Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Hi all, in this time of stay in and think of what you'd like to build and fly, I'm seriously considering an Ercoupe. I've liked them since one used to fly over us when I was a kid and I identified it from my Observer's Book of Aircraft. Now, they look great in natural metal (what doesn't), so I'm thinking it would need covering in chrome film, but what is opinion generally of radio signal corruption with shiny birds? Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 hello martin,this has been discussed before,i can only speak for the "chrome"profilm….if the rx aerial is inside the model,the covering will pinch the signal....it has a thin metal foil in it....so on my models I leave the end bit of the aerial outside the fuz… ken anderson...ne...1..chrome finish dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Hi Ken, thanks. I was thinking how it's not so easy, with very short aerials to keep both poking out. Would a second satelite Rx. be a good idea in this situation? M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 hello martin,i can only speak for my models using Hitec 2.4g.....but as I've mentioned the profilm instructions tell you that the covering has a layer of foil in it and that you need to be careful about your radio installation.....if you google the matter,you'll get some more info... ken anderson...ne...1...chrome dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Thanks, Ken, will do. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Thanks, Ken, will do. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callsign Tarnish Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 I've been flying a model covered ompletely in chrome profilm for couple of years with no issues at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Do you have the aerials outside or in the canopy? M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callsign Tarnish Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 The aerials are completely inside the fuselage, not even in the canopy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Sounds like you've been lucky according to everyone else. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callsign Tarnish Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Or it's not an issue. I haven't seen any conclusive studies with results and the link above is anecdotal at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 The oracover instructions advise getting aerials outside and in a different (geometrical) plane. I make sure my aerials are outside, even on foamies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 As, let's face it, is yours, Callsign, by definition. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 martin,here's another thread that also discussed the silver covering problem.....it has the profilm instructions on....from the manufactures......bit more info for you...not anecdotal...eh... ken anderson...ne...1...chrome dpt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 Thanks Ken, I like that Pushykat. Are there plans? M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 hello martin,there are lots of threads on the forum here about the pushycat…..the plan is available from Sarik I think.. ken anderson...ne..1....pushycat dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Oracover offer what they call Chrome film which IS backed with real aluminium and they do warn of issues with radio reception on this covering. They also offer Brushed Aluminium film which is not metallised and may be close enough to a chrome finish for most people. Personally I find their Chrome film to be too shiny to be realistic at model scale and it also seems prone to hangar rash which makes the model look tatty. However, that is likely to be my fault and as they say YMMV.... I prefer glassing and painting anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Some years ago I resurrected a CAP Gladiator which I covered in silver Solartex. I positioned the receiver and aerials as usual where it couldn't be blanked by the engine and well clear of any metal but I couldn't get a decent range test until I put one aerial in the canopy and the other out of the bottom, both clear of the covering. That was with supposedly safe silver tex, I think Callsign Tarnish has been doing well to get good rangetests and no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Alan, glassing and painting will never look like polished ally! However the brushed aluminium sounds good. I have seen several Ercoupes in a dullish mill finish ally, rather than the unbelievably time consuming polished version. The Spartan Executive at Little Gransden is almost too bright to look at! I have covered 1/32nd scale slot cars in Sellotape Aluminium foil and they look fine, so natural metal in the MUCH larger model aircraft scales is fine if properly done. Thanks to all for the warnings and the solutions. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Posted by Foxfan on 03/04/2020 12:03:53: Alan, glassing and painting will never look like polished ally! Not certain I agree with that. These are not my models, but very much an aspiration to aim for (credit for pics and models by Phil and the team at Fighteraces). I don't think covering models such as this in Oracover would give quite the same effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Not bad, if that's paint, but the quality is more suggested by the realism of panel by panel changes of tone. For a basic mill finish they're not bad for paint, but will never look like aluminium. Some, like Alclad (what a steal of a brand name!), but it's a huge faff and doesn't always work and doesn't like being handled or clear coated or Molotow chrome (fine for small details) can be fairly convincing, but if you want metal, make it of metal, even if it's just a covering. M Edited By Foxfan on 03/04/2020 13:53:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 They are both painted and to me the Spitfire looks particularly realistic. Better than "Chrome" effect iron on covering? You bet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Crikey, I've never seen Phil's work only being classed as "not bad"!! Excellent finishes from an aeromodelling artist, and as close to the real thing as I've ever seen, short of "flite metal". Thanks for sharing them Al, they are outstanding, and far above and beyond what a plastic film could manage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Yes I was not necessarily asking about plastic film as such, but rather "covering" more generally, which, yes, includes Iron-ons, although I wasn't aware they did a chrome. I don't like chrome, but I don't like paint either. I would always counsel the use of foils, no matter how good paints might get. I was not poo-pooing the bove pics. They are very good, but only in so far as they are paint. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Metallised paint...just as the covering films talked about in this thread are metallised films.... If you really want a polished metal finish then you could look at FliteMetal or just build the entire model out of lithoplate. Both won't be cheap or light or easy to use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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