Glass parts?

[Jan Kytop]

Good evening,
I wish to introduce a discussion on a point that still shocks me with regard to airplane model aircraft.
We have at our disposal a lot of models very varied and remarkable but ...
I am always disappointed by the basic rendering of the glass parts. Yet, it is often difficult to replace them with transparent plastic, especially for closed-cabin planes and it is necessary to build an interior.
Could the ultimate frontier of the realism of the paper model not be a photorealistic representation of the windows?
Isn't this a desirable progress?
Admittedly, I understand that it is not easy.
But it would be great to have a paper model of - by example a Piper cub - that look like a real one and not like a paper model with stange blue areas at the place of the glass parts.

I am thinking, for example, of the Wilga of Paper replika or the Airdave's planes.
PZL 104 Wilga, Poland, 1/72, paper replika.com

[Butelczynski]

I use to experiment with different glass representations since I do recolors and I don't do the interior.

Issue I did run into was limitations of printer.Basic inkjets sometimes can,sometimes can't print many different shades of one color,in case of glass that will be blue. Best compromise I found is this generic "glass panel".

On other hand spending too much time on glass is really counterproductive if rest of the model uses under 10 colors.I'd rather spend time on much more visible issues like correct colors of camo,proper demarcation of camo lines etc.

[Rata]

It's a tough one. I've sort of conditioned myself to accepting the limitations of paper 'glass'. I can't design or recolor for squat so I'm happy with how different designers deal with it for me.
Having said that, I think Brent is up there at the top with his 'shadow' effects he does on his superb repaints.

[a380]

since you bring it up, i have to admit that if i see 'printed glass' on any paper model, not just aircraft, it leaves me cold. just takes me completely out of the fantasy that i may be looking at the real thing. i can never build a model that has simulated transparent surfaces. my personal hang-up i suppose! that and printed/drawn texture like panel lines. interesting topic. curious to see more responses.

[murphyaa]

I like to pretend mine are on display at an air museum

[Paper Kosmonaut]

I absolutely don't mind an 'opaque glass' window or canopy. I just use a little acrylic clear gloss paint to give it a nice shine. It does to it what that little dot of titanium white does in the iris of an eye in a portrait painting. It makes it come alive.

@ a380, I think the level of realism you expect from paper models, is in general almost undoable. Of course you want a sense of realism in your model. But you should be able to see (and love) the limitations of the material, too.

I never have the feeling that I should be looking at 'the real thing' because the thing is in my hand and it is like a seventy-two times smaller than the real thing. It just isn't a real plane or car. It is a paper model rendition of it. Printed textures will in my opinion always be part of that. You cannot create every NACA vent or recessed panel line in a F-86's fuselage in 1/100 scale. A printed suggestion will do fine for me. It's suggestion.
For me, a big part of the joy of paper modeling is the building itself. To create a nice looking 3D model out of a flat sheet of paper.

But to each his own. :-)

[wireandpaper]

I must say that if available, I would prefer a transparent windshield and window, understanding the challenge it poses for the interior. This for planes 1/144 (may be the preferred 1/200 of Jan) and over.
But then again we can not have everything, and no one will die with an opaque window.
Jan looking forward for your next 1/200 installment!

[wireandpaper]

Originally Posted by Jan Kytop

Good evening,
I wish to introduce a discussion on a point that still shocks me with regard to airplane model aircraft.
We have at our disposal a lot of models very varied and remarkable but ...
I am always disappointed by the basic rendering of the glass parts. Yet, it is often difficult to replace them with transparent plastic, especially for closed-cabin planes and it is necessary to build an interior.
Could the ultimate frontier of the realism of the paper model not be a photorealistic representation of the windows?
Isn't this a desirable progress?
Admittedly, I understand that it is not easy.
But it would be great to have a paper model of - by example a Piper cub - that look like a real one and not like a paper model with stange blue areas at the place of the glass parts.

I am thinking, for example, of the Wilga of Paper replika or the Airdave's planes.
PZL 104 Wilga, Poland, 1/72, paper replika.com

I must say that if available I agree with you! I would prefer transparent windshields and windows, understanding the challenge they may pose for the interior of the planes. This for planes 1/144 (may be the preferred 1/200 of Jan) and over.
One solution is vacuform and thermaform (but it implies using some sort of pl@$+1( and a lot of extra work.
But then again we can not have everything, and no one will die with an opaque window.
Jan looking forward for your next 1/200 installment!

ps long time ago when no more pla... models were available I started scratchbuilding models using very similar techniques that in paper models. One thing I did was thermaform cockpits. These are the remains of my previous life in transition.

[wireandpaper]

Let's see if this have better resolution....




I guess not

in 1/144

[wireandpaper]

BTW I found this video on how to do this for framed canopies of relatively small scale. I would say from 1/100 to 1/50. Some one wants to try it in 1/200?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKmJJXXKS9g