TECH TIP #6
LAYERED INSTRUMENT PANELS
by Jim Sorensen
......This is another e-mail request.
GATHER YOUR REFERENCE MATERIAL TOGETHER. PHOTOS OR TECHNICAL DRAWINGS WORK THE BEST. BUT IF ALL ELSE FAILS YOU CAN "ACCURATELY" FAKE IT. I KNOW WHAT I SAID, IF YOU DON'T HAVE REFERENCE MATERIAL ON THE ACUAL AIRCRAFT, YOU CAN USE A PHOTO OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT (SAME TYPE, I.E. JET OR PROP, FIGHTER OR TRANSPORT). BECAUSE ALL MILITARY AIRCRAFT COCKPITS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME. THE SAME TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS IN THE SAME LOCATIONS. THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR PILOTS TO CROSS OVER.
	USING THE KIT'S INSTRUMENT PANEL ( IF AVAILABLE AND USABLE). MAKE TWO COPIES OUT OF THIN WHITE PLASTIC. PLASTIC FOR-SALE SIGNS WORK REAL WELL.
	USING A PENCIL, MARK THE LOCATIONS FOR THE INSTRUMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO SET BACK IN. THESE ARE USUALLY THE LARGER ONES WITH SQUARE FACES.
	CUT OUT THE SQUARE FACES FOR THE INSTRUMENTS REQUIRING THEM. USE THIN PLASTIC. THE OLD STYLE DOCUMENT PROTECTORS WORK REAL WELL.
	GLUE THEM INTO LOCATION ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE FRONT INSTRUMENT PANEL. MAKE SURE YOU PLACE THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR MARKS.
	DRILL HOLES MATCHING THE SIZE OF THE INSTRUMENTS FACES, THRU THE SQUARES AND THE FRONT INSTRUMENT PANEL.
	CLAMP THE FRONT AND BACK PANELS TOGETHER. SHOOT THE FRONT OF THE FRONT PANEL FLAT BLACK, MAKING SURE THE HOLES ARE COMPLETELY BLACK.
	SEPERATE, AND USING A SHAPE POINTED BLADE, SCRATCH IN THE DETAIL FOR THE INSTRUMENT FACES. A MAGNIFING GLASS REALLY HELPS. PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ANY ARTIFICIAL HORIZON OR COMPASS INSTRUMENTS.
	CUT OUT OF THIN CLEAR PLASTIC, (AGAIN THE OLD STYLE DOCUMENT PROTECTS WORK REAL WELL), THE CLEAR PANEL, MAKING IT LARGE ENOUGH TO COVER THE INSTRUMENT FACES.
	PAINT THE FRONT OF THE FRONT PANEL USING THE COLOR NEEDED FOR YOUR PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT. U.S. IS FLAT MED GRAY (36231)
	AFTER DRY, PAINT THE SQUARE INSTRUMENT FACES, WITH FLAT BLACK.
	NOW COMES ASSEMBLY. FIRST, CAREFULLY GLUE THE CLEAR PANEL TO THE BACK OF THE FRONT PANEL, MAKING SURE IT COVERS ALL THE HOLES. NOW GLUE THE FRONT OF THE BACK PANEL TO THE BACK OF THE CLEAR PANEL, ENSURE THE FACES LINE UP.
	TO THE BACK OF THE REAR PANEL ADD SOME WIRING, THEN PAINT IT FLAT BLACK.
	THE SMALL ROUND INSTRUMENTS CAN BE HAND PAINTED USING A FLAT PIECE OF PLASTIC THE SAME DIAMETER AS THE INSTRUMENT FACE, DIP THE END INTO FLAT BLACK AND PRESS INTO THE PANEL AT YOUR DESIRED LOCATIONS. AFTER DRY, PAINT THE FACES. FINALLY USE A DROP OF FUTURE TO SIMULATE GLASS.
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