kwaterous Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) So, my build will be a Rare-Plane IA-58 Pucara.I'm somewhat worried because:1. Mine came without a canopy (got a possible source for one)2. There's no decals included (whiffery time)3. I have never used vac-form models, conversions, or anything. Apparently, the Rare-Plane kit are pretty nice, so are a good place to start (I hope)I started (not really) by tracing the parts in blue or black marked (blue for the tight spots) As you can see in the first photo, one part has been cut out. I did this right after I got it, just to see what the medium was like.So, yeah, fist vac. Advice please?I think I know the basics, score-snap-sand-sand-sand-sand-build or something like that Cheers,K Edited April 30, 2015 by kwaterous 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Welcome aboard mate, good to see you here. Arrrrr so that's what you're building, it didn't click when I read you post in the chat section. I started building one of these many many years ago.....didn't finish it of cause! I even turned some aluminium rod to make the spinners and shafts. I still have it and may actually complete it one day....maybe. It's a nice model and ideal to start with, the props maybe best replaced or you could try your hand at shaping them, not hard just a bit time consuming. The undercarriage, either leave it up or build form rod. I will PM you as I maybe able to help you out. You got the basic VacFrom steps right, just add water......less plastic dust. Well it's good to see you here and wish you good luck with the build and hope it is enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Thanks Rich, I'm going to cut out and box in the undercarriage bays, then scratch build the gears from plastic, metal or wood, not sure which yet. Also, does anyone know, or preferably have pictures of, what's in the read cockpit? Cheers, K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I have an injection kit of this plane and will be doing it in Falklands markings. I won't be using any of the other decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Good luck with this one K. As others have said, the small components (prop blades, possibly wheels too etc), can be tricky with vacforms. Good to replace if you can with bits from your spares box. If not, I read once that small vacformed components are easier to work with if you back-fill them with Milliput before cutting them out. I've never tried that myself, but sounds like it might have some merit. Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Kwaterous, Rareplanes were the best vacforms I ever built. I did their F3 Demon, Swift, Skyshark and several others, all really nice. I never built the Pucara, but IIRC the thing is a notorious tail sitter. Back in the day, white metal ejector seats were quite the thing to add weight and get round using the vacform ones provided! Good luck with this one K. As others have said, the small components (prop blades, possibly wheels too etc), can be tricky with vacforms. Good to replace if you can with bits from your spares box. If not, I read once that small vacformed components are easier to work with if you back-fill them with Milliput before cutting them out. I've never tried that myself, but sounds like it might have some merit. Cliff The milliput idea definitely works - I used to use it for things like prop blades. The best way I found with the undercarriage was to sandwich the vacform sections of the main part around tube or rod, and use the rest of the vacform as a guide for scratchbuilding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 The milliput idea definitely works - I used to use it for things like prop blades. The best way I found with the undercarriage was to sandwich the vacform sections of the main part around tube or rod, and use the rest of the vacform as a guide for scratchbuilding! That was my original plan, until I realized that there's only one set of parts for wack side, so it would have to be an open faces sandwich (is that even a sandwich?). Also, the kit legs are optimized for the too shallow gear bays that come with the kit, so I'll build new ones, using the vacform as a guide. Would wood filler be an acceptable replacement for milliput? It's all I've got :/ Cheers, and thanks for the input everyone. K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 That was my original plan, until I realized that there's only one set of parts for wack side, so it would have to be an open faces sandwich (is that even a sandwich?). Also, the kit legs are optimized for the too shallow gear bays that come with the kit, so I'll build new ones, using the vacform as a guide. Would wood filler be an acceptable replacement for milliput? It's all I've got :/ Cheers, and thanks for the input everyone. K I was going to say something like "Ah, the issues with vacforms haven't changed", then realised this was from the same era as the vacforms I built, so the issues weren't likely to have changed! What I used to do was pack the backs of prop blades proud of the surface once they were cut out and sanded out of the sheet. I would then sand them to a suitable shape. Woodfiller was a vexed question, even back then. One of the problems is that it's got a very high organic content, in the form of the styrene that polymerises. This can eat/dissolve the kit parts, so for places where it's gone thin, it might make matters worse! On the other hand it sands up beautifully and hardens in minutes rather than hours. Grey/yellow milliput can be picked up in most DIY stores for a couple of quid a pack. It's worth having for all sorts of jobs, some of them not even to do with model making! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Okay, I have a look see for it. Wont be for a couple days yet though, as I'm out of town all weekend ill mis the start of this build k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Milliput should be considered an essential tool IMHO.....I like to keep a fresh pack of grey/green and fine white in at all times. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Still haven't gotten around to picking up milliput, but I have gotten around to having a play with this. (I just got home so not much progress) Parts cut out and sanded. Decided to give I a bit more life by separating the control surfaces. Also noticed the plastic is quite brittle (snappage x2 ) Glues and clamps. Problem: not all of the edges line up nicely... Sanding it is Anyway, that's the (tiny) update. So far I don't mind the vacform plastic, other than that it's brittle, and that I seem to do a ridiculous amount of sanding, for the smallest of pieces... Cheers, K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 well good to see you're off and running with this build. For some reason vacform plastic can be a bit brittle at times! You're braver than I was, I left the control surfaces intact on mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I must confess, I was wanting to feel productive, and not wanting to do any more sanding K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Off to a good start, the plastic does get brittle with age and any Rareplanes kit has got to be about 20 years old now. Just take your time and there's not much that some glue and/or filler won't cure. I built this when it first came out and it's not a bad kit. Rareplanes kits always looked really good on the plastic sheet but often didn't fit together very well, with this one, from what I remember, the fit was ok. Mine went to the scrapyard a few years ago when I replaced it with the Airfix one - now that didn't fit together very well at all........ Hope the build goes well and just ask if you need any help. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Another update from me: I decided to give the tail time to set up, and moved onto the cockpit. I couldn't figure out how in the world the cockpit was supposed to fit together, the seats ended up in very strange places if you left the tub as I came. So I didn't. Chopped, height difference lowered, and floor extended. I also got to work on the stuff that will go into the cockpit. 2 seats, 1 IP, and what will become a control stick. One question though. What is there in te rear cockpit if this thing? Another copy of the front? Or a navigator/radar dude station? There's nothing provided in the kit, is like to change that. Cheers, May the Fourth be with you all. K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Take a look here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I looked, but those all seem to be if the front cockpit. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 it's looks to me that both cockpits are very much identical from what I can find. The cockpit detail, or lack of is common with these models, so your scratch building skills will called on for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Thanks Rich, I guess it's duplicating time. As for lack of cockpit detail, it would seem that I'm lucky to get what I've got (2 seats and an IP). I seem to be working on every part of the plane at once. Today was wheel wells. They got some boxing, and the start of a new gear. Filling in the super-thin area where the plastic was torn. From the other side, also showing the start of the boxing-in process. Boxing-in complete Old vs. beginning of the new gears. An initial dry fit looks good. Now. One issue. Detailing the inside of the gear bays: I have an idea to use one piece per side of either thick foil or thin card, just to give the impression of something there. Opinions? Cheers, K EDIT: I am a seriously terrible speller Edited May 5, 2015 by kwaterous 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Okay. Not much done tonight, but I'll keep you all up to speed. Boxing in and mounting points for the gears are bth finished (only had the one done before) My patented seam removal method makes an appearance. A test to see if my ideas will work. I think, with a little refining, it'll do, but I'm looking for other opinions. Cheers, K 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolwe82 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) Wow Pucara!! One of my favourite guerilla fighters! And my deepest respect to you for going on with vacu-formed kit, i dont think i could ever be succesful on such a mission.. But you are doing well, so best of luck for continuing and for inspiration http://www.airliners.net/photo/Uruguay---Air/FMA-IA-58A-Pucara/1789171/L/ Edited May 7, 2015 by Wolwe82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Thanks Wolwe82, I like the Pucara too, not sure why. Something about the scrappy little plane appeals to me. As for it being vacform, it's my first try, so I'm not how it'll turn out either, but I'm hopeful. Cheers, K p.s. Great pic, that one looks mean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) Okay. I'm somewhat miffed with the people at rare-plane. So, I've looked into what height the floor has to be at (unclear instructions here), and done a dry for of the cockpit. This is the result: AARGH!!! Then I went looking for what the cockpit should loom like, if I'm going to scratchbuild something, it migh as well be more accurate, right. I found this: It came from somebody's great 1:32 scratchbuild of this plane (not sure whose). Edit: the link: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=189451&st=40 So, I stuck a couple of pieces if plastic together (it was actually more complicated than that), and, lo and behold, this popped out. Comparaison with my previously modified kit part. This one has the seat dry-fitted. There is a hole drilled for the control stick too, but the seat is sitting to far forward here and covering it. Great! Now I just have to do that all over again with the rear cockpit. Bugger. Any opinions or whatever are appreciated, Cheers, K Edited May 8, 2015 by kwaterous 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 you're fast becoming a scratch building master!! Nice work and that drawing was a lucky find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwaterous Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) Thanks Rich, but I think that distinction belongs to people like Fozzy and Tomprobert. I'm just muddling through, making the best of things, without even using a ruler As for the drawing, it certainly was. K Edited May 8, 2015 by kwaterous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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