SleeperService Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Hi All Started this as a Quick Build HERE and have decided to get her built. It's the Skunk kit reboxed by Revell and I'm doing it as Ikhana using the Caracal Decal sheet. I had some excellent help including the BM walkround HERE but lost interest in it partly because the propellor is wrong, because I was getting ready to move and, frankly my life was a bit of a mess. Ikhana is a defanged Reaper used by NASA for several things including forest fire monitoring and makes an unusual scheme among drones in Shades of Grey.. First jobs are; to get her dusted, work out how to correct the propeller, and go to Halford's for a can of Appliance White. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Rubbish picture but the best I can manage at the moment. Added some discs inside the wheel bay to show the inside of the three sensors on each side. Connected in with a bit of wire. Painted the inside with Mr Surfacer to give texture then several shades of grey and tan to suggest the structure. Next is joining the fuselage up and marking out the area round the wheel well that needs to be thinned down from the outside. As Ikhana has altered over time I'm doing her initial set-up without the turret, time permitting I'll make the forest watch pod. While watching Orion on NASA TV yesterday I noted that the wingtip lights have glare shields and she has a turret similar to the military drones. Thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 While waiting for the glue to dry on the joined fuselage I've been looking ahead and found a couple of items that will need attention; behind the wheel well on the port side there should be the refueling point in the same place to starboard there is a much smaller point (auxiliary power?) there should be a small rectangular panel just to the rear and above this towards the rear of the engine pod on the starboard side is a rear facing exhaust quite a large one too! there should be two forward facing camera windows for flying the beast, the upper one (just below the nose probe) is missing. It seems to be the same size as the lower one. on each wingtip there should be a clear dome shaped light on the flared tip at the rear and one on the outside face the fuel dump pipe on the trailing edge is too thin (confused with static discharge points?) the engine intake needs a vertical splitter, it's on the sprue as C18 but not mentioned in the instructions That should keep me busy in-between Lightning sessions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Howdy Folks, It's Reaper Time! Finally the fuselage is together. Looking at the walk round pictures it seems as if the kit's underside starts to curve up too far forward, I used a couple of tapered 40thou pieces to adjust the fit and it looks much better to my eyes at least. As Ikhana has been modified over the years I decided to do her at the start of her life in 2008 using the NASA site for reference pictures. This means a different aerial fit from the kit which were added using tiny pieces of plastic card. The rear facing camera behind the turret location was added as well. The NACA vents were opened up and the missing exhaust on the engine pod added (not in this photo pair due to my incompetence). Next is more missing detail, the under carriage and some propeller work which I'm not looking forward to at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Taking shape now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I have this in 1/72, and I've been ruminating on how best to do the prop as well. What are you thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 After a lot of thought and checking with a friend who knows these things I'm proceeding as follows; 1) Remove the blades from the hub 2) Assemble the spinner and get it nice and smooth for the highly polished metal finish 3) Reverse the twist on each blade so that from the leading edge the blade twists anti-clockwise if viewed from the tip along it's length 4) Refit blades with the leading edge forward 5) Repeat stage 4 until all blades are the same.... The important bit is getting a square cut at the base of the blade when you remove it. When Mr Sun pops above the horizon tomorrow I'll be able to post pictures showing progress on paint attempt No 2. Also rebuilding the main under-carriage legs at the moment, It's all go here at Sleeper Central. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Well at least I'm getting closer to finishing a GB on time. Here is Ikhana The Friendly Drone, well she doesn't try and kill you, virtually finished. I've still got a few hours to go but right now paint and glue are hardening. I'm not beaten yet!! Decals are Caracal and are superb, paint is Halfords and I was less than impressed with the Appliance White which covered poorly and took a lot of work to get smooth. Back to Ford Polar White next time I think. All the damage from my butter fingers moment of last entry has been made good. The nose leg had a part break that I didn't see until I tried to strand her on her legs. The propellor hub and blades are done just hardening off under the white cap visible in piccie one. The last details to be fitted are the weather vane on the front probe, the smart red fuel filler and power point on the lower rear fuselage and the scissor link on the front leg once I've got the length right. As I've got 5 hours 49 minutes and the bits are made I'm hopeful. Maybe another rough piccie tonight to prove she's done before I take some slightly better ones in the daylight tomorrow. Thanks for looking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Yippee!! A First for SleeperService! Completed and just in time. Better pictures in the morning but to stake my claim... Right now I'm off to bed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Looks great, well done on finishing her. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Nearly there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts