1/72 Bristol Sycamore

[louiex2]

Amazing work Nigel- we keep running out of superlatives.   Looking forward to the next update. 

 

TonyT's comment about the glues gave me an idea-  I believe we would all rather enjoy a Nigel Master Tutorial (NMT)  on the various methods and substances you use for assembly; what to use, when to use it, how to apply, how long to leave it along before mucking with it, and, most importanatly, how unadhere it when we screw up.

 

Thank you again for sharing your wonderful builds with us. Although I'll never approach your modeling skill level, your WIPs and made me a much improves modeller.

 

Lou in Utah

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks guys.

 

Quote

I've gone ahead and ordered some Mike Grant instrument panel decals, inspired by yours here. 

 

Good move Tony, you won't regret it. Note that they are printed on an ALPS printer and need sealing with (Microscale) liquid decal film before first using.

[Nigel Heath]

I will try to take Lou's request on board about explaining what tools, materials and techniques I use. I took this shot as a reference for my benefit really as there is a step to the cockpit side which will need a thick application of filler which will obliterate the detailing in this area. Interestingly that U shaped engraving on its side looks like they intended to provide a small air scoop which should be there but ultimately did not provide it. I think I will try to make something in metal to reproduce it (I only spotted the engraving in this photo):

 

 

Some may have spotted that this corner broke off a while ago, I will try to repair that with some black Milliput:

 

 

Here the corner has been repaired and joints filled round the cockpit with black Milliput and the rest of the seams treated with Squadron green putty (my general go to filler):

 

 

While the green filler was drying (about an hour depending on thickness) I resprayed two of the blades as the clothes peg holder had left marks. I also took the opportunity to spray up some lead wire for the brake and electrical lines:

 

 

On the one  good blade I started to mask it ready for reapplication of the silver. To make some special masking for the blade attachment point I first punched out a 0.8mm hole in some tape:

 

 

 

That was then cut out and applied. I always burnish my masking with the end of the rounded tool shown below. The edges of the masking was then trimmed with fine scissors:

 

 

The rest of the masking was completed with 6mm tape, again trimming the edges with scissors:

 

 

By now the green filler was dry so I started to clean it up, first with a medium grit sanding stick and then finishing with a fine one making sure all the scratches were polished out:

 

 

I use oblique lighting to highlight any remaining flaws in the seams:

 

 

A second light source is handy for that as you can examine the seam through your magnifier with the light switched off. I like to fill any further flaws with fillier in a contrasting colour, in this case Squadron white filler:

 

 

The use of a contrasting colour gives an indication of when to stop sanding, here it is finished:

 

 

A coat of primer is of course handy for highlighting any remaining flaws.

 

I then reinstated the panel lines with my UMM scriber used free hand (I just roll the long edge of the scriber around the contour of the fuselage with a little pressure applied):

 

 

The pointed tip of the scriber is also handy for chiseling filler out of any straight panel lines that have become filled with filler:

 

 

I have cleaned up all the green filler now and can't do much more until the Milliput hardens up overnight.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

[Tomoshenko]

 

Stunning stuff as ever Nigel. The extra detailing is superb. Also like the technique of mixing talc with the filler proper old school stuff. The wheels look very neat too.

 

On ‎6‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 6:45 PM, Nigel Heath said:

I'm hoping its up to the job...

 

Oh I think it will be ... just about...

 

 

 

 

[milktrip]

Just catching up.  Fantastic as always Nigel.  I did wonder what that 'U' shape engraving was for? 

 

[woody37]

I made the CMR one a few years ago so can appreciate how small a subject this is. You're doing a stunning job, really enjoying your progress  Nigel

[Nigel Heath]

Quote

I made the CMR one a few years ago

 

I saw that, very nice too.

 

[Martian]

20 hours ago, Nigel Heath said:

I have cleaned up all the green filler now and can't do much more until the Milliput hardens up overnight.

Nice work Nigey but aren't you being a bit optimistic with the Miliput? "Hardens up over the coming week is probably more like it!"

 

Martian the Cynical

[TheBaron]

Loving your work Mr. Heath.

 

I came across this in the archives earlier whilst hunting for something else:

 

[Nigel Heath]

 

Quote

Nice work Nigey but aren't you being a bit optimistic with the Milliput? "Hardens up over the coming week is probably more like it!"

 

Thanks Martin, funny on your comment on the Milliput. I have never have a problem with it hardening up overnight.

 

 

[CedB]

Thanks for the step by step Nigel - Squadron putty now on my shopping list...

 

That last post... I just... can't... resist... FNAAR!!

[AlexN]

Luvverly. As I keep saying to others (no doubt to their extreme boredom) I am catching up on my carefully selected threads after a longish) absence from the forum, and mourning the loss of valiant comrades on my return.

 

Looking great! Now to go back to page one - again.

 

Cheers,

the alex.  says: "Don't take any notice of the alex, it's out to breakfast, lunch and dinner."

[Ed Russell]

This is really great work going on here. The S+M kit looks pretty good OOB so this will look very nice indeed when it's finished.

Have you got a colour scheme in mind? it's hard to go past the RAN one for looks but others are nice too.

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks Alex and Ed, I'm just going with the RAN scheme provided by the kit.

 

I have got a bit more done today, mainly cleaning up the black Milliput. Here is how the restored corner radii on the door looks:

 

 

Note that in the lower right corner of the above photo the smothered detail has started to make a reappearance, more on that later.

 

With the sanding complete I set about rescribing the lost panel lines. These are my scriber tools and when I use Dymo tape as a guide I always stick it onto Tamiya tape as I've found that after repeated use the adhesive on the Dymo starts to transfer to the model leaving a sticky residue that has to be cleaned off|:

 

 

Here's how the underside looks. I've also glued on the base for the pitot tube which I will trim and clean up in situ once full dry. I used Humbrol liquid poly to glue it as it's much less volatile than my prefered liquid cement of EMA plastic weld:

 

 

 

Now for the lost detail by the rear windows, here is a good photo of the area concerned:

 

 

 

I picked the Milliput out of the little depression then started to make the scoop using some thin brass shim. First I used this tool to form it on my cutting mat:

 

 

That was then trimmed out using my mini tin snips:

 

 

Round nose pliers were then used to hold it while it was sanded to shape:

 

 

Here it is glued in place using extra thin superglue along with a bit of PE from the spares box:

 

 

I will fill the two holes in the PE part later.

 

More at the weekend, until then, bye,

 

Nigel

[Martian]

Good attention to detail!

 

Martian

[CedB]

Great fix on the corner Nigel and that scoop looks great - good job!

[TheBaron]

Excellent

• Dymo tip
• Brass forming
• Detail

I can't help thinking that the side profile of the Trumpeter scriber in the photo above looks like nothing so much as a vulture, ready to prey upon any carrion plastic.

Tony

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Lovely brass scoopage.

 

I never knew that the German for "rotor blades" was "rotorblätter".  Now I have visions of a dodgy FIFA official spinning at high speed...

[Nigel Heath]

 

Now all the seams have been cleaned up I could add the upper door guide rails using more 0.5mm square strip:

 

 

Here are some shots of what the rail mechanism should look like - door closed:

 

 

 

And door open:

 

 

I think from those you can see how it works to swing the door outboard and then back.

 

Before adding the delicate mechanism to the top of the door I thought it would be best to mask the door first. I started by measuring round the periphery of the door, 61mm as it turns out. I then cut some strips of masking tape of the right length and width (gauged using dividers). As you can see it was just the right length, I also put the join on the less visible underside:

 

 

I then looked in my PE spares box for a part for the mechanism. These undersize Gazelle cyclic controls look suitable for the job after giving them a little trim:

 

 

Here I have added one to the RH door with a tiny dab of superglue:

 

 

Here's what the left hand door looks like more or less in situ:

 

 

I just have to make sure I don't touch them again.

 

Next I trimmed the pitot tube base, gave it a clean up and drilled it out:

 

 

Next I added the main gear legs. I used low melting solder for this, this stuff melts at just 70C so there was no need for heatsinks to protect the plastic, it fact I held the parts in place with my finger tips while the joint was made and barely felt the heat:

 

 

Here are both sides done:

 

 

After the soldering I used extra thin superglue to secure the strut joints to the plastic. I would not normally add sticky out bits like this until much later in the build but the all metal construction of these makes them incredibly strong and resistant to  damage.

 

This it the low temperature solder I used on the undercarriage:

 

 

If you fancy doing a bit of soldering on your models it's definitely worth getting some.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

[Martian]

Nice work. I think I might take your advice abut the low melting solder.

 

Martian

[TonyTiger66]

Very nice work Nigel  .

 

The soldered parts look very accurate and neat. What kind of flux would you recommend for this type of solder?

 

I'm useless with a soldering iron, but at 70° this sounds worth a try. I've been getting into autogyros and can see brass rod being needed in my very near future .

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

[Nigel Heath]

Quote

What kind of flux would you recommend for this type of solder?

 

I just use a flux paste, Fry's Powerflow Flux to be specific.

[Nigel Heath]

Today I picked up the hoist again. Part way down one of the braces there is this open can which I think is for stowing the hook:

 

 

To reproduce it I first flared the end of some 1mm tube then cut it to length and got it ready for soldering like this:

 

 

The aluminium tube down the centre is to prevent solder filling the brass tube as well as acting as a holding device:

 

 

Here are all the parts for the hoist. The black painted end of the 0.5mm rod is for the brace that passes into the cabin. I have also squashed the end of the can a bit:

 

 

Next I fitted the pilots steps:

 

 

Next I airbrushed on some more Airframe Aluminium onto the main blades and the hub of the tail rotor which could now be unmasked:

 

 

The only thing to do now before priming was to mask the door apertures. I did this by first cutting some curved masking by eye:

 

 

That was placed like so:

 

 

Here is the completed tape masking:

 

 

I then cut out some foam blocks to complete the masking:

 

 

I had to snip a bit of the back side to clear the seats:

 

 

Before priming I fitted a 0.2mm nozzle to my airbrush and did some black preshading in the white area of the scheme:

 

 

I could now apply Alclad white primer:

 

 

The parts from left to right are: pitot tube, tail skid, doors, and parts for the hoist.

 

The primer has highlighted plenty of areas that need further work so I'll be getting on with them.

 

Bye for now,

 

Nigel

[hendie]

that winch looks like a nice little project in its own right

[Martian]

A very interesting update.

 

Martian