by Ron Peterka, July 24, 1998
One of the easiest ways to dress up a model, even a sport model, is to add simulated panel lines. You will be amazed at how they can camouflage slips and draw attention to the nicer work areas. Here are a couple of techniques that have been used successfully.
On plastic film covered models (Monokote,etc) - lay out realistic or simulated panel lines lightly with a felt tip pen. You can get ideas from virtually any 3-view drawing of a reasonably modern aircraft. Using a sheet of plain old window glass (I have a scrap piece with edges taped for safety) remove the backing of a piece of covering. The color can be black, but for a more subtle effect, choose a color just one shade lighter than the darker covering on your plane, and one shade darker than the lighter colors on your plane. I am assuming you packrat the leftover pieces from every model built since the beginning of time, like I do.
Tape the covering to the glass and using a nice sharp (new) #11 blade, cut several approximately 1/16" wide strips. A Top Flite Smartstripe stripe cutting tool makes this a snap. It's not so important that they be exactly any dimension, although narrow looks better it's harder to put on. When you have a bunch of strips, heat up the iron to a fairly low temperature (175 - 200 degrees if you have a way to check) and begin to "lay on McDuff!". Tack one end of the strip at a starting point and gently stretch it just past the other end of the planned line. Starting at the tacked end gently iron the stripe in place.
Using your #11, or a single edge razor blade, just lay the blade edge on the point where you want the line to end. Pull up on the tape to cut it. If you are showing off with multi-colored panel lines, don't forget to change colors at each change in covering color as you cross it. Remember, the panel lines you see on an aircraft are really just shadows at a change in the surface. The shadow will be approximately the same color as the surface around it, only darker, or lighter depending on the lighting.
When all the lines are down and excess marker pen ink is cleaned with alcohol, I like to run some trim solvent along the edges with a very, very, small brush to finish sealing the edges.
The panel lines can be curved by pulling a little harder and stretching the line as you iron it in place. This will take some practice!!! If the iron is too hot the film will shrink and look really strange. Use minimum heat.
Remember also, you are under no regulation that requires you to tell anyone how easy it was to do!