Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Cheers guys - fuselage is now joined: I fabricated some seat belts too before hand, gunsight & joystick to be added - but thats deliberate - as they'll get knocked around when I mask the pit anyway. Looks like we have a Sea Hornet! Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Keep up the good work Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Quality work Jonners, always love watching your WIP's mate, they are a real education Into modelling. Looks like this one has been a real labour of love. BR Dan Cheers Dan - yes its one of my faves. I remember finding 2 FROG Hornets in a shop on holiday in the early eighties when I was literally just a teenager. Like them ever since! are you going to Telford this year btw? Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Cheers Dan - yes its one of my faves. I remember finding 2 FROG Hornets in a shop on holiday in the early eighties when I was literally just a teenager. Like them ever since! are you going to Telford this year btw? Jonners Planning to Jonners, I'll give you a call later for a bit of a catch up, you still on you mob number that I have from 2 years ago? Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Planning to Jonners, I'll give you a call later for a bit of a catch up, you still on you mob number that I have from 2 years ago? Dan yes mate - ends in 888 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spikelhund Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Nice progress on the cockpit, different tones of black have really worked well. Cheers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Morning! main structure is now al glued together and joints filled, sanded, refiled , smoothed, Mr Surfacered and then re sanded. Whew!! The underside front of the radiator intake lips need a lot of fairing into the fuselage as it proved to be too deep to match the fuselage wing stub. if you have one of these models - watch out for this - as its tricky to work in there. Here's how she looks naked. A coat of primer will show up where the joins need further work, and then its time to add few further details before we move onto the wet coloured stuff... Cheers Jonners 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 And now primed (well almost - ran out of Mr Surfacer rattle can!!). Wing fold bulges have been added from shaped sprue and plasticard. There's enough primer to reveal where needs a re-scribe and a bit more smoothing though. Cheers Jonners 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Looks good Jonners... I'm not sure I could ever get used to that weird looking thimble-nose though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 Looks good Jonners... I'm not sure I could ever get used to that weird looking thimble-nose though You need to see a plastic surgeon mate! Cheers Boss- as someone else said, its the de rigeur FAA take-handsome-aircraft-and-add-ugly-bit-formula. For reasons best known to DH and the Admiralty they did try a far more graceful nose shape on the prototype ( think bottle nose dolphin or porpoise), but it obviously didn't disfigure the Hornet enough to pass it for FAA use. Cheers Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Looks great! Looking forward to seeing some paint on the beast. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoohoo Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Thats looking great Jonners, the pits come together really well - look forward to seeing some paint on her soon, got to admit i think shes got a strange beauty even with the shrew nose on it Cheers, Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) For reasons best known to DH and the Admiralty they did try a far more graceful nose shape on the prototype ( think bottle nose dolphin or porpoise), but it obviously didn't disfigure the Hornet enough to pass it for FAA use. Cheers Jonners Actually this alternative (less ugly nose) was on production aircraft too, albiet rarely. It was an aluminium fairing that covered the radar support frame when an aircraft was not fitted with the radar apparatus. I have several photo's showing production NF.21's with them fitted. Your model is progressing really well. Was the wing fold blister info of any use? Don't forget showing the under wing louvred inlets for the carb while taxiing, and closing the leading edge carb inlet accordingly. Also, there isn't an underwing landing light. Edited September 24, 2012 by David A Collins 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Actually this alternative (less ugly nose) was on production aircraft too, albiet rarely. It was an aluminium fairing that covered the radar support frame when an aircraft was not fitted with the radar apparatus. I have several photo's showing production NF.21's with them fitted. Your model is progressing really well. Was the wing fold blister info of any use? Don't forget showing the under wing louvred inlets for the carb while taxiing, and closing the leading edge carb inlet accordingly. Also, there isn't an underwing landing light. Hi David - thanks for that info on the "pretty" schnozz - I never knew that. The wing blister info was of use - cheers I have to admit - I didn't realise there were taxiiing louvre inlets under the wings, I'll need to find them I guess Also - are you saying theres no underwing landing light on the 21, or my model doesn't have one ( it does, I added it, but its masked in the pics...) cheers Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Hi Jon, All the evidence I have looked through on the Sea Hornet makes absolutely no reference to a landing light. This includes photo's, wiring diagrams, maintenance manuals, etc. It's hard to believe that the Fleet Air Arm would operate a Night Fighter without a landing light, but this appears to be the case!! The landing light position clashes with the wing fold split. I'll post some images of the under-wing carb inlets tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Hi Jon, All the evidence I have looked through on the Sea Hornet makes absolutely no reference to a landing light. This includes photo's, wiring diagrams, maintenance manuals, etc. It's hard to believe that the Fleet Air Arm would operate a Night Fighter without a landing light, but this appears to be the case!! The landing light position clashes with the wing fold split. I'll post some images of the under-wing carb inlets tonight. Thanks David - well it can be filled and sanded out. Just been correcting the shape of the rear canopy fairinf. Pics this evening, and of the arresting hook attachments Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Looking good Jonners! Love these aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hi Jon, As promised, here is a good image showing the under-wing louvred air vents located on either wing (outboard of the engines). These open when the engines are running on the ground, and close when in the air. The leading edge intake has a rotary shutter that is closed when on the ground, and opens when in the air. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Hi David - thanks for the pic!! bit of scribing needed me thinks. so were the louvre opening and LE rotary shutter separately controlled? from the pic it looks like both are closed? Cheers Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 gunsight scratchbuilt, and now added, and canopy reshaped. hears the attachment points for the arresting gear too cheers Jonners 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) Hi Jon, Great progress. Ok tips on painting the canopy/windscreen: The windscreen frame is a thin black line. The front screen uprights are actually steel tie-bars covered with a black rubber seal between the glass sheets. This was done to achieve an almost nearly frameless view forward. The top of the windscreen frame is a casting - this usually ended up the same colour as the main upper side colour (ie. grey NF21 or silver F20). The canopy frame is painted the same dark sea grey as the upper surfaces on the fuselage with some "cut here" dashed yellow lines painted along its lower and front part of the frame. Hope this helps, Edited October 1, 2012 by David A Collins 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Jon, tell us more about the canopy re-shaping. I know it needs it, but how did you attack the problem? Also, are those louvers on Hornets too, or just Sea? bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Jon, tell us more about the canopy re-shaping. I know it needs it, but how did you attack the problem? Also, are those louvers on Hornets too, or just Sea? bob Hi Bob, with the canopy - from what I could see the problem is that the rear "pen nib" fairing isn't pointy enough, and that the framework on the sides of the canopy needs to be re-shaped, with line of the rearmost angled-up lower section of framing needing to appear slightly concave in profile ( its a straight line as moulded). The Sea Hornets rear pen nib fairing is shorter than the land version ( otherwise it would whack the observers bubble when fully slid back). So what I did was a twofold approach: First I masked out a new outline for the canopy framework using Tamiya tape ( like I was masking for painting), Then I brushed on a coat of Mr Surface 500 so i could see what I was doing! The rear nib was then sanded back a little shorter and made sharper too, while the subtle concave shape on the framing was gently cut away using a new scalpel bade, and sanding sticks. These two actions were done a little by little comparing each trim to the new rear shape. Once I was happy about the shape, I applied more Mr Surfacer, then a coat of Mr Dissolved Putty which serve to make the new fairing all the same thickness by eradicating the kit supplied frame lines. A wet sand down, and a little more adjusting of the shape, then a final coat of Mr Surfacer and a polish. Remove the masking tape, et voila! A final bath in Klear gives the "perspex sheen" we all know and love I'll need to mask out the canopy for painting again, but as the framework now has a small but distinct step to it - it will be easy to do. The windscreen needed a couple of shims on its lower edges to give it a good fit with the fuselage ( thin plastic card CA'ed to the windscreen after the Klear bath, so no fear of fogging), and again I masked out the clear areas and then filled the seams with the Mr S/ Mr DP treatment. The fronts of the canopy slide rails just need to be re-established now as they got sanded out a little during this process. I believe the louvres are on all Hornets. You can certainly see the carb intakes closed on several well known pics of Malaysian based Hornets, so I would guess the louvres were there too. Cheers Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) Jon, tell us more about the canopy re-shaping. I know it needs it, but how did you attack the problem? Also, are those louvers on Hornets too, or just Sea? bob Hi Bob, The louvres were on all Hornet and Sea Hornets, including the prototypes. Edited October 1, 2012 by David A Collins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkippyBing Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 It's hard to believe that the Fleet Air Arm would operate a Night Fighter without a landing light, but this appears to be the case!! Quite a lot of FAA aircraft didn't have landing lights, including RN Buccaneers. It's actually not that useful on a carrier as it would blind the deck crew, admittedly it could be useful landing ashore but that would be a frivolous use of money that could be spent on ships instead... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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