Coppering a hull on a plastic kit?

[Kelp]

Has anyone tried using the adhesive copper tape on plastic kits?  How were the results? I was thinking of trying it out on my 1/96 Revell Cutty Sark sometime in the future.  

 

Thanks,

Don

[wefalck]

Yes. I think several people did it here on the forum. Check out 'dafi's' HMS VICTORY project for instance.

 

You will have to remove first any moulded-on plating to create a smooth surface.

 

Another question is, what kind of style you want to present your model in. In real life, the copper below the water-line would have been a dull reddish brown colour after a few weeks in the water. Around the water-line, between the water and the air, you would see some green oxidation (copper sulfate) and some white salt-stains etc.

Edited December 5, 2020 by wefalck

[Kelp]

Thank you Wefalck.  I will take a look at Dafi's HMS Victory build.  I plan on leaving the copper as it's natural copper color and letting it tarnish like an old penny.  I have used the tape before on wooden models and like the natural finish look.

 

Don

[dafi]