1/72 Hasegawa XF5U-1 Flying Pancake

[louiex2]

Of course he is; this is Nigel we're talking about. He's probably scratch building a functioning engine!

...and making the propeller blades flap around like the originals

[Duncan B]

...and opening up that exhaust on the underside?

Duncan B

[Nigel Heath]

Those exhausts clearly need dealing with, I'm not sure whether to open up the existing moulding or replace with completely with some tube.

[Pete in Lincs]

Must be my mind.

First picture, post 46.

Looks like two Turtles,

erm...

Making more Turtles.

[Nigel Heath]

I am taking a special modelling holiday today so got cracking on the exhausts, electing to go down the tube route. I found some 3.1mm diameter plastic tube, thinned down the wall a bit and started to progressively drill out the kit exhausts in 0.1mm increments:

Here they are both finished:

Much better than the kit me thinks. Thanks for the pointer DB.

Next to get on with the flaps. I started on those by using my silicone splash moulding so mark out and then shape some 1mm plasticard for the inner former:

I also tidied up the upper vent slots:

To make the actual flaps I cut out some 10 thou plasticard and lightly scored the back to ensure a nice sharp bend:

Like so:

I then started to glue the flaps onto the former:

Blu Tacked on some polythene I could finish off gluing them like this:

Here they are all done:

To get them to fit properly I had to thin down the forward edges of the slots:

Here is the first one fitted:

Much nicer and more interesting than the ugly blobs from the kit.

I just have to finish off the rest, bye for now,

Nigel

[louiex2]

Excellent work on replacing the flaps.

[CedB]

Amazing...

"I found some 3.1mm diameter plastic tube". As you do.

Your workshop must be like my wife's Uncle Basil's - as he walked you around his 'domain', and most of the surrounding area actually, there would be weird and wonderful items piled up or strewn around... "What's that for Bas?" "Never know when it might come in". Family catchphrase now.

[Pete in Lincs]

Ced, Back home I have a garage like that.

And boxes of modelling stuff here too!

[Duncan B]

Glad to be of assistance Mr H.

DB

[Nigel Heath]

You do have your uses.

[Tailspin Turtle]

Amazing...

"I found some 3.1mm diameter plastic tube". As you do.

Your workshop must be like my wife's Uncle Basil's - as he walked you around his 'domain', and most of the surrounding area actually, there would be weird and wonderful items piled up or strewn around... "What's that for Bas?" "Never know when it might come in". Family catchphrase now.

You also can't McGyver if you don't have stuff...

[Nigel Heath]

Here are all the engine vent flaps finished:

I then did a bit more work on the propellers, first cleaning up and drilling out the filler on the hubs, then cutting off the very flimsy mounting pins off the blades with a view to replacing with brass rod:

Apart from strengthening the mounting of the blades, the brass rod will also give me something sensible to hold onto during painting operations.

I drilled out all the blades and glued in some 0.6mm rod. While sanding a point on one of the rods it broke off and was promptly eaten by the carpet monster:

I did have a look for it but quickly decided making a replacement would not take that long, starting with some stretched sprue:

Here it is drilled out and being glued on:

No one will ever know.

I did a dry assembly check to make sure the blades fitted OK (the pins are cut so that they touch in the centre the idea being that this will further strengthen them):

They all seemed to work. While cooking dinner, the paints I ordered for this at the weekend arrived (by courier):

The yellow is for the blade tips, green for the cockpit and blue the overall exterior.

Bye for now,

Nigel

[Nigel Heath]

I think when I get around to building my kit I'll just file 'em flush and scribe the outlines.

I think opening up the flap slots and making the replacement flaps was easier and gives the model much more interest than this option. Just my opinion of course.

[Navy Bird]

Excellent work, Nigel! I love the XF5U, and when you combine this with the XF6U, F7U, and F8U it makes me wonder just what those Vought guys had in their coffee. Very creative group of engineers who weren't afraid to try some unusual ideas. They got it right with the F8U, although the variable incidence wing was leading edge for the times.

For what it's worth, I've always used Gunze H54 for non-specular sea blue, as part of the tri-colour WWII scheme. I know that Glossy Sea Blue has the same FS number (after the switch to FS595 from ANA) except the first digit, but it seems darker to me. I've used Gunze H55 for several Glossy Sea Blue USN birds, and I think it's better. One modeller's warped opinion!

Thanks Jessica for the story behind the kit. I always thought it was a regular Hasegawa offering, I never knew it was a re-boxed short run kit. Maybe that's why they don't make them anymore?

Cheers,

Bill

[Jessica]

Thanks Jessica for the story behind the kit. I always thought it was a regular Hasegawa offering, I never knew it was a re-boxed short run kit. Maybe that's why they don't make them anymore?

That and perhaps the fact that Hasegawa can't release a million different marking variations, one at a time?

[Tomoshenko]

Like the re-working of the moulded on details and exhausts, props good too (good save by the way). Just re-read the thread and compared the photos and drawings and the kit offerings with your mods. Definitely an improvement all round, far more realistic. You probably could have gotten away with the vents by using a wash to define the outline, but by cutting out an aperture and making separate, 3D vent flaps proper, they actually look like proper vent flaps. Ditto the exhausts, using tube cut and filed to look like an exhaust pipe, it looks like a... well erm...a real exhaust pipe. It gives it an authentic scaled down effect. Besides being a nice enjoyable thread.

I'm sure I saw a fire extinguisher in those drawings... will this receive your customary trademark? After all every artist has his trademark

[Nigel Heath]

Thanks Tom, yes there is indeed a fire extinguisher thingy in there but it will be so hidden I am happy to go with the kit offering.

[infofrog]

that sure is different Nigel . It should be a nice simple build

Rick

[Martian]

That and perhaps the fact that Hasegawa can't release a million different marking variations, one at a time?

Harsh but true!

Martin

[Nigel Heath]

Today I wanted to add some detailing to the inside of the main under carriage doors. Starting with some 0.4mm thick plasticard, I thought using my punches would be a good way to go but, even with jigs, I could not get it to work:

I think I need one of those clear plastic punch sets. I was left with the old school drilling method, starting with a 1.2mm drill:

After some re-centreing these were progressively opened up to 2.0mm and then trimmed between the holes:

After much filing I got some parts that looked acceptable:

This is how they looked glued on:

Those took ages to do, I hope they're worth it.

I have also added some rib detailing to the undercarriage bays:

That's all so far, I might get some painting done tomorrow with a bit of luck.

Bye for now,

Nigel

[Tomoshenko]

Definitely well worth out. They will look the business painted with a light wash. As I say, all these little bits and bobs add up.

[Bordfunker]

Nice job on the gear doors, and good to see you continuing to explore some of modelling's back roads.

Karl

[louiex2]

I really like your approach to the gear doors- I shall have to add that method to my modeling bag of tricks. Keep up the great work.

[CedB]

Great stuff Nigel... incredibly detailed work and I'm really impressed by the consistency of those slots.

Marvellous!

[Nigel Heath]

I did a bit more last night, cleaning up the main undercarriage legs and adding an actuator rod using 0.45mm brass:

I also drilled out some lightening holes in the scissor link:

Here they are before and after clean up:

Today I did get some painting done starting with white primer on the blades:

That showed up a few flaws that were dealt with and that the ejector marks clearly need another application of filler. The tips were fine though so I applied some yellow:

After the white primer I applied grey to everything else that was ready including the inside and outside of the engine vent flaps:

I went with green for the seat belts as well as getting some brown on for the seat padding and silver on the engine fans:

I can get on with a few masking jobs now.

Bye for now,

Nigel