Brandy Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) I know, I must be mad...but hot on the heels of the Roland I felt I had to butcher some more plastic, and this one is one of the best candidates for that treatment! This is a fairly new boxing, and it looks as thought the moulds have been cleaned up as most of the details are very crisp. It's a shame most of it will have to be removed anyway! The decals are new and include a Belgian version, although for reasons best known to themselves, all 4 RFC wing roundels still have the white outer ring, instead of just the 2 for the upper wing! So aftermarket decals will be needed anyway. I'm sure we all know and love this old relic from our childhoods but here's what I started with: I also have a resin engine from Choroszy, an Aeroclub prop, and Miniworld guns/Scarff ring: So....on with the butchery! First of all I needed to figure out an accurate reference point for all the alterations. After comparing the fuselage to the Datafile plans, it appeared that the distance between the front edge of the pilot's cockpit and the firewall was pretty accurate, and from there to the tip of the nose wasn't far off either, so that's where I started. The first casualty was the moulding inside the engine compartment which represents the air scoop and the engine block, and on which the kit cylinders mount. All that plastic was cut away, leaving an open engine area to be further thinned and detailed later. Next I figured out that the pilot's cockpit was too wide, front to back, and the fuselage as a whole was about 5mm too long. The first cut was therefore made down the centre of the cockpit. Each edge was then sanded to reduce the size of the cockpit until it was correct, then the two halves were reattached. This pic shows the fuselage after both those jobs were done: That's where it sits for tonight, tomorrow the second cut will be made, probably between the cockpits to bring the observer's further forward, but I'll confirm that then... Thanks for looking in! Ian edit: I forgot to mention I also have a Barracuda resin seat for it Edited July 4, 2017 by limeypilot 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Good luck on this one. Those engine rivets look like the Mendips. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Wondering whether there might be enough common parts eg struts, undercarriage to consider raiding the new B.E.2c kit. When I was young and foolish(er), I "converted" an R.E.8 into a B.E.2c nightfighter (Sowrey's 4112 Zeppelin killer, IIRC), all based on a photograph in Airfix Magazine. Life is easier when you don't bother with drawings and other such complications.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) Darby, I think they were the inspiration for some of the winter x-games! They are already gone....Ian Edited March 31, 2016 by limeypilot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 I hadn't thought of that, Seahawk. But I'll scratch those bits anyway and save the BE2C kit. Then I'll have a decent set of BE's - a 2a, 2c, 2e and 12. Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 You are quite correct, you must be mad to take this kit on. Still it will be fun watching you do it! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleygolding Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Interesting, I recently found an original silver plastic one in my Dad's stash which I looked at the other day. Might have to go and get it to see how it compares? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 May I recommend The Vintage Aviator Limited's web site for references? They have a fantastic set of walkround photos of one of their beautiful RE8s. I referred to it a lot when 'improving' mine and found it especially helpful with the rigging. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Thanks Meatbox, I use their site, and Wingnut Wings, regularly as references. They are indeed indispensable! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markleecarter Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Good luck! I keep meaning to finish mine. My progress to date is here if it's of any use to you: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234934932-172-airfix-raf-re8/?hl=markleecarter#entry1255342 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 (edited) Thanks all, much appreciated! Here is part 2 of what promises to be a bit of a saga... After remeasuring, it turns out that the length from the front edge of the pilot's cockpit to the start of the rear decking is correct, so the problem is that the observer's cockpit is too far aft. To remedy this, I squared off the rear part of the cockpit opening and glued in a couple of fillets of plastic card. They were left to dry overnight and I then used the Miniworld Scarf ring to mark where the opening should be and clipped out most of the plastic with sprue cutters. A session with a small curved jeweler's file completed the major work there, it will be refined when all the major changes are done and I separate the fuselage halves again. The insides will need some thinning out! The next step was to work out where to remove the rest of the excess length. It turned out that the turtledeck was too long, so I marked the cut at the rear of the observer's cockpit, just where it joins the decking. I marked 2 lines with 1mm masking tape, the 2nd one being the rear of the 2mm piece that needed removing. I cut between the two lines, making sure I didn't get too close to either of them... I was left with the 2 halves, each with a piece of masking tape on, and simply sanded each one back to the tape.. The two halves were then reattached, making sure that the rear part was raised to the level of the front - the step between the 2 that exists on the kit should not be there... This now leaves a couple of small issues to sort out...the fuselage now has a step at the bottom, but since it was far too deep anyway, the front half will simply be sanded down to ,match the rear, sorting both the step and the error in depth at the same time. I will also need to sand the sides slightly to match them but that is a very small lip and won't really affect anything. You will also notice a line of "stitching" below the cockpit which should match the line along the bottom of the rear decking. This is also not a major problem as the cockpit sides are too low and need to be raised. This line of stitching should actually be a straight line which runs along the bottom edge of the rear decking, (correct on the kit!), rearwards to the tail, and forwards, just under the cockpit sides, to the front. All I need to do is remove all the moulded stitching and add some PE stitching in that straight line - it does match up as reassembled! The upper surface of the tail, just aft of the decking will need to be sanded down as it is too deep (top to bottom) and kinks upwards, so it will be straightened to match the above mentioned stitching line. So that, basically, is all that is required to correct the fuselage - not as much work as I'd expected! A lot of sanding, but not too much surgery....at least I hope that is all of it, it certainly matches the plans pretty well now! As mentioned there is still a lot of thinning etc to do internally. Thanks for looking in! Ian Edited July 4, 2017 by limeypilot 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I dunno why you bother starting with a kit.... you've got all the skills there to completely scratch build 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Lewis Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Well now I'm interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I dunno why you bother starting with a kit.... you've got all the skills there to completely scratch build Says the kettle! It is looking better already and I look forward to seeing more of this. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 Thanks Hendie, I did in fact scratchbuild one aircraft a couple of years ago, but only because the kit was SO bad that there really was nothing usable in it! http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234917635-scratchbuilt-172-bleriot-xi-2/?hl=%2Bbleriot+%2Bxi-2 Martin, my thoughts exactly! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Moon Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Oh boy another one! Your builds are always so great to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) Thanks, Jake, I'm glad you enjoy them! Today I have mostly been making a mess..... I started off by taking the sanding sticks to the fuselage and removing the slight edges at the sides, and the large step underneath, where the two rear halves were joined. While I was at it I further sanded the rear half of the underside to reduce it's depth along the entire length. This also brought the angle where the slant up to the tail starts, forward to the rear wing spar, where it should be. All the remaining "detail" on the fuselage sides was also removed with the one exception of the inspection panel at the right rear of the engine. I had thought that the rear decking was correct, but unfortunately it isn't. The total distance from the front edge of the decking to the rudder post is now correct, but the area which has moulded detail for the turtledecking extends too far back, and the decking should be flat where it blends into the rear part of the upper fuselage frame - it is barely visible. To try to correct that I mad a small cut down from the top at the correct end point of the turtledecking, then sanded the detail aft of that flat. Small pieces of plastic card were added to bring the fuselage rear up to the same level as the end of the decking, and they will be blended in properly when dry. Finally on the fuselage I added fillets to the pilot's cockpit sides and they will also be shaped correctly when dry. Since that meant I couldn't do any further work on the fuselage, I decided to start on the wings. I seriously thought about just scrapping them and scratchbuilding new ones - it would have been quicker and easier, they are that bad! But I wanted to see what could be done with the kit ones in case anyone wants to try this and isn't too confident with scratchbuilding. So, out with a large knife and I started scraping. By far the easiest and quickest way to remove large amounts of plastic, but it does get messy - this is 1/2 hour's work and was just one side of the upper wing! Another 1/2 hour scraping the other side, followed by 15 minutes with a coarse sanding stick, then the medium, then the fine, gave me this.... It's still a little thick, but it's a vast improvement, and if I take it much thinner it'll be too weak. So that's the thickness sorted, now I need to chop it up and correct the length...... Thanks for watching... Ian Edited July 4, 2017 by limeypilot 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Thanks to you I ended up buying the Airfix BE2 today. You are a bad influence Sir! Martin von Easily Led 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 Oops, sorry! I hadn't realised it was out yet, now I'll have to get it...and the Mk1f Blenheim too.... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenCJ Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 I am also thinking of starting a biplane, trouble maker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergey Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Hi Ian, I admire alterations, you by main profession surgeon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 (edited) Thanks everyone! Sergey, I think a surgeon might make a bit cleaner work of it! Just for s**ts and giggles, I mic'd up the lower wing....apparently Airfix's reference aircraft had 6" thick wings, with a 3" thick trailing edge...amazing what they could get to fly back then! Anyway, today saw the cockpit sides shaped, and the cockpit interior thinned down. I then marked up the inside for framing. After all that, I attacked the lower wing and thinned that down. Thanks for watching! Ian Edited July 4, 2017 by limeypilot 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergey Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Ian, on the rear wing are small windows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Surgery not butchery, Ian. Will the patient survive? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 I'm in need of some sort of therapy now, seeing work like this! I feel a strong gravitational pull towards having a go at it myself, it is such inspirational stuff! The corrections to the fuselage look quite logical the way you have explained them, and looking at the last photo, you would never know it has undergone extensive surgery. And the thinned wings are just great, they look 10 times better. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now