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AdrianMF

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Posts posted by AdrianMF

    F339 - Martin Baltimore - transparencies

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    The buckles are simply small rectangles of the same metal strip that the belts are made from. The whole buckle is painted dark belt colour, I try to get a strip of highlight colour running across the middle and then I touch a darker colour round the edges. Then I give the edge colour the tiniest highlight arount its edges. 

     

    I have made buckles out of fuse wire before now, but they end up "scale creeping" and looking far too big for 1/72, so this works for me most of the time.

     

    Sorry it's not a more appealing answer!

     

    Regards,

    Adrian

    • Like 1

    F189 The Chinless Wonder

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    5 hours ago, heloman1 said:

    starting to look like an aeroplane...

    Indeed, so much nicer without the chin! Cosmetically the nose could do with being a tad longer, but they fixed that with LA610.

     

    A bit of late night fillering and sanding later:

    IMG-8185.jpg
     

    Two part auto filler sands beautifully down to a feathered edge. I think I've got a smooth curve  with no ridges or dips but I will only really know after a coat of paint.

    • Like 9

    F189 The Chinless Wonder

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    Last night I added the end plates and got the top surfaces between them:

    IMG-8184.jpg

     

    They have sanded down very nicely to blend in with the wing but there are two problems.

     

    Firstly  they are 9mm wide , which makes them about 0.5mm too far forward, so I need to do something there. I cant just chop it off because the end plates need to protrude in front to the top lip.

     

    Secondly, they seem awfully flat. I am now regretting not using 40 thou/1mm card so that I could have sanded a little aerofoil camber in. I could either add some filler and sand that to a curve or I could add a 20 thou lip under the from and sand the camber into the card. Although I don't want to drop the leading edge slot too low - decisions, decisions!

     

    I think a bit of filler and sanding is the way to go, and if it all goes pear-shaped I can cut it all out and go for 40 thou card all over.

    • Like 13

    Project Cancelled - 22 Jun to 13 Oct 2024

    in Future Group Builds

    Posted

    I disappeared down a bit of a rabbit hole while researching a Tempest Mk1 conversion in the Frog Squad II GB and as a result I am planning to build the two versions of LA610, one of the prototypes of the second Hawker Fury, cancelled for the RAF in favour of jet types. As first constructed it had a Griffon engine, but it was rebuilt with a Sabre engine and was the fastest piston engined aircraft produced by Hawkers, and also arguably the most beautiful.

     

    I now have two PM Model Sea Furies, a Lincoln engine nacelle (thanks @PeterB) and a spare Sabre cowling from the KP or Matchbox Tempest kits, so I'm all set.

     

    I think my hat may already in the ring with a Magna Gloster F9/37. I will try for that one too.

     

    Regards,

    Adrian

    • Like 2

    Testors YF-23, 1/72

    in Ready for Inspection - Aircraft

    Posted

    Very nice!

     

    I very much favour the F-23 over the F-22, but I've never seen a 1/72 one at a price I want to pay.

     

    I did build a teeny tiny 1/144 Hobbyboss one, which I bought Dayton Hobby Lobby in 2019, after seeing the real thing in the USAF Museum earlier in the day!

     

    Regards,

    Adrian

    • Thanks 1

    F339 - Martin Baltimore - transparencies

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    Well four results out of six attempts, all clearer than the modified kit part (at front left):

    IMG-8179.jpg

     

    Looks like I can trim them all down by 1mm or so - the kit has quite a big step to allow for a Boulton-Paul turret rather than the low profile Martin one. Time for a cuppa then I can start sticking the front transparencies on (after making a bombsight) and knocking up a turret interior. Cutting the slots in the turret canopy will no doubt take care of at least a couple of spares....

    • Like 7

    F189 The Chinless Wonder

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    This morning I did some moulding for the Baltimore and while I was about it I thought I would mould a spare spinner to have a prop blur option:

    IMG-8175.jpg

     

    The kit propeller, with four separate blades each with a wedge sitting inside the spinner, works really well.

     

    IMG-8177.jpg

    And with the spare filler I slathered the fuselage inside and out, then sanded down. I will need more when I join the fuselage halves, but I am happy so far.

     

    I'll be sanding off the panel lines and adding some of them back using pencil.

     

    Regards,

    Adrian

    • Like 10

    F339 - Martin Baltimore - transparencies

    in FROG Squad II GB

    Posted

    This morning I had a leisurely breakfast and decided to try a plunge or vac mould, so out with the Oyumaru and two-part filler:

    IMG-8176.jpg
     

    I will try a plunge mould or two first and if (when, I would bet) it doesn't work I will switch to vac form. I think the sides are too steep to get a good plunge.

     

    And if I haven't got a decent one by the end of the day I'll use the modified kit one.

    • Like 3
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