Col. Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Thought it high time I posted something to prove I do build models as well. This one's been going for nigh on a year now, although there has been several art projects broken into it's progress as enthusiasm waned with alarming regularity. Here's most of the work done on the 'pits. Then with some black splashed on and a little dry-brushing. Next up was the undercarriage bays. With the main airframe components together it was time to get the filler out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 Lots of filler! This is it's current status. I'm not going to list the number of corrections and additions made but lets just say the Airfix kit has only a passing resemblance to the real thing There has been several occasions I've come close to making a test flight to the bin with this thing and buying the Special Hobby kit. Latest problem is getting decent canopies moulded. I've re-shaped the inaccurate and overly thick kit parts but just can't seem to get the hand of crash-moulding replacements. Oh well, keep practicing and hope for the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Keep with it it's coming along nicely. I especially like the detailing you've done to the cockpit, I couldn't do anything like that in 1/72! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 I watched this take shape over "there", and provided some encouragement when needed.... here I go again... Come on my son!!!!! Home straits! btw - How're you doing the crashforming? Some of the chaps might be able to provide some assistance, so you can get it to work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 Cheers for the encouragement chaps, really want to get this one finished so I can get stuck into other projects. Mike, I've been using the oven to heat clear sheet fixed onto a piece of plywood with a hole slightly larger than the parent part until soft then pulling it over the part, which is fixed slightly above another piece of plywood with several small holes drilled through it to allow a vacuum effect provided by the wife's Dyson. (BTW, if Fiona ever reads this or catches me I'm soooo dead!) At the moment I'm getting the shapes formed better as I perfect the set-up and timing but the plastic keeps getting a brown tint, almost as if it's heated too much and starting to burn. Was wondering if anyone can recommend an alternative heat source, say a hairdryer or perhaps the toaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 So it's the plastic, rather than the technique then? A lot of people swear by the acrylic stuff you get a lot of xmas card packs in. You know, that annoying, clear, stiff stuff? Some people use coke bottle material too. I've not perfected my vacforming technique with clear yet, as I was tending to use too thin a sheet. I gave up building the 1:48 Stirling before I needed the glazing, so it never came to fruition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Oh, and I've used a paint stripping gun from 12" before now to re-heat the plastic after the initial vacforming... seemed to work without any browning. Here's my setup... The other end of the box has a hole that my cheapo Tesco vac fits snugly into: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary West Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Great work on those u/c bays Col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wezra Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Great work on those u/c bays Col I second that! Great work on all the scratchbuilding! What have you been using for references? Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeew Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 Stunning scratchbuilding there Col !!!! I loved this kit years ago, built it OOB I think. So...you didn't fancy tackling the wing fold then?? :whistling: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 6, 2007 Share Posted May 6, 2007 So...you didn't fancy tackling the wing fold then?? :whistling: No fair! Give the poor guy a break! Don't you listen to him Col, just finish her off, and don't be tempted by all this talk of wingfolds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Hi Col, I'm glad that you've posted your pics here (I last saw some over on ARC), and it's great to see that you're still making progress on your Firefly. I hope that you can resolve the canopy issues, as I think you've made a remarkable model out of a very forgettable assortment of plastic parts. Keep up the amazing work. Cheers, Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 7, 2007 Author Share Posted May 7, 2007 Now that's a nice set-up Mike! Time I had a rummage in the shed for some spare bits of wood and associated tools methinks. Thanks for the kind words chaps, it's taken a while to get this far. As for references Matt, Edgar was kind enough to lend me a set of photos he took and that's been my main resource. This is one unpopular aircraft as far as good detailed photos go. As for the wing-folds, they were never under serious consideration as I quite like the overall shape of the Firefly and felt seeing the wings in their folded position doesn't do her justice. Ahem, nothing to do with wimping out of yet more scratch-building you understand. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to burn my fingers and destroy various household items in a continued attempt to produce a usable set of canopies. If someone would be so kind as to notify the Fire Brigade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 7, 2007 Share Posted May 7, 2007 Now that's a nice set-up Mike! Time I had a rummage in the shed for some spare bits of wood and associated tools methinks.Don't skimp on the holes if you decide to build one Col... I could have done with more, if I'm honest. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to burn my fingers and destroy various household items in a continued attempt to produce a usable set of canopies. If someone would be so kind as to notify the Fire Brigade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 After taking Mike's advice and turning the heat gun on some thin clear sheet I've finally got a usable rear canopy With any luck the same method will produce a front canopy tomorrow I'm also toying with the idea of finishing her as the RN Historic Flight's preserved example as opposed to the service machine. This means I can avoid scratch-building the remaining radio gear for the rear 'pit and the gun-sight for the front, although I will have to do some repainting of small cockpit details and make various extra parts such as aerials, the radio that sits where the gun-sight would have gone and a more complicated seat harness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Posted July 3, 2007 Share Posted July 3, 2007 Huzzah!!!! Some progress at last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 A quick update on this one for you Oliver, got a couple of usable transperancies for each canopy moulded today so if I get some time to myself tomorrow I'll have a crack at test-fitting them. This might encourage me to get the seats finished and make the radio unit for the front office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Hey mate let me have a look but i think the special hobby kit comes with a spare windscreen, if it does you're welcome to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hey mate let me have a look but i think the special hobby kit comes with a spare windscreen, if it does you're welcome to it. Cheers mate, if you have that would be great. I was considering making the windscreen from thicker plastic to ensure a scale effect but that would save me a lot of work. Let me know what you want for it if you do have a spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Cheers mate, if you have that would be great. I was considering making the windscreen from thicker plastic to ensure a scale effect but that would save me a lot of work.Let me know what you want for it if you do have a spare. I'd use something thicker, as the thin stuff just picks up EVERY imperfection in the master. I had that trouble on my Stirling, just never got around to getting any thicker stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hello mate, just checked out the spare front canopy/windscreen, it appears its the rear canopy as used on the T.Mk.1/2 as such the windscreen part is a not quite as tall as the one used on the front. I you think you can still use it let me know and its yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Thanks Oliver, I'll keep it in mind and have a go at the crash-moulded ones first if you don't mind On that subject, spent some time test-fitting one of the slightly fogged mouldings to get some practice today then did a little more work on the pilots seat. Nothing to show yet but at least it's progress. Also found some more walkaround photos on the 'net. Every little helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wezra Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 (edited) Thanks Oliver, I'll keep it in mind and have a go at the crash-moulded ones first if you don't mind On that subject, spent some time test-fitting one of the slightly fogged mouldings to get some practice today then did a little more work on the pilots seat. Nothing to show yet but at least it's progress. Also found some more walkaround photos on the 'net. Every little helps. Did you find those ones on the canadian site? I meant to post them here for your thread but completely got sidetracked as ever! Col, what other photos have you got, soon to make a similar attempt at building bashing one of these together? Is the Warpaint book on the firefly any good, always found the reference photos in those a little scant, brilliant books for colour schemes and history thought. Can't wait to see more of your build! Matt *EDIT* heh just noticed you linked to them, yep they were the exact ones I found sunday! Edited July 11, 2007 by Wezra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 If truth be told I've had to search for ages to come up with what I've got. Here's most of it. Skyraider 3D's site Pavla Models Firefly Mk.1 page Russian website page Crashed Aussie warbird There are some other photos on my harddrive but can't for the life of me remember where I found them. I'll try to send you them if they are of any help? Haven't seen the Warpaint title so can't comment but there is a From the Cockpit volume I've been told is quite good. As is always the way with these projects it came out shortly after I closed the fuselage halves My main reference is a set of photos Edgar lent me. I'm sure, however, he didn't expect me to hang on to them for so long So needless to say I'm owe him in a big way. Good luck with your build. Realised tonight I've put the rear bulkhead in the observers 'pit too far back and am in the process of ripping it out and making a new one as I type this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
periklis_sale Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 looking great my friend... loads of work in it........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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