLOWING STEP! Using a LARGE sheet of clear plastic (so as to have room to hold it while heating its                  center) heat the plastic till it begins to sag in the center. then quickly jam the plastic down over the PoP mold while also using your hands to pull the heated              plastic as much UNDER the mold on all sides as possible (thus the need for the gloves to prevent burning your hands!). This is the crudest way to do this,                but can work, though it too may take several tries.

 

Below are pics of a 1/48 C-119 canopy that I push molded because it was too big for my vac machine. If you removed the frames from your mold, I suggest simply using tape and or paint to replace them, which should be much crisper and to scale.

Hope this helps!

 

Gil  

[FREDDIEM]

Thank you very much