ErcoupeTV 1:48 Scale Model Kit Build Instructions, Clear Canopy Version

Thank you for purchasing this kit. Instructions online at https://www.ercoupetv.com/ercoupe-models/instructions/, with images that you can zoom into for more detail. Please email James at mail@jamesgood.com if you have any questions, and please send a photo of your model when complete!

Kit contents:

  • 1 x wing / cockpit section
  • 1 x tail section
  • 1 x nose / cowling
  • 1 x seat
  • 1 x canopy rear (clear)
  • 1 x canopy front (clear)
  • 2 x prop with spinner (spare included in case of breakage)
  • 2 x instrument panel (spare included in case of breakage)
  • 2 x canopy frame (spare included in case of breakage)
  • 1 x printed instructions

Recommended tools/supplies:

Before you start, please read:

The kit is made from a 3D printed resin. The material is fairly strong, but brittle. Please be careful with the more delicate parts, such as the propeller, and canopy frames and landing gear.

Some parts (propellers, canopy frames, clear parts) are supplied in 3D printed support cages, to provide protection in shipping. These should be snipped out with a pair of sharp cutters, prior to building.

Step by step instructions:

1. Snip the propeller, canopy frame and instrument panel parts out of their printing supports. Sharp cutters should be used for this. Hold the cutters right up to the part, and snip as close as possible.

2. Lightly sand the wing leading edges, fuselage canopy frame, seat, canopy clear pieces, propeller blades, rear of elevator and rudders.

3. Lightly sand the nose/cowling section to remove the pimples on the rear of the cowling. Be careful to avoid the fuel gauge on the top of the cowling. The rear edge of the whole cowling should be smooth and free of pimples.

4. Paint the seat and instrument panel.

5. Apply glue to the tail section locating 'cone' on the wing/cockpit section. Place the tail section over the cone, locating the large notch at the bottom. Leave to dry, standing vertically on the flat firewall part.

6. Apply glue to the nose/cowling component, on the underside of the top cowling, the large pimply solid part of the 'engine', and a drop in the rectangular cutout on the engine. Then push the nose section onto the main fuselage, ensuring the nose section is level (check the horizontal cowling lines with the cockpit strengthening bars), and straight when viewed from the top.

7. Paint the main fuselage of the model. I spray it with a modelers airbrush, and painting the main colour at this time avoids masking later.

8. After the paint is dry, press the rear glass into the fuselage cutouts. I use my little finger to push up on the glass to seat it into the cutouts. Check they are not pushed too far through, and they are flush with the fuselage skin. There are little tabs that hold it in place without risking glue. It's a tight area to work in, somebody with small fingers will be useful.

9. Apply a small blob of CA (or even better, a slower setting epoxy or canopy glue to ensure you have time to correctly position the panel) to the panel location in the cockpit. Using small tweezers to lightly grab a yoke horizontal rod, gently place the panel into the cockpit. Carefully maneuver into place using the bottom edge of the panel. The yokes and engine controls are quite fragile, so two panel pieces have been included, just in case.

10. Apply a small amount of CA to the top of the wing spar exposed in the fuselage. Gently place the seat into position, and move rearward until it touches the small notches for the seat back on the inside of the fuselage. This will ensure it's in the correct position. See the picture below to see the correct position for the top of the seat back - it should be just to the front of the rear canopy frame, and slightly above the cockpit sides. Tip: I found that a small piece of masking tape attached to the top of the bottom seat cushion is useful for positioning the seat into place.

11. Glue the straight edge of the canopy glass to the canopy frame.

12. Scrape any paint off the areas that you will apply glue to. Apply a few very small blobs of Canopy glue on either side of the canopy frame, the bottom of screen support strut, and a slim bead along the bottom edge of the screen. Gently place into position, ensuring that the canopy frames are resting on the pads '1' and '2' in the photo below.

13. Apply any decals needed. ErcoupeTV does offer a decal printing service, if you need custom decals for your model. Alternatively, decal paper is available at hobby stores, and can be used with an ink-jet printer and some graphics software to produce accurate decals of any design.

14. Seal the whole model with clear floor polish as a lacquer, to prevent decals from lifting. I prefer to use my airbrush to apply this.

15. Complete.