tomprobert Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) Here is my entry: Heller's 1/125th scale kit, with Emirates decals from F-Decal. I got this set of kit and decals for Cuprar at Southern Expo - thanks mate! I've built two of these before (house colurs and Qantas) so to make this one different I'm going to have a crack at lowering the flaps and slats... wish me luck! Good luck everyone, this should be a great GB - there's certainly a great range of schemes to look forward to. Tom Edited May 13, 2012 by tomprobert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Looking forward to your build. Can we please, have a blow by blow tutorial on the flaps and slats? Still to nervous to start carving my revell wings up at present. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Looking forward to your build.Can we please, have a blow by blow tutorial on the flaps and slats? Still to nervous to start carving my revell wings up at present. Cheers Yes no problem. I'll tackle the wings first so watch this space. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuprar Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Looking forward to this bud and no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Yes no problem. I'll tackle the wings first so watch this space.Tom Cheers Tom, I will be, are you following any other builds you have seen done on this big bird by the way, or going for a first scratch build with lots reference pics? One would think it should be easier than Boeing slatted flaps, but I have not found that many Airbus models online with everthing dropped? I'm planning my big bird with take off wing settings, easier said than done, as airliners are the toughest challenge I have faced to get right actually? (starships are now very easy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Cheers Tom, I will be, are you following any other builds you have seen done on this big bird by the way, or going for a first scratch build with lots reference pics? One would think it should be easier than Boeing slatted flaps, but I have not found that many Airbus models online with everthing dropped? I'm planning my big bird with take off wing settings, easier said than done, as airliners are the toughest challenge I have faced to get right actually? (starships are now very easy) I'll be scratching using reference pictures, as I have a few books on the A380 with some decent pictures. I haven't seen it done in model form yet, or at least a 'how to', so will be going solo on this one! I'll be going for landing config so everything will be hanging very low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 to make this one different I'm going to have a crack at lowering the flaps and slats... wish me luck!Tom 'bout time.....!! you dont need luck Tom - I have total faith in you Picard - it's not that hard actually; true somethiong with triple-slotted flaps is a bit more complicated but I've done it and one or two others have as well, so be confident, research, research, research...lok at plenty of pics and anything else you can find, take your time and enjoy it. oh...and if your going to go to the trouble of dropping flaps, you might as well do the rest of the external detail...pitot heads, gear cables, etc.... (and yes Tom...I know you....I will be checking!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 "I haven't seen it done in model form yet, or at least a 'how to', so will be going solo on this one!" I thought that would be the case? I had been searching on this subject since buying the kit last year, I think I have my lighting plan sorted, and have made some crude templates following the kit panel lines along with the few pics I have, along with the great advice from our friends here. As I said, still very nervous of making that first cut, so I'm currently working on a cheap A310 kit as a test bed. So, many congrats on being our new A380 test pilot and I wish you very good luck with the build. By the way, how big is the Heller Kit?? And how where do you house three of them??? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 And how where do you house three of them??? Tom doesnt build small models....thats what everybody else wants to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Thanks Kev1n, Well, its mainly down to your goodself and the other wonderful folks here, with your wonderful builds that make airliners come alive rather than look like cheap shiney toys, that got me here in the first place so many thanks for infecting me. The challenge is very,very, enjoyable indeed and the one of most rewarding genres I've every attempted. By the way, I had a huge car crash trying to super detail some of my 380 and 747 gear with cables and stencils the other day. Now all clean again and looking forward to another go. Pitot heads?? Forgot those?? Bugger!! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Tom doesnt build small models....thats what everybody else wants to know I have a vague feeling, this subject has been discussed before my arrival ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 1) many thanks for infecting me.2)....cables and stencils.....looking forward to another go. 3) Pitot heads?? Forgot those?? Bugger!! 1) your welcome 2) take your time....stretched sprue is good, use tweezers to bend to shape and a very VERY sharp blade to cut when in place. You'll probably have to do it more than once, I usually do so be ready for some wastage. 3) well, there you are then....somebody once said "Airliners dont have things sticking out of them like military aircraft do..." Wanna bet? There are loads of them.... I have a vague feeling, this subject has been discussed before my arrival ?? once or twice.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 I've made a start on the wings. Here is the wing as it comes in the kit: The first job was to remove the flaps. I did this with a sharp blade following the panel lines and using them to guide the cuts: The flaps were then put aside, ready for some attention later. The wing is quite weak without the mating surfaces of the flap, so for both strength and for aesthetics purposes I cut some thin plastic card and attached it to the rear of the wing where the flaps had been. Along the upper surface I added thin Evergreen strip to create a realistic scale thickness for the spoliers. The flaps themselves will then slot in underneath this: The wing is now nice and rigid; here are the undersides: And the uppers: The next task is the flaps themselves, and creating a realistic aerofoil shape. I'll keep you posted. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuprar Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Great start bud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pperkins Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) this might help Edited May 7, 2012 by Greg B Airliners.net copyrighted pic removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnHull Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 damn this is going to look sweet!! i really want to see how the flaps turn out; again, something i want to build into my models but lack the confidence and skill at this point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Plenty of progress made on the flaps... After they had been removed from the wing, the first job was to add strips of sprue from the spares box to create the rounded leading edge of each flap and recreate the aerofoil shape. It is important to get the sprue the same or very similar diameter as the thickness of the leading edge of the flap: You can see the basic aerofoil shape already, but after some filling and sanding it is much more apparent. Here are all six sections done and ready to be attached back to the wing: The next job was to assemble all the flap tracks, as these will need modifyng to be in the dropped position: The flaps were then attached to the trailing edges. I've gone for full flap (i.e. landing configuration) using reference pictures to help with the positioning. In these two pictures you can also see that I've modified and attached the inboard flap tracks. I simply cut along the hinge line, removed a thin slither of plastic with a sharp blade, and reattached the rear part at the correct angle. This was then attached the wing and flap iteslf to make a strong union: I've still got the remaining flap tracks to modify, so I'll add some pictures of the process in my next update. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madaboutmodels Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 looking good. you are going to have finushed by the time ive started.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Great tutorial Tom, I think I might try this with my 1/144 kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picard Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Utterly brilliant guide so far Tom, not to mention your rapid progress!! Fantastic. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 wow Tom....just....wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I've completed the process of dropping the flaps. The trickiest part was getting the flap tracks at the correct angle each time, but with some careful measuring, cutting and sanding they haven't come out too badly: I also cut and dropped the slats on the leading edges of the wing and put them at the angle seen in photo's: And after a quick once over with some primer they don't look too bad: A little more filling is needed here and there, but nothing too major. The next task will be to drop the elevators on the stabilisers. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madaboutmodels Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Slow Down, I haven't started yet!!!!! It's looking good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnHull Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 fantastic work tom fancy selling me yours and i'll pass it off as my own superb work?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I'm with them ^ ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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