Flash Gordon and the Martian Model Kit (Revell, 1965). Flash plus a Martian. Cool details like Flash's retro-style clear bubble helmet really make this kit special. Suggested ways to clean up Flash'h Clear Plastic Helmet: Many people don't realise that you can sand a clear part and then polish it back to its transparent state and, although it requires a lot of effort, it is possible and can be used to remove scratches. The first stage involves sanding the part with progressively finer grades of "wet-and-dry" paper. Each grade effectively removing the scratches left by the one previous, start with 600 grade and work up to at least 2000 grade (obtainable from car body repair shops). Use plenty of water or even do the sanding under a running tap.
- Brasso polish works excellently on plastic clear parts.
Try some "whitening" toothpaste; it has very fine abrasive in it. - Don't polish with paper towels or tissue; they are made of wood which is harder than the plastic and coarser than the polish you're using.
Cotton diapers or old t-shirts or the cotton "beauty pads" from the make-up section. - Start with some very fine sandpaper 1500 or 2000 grit which you can get from a paint-and-body supply store. Use plenty of water! After that, you can start polishing.
Start by taking the exacto knife and scraping along the line. This will take off any high spots and glue residue, and sometimes this is all that is needed. Then use the files to get the worse areas shaped, for instance where a seam doesn't match up at all. Finally go to the sandpaper (wet), starting with the 400 and finishing with at least the 600. You should now have a seam that looks and feels level. By the way, you'll be using a lot of sandpaper, so instead of buying the expensive little packs in the hobby rack, I highly suggest you wander over to the automobile section where they sell bodywork and painting supplies. You can buy big sheets of wet-dry sandpaper in assorted grades for half the price.
Now, after this initial work with the sandpaper, take a good look at your model under a bright light. You can usually see obvious gaps and low spots at this point. This is what the putty is for. Different modelers swear by different brands, and the ones I use are Squadron Green and Testors Contour Putty, both readily available in hobby stores. Ask around on the net, and you'll find people who use other products like two part epoxy or gap filling superglue - this is one area where it seems everyone has their favorite and swears by it. To apply, I put a dab of putty on my finger and wipe it along the seam, making sure I get it pushed into the cracks. I might then smooth it a little by then wetting my finger and going back over it. Another trick I use is mixing a little acetone (fingernail polish remover) and putty in a small pill bottle, and using a brush to dab it on where needed. Use thin coats, it's fast drying but still one of the delays in building is waiting for the putty to dry completely. I usually give it a whole day before hitting it with the sandpaper.
Once the putty is dry, use the sandpaper and files to get a smooth surface that still matches any details on the model, yet hides the seam or defect. It's better to take your time with this step and remove too little putty and plastic at one time than too much. After each session with the sandpaper, put on a coat of primer over the area you're working on. You can buy special stuff, I just use a neutral gray acrylic. You will usually find this allows you to see smaller areas needing more sanding and filling. Repeat this process until a coat of primer shows no evidence of the mold line, and you're finished.
A "diddle" stick comes in real handy when sanding. This is a plastic or wooden stick about the size and shape of a regular screwdriver. You can make your own from something like a popsicle stick or find something even better by scrounging around. Wrap the sandpaper around the end and use it to get into corners and shape details.
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Completed Flash Diorama |
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Flash Gordon and the Martian Model Kit By Revell, 1965 This rare kit has been made into a diorama that is depicted on the lid of the box. (box not available) To complete the diorama I sculpted another Martian, again as shown on the box. The 3 figures are not permanently attached to the Custom Base so that they can be moved or packed.
 Custom Sculpted Martian
Plastc Helmet |
