Having just completed painting my Revell C-54 I started removing the window masks. As luck would have it I really scratched one of the side windows in removing its mask. The window is small but noticeable and I do not believe I can polish the scratches out without ruining the surrounding painting.

I had two thoughts. First painting the window gloss black, but I'm not sure how it will match the other windows. Second since is a transport I was thinking of painting the window gray to represent a window shade pulled down and cover it with clear.

Can any one think of another way to deal with the problem. I have invested a lot of time fixing seems, getting the bare metal and white paint on and the black d-icer boots painted. Now all I see is this one odd ball window.

Thanks
Russ

Polishing scratches on such small pieces of plastic is, as you say, difficult and will damage the surroundings.

I would try the following, in the listed order:
1. Try to cover the scratches with clear acrylic lacquer, for instance Tamiya. It will require several layers before the scratch/scratches are filled. Start with putting lacquer only in the scratches to avoid building up a thick layer over the whole surface. Let the layers dry thoroughly. An alternative to lacquer is acrylic floor polish, there used to be a product by Johnsson called Future, thinks it is Pledge nowadays. This stuff is designed to give a glossy smooth surface to scratched floors ....

2. The hard way. Get a piece of clear sprue, needs to be thicker than the one the windows came on. An alternative source is the clear plastic from a CD-case. Use a file or sandpaper on a stick to file it to a shape that fits the hole for the scratched window (it would have been a little easier with circular windows ....). Keep working until you have a perfect fit.
File/sand the outer surface to the correct shape, it's easy if the windows are flat and you started with a piece of CD-case, and start polishing it. Micro Mesh (from Micromark) is designed for this kind of work, very useful stuff. The last scratches, a sort of foggy surface, are removed by covering with acrylic lacquer.
When one or two new "windows" are available it is time to pass the point of no return by drilling out the original window. Drill a small hole in the middle and then gradually enlarge it. The last fractions can be removed with a needle file. Work slowly and be careful to avoid distorting the cross section.
Glue the new window in place.

/ Robin


https://www.micromark.com/Micro-Mesh-Finishing-Kit

Thanks, for the suggestions. Actually there is a spare window in the kit and I'll see if I can use it.

Russ

Lucky You !!!

Just be careful when drilling out the damaged plastic and be careful with the glue. You may want to consider sealing the visible surfaces of the "glass" with acrylic lacquer to prevent damages caused by glue. Using acrylic lacquer as "glue" is another possibility.

/ Robin

There's an even easier way if you can remove the window as Robin suggested.
And hopefully you can - back when I used to do more aircraft, I'd super glue the windows in place, using the CA as a filler around the edges. It didn't have to look pretty, because after polishing the window and the CA, you were left with a perfectly flush window with no seams. So assuming you didn't do that, and can pop the window out:

There's window making fluid called Micro Kristal Klear. It is milky, like thinned while glue. You simply put some on a toothpick and swirl it around quickly in the window opening. It will form a flat film over the opening, which when dry, gives you a perfect window, and again with no seam.

These days, works very well for those pesky armor periscope openings.

I use both Robin's and Robert's suggestions above when building fuselage windows. Generally, I cement them in place with cyanoacrylate and polish them out, then cut masks to suit. If something goes bad, I start over with a piece of acetate or clear plastic (as Robin suggested). I have also used micro-crystal clear as Robert suggests on occasion. Here is a rather long build article I did for Internet modeler several years ago, on a Contrail Vac-Form HP-42. I ended up doing all 24 windows-- and the cockpit windscreen-- twice using sheet acetate because I messed them up the first time. You mention you have a replacement window. I'd recommend starting there, but here's a handy tip if you didn't have the same sized window available-- 1) using small piece of household wax paper, trace the outline of the window opening with a dull #2 pencil onto the wax paper. 2) using the tracing, tape the wax paper over clear acetate, then cut out the window with a sharp knife. Sand the edges down if needed. 3) dip the window in Pledge with Future floor polish, let dry 24 hours, then using super thin Cyanoacrylate, install the window.
Here's the article:
http://www.internetmodeler.com/2008/august/aviation/hp42.php
VR, Russ

Will the intent allow you to depict it as being cracked/broken?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have been away from the workbench for a few and have not had a chance to try them. I have used Kristal Klear before but I believe the opening is too large to be successful. As to showing broken, I had not planned on during much weathering since will be lettered as a post war ANG aircraft and I doubt a cracked window would last long.

Thanks
Russ