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1/24 scale Grumman F7F Tigercat N7654C


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evening all... :)

a bit more done...

..I have found the P47 engine is underscale - the scale diameter of the 2800 is 55.9mm and as you can see here it is under and would look a little small in the cowling...

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..I will be using parts of it though and will most likely just make new cylinders, so to start I scaled a photo to get some bearings...

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..I was looking for some rod or something of the right diameter and struggling to find an appropriate start point when I figured out the mouthpiece on my old electronic cigarette looked a reasonable double, so I got a couple and put them in the chuck of my drill to try and shape & add some fins...

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..glued them together and cut out the centre section - usefully there was also a bit of metal thread that looked like fins too so I left that on there..

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..CA'd some hard plastic stock together to get a basis for shaping the contours of the cylinder head...

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..and started shaping...

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..I still have a lot to do to get the shape right and I have to figure out how to represent the fins but at least I have a basic shape to work with..

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..I will make up the 'ears' that sit either side of the top of the head next and figure out how to 'let' them into these parts and hopefully end up with a master for the front row cylinder bank - then do it all again to make the heads for the back row.... I must be mad... mental.gif

TTFN

Peter

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After seein that I've got only one thing to say:
"For sale a huge collection of kits (both unstarted and WIPS),detailing sets,decals,AIRSCALE PLACARDS AND INSTRUMENT OF ALL SORTS,tools,resins, silicones,glues,paints,books,technical manuals,CDs and I'll throw in my man cave for good measure and take on knitting! :hanging:
Cheers
Manu

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HI Peter

one point about the F7F is the real thing was noted as a tail sitter if the tanks were empty....and could and did get propped up on an oil drum..

215996d1352863457t-1-48-f7f-2-2n-tigerca

just in case weighting and UC strength etc becomes tricky... or for anyone else building a Tigercat who can't get enough weight their other kit..

HTH

T

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This is such a compelling read. I have to say that I'm well impressed by your use of e-cig parts in making a master. Surely this has to be a Britmodeller first.

Great stuff.

Cheers,

Tom.

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Tom, I agree wholeheartedly that this build thread very captivating and addictive to read and follow.

Peter, you are doing a tremendously SUPER job..

The casting look AWESOME too.

I LOVE Engines so looking forward to your detailing.. :heart:

Keep up the awesome work..it's fast paced in such a short time .. :clap2:

:worthy:

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thanks everyone :)

it's great to know some find this interesting! and HOUSTON - thank you for your kind, kind comments

a few more tiny steps forward getting the engine parts built up into masters..

..first I just oriented myself a little by sticking some blank card shapes that are the outer dimensions of the rocker covers and are the angle & position of the top face where the actual cover pressing goes...

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..then got some square stock and let in some tube at the right angle to take the pushrods... lots of bits & bobs & shaping still needed...

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..after adding some of the shapes / parts I can see from references, I also cut the cylinder head part down to shape to let in the new bit...

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..now to the rocker covers themselves - I started by getting some references - these pics came from ebay! useful though as they show the subtleties of the casting and the shape / proportions from the gasket..

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..started with a bit of rod & rounded the top, then ground out the rebates for the rear & mid fixings, then let in some rod stock to try and capture the round recesses for the mid fixings and finally mad a card sandwich to try & get the shapes of the front right.... this really was an excercise in decomposing a shape into parts that could be arrived at through invention...

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..and finally had the part nearly complete - I still need to add the bolt heads & think about whether to cast these caps as a separate part...

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..and tacked with the cylinder head part...

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..and finally, dry fitted with the cylinder...

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..so, getting there slowly but I do feel like this could be a rabbit warren I could be down a long time by the time I finish up the cylinder, (I still have the other rocker cover and the exhaust ports at the back to do...) try casting it, and then repeating the whole process for the rear cylinders which are different again..

..oh well, as we detail freaks say - I will know it's there...

TTFN

Peter

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This is just amazing! I like a bit of scratch work and improvisation myself, but when I read/see what you've been up to I realise I'm a mere pretender!!

Please tell me you'll have at least one if not both of the cowlings off the finished model to show off all this fantastic work?

I can't wait for the next update.

Tom

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Hi Peter,

I must say a big "thankyou" for taking the time to show each step of the process. Not only am I learning lots I also find it fascinating to see how you break components down into bite sized chunks.

This is a joy to follow so please keep it up. Highly inspirational.

Cheers.

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Peter,

I think You are the one that is kind..

I haven't forgotten your generosity ..l do not usually get treated with gifts..( I don't mind that though ),so I haven't forgotten..still have them..

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.. :heart:

And also for allowing us to watch your masterful work , which I have always thought as EXCEPTIONAL..

I THINK I KNOW you well enough to know you will blush !!! :wub:

This is ASTOUNDING work and you humble not only ME but All other modelers.... With your passion for exacting detail ..

I never get bored with your builds because it moves at a fast pace.. :yahoo::wicked:

KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK... :worthy::worthy:

Might see you some day again...

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Just found this thread and wow! I love this kind of scratch building and you're doing a fantastic job Peter, looking forward to the next installment and the rest of the build.

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Oh, I used depron to build my Bucc in much the same way as you are using the plastic card. Cold rolling on the edge of the bench to get the curves. The 'oil canning' was a bit of an issue. A few more formers between each station would have solved that. I know your fuselage is complete now, but on the flying surfaces have a look at adding quite a few ribs and spars to create almost a lattice that your skin will lay on. That'll prevent any kind of oil canning or warpage creeping in.

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  • 2 weeks later...

well good evening chaps smile.png

..thanks for dropping in - I appreciate all your kind words very much

..so, life has got in the way lately and I only had a little time at the bench in the last couple of days so there is only a little progress to show for it..

..first up, I made a mould of the rocker covers - after I added a few micro brass bolts to the corners...

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..made a couple of copies to use on the cylinder head master... they look like little animal skulls...

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..then a bit of a make or break moment - I tried to represent the finning on the head casting by cutting very fine saw cuts into the head.... I also cut out the two sections where the new pushrod housings will go...

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...I added a dummy pushrod to help aligning the first one...

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..then added the other and the little resin rocker covers on the tops... the idea is this part (when I have done the back with the exhaust ports) will be cast separately though I am a bit worried about undercuts etc so will likely call in the experts...

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..and then a dry fit with a couple of dummy pushrods and the front / top of the full cylinder is just about done...

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...need to get this wrapped up soon so I can get a casting to rework for the rear cylinder heads - the rocker covers there have a different layout and are canted in at an angle...

..also been looking at the nosewheel bay and cracking on with that as I need some aeroplane time as this has been pretty fiddly stuff so might need a little diversion..

so much to do...

TTFN
Peter

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Wow!

It's easy to forget how small this assmbly is given the high quality of your macro photography Peter. (Unless this is actually full size? :coolio: )

Painstaking work cutting those fins into the parts with a razor saw. I can only imagine how long that must have taken to get so parallel and sharp. Exquisite work.

This build just keeps getting better. I'm learning an enormous amount and feel more inspired with every update.

Please keep it up.

Cheers.

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why thanks all - very kind smile.png

I think I have virtually finished the cylinder master for the front row...

first I set out where the exhaust ports are and added some short bits of ali tube...

WIP232_zps3d942c73.jpg

..then tried to build up the structure around them with bits of card, stock and CA as filler - I also added the fins in this area with the micro-saw again...

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...then shot some mr surfacer 1200 (carefully) to see the flaws that needed dealing with...

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I added a bit of wire temporarily for the 'U' shaped pipe that runs between the rocker covers..

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..and the rear..

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..and dry fitted together - these two parts hopefully can be cast separately after I clean them up a bit..

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..and again the rear - I blanked off the exhaust ports so when cast they just act as housings for the pipework that needs to fit to them..

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..and that's pretty much it - three weeks or so since I realised the Kinetic P47 engine I cast a copy of (thanks LSP_Ray!) wasn't really up to the shape/detail level I would be happy with, I have my first engine part...

WIP239_zpsec7c9e04.jpg

sigh - good job I'm not in a hurry, just hope folks stick around long enough to actually see an airframe come out the other end of this saga unsure.png

TTFN

Peter

Edited by airscale
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Hi Peter

this build gets better and better each time I pop in! Any chance of a shot or two with something to provide a bit of scale? Every time I look at that cylinder I reckon its about a foot long! Staggering is just too small a superlative for this kind of modelling!

DC

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Peter, I'll be here till the end! Carry on!

A few questions if I may?

What are you using to cut the ali tube so cleanly?

Where do you get those itty bitty little hex bolt heads?

And, what resin do you use?

Thanks

Monique AKA 'The Noob'

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