Ex-FAAWAFU Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Like most of us, I ran out of adequate adjectives long ago. But I love this build! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 evening folks I am still plodding along with the radiator fairings and in fact the intentions I have for them are probably equal to me sitting and building a couple of kits! The first thing to do was to add some rounded stock to the nose of each intake - there is a subtle difference in width between the sides and the lower lip of the intake, so I got two sizes of rod and scraped half of it away to get some semi circular stock to add to the forward edge I have already added... ..I tidied up the rod and started to make the upper halves that sit in the wing recess - this has taken hours of trial fitting and fettling today to get the front and rear walls to sit as neat fits to the intake roof... ..these form the foundation for skinning the interior later on.. ..I have tried to get close tolerances so they make good pattern shapes for the metal linings to come - you can see inside an intake here (you can also see a lot of dust and crap too)... ..the very first bit of metal skinning on this Spit was next - I stuck some masking tape on an inner face and outlined in pencil the border of the skin part.. ..that results in a part shape to which rivet detail can be added... ..and you might just be able to see it inside - the fit is closer when the part is pressed home so, lots more to do - I will skin the inside of the fronts plus there is a lot of gubbins in the rears that control the radiator flaps, and then there are the rads themselves which I still haven't figured out yet.. ..until next time.. TTFNPeter 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 I've still run out of superlatives Peter and I'm still amazed by the patience, skill and model engineering going on here but felt inclined to post as, finally, I've seen you do something that I can do too - write 'P' and 'S' on the parts! There's some hope for me yet... Really enjoying this build - thanks very much for sharing it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted July 27, 2016 Author Share Posted July 27, 2016 thanks CedB & good evening a little step forward I hope will be of passing interest.. I have been adding to the radiator fairings - the first element were the lower baffles, these are actually bowed upwards rather than just being the outer skin panel, I guess this better feeds the air into the radiators... ..next the nose fairing - this was a complex part to fashion as it caps all three walls in one part and is fully rounded.. ..I started by taping a sheet of aluminium cut to a very wide 'U' shape to the nose of the part.. ..after some working with wooden tools, and a few cuts to make some folds, I ended up with the basic form.. ..after trimming the front and back faces I had the nose cap but it would need fixing in position before the creases in the metal can be chased out or sanded down.. ..with that in place, I moved on to the lower panel, again using masking tape burnished onto the part and marked out (like a brass rubbing) that I can peel off and use as a template... ..same principle for the side panels... ..once they were all stuck in place, I could start to get rid of any creases or imperfections with a sanding stick and then wire wool.. ..and the first and most complex shape to be skinned on these parts is under way.. ..I need to work out how to rivet the soft aluminium without causing as much 'mushrooming' as I did with these panels, so will have to do some experiments.. ..thats all for now.. TTFNPeter 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blogs On Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 OH WOW !!!!! Still speechless ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 (edited) Hey Peter, I laughed at your "passing interest" comment! Reading your posts, and following your builds, is a major highlight in my day! Not much more than that... Brilliant solution to the intake fronts. Seems much the same technique you used on the intakes of the Firecat. I take it you are having new fronts (and rears) made of PE for the radiators? Thank you for the continuing saga of model building excellence! PR Edited July 28, 2016 by Pastor Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGA Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 I love it Peter. This is going to a beauty! Saw my first real Spitfire doing a low pass over my head at about 30ft the other day and I've been in love with it ever since. Might be tempted to buy this kit when my project is done 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastvader Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 (edited) Ah, I get it! SUB-LIME Sublime!!! Edited July 29, 2016 by Pastor Rich 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4u Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Brilliant work as always Peter. Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 evening ladies time for another rumble around a Mk XIV........ I find when making more than one of something (like these two rad fairings), it is always best to make them simultaneously. It takes some discipline sometimes to stop yourself getting too far on one, and stepping back to the other, but for me it must be done this way, otherwise I run out of steam in repeating something from the beginning....so I skinned the leading edge and nose cap on the other side, and also sanded out some of the deformity to get nice uniform rivets and skins....the next skin section is all one piece so I needed to cut out the radiator flap - a little tip when trying to cut symetrical stuff accross compound vurves is to use a template - here a rectangle of litho is used to mark and cut the door....masking tape is used to find the exact shape the panel needs to be - it is also used to mark out where features and rivets are,,,..when peeled off and laid on some aluminium it is pretty straightforward to add the detail and cut to the lines.....you can see after riveting the metal 'blows' a bit, it is later turned over and rolled onto a sheet of glass to try and work out some of the deformity....the part is then burnished to shape with wooden tools like paintbrush handles & cocktail sticks - I start by taping the straight leading edge and working backwards onto all the flat faces. After that the curves are chased out to little kinks & pinches to be filed off after glueing....you can see I have cut out the door opening so the metal can move & bend freely around the curves here....the mushrooming of the rivets and other deformity needs quite aggressive sanding out... one thing I did find was it is extremely hard to re-instate rivets if they are sanded out as the metal gives too much and there is a danger of creating unwelcome great big depressions....added in the lower fairing panels, and still have the tailcaps and a bracing strip to go.. ...now I need to catch up on the other one I take it you are having new fronts (and rears) made of PE for the radiators?PR Hi PR - thanks for stopping by and your kind words yes, I think I have to, I am just thinking about what else I can put on the fret as it's one price so I might as well work up any parts I missed or just some random stuff that is always useful... TTFNPeter 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Impressive as always. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean1968 Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 wow! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Hello Peter, I always forget something when going to the store. Half the time I leave without getting the very item I went for! Hopefully, you will think of some good things to include on the new PE fret that wasn't in your first order. For the life of me, I don't remember you sharing what adhesive(s) or glue(s) you use to attach the litho parts. Question: What glue do you use to attach all of that litho? (I assume you have tested different options?) I've seen the use of aluminium foil with a coating of adhesive in years past (DIY Baremetal foil) and have been reminded of that as I follow your builds. Excellence as usual! Thank you so much for the effective display of simple tools creating awesome results!! PR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 thank you chaps - very kind of you to drop in and leave some encouragement Hello Peter, For the life of me, I don't remember you sharing what adhesive(s) or glue(s) you use to attach the litho parts. Question: What glue do you use to attach all of that litho? (I assume you have tested different options?)PR Hi PR - the litho is attatched with contact adhesive - here in the UK it is under the Evo-Stick brand. It is very thick so I put some in an airtight glass and dilute it with the adhesive cleaner they also sell. By the time it's diluted it's the consistency of thin syrup and just gets brushed on. I have a tutorial on it here.. so, just a few pics today.. ..this one shows the rear of the radiator and a pressing that goes over the actuator that operates the radiator flap - I guess its for aerodynamics, but it's a little challenge to make.. ..I made the shape from thick plastic and CA'd it onto a bit of card - from here a bit of annealed litho was just pressed with my thumb until the main shape was taken, then out with a wooden coffee stirrer to push it around the base and get the profile a bit tighter.. ..added some detail - carefully dremmelled out the slot at the bottom and added the rivets and started to cut it away from the buck.. if it deformed it was just put back on and reshaped.. ..finishing with a sanding stick and some wire wool and it's done.. ..it goes roughly here - also there is a bit of black card pretending to be a radiator - I am trying David Glen's method of scoring it - here just with a micro saw blade to see if the finely spaced teeth would do it, but I think I will have to score with a blade and rub in mettallic powder and see what it looks like when I try rather than play at it.. ..I also need to find out if this housing is on the same side on both radiator fairings? if not, I need to make another buck that is handed to the other one.. ..lastly, I finished skinning the rear of each one and added a strengthening strip that runs half way along each side.. ..I should have the new PE radiator fronts by the end of the week so if I get the rear internals and the flaps sorted by then these Rad fairings should be able to be finished & put to one side so as not to get damaged as I do more on the airframe.. TTFNPeter 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Peter! Thank you so very much for the tutorial! I have a Matchbox SBD that I've had in mind to finish as an RNZAF Dauntless -- perhaps it should be a test case for me to learn how to do this? Many thanks again for the inspiration! PR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Hi Peter, Great tutorial, thanks for that link. In the tutorial you say the litho alu is only good for single curves, but above you seem to of achieved a double compound, is this the same material or something different? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4u Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Amazing work Peter, sure you are not building the real thing ? Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 thanks chaps Hi Peter,Great tutorial, thanks for that link. In the tutorial you say the litho alu is only good for single curves, but above you seem to of achieved a double compound, is this the same material or something different? Hi Woody - it is thin litho that has been annealed so is a lot more compliant - since doing the tutorial I have found a couple of aluminium sources including forum freinds who have sent me samples to try and one of these from the US seems thinner and more flexible for these more complex shapes. That said, as long as the buck you are working against is pretty hard then the sheet will form to it when worked, even if it creases they can be filed out - it just takes an attempt at it to learn really quickly how to do it - I promise it's not as difficult as it might look.. so, nearly done on the rad fairings - I am now moving backwards to the cooling flaps at the rear - like this one.. things to note are the pressings either side of the flap, the bulged faired housing for the actuator and the stabilising rods to stop the flap flexing - there is a simpler version I have seen on later marks but this was seen on a MkXIV and I had a drawing of it... ..first thing to do was to correct a mistake I made reading the plans - the side walls at the rear were made too wide, so I scored the plastic underneath and folded the edge and re-riveted it - the modified one is on the left... ..I had saved the vacformed bits I removed to cut the doors out so these were used to start making them. I stuck a bit of rod at the front and some card as a doubler so the inside face was flat while the skin face is curved... ..I made a litho template to work out a skin panel shape I could fold in half to get a nice clean (and thin) trailing edge... ..I pre-detailed the panels with rivets and stuck them together... ..the side walls were made by scaling down a factory drawing and using it to guide the shape and where the strengthening pressings are - they are lines embossed into the original and were made by embossing the litho with a ball point pen.. ..the parts were detailed and assembled to look like my references... ..added the rods and mountings... ..and dry fitted in place and with the bulged actuator housing - I remade these and moved them so they tied in with the flap walls and their cut-out to allow for the housing.. ..and in place on the airframe.. when fitted the flaps will be closed so you would need to peek in to see the gubbins inside ..thats all for today.. TTFNPeter 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Absolutely stunning work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGA Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Really wonderful work once again Peter. Thanks for the tutorial on working with metal. Lovely! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4u Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Impressive work Peter, just like the real one. Guy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(ex)Sgtrafman Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Effortless 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 evening chaps, and thank you for your kind words ...a little bit more progress to share with you nice folk.. ..first I corrected the radiator fairing flap - the sides should only have a cut-out on one side so did that and also added the actuator rod.. ..to make the radiators themselves I started with some black plastic card - I scoured it clean with wire wool and rand a fine rivet wheel around the perimeter of a square area big enough to do all four faces.. ..the rivet wheel marks out small equal spaces each side that I can then join up with a scriber as in the top photo.. ..the bottom photo then shows after all the scribing, including double the number horizontally to get tighter spaced fins.. ..icut them to shape and added some metallic weathering powder, and some dirty weathering around the edges and down the middle.. ..the PE radiator faces/fins things I had made arrived... ..and fitted into place with the plates that go around the edges...more on those in a moment.. ..and in place under the wing... now you are going to slap me, but I wasn't happy with the border around the fins - they are actually too wide (the fins should run right to the edges) and too the PE parts are short in height too.. I have ordered a revised set and will pull these out and replace them.... a bit more money burnt, a bit more time wasted, but I just couldn't settle for it.. well.... that left me looking at what I would move onto next while I wait for the new parts to arrive (later this week probably, PPD who do the etching are legends..).. guess what these are... ..of course they are the horizontal stabilisers - copied from the Monforton plan, scaled and cut from thick plastic card.. ..from there, I added in some brass tube spars and a brass end rib to help shape the aerofoil and get a neat fit to the fuselage.. ..I added half riblets and another brass rib at the tip and sanded them to shape - here the edges have been marked with a sharpie so I know when to stop sanding the bodyfiller that will bulk out the shape.. ..funny how once I get these and the elevators done most of the main structural elements will be complete and nearly ready to start skinning... ..thats it for now.. TTFN Peter 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Wow, just wow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now