Build a Plastic Model Airplane

Find the right workspace to build your model airplane. While the kitchen or living room table are fine, bear in mind that you will be applying a lot of paint and glue in your model construction. The best possible work space will be a garage or any place with plenty of ventilation. Cover and protect your work station with old newspapers.

Place the parts in a bucket of soap and water and wash thoroughly, but do not yet remove the parts from the sprues (the plastic attachments that hold the parts together). Washing will remove any bonding materials that will prevent paint from sticking to the model. Once washed, allow to dry on paper towels. If concerned about water stains, then use a blow drier to dry any excess water beads.

Detach the airplane parts from the sprues. Set the pieces carefully on top of the work station until they are ready to be assembled. Read the instructions to the model airplane kit carefully. Make sure you understand the instructions thoroughly before you begin assembling the parts. Mark any notations that are important for you to remember.

Determine where to begin assembling the model airplane. This depends on what type of plastic model airplane you are building. If you are building a WWII plane or a fighter jet, begin with the cockpit. The cockpit is the most important with these types of models because they come in two pieces and you will want to paint in any details before you glue and assemble the pieces to the fuselage. Once this is done, you will lose access to the inside of the cockpit. If you are building a commercial airliner or a WWI biplane, for instance, begin with the fuselage. Check with the instructions as well.

Paint the interior details of the cockpit. Use a wash first, then wipe away any excess. This will create a shadowing effect, making the paint details stand out in stark relief, which will make the details more visible once the cockpit is glued and assembled. Allow to dry, then begin painting in the reliefs in the cockpit with a small paintbrush or a modified toothpick for better control. Allow to dry before assembling the wing and tail to fuselage. If you are assembling a WWII airplane or fighter jet, glue cockpit pieces together and let dry. Allow this to dry on your newspaper-covered workspace. If necessary, glue the glass shield onto the cockpit after painting the interiors.

Assemble the fuselage, wings and tail. Again, follow directions before assembling to make sure you don't omit any steps. Before gluing, use masking tape to hold the pieces together first. This will help you know whether the pieces fit together correctly or if there will be any adjustment problems that need to be corrected.

Begin gluing the pieces together. Glue the pieces one by one, starting with the cockpit, then the wings and tail. Allow the glue to dry before gluing the next part to the fuselage. Try not to use too much glue. This will create a crude look and make paint application more difficult.

Check for any alignment issues. Look over the fuselage carefully while the glue is drying, making sure all the parts are perfectly or closely in alignment with each other. Make any necessary adjustments while the glue is still wet.

Fill in any gaps between parts using a putty filler material, sold at any craft's store. Use a toothpick and carefully press the putty between the gaps. After wiping away any excess, allow the putty to dry, then sandpaper for smoothness. To protect parts of the model airplane from putty, cover with masking tape.

Allow the airplane to dry thoroughly. Wait at least a day before painting. Once the model is dry, begin painting. Determine what type of paint you'll use for the model airplane. Oil-based enamels and aqueous or water-based acrylics are the best types of paint for airplanes models, but each paint brings something different to the finish (oil-based enamels dry slowly but have a glossy finish, while water-based acrylics dry faster but are easier to clean), so determine which one will be best for you.