seadog

It occurs to me that once the engine is in situ, the simplification of the front of the engine isn't going to be much of an issue. providing a multi-piece front end would have probably added to the cost for little gain. Then add the pile of exhaust headers.. the bolt heads in reality are really tiny and at 1/24th...http://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/21/2014/07/1966-Ford-GT40-engine-blocks.jpg The engine on the right has what looks like maybe 9/16th heads

Started mine a few days ago, delayed due to cataract surgery on my right eye.... It's a really nice kit to work on parts fit is very well engineered. I was going to do do Ken and Denny's Car, but since you're already doing it, I think I'll go for the black one! One question - painting all those eyelets in the seats...damn! Glad to have separate seats, makes handling them a bit easier. Your engine is a treat!

I get wire for rigging from the Scientific Wire Co. They do useful stuff like white or black enameled copper wire, which is useful for ships... they do stainless wire too, not sure without looking what thicknesses are available, but if you don't have a better source they're worth a look

Looking good! I've been debating either a Bentley or an Alfa 2300 and a jig would, of course make 'accurizing' wheels a lot less frustrating. I notice you're using brass wire, would steel not be less prone to unwanted bends? Great work, whatever!

I used a rattle can of gold I got from the local hardware store, which I'd used before on a curtis Schneider cup job. I thought I might have a problem with adhesion, but it worked well, to my eye anyway. The brand was plastikote, apparently a 'fast dry enamel.'

Glad to help.

Something I found out, having lost the dashboard part...duh. While making a new one from scratch I found some good interior shots and realized that the main instrument nacelle has 3 instruments house in it, plus there's a single a bit over to the left side of the cluster. There's some good info here. At this point I'm not sure where I'm going to find dials for them :🤔. Hoping I can get close to the finish you've got on the bodywork!

I wouldn't be in the least surprised... It has happened before, maybe some sort of morphic resonance or a leak between here and the Dimension of The Lost...

Thank you! Yes, it's not a very difficullt piece to make - if you have the dimensionns, size and shape and a good straight on photo! The bigvent(?) is a feature, obviously, and I think the ends might be tapered slightly to match thecurve of the bodywork? Fortunately I have a stack of plasticard scraps and strip.

Somehow, and I'm getting to the point of suspecting aliens or something, I have lost the dashboard for my Fujimi Ferrari P4. Last thing yesterday evening I had dotted theinstrument positions with gloss varnish, planning to apply the decals this morning. Placed thepart on the cutting mat next to the front coaming to which it should attach. When I went to work on it this morning I couldn't find it. I must have done something daft but all I can remember issetting id down and leaving thework area. So, if anyone has one and can give me a good scan, I'm hoping I can cobble up something that will look OK. Alternatively is it possible to get parts for anolder Fujimi kit? Thank you Fraser

My wife and I went on holiday a few years back to lake Garda. At the southern end is a memoril to the pilots of the high speed fight squadron. I'll see if i can find the photo.

I think the M-39 is one of the great beauties of the air. Looks like you're really giving it the love it deserves! Your attention to detail...wow.

Nothing like muddy wellies for carving up paint!

Anybody got a tin of paint?

The depth of knowledge on the forum always impresses me. Thank you all, I really appreciate the guidance!

Looking at some walk around shots of P-38 wheel wells and those I've found seem to either be zinc chromate or light grey. One thing Aluminium does is surface oxidize, goes paler. I have done a couple of paintings on aluminium sheet and the oxide meant it didn't need priming.

Good point. Easy to forget.

Is that one of those"any landing you can walk away from..." situations?

Thanks for that, confirms what I thought. Thanks for that, confirms what I thought.

Wow! A lot to think about. Thank you all very much for the comments. My victim is one of the new Tamiya P-38s, the assembly of which is, at the risk of tempting fate, just a out me proof. A real eye opener after a couple of testors oldies! So I really want to make a good job of the finish. As a sort of PS, if I want to get it into the cupboard with the rest I'll have to build it wheels up on a stick. Which would be a bit of a shame given the level of wheel well detail.

Love the use of Lego! Yes a jig is vital. Ive done some drawings to scale from 3 view drawings of The S5 and will have a shot at making one from plastic card or similar.

Can you? It seems to me that if the Alclad is well dry - left for a day or two it ought to be OK, assuming the solvent has all gassed out. Wondered if this was how some of the real good weathering effects are achieved. Assuming weathering down to bare metal...Re: my last topic, ahem... Cheers, F

A while ago I saw an article about weathering , the point of which was that it generally didn't go down to bare metal. Rather it would stop at the Zinc Chromate. There were photos of modern light a/c to back up his contention. So I'm wondering if anyone knows? I don't really trust colorized photos - some actual colour shots would be great. I ask because I see some incredible shots in black and white of seriously weathered WWII aircraft and wonder if the light bits are chromate or bare alu. Something to think about anyway Cheers F

I use Xara, as I've had it for years, having bought it back in 2000 for work. Not expensive, but Inkscape is free.

I bought one and am in the process of working out a jig for the floats. Rather wish that Supermarine had gone with a couple of cross struts like Maachi, oh well. One thing that it seems AMP didn't get right is the legs. The S5 was asymmetrical, the starboard float offset 8 inches from the centre line, so it looks like I'll be making legs. Something to bear in mind if you're planning on building one. F