Navy Bird Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Excellent work, Jens! I now have to figure out how to shrink all of your enhancements down to 1:72 scale for my build! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 ^ likewise.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Glad you're enjoying it gents. Unfortunately, my laptop seems to have given up the ghost, and I've been told that it will take three weeks to get it back from it's diagnosis (not - repair - just finding out what's wrong with it!) No pics until further notice, but when I do, it should be a few more updates. Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Sorry to hear it, your Tomcat detailing masterclass will be missed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 At long last - my laptop is back from the dead with a new harddrive, and I can show some of what I've been doing for the past three weeks although it may not look like much. The DACO and Model ARt books have lots of excellent reference photos, and I keep finding things to fix. Since I left off with the compressors, here's a look down the intakes. That allowed me to put the intakes on, and I had a little job trying to get the leading edges filled, faired in and to line up properly. The arrester hook in the kits that I have are generally flash-ridden, out of round and missing in detail - it is also too long. I therefore decided to make a new one using the ends from the kit and a centre section from stainless steel tubing. The cooling fans and mesh came from the AMUR Reaver set - the mesh is too coarse, so the fans are unfortunately hidden. The exhaust fairings have been modified a fair bit as well as added detail, and as I didn't feel like doing the work all over again, I would cast them in resin. The original to the left, the resin master (with overflow) to the right. The raised panel on the upper part of it is a thermal blanket I believe - here created with two layers of Bare Metal Foil. Of all the methods I've tried to improve the Phoenix pallets, this is the most successful. 1.5x4 mm Evergreen Strip on the bottoms, 3.2x6.4 mm strip on the top and sides of 0.25 mm plasticard. Although the flanks are now a little too sharply tapered, the missile now fits. The canopy frame also needed some details, but the etched kit part could be used. The demisting pipes were soldered together from brass wire - the rest was plasticard detailing. Add a wash... And bring together with the canopy - the conductors are made from thin copper wire glued in place with Future on the inside of the canopy. One more thing that needs fixing with the kit canopy is the rear frame. The kit part is too thick to prevent this from laying properly. Note the thinner trailing edge... The wing seals in the kit leave large gaps with the wings in the oversweep position... The solution is Milliput with some finishing touches of 1 pack filler. More to come... Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 To me this look like another example of great modelling ! Love the way you have mixed aftermarket and scratch built parts. It also shows that while the asegawa tomcat looks great, it can still be improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 One thing I forgot to mention earlier - to make the tinted section of the windshield as shown earlier, I first used the clear blue self adhesive film from Hasegawa - sent to me from Japan by a friend (thank you Christopher!). Although the film worked well, it was too blue and dense, so I removed it and used Alclad Armoured Glass transparent paint. Although there was some orange peel (and I probably put too much paint on so the contrast became larger than it should be), this can be polished out. I also took the opportunity to add some warning lights to the inside canopy frame - small details that fill the space... This afternoon I finished off the exhausts, although the exhaust fairings and nozzles aren't stuck together. The 1:72 kit allows you to slide the exhausts in afterwards even though the side fairings are glued on - not so with this kit. The fit wasn't the greatest, so I wanted to assemble these to the fuselage and fill and sand. To fit these now, I will have to slip the exhaust fairings up, and then insert the burner cans through the fairings and finally glue on the nozzle. A while to go yet though... Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Incredible work, my friend. I had no idea the Hasegawa 1:48 scale kit needed this much work. Quite a few of the items that you've fixed are reasonably correct in the smaller 1:72 kit. I admire your hard work in getting this right - it will be a stunning replica! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 To be honest Bill, neither did I. OK, it's not a new kit, but it is generally considered the best in the scale. Having seen the competition, I would agree, but there is still a surprising amount of work you can do to the kit to make it better. Once this gets finished, I need something easier... Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyB Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Your work on the canopy is amazing! I can't get my mirrors in at the moment let alone getting anywhere near the level of details you have there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 The canopy mirrors in the kit must be more difficult than the Aires set. The aires set is made in brass whereas the kit has them in nickel silver or stainless steel - both are hard to bend. The problem is that the front mirror frame are on a carrier piece that is a very open V-shape, and this just doesn't fit the shape of the canopy frame. Even the brass was a struggle, but that was bent into shape eventually - you'll find it hard to do that with the kit parts. Your best bet may be to cut the mirrors off and glue them individually to the canopy frame. Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) Quality work there Jens! Love the canopy and the de-misting tubes, and you've used the dark art of soldering as well....nice! I could do with a master class on soldering!!!! Edited March 21, 2012 by Bill Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 I'm not a soldering expert by far, but what little I know is easy to show. The clue to successful soldering is flux. No flux, no joy. Flux really makes the solder creep in like capillar action works for solvent cements. Really - don't try without it. Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I agree with everyone's comments on the canopy. The extra level of detail really shines! Now you've got me thinking about how to add the demisting tubes to my 1:72 scale canopy... Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I can only agree with what everyone else has said. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Simply incredible! Lovely work Jens, and as has been said before, its good to see the combination of A/M and scratchbuilding. This is coming along so well, love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 amazing stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Nydelig, Jens!! It`s too bad I do not have the time to build anything at the moment:-(((( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Too much DIY and work going on lately to be able to finish it within the deadlines of the GB, but I do have every intention of finishing it. That should teach me not to do another Hasegawa Tomcat for a Group Build ever again:) Pics in the regular work in progress forum unless this is still open (just to keep the descriptions and pics in one thread). Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 well...it will be open until next sunday at least....but I'm sitting back in awe at what your doing with this; dont think I could do the kind of work your doing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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