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Sean_M

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As some of you may know I am working in Douglas Baders Airfix 1/48. The Instruction call for attaching the propeller when the two halves of the fueslage. I theink the idea is so your models prop can turn.However all videos and books on model bulding depict aircraft diring construction with the propellor as the last thing to go on. This makes sense as it is going to get in they way when airbrushing and assebling the rest of the model with a high risk of getting broken.

Have I missed some trick or crucial step?

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Hi Sean - you are correct. fitting the prop when the instructions say so - assumes you want it to turn, and it will get in the way.

What most of us do is leave the prop off 'till final finishing. You can either trap the prop shaft in the fuselage so it projects as a stub, or if it fits inside the spinner baseplate - glue it there but cut off the retaining collar - so it push fits into the hole. Or replace it with a piece of tubing or sprue that will just slide into the hole.

I tend to leave the shaft in the prop - as the hole in the nose is useful for attaching a stick to hold the model during painting

Hope this is of use

Jonners

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Hi Sean - you are correct. fitting the prop when the instructions say so - assumes you want it to turn, and it will get in the way.

What most of us do is leave the prop off 'till final finishing. You can either trap the prop shaft in the fuselage so it projects as a stub, or if it fits inside the spinner baseplate - glue it there but cut off the retaining collar - so it push fits into the hole. Or replace it with a piece of tubing or sprue that will just slide into the hole.

I tend to leave the shaft in the prop - as the hole in the nose is useful for attaching a stick to hold the model during painting

Hope this is of use

Jonners

That's what I thought. Thanks. Occam's razor (lex parsimoniae)- "other things being equal, a simpler explanation is better than a more complex one."

I thought my logic was way to simple and there was a deeply guarded secret that I had missedd

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Wow... I wouldn't have bet anyone here knew what Occam's razor was :)

I'd say similar to Wilkinson Sword myself :evil_laugh: ..............

I'm also with Jonners on this one.

Leave it off until final assembly.

I'll usually fix it on(mine don't turn)with a spot of white glue/wood glue.

That's strong enough to hold it in place,but weak enough to let go,

saving the prop blades in the event of an accident(read "finger trouble",i.e trying to turn it.)

Edited by Miggers
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