I apologize right off for my ignorance. I am new to community and just returning to the hobby now as an adult with a little more patience and am trying to figure out how to do antennas on WWII models. I saw on the "often read" articles a short one on using 2lb fishing line, but when I look at the incredible pictures of completed models it doesn't look like this technique.

Any help or advice? Thanks.

newtothegame, first of all, welcome to Armorama. You'll find many of us were in your shoes-took a break from the hobby and returned as an adult. You'll get all the help you need here.

Fishing line is one of the items you can use for antennas. I personally like to use invisible thread (monofilament) which can be picked up at any sewing supplies store. I cut lengths longer than I need to make it easier when working with it. I attach the first anchor point with a drop of superglue and hold it in place to dry-doesn't take long. After waiting a few minutes to ensure the first anchor point is set good, I pull the thread tight and use a drop of superglue to attach at the second point. Cutting the thread longer than you need makes stretching and glueing at the second point easier. When the second anchor point is dry, I take a very sharp (ususally new) no. 11 blade and trim off the extra. I then take a black permanent marker and color the thread black. I don't use black thread because it has numerous little 'fuzzies' that hang off and collects dust easier than monofilament. Here's a link to an article I did where I discuss the above procedure:

Henschel of the Eastern Front-the text where I describe the antenna work is on page 9.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Hi there newtothegame! :-)

Firstly welcome to Armorama! I hope you enjoy this place as much as me :-)

I know some people use fishing line, but I normally use stretched sprue. I attach it with cyanoacrylate (superglue). I then heat a pin (held in a clothes peg or similar), and hold it close to the stretched sprue to snap it taught... be careful though, or you can melt it and have to start again.



I used the same technique to do the rigging on this Albatros.



Hope this helps

Rowan

Hi newtothegame, welcome to this wonderful site. One of the things that make it so good is that there is no need to appologise for not knowing something, we all have to learn. Something else that makes this site what it is, is the fact that you get helpful replies :-)
I use the same technique as Tin_Can, but I use smoke coloured invisable thread and don't bother colouring it. I try and use a drilled hole (0.2mm) as an anchour point, even on a fin post, if posible. If you don't manage to get the thread taught, when attatching it, the heated pin trick works with it as well. ( Notice how Rowan is showing off with all that rigging )
Something elas you can use is "shearing elastic". This stuff, being elastic, retains it's own tension. It is super glued in position, as the invisable thread, but it shrivals up in contact with it. this makes it difficult to anchour. The biggest benifit of using elastic is that it wont break. Invisable thread is also strong but doesn't "give" like elastic. The biggest draw back with stretched sprue is how easy it breaks :-) For the insulators on some wires I use white glue, applied with a tooth pick :-)
Mal

Hi and welcome from me too,
I have a different technic to add to the list.
I use #6 fly tying thread. I don't know the specifics of what colors to use on what plane. Some others here in the group probably would have that info. I usually use black . Fly tying thread is super strong and does not fray or weaken with time.
Cut your thread longer than you need.
I use a very, very small diameter drill bit and one of the modeler hand drills. One that makes a hole just barely big enough to slip the thread into. I drill a hole in the antennae mast and one on the center joint of the tail - where the wire is supposed to attached on the plane.
I take a toothpick and get just a drop of Falsh Cyanoacrylate glue on the tip of the toothpick and put the glue in the center of the hole on the tail. I always find it easier to do the tail end first. This makes is so much easier to get the wire tight. I just slip the thread through the glue into the hole and let it set till it dries hard which is not very long for that glue.
Once that is dry I do the same thing on the antenna mast. But on this end hold the end of the thread so the wire stays straight and tight until the glue dried hard again. Just be careful to not pull too hard and break your antennea mast. Once it is dry either use your hobby knife or some small needle nosed scissors and trim off the end of the thread.
There is one exception to this rule. If the antenna mast is way to small to drill any kind of hole in it I would put a tiny drop of glue on the side of the mast and then wrap the antenna wire around the mast. Hold it tight again the same way and then trim it off. You can paint over the thread wrapped around the mast to match your paint scheme and the thread is extremely small and very easy to disguise and not really see.
Also if you do drill a hole it is MUCH easier to drill the hole in the mast before you paint it and attach it to your aircraft. Just be careful because it is a very small and breakable part.

Good luck and good modeling,
Wayne

Hi newtothegame. Welcome to Armorama. The answers posted shows you why this is the best modeling site in the www.
Enjoy the hobbie and the site.

Wow. I can't believe how quickly I got so many helpful ideas. Thanks all. I will try it out sometime this week and maybe even throw a picture here to show the results.

Thanks again. This community is awesome!