Chris Jephcott Posted July 8, 2012 Posted July 8, 2012 So here we go, I've finally got my bottom into gear and look like I'm going to crack this one out as opposed to the F-51D that I was going to do first. I bought the kit of ebay several years ago and it's been sitting in the stash as I knew that all the pieces had been taken off the sprue by the previous owner. This, of course, presents a fairly major headache to me as none of the parts are labelled. However... having done the FM Halifax, I think this should be relatively common sense. At least the instructions are complete!: How the beast should look when complete: And finally... I've taken the liberty of purchasing the Aires 1/48 Typhoon Mk1B Car Door Cockpit Set (which is a bit of a mouthful!). This will hopefully come in the next couple of days and when it does, the building will start in earnest. I have to say though that it looks wonderful and will add a great amout of detail to the cockpit area - especially as I intend to have the door open for this build!:
smuts Posted July 8, 2012 Posted July 8, 2012 Very nice choice mate. like the car door Tiffie..... Andy
Col. Posted July 8, 2012 Posted July 8, 2012 Yikes, that looks a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, hope all the parts are there.
Chris Jephcott Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 I've made a little dry fit of the kit in order to see where the mentioned problems lie in terms of fit, and low and behold, there's a decent gap between the wing root and the fuselage. Suspect that'll have to get some "gloopy filler": And the postman just delivered this: Smashing stuff, what-ho! Time to start on this one!
TonyGol Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 (edited) Following with interest as I will be building the same kit OOB. Edited July 10, 2012 by TonyGol
Enzo the Magnificent Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 With regards to the seperate parts for the fuselage sides, make sure you glue them into place before putting the fuselage halves together. That wll leave a slight gap along the fuselage centreline which can easily be filled, rather than a join line all the way around the cockpit, which can't be easily sorted. Have a look at my own Typhoon build thread --> Linky for photos to illustrate what I am trying to say. The sprue photos mght even help identify the parts.
Chris Jephcott Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 Just a tiny, slight, problem at the moment: The left hand side panel for the cockpit is missing (piece 20, if any of you are familiar with this set!) - so I've just phoned Hannants and a replacement is on its way ASAP. But back to sitting around and doing zilch today then!
Chris Jephcott Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 Enzo, Thank you very much for that - very useful indeed and does highlight the small fit problem there too! I've been fully briefed that this kit does come with several areas that will test your elbow grease (as it were!) and that looks like it's another one. Could be an interesting one to sort out - however, I'll have a look into it this afternoon as my progress is now going to be a little bit limited for the next day or so! And Tony, yep, it looks like this might be one to see and work out where the problems lie before you get there! Cheers, Chris
SaintsPhil Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Good choice, despite being a jet builder I do like the look of the typhoon. While you're 'sitting around' could you look at eliminating the wing root gap by adding a plasticard shim to the upper wing mating surface? Would that be easier than filling the gap? Just a thought... Phil
Chris Jephcott Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 Phil: Actually, Plasticard shims are my preferred way of tackling gaps like this normally - it's in a difficult place to get to and would probably be one of those when I manage to take of 95% of the surfact detail while still leaving a gap!! So, yep, it looks like that's the direction I'm leaning into!
SaintsPhil Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Good shout, I only mentioned it as I usually sit there looking at the mess I've made with filler and think..you know what would have been easier....
Chris Jephcott Posted July 10, 2012 Author Posted July 10, 2012 Exactly the same as me!! It's the mess I create (or the useful surface detail that I remove!!) that annoy me with filler! However, anything that avoids it is a definate plus!
Bertie McBoatface Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 I bet the fuselage insert gap would respond excellently to a shim of the correct thickness too.
Troy Smith Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 HI Chris Me again, can't resist Hawker stuff..... have you considered attaching the upper wings to the fuselage first? Early typhoons have the fuselage framework in aluminium, not grey green, as are the wheels wells[see below] Top of the cockpit is black, some early ones might have been grey-green. With a bit of luck Chris Thomas will chime in... If you google up the Typhoon cockpit now at Duxford I'm sure you'll find a load more pics, like this... Also, if you fancy springing for some detail, replace the wheel wells! the hase ones are fictional, the real ones don't follow the gear door line, but the spar or frame lines like so, same at the front, but I couldn't find a pic ! There are resin ones available..... walkround http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/howard_mason2/typhoon_i/ Though I'm sure you can find a load more if you search. HTH T
Chris Jephcott Posted July 11, 2012 Author Posted July 11, 2012 Hello Troy, Thank you very much for the informative pictures there and interesting information re the Typhoon Cockpit. I've been looking around, trying to find as many pictures of it as I possibly can do - and all information is, as usual, ambiguous. There is no doubt that the cockpit frame was aluminium as opposed to painted, but there are split opinions as to whether or not the panels were painted black or RAF Interior Green. Some state that the panels were also painted black with the aluminium frame remaining in that condition - and the photos from the Duxford Typhoon back this up. Can anyone provide any more info on this? Could this be because of the environment that they were operating in as anti-corrosion paint, much as like the F-51D I'm doing at the moment? As it stands at the moment, I suspect what I'll do is paint the underbase of the cockpit in interior green, but rely on the photos that the rest of the detail is painted in black. That would tie in with the photos, in theory at least! Although the side panels could be the next zone of specific curiousity!! I've sprayed them in interior green today, but am not sure if this is correct now!!
therollercoaster Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 If I might make a suggestion about that gap at the wing-roots. Before you start making up shims and things just check that the centre-section of the lower wing is flat, no anhedral, I've got one car-door Tiffie on my shelf and a bubble-canopy version on the bench and both have a bit of a warp in the lower wing centre and both had a very similar gap. I've fixed the problem by assembling the fuselage then fitting the wings dry and clamping the whole thing to a stout offcut of wood, I then slipped bits of thick scrap plastic-card under the outer wing panels a little at a time until the gaps closed up, some ultra-thin CA to tack the join followed up with styrene cement. If you go this way the resulting dihedral looks excessive until you let go the clamp and packing, if the root join is good and strong the wings will pull the fuselage sides out and on both my models everything aligns as it should. Do take care with that resin cockpit though, I find a lot of them can spread the fuselage they're being fitted into if you dont thin the plastic enough.
Troy Smith Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 I've been looking around, trying to find as many pictures of it as I possibly can do - and all information is, as usual, ambiguous. There is no doubt that the cockpit frame was aluminium as opposed to painted, but there are split opinions as to whether or not the panels were painted black or RAF Interior Green. Some state that the panels were also painted black with the aluminium frame remaining in that condition - and the photos from the Duxford Typhoon back this up. Hi Chris A pleasure to help. one point, the frames are NOT bare metal, but painted with aluminium paint. If you really want to cut through the fog, PM Chris Thomas and ask, as he's Mr Typhoon...having quite literally written several books on the subject! Cheers T
Chris Jephcott Posted July 29, 2012 Author Posted July 29, 2012 I haven't forgotten about this one! But while the F-51d was being completed, it was put on the back burner. Eventually, the missing resin bits turned up and I was able to do this in the last couple of days: I've also attempted to make a start on attacking that infamous fuselage seem aft of the cockpit. I've initially glued the side partings to the fuselage and sanded the seam down in order to make it flush: With the result, that the problem area can be seen quite clearly! More to come soon! Chris
smuts Posted July 30, 2012 Posted July 30, 2012 Nice work on the pit Chris.........you're gettin good at these Andy.
Chris Jephcott Posted August 11, 2012 Author Posted August 11, 2012 So then! Time for an update. Having completed the resin cockpit, sanded it down, this is where I ended up. It's quite clear where the problem areas lie on the build and these are the next areas to tackle: As for the nasty seem aft of the cockpit, if I try to shin this out, then the canopy does not fit properly - so I decided that the best course of action was to try and push these two parts as close as possible and then glue it in. This way, upon checking, the canopy fits and I am amble to get away without modifying this part too: There's also this nasty join here, that I've covered in Squadron White and sanded back: So, as previously discussed, I used plasticard shim for the wing roots: This was then sanded down and then covered in gloop (glue with sprue!) and left for 24 hours to dry out, then sanded down, so this is where we are now. Now, I'll be priming what I have so far and preparing for the painting.
smuts Posted August 15, 2012 Posted August 15, 2012 good job on those wing joints mate & the pit looks the mutts too.. Andy.
Enzo the Magnificent Posted August 15, 2012 Posted August 15, 2012 It's very interesting to see another on of these taking shape at the same time as my own. Nice one! I'm glad I'm not the only one who ended up with gaps at the wing roots...
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