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-   -   insturnment panel (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/arf-rtf-75/71507-insturnment-panel.html)

FIVESQUARE 03-07-2002 09:49 PM

insturnment panel
 
Where can one get the cool little insturnments for aircraft??
I am thinking H-9 taylorcraft...I know chief sells the entire panel.....I was looking for something a little less pricey.
I have seen some pilots w/ the little glue on insturnments to customize the cockpit.
Thanks in advance
5x5

KingAirJockey 03-07-2002 09:53 PM

insturnment panel
 
there has been a guy on ebay thats been selling panels.He seems to have a new one every other day.I'm not sure about the quality though

KingAirJockey 03-07-2002 09:56 PM

insturnment panel
 
Found the website for him http://www.horizonsnz.com/

FIVESQUARE 03-07-2002 10:30 PM

panel
 
Thanks king...I will check it out...
5x5

Scorpionjack 03-08-2002 12:25 AM

insturnment panel
 
FS;
I download the specific Instrument panel then print it out in color on Photopaper or Matt finished paper. Then take 1/64th 0r 1/32'd aircraft ply make the appropriate hole over the color template glue them together then fill the wholes with a clear epoxy with no bubbles. Using a toothpick i fill the holes then let it dry. If you want a black dash then use poster paper and do the same as above.

rightflyer 03-08-2002 01:01 AM

insturnment panel
 
Those panels from Horizonz are just color printouts. Nice, but just color printouts. Not hard to do.

bpryor 03-08-2002 01:36 AM

Horizons NZ photorealistic panels
 
I have these panels in my DP Extra 330L. There are two big reasons I went with them, inexpensive and as light as you can get, which was important to me. They are photorealistic images of actual instrument panels for your plane. You can see mine in my review of the DP Extra in the review section of RCU.

rightflyer said "Not hard to do". I don't see it that way. First you'll need access to a full-size panel and a high-quality digital camera, or a high quality digital image of the panel for your plane. After you get that, it would be a fairly simple task to reduce it to the size you need if you have a good quality image processor. I'd rather give this guy $10 bucks than go to all that trouble myself.

If you want the panel for the Scale Masters, these aren't the panels for you. All I cared about is that it looked good from 10', like the rest of the plane. :-)

oldtimer143 03-19-2002 05:28 AM

insturnment panel
 
Firstly - thanks Bill for your kind comments about my panels. I very much appreciate the support.

I felt it might be advantageous if I were to comment on the difficulties or otherwise in producing a scale instrument panel graphic.

Firstly, the panels produced by HorizonsNZ are NOT scanned images or photographs. They are in fact all drawn individually (full size) using CorelDraw and Illustrator. Each one is individually researched and for as much as is possible - they are "anatomically perfect". They are then assembled onto a panel template of the correct shape and finally scaled to the required size to suit the model.

Some of my panels incorporate over 30,000 individual and separate objects. The time required to produce each individual instrument can range from minutes to hours, so a panel may represent MANY hours of work on my part. The cost of the individual panel reflects very little of the input required and it is only by dealing with multiple sales - generated via the website, Ebay and selected hobby shops, that this is a viable affair.

Bill is quite right when he says that these panels are not for those intending to compete at a Scale Masters or similar - at least in part! As the panel arrives, it is generally only a single sheet with instrument faces and panel background on the same piece of (photo) paper. If required, I can produce the instruments and panel separately, allowing a "built up" panel to be produced, complete with clear sheet or resin faces, switches, knobs etc.

I have been a pilot of full-size aircraft for over 23 years now so I know very well what is right and what is not when it comes to instruments - something that the average kit manufacturer evidently does not! Some of the latest kits have quite good attempts at scale panels, and for many modelers these are just fine. What I am trying to do is supply the needs of those who want accurate instruments and panels, realistically portrayed in a convincing manner.

I can't be the "cure-all" for everybody, but I've got many happy customers to date and am very willing to work with individuals on their particular project.

As I said, my time input NEVER pays off until I sell multiple copies of the same panel - this is essentially a hobby that will pay in the long run. (Just don't tell my wife - she thinks I'm doing this for the money and I don't tell her how long I spend working on any panel - she'd shut me down!).

I don't want this to sound like an advertisement for my business, so I'll stop at this point. However, if anybody has any questions they would like answered - publically or otherwise - just let me know. I'm always available for that.

Happy flying,
Greg Thompson
HorizonsNZ Model Graphics


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