Norman Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I pulled mine down from the shelf of doom and discovered the canopy has gone yellow, it was the CMK conversion and it only had one in it ! Them's the breaks i guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 I have several MPM kits with the same issue. I'm going to try packing the vac canopy with Miliputt and using it as a mould to make another. I think the chances of getting a rteplacement are about zero otherwise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Howdy Folks! As I've finally got my camera and computer on speaking terms time for an updat. I've rebuilt the instrument panel and coaming (broken into seven pieces in transit to me) and got the major parts undercoated with Halford's primer which matches the final colour well so I'll run with it as is. The Aires front gear bay fitted easily but I'm not certain it's in the right position. I'll check later. As I use nail super glue it will disassemble easily enough after a soak in acetone if needed. The tailplanes and tail piece are finally on and one air brake. The RH one fits perfectly but the LH doesn't being too long one way and too short the other, Oh and the curve doesn't match the fuselage either An executive decision has been reached that it will be slightly open due to a fault. According to a friend who worked on them for a very long time (take a bow Julian Hart) it did happen but not very often. Thanks to Rene's build I managed to catch the sink marks on the wings in one go! Today I have started the cockpit detail painting, having made sure it all goes together first! As time is getting short due to my dithering about I'm having second thoughts about the finish. I may go for the greys rather than Dark Green/Grey/NMF Decisions.... Cheers for looking and sorry that the piccies aren't better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 No pictures until tomorrow when the shops will, hopefully be calmer and I can get camera batteries. But in a frenzy of Boxing Day radio listening I've got the cockpit painted (minus ejection seats and shattered cowl) and the fuselage, engines and cockpit assembled and taped together. I would have fitted the wings but they look a bit flat so I've put a shim on the fuselage joint which I'll sand to a taper tomorrow then get the wings on. As she stands on her tail nicely the alignment should be easier than usual! BTW used 30g of self-adhesive wheel weights just behind the cockpit as the resin exhausts are rather heavier than the plastic bits they replace. Thankfully I have a white metal nose-wheel assembly I'm determined to finish this GB on time! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 27, 2014 Author Share Posted December 27, 2014 Howdy Fans Here are the progress shots, which are rubbish photos as usual. Sorry. Taken Boxing Day morning so a bit of a time capsule. The basic cockpit assembled and front assembly super-glued together and the fit isn't too shabby at all. Britain's first manned spacecraft The right side is a little shorter as I trimmed the front to deal with some bubbles in the resin. The masking tape is to contain the P38 filler that is next. It's once used Tamiya masking tape making a final contribution. Once the filler is on it's peeled straight off making sanding much simpler. As soon as the filler narrows I know I'm there! While that is all happening I'll be attending to the vents, inlets and pipes on the rear fuselage. Oh and sanding down the wing root fillets. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Excellent update SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 29, 2014 Author Share Posted December 29, 2014 Bit of an Oh Err! period now. Glued the rear fuselage halves together and realised just in time that I'd done nothing about the vents. So pulled them apart breaking both tail planes off in the process Today I have been trying to find the coaming bits to attempt repair number 2, in situ I think! I think the APU outlet on the port side is a little too far aft as well..... This may end up in KUTA VII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 Still beavering away. Working on refining the vents in the rear fuselage and rebuilding the cockpit coaming. Also noticed a break in the line between the fuselage and the nose ring so I'm breaking out the filler again. I hoped to have the beast in one piece by now.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Sounds as if this one is putting up a fight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 Well the kit is fighting strong rearguard actions Col but, to be honest, most of the problems are caused by me. I simply didn't do decent research before I started and am having to do it as I build now. My depression got the better of me for a while which didn't help.... All the vents etc. I knew about got added yesterday and then I started on the ones that I'd missed, corrected the four rear spine ones from NACA style to ducted (after I'd opened them up as NACAs of course!) and put some more of the coaming back together, hopefully for the last time. Then I primed the front section It needs some serious TLC. There are strange cut marks around some of the added panels some of which stand way proud of the fuselage. Like the gun blanking inserts. Some of the panel lines leave a fair bit to be desired as well. So I now know that there's no chance of this being completely finished by Sunday so my aim now is to get her built and at least primed if not ready for paint. I'm not put off though, as soon as I get a job I'll be getting two more for a T.4 and T.55. Which will benefit from this build. Finally I've run out of superglue and thick foil and my foil glue (for the undersides) is a solid lump. The first two are easy..... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 A 48th T.55? Good man! Something tells me the legacy of this GB will be seen in the general RFI thread for some time to come 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 A 48th T.55? Good man! Something tells me the legacy of this GB will be seen in the general RFI thread for some time to come I think your right Col, I want to tackle the Airfix F.2 I have in the stash now and I can see a another couple of Sword kits looming too. It has been great to watch other builds come together and very inspirational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Yes, I've definitely become a Lightning fan over the last couple months due to this STGB. Keep fighting the good fight SleeperService - looking forward to seeing this completed, no matter which gallery it ends up in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hi There I'm SleeperService and I am a Lightningholic Thank You so much for the kind words The foil glue has proved a proper pain. I've tried everything I can think of with no joy. One of my friends is going to a craft fair at the weekend so hopefully.... In the meantime I've got plenty of work on the front end to get done, I still hope to have the major construction done by the 4th and maybe primer as well. I've already got plans for a 19 Sqn T.4, Saudi T.55, F.6 (squadron TBD, any suggestions?) and something in grey to complete the schemes. Despite the issues I've really enjoyed this Group Build, it would have been even better to complete it in time though 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I do love a twin stick Lightning.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 It's a shame you won't finish in time, but as long as we get to see your progression in the WIP section, you'll be keeping us happy, great stuff so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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