Hi all!

I am about to drill the hole below the port LEX on a 1/48 F-18 so I can install the lamp found on the CF-188.

Any suggestions on how to make/fill the lamp? I have limited resources since there is no hobby shop in my area, so I feel very cut off at the knees.

All suggestions welcome! :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Links

Can you post some photos of what you're attempting? Maybe that would help.

Desired result:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Canada---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-CF-188A/1059364/M/
Hope that works. It's the small, circular lamp just underneath the forward tip of the port Leading Edge Extension.

Thanks!
Links

Sorry, can't see the pic, however you could try using one of those small "pips" of sprue that you sometimes get attached to clear parts.

I have been able to make nice lamps this way. First, locate and scribe the lamp panel, and locate and drill a hole the size of the lens - you may have to ACC a piece of scrap plastic behind the hole as a doubler as a quick internet search shows that the lamp is inset a bit so the hole has to be a bit deep. Use wooden stick with a rounded end and abrasive kitchen cleaner to shape and polish the 'reflector' at the bottm of the hole to a more convex profile. Then take a bit of aluminum foil and punch out a tiny disc the size of the reflector, burnish it shiny side up carefully into the hole with your stick. You should now have a nice looking reflector. Make the lens with a drop of long cure epoxy - if you can find it use the Permatex "Clear" version, otherwise your lens can have a slight yellow cast. Use a tiny bit to form the lens at the bottom of the hole - looks like the light is inset a couple of inches under a clear cover. To make the cover, punch a disc out of clear styrene sheet and fit it to the hole. Fitting the clear cover will be the hardest part, as it has to be a perfect fit. Glue it in with a TINY amount of liquid glue, making sure to get a bond all the way around the edge. If you used something other clear than styrene sheet you may have to use ACC to glue it, which will be fun :-) After it has dried for a few days polish the surface vigorously with a soft rag (old t-shirt). Use a touch of toothpaste (or plastic polish if you have it) if you need to remove a little glue and/or restore clarity, and repeat the polishing with the clean rag for the final buffing. On the off chance you have one of those 3-in-1 canopy polishing sticks this will make the clean up easier - so now is the time to use it :-).

Konrad

Can't wait to see the pix of this one! :thumbsup: rr