CedB Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Lovely, lovely, lovely. I shall be in two minds when you finish this Peter; pleased to see it finished, sad to see the end of the show. But wait, perhaps there'll be another build?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sithman Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 1 minute ago, CedB said: Lovely, lovely, lovely. I shall be in two minds when you finish this Peter; pleased to see it finished, sad to see the end of the show. But wait, perhaps there'll be another build?? I concur! It's like I'm a paint by numbers painter watching Rembrandt working! Nothing I can ever hope to achieve BUT a wonder to watch! Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 man you are a master at model engineering - a pleasure to behold CJP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 I have been following this on another site and just realised that it's also on here. I agree with the previous three comments, and am eager to see more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 good morning my friends thank you for your kind words - I really do appreciate anyone dropping in on my funny little world first up is this picture of a Mk XIV... ..no other reason than I like it - purposeful, beautiful, dramatic, emotive..wonderful... anyways.. bit more stuff done.. I forgot to take a pic but I needed to do the panel that covers the forward cockpit - from the cockpit door forward to the windshield.. I made a tape template which has the wrap around panel and the cockpit wall - it is short on the side where the cockpit door is.. ..the 'U' shaped bit in the middle is the cutout for the windshield - each side of it the cockpit walls.. ..it's easier to see once it has been detailed and cut out.. ..I fitted it and started to work the surface - this is what it looks like before polishing.. ..with that one fitted. the next panel in the order needed to get the correct one overlaying the other was the one below the cockpit door..I marked it out with a tape template.. ..added a quite ordered and distinct rivet pattern to it... ,,and then while I was burnishing the back of it before fitting it, I mashed it and kinked it so will have to make it all over again.. ..just to show all is not always well in la-la-land and $hit happens back soon when I have learned to do it properly.. TTFN Peter 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sithman Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I see what you're doing there! show a real Spit here and there,.....and one day another real Spit and then all will realize it's actually your model! ....VERY sneakie! serioulsly though, sorry about your set back but thank you for showing things happen to us all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Wonderful. How did you make the narrow slot in this panel? This is bordering on witchcraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 evening folks thanks for your kind words I binned the panel I messed up and re- made it - the complication with this part was actually fitting it as I had already fitted the wing fillet panels so I had to get behind them to slot it into place. This meant I can't use contact adhesive in the normal way as I wouldn't be able to slide the panel behind the fillets when I laid it. I thought I could tape the panel in place and just use cocktail sticks to hold it away from the fuselage - that way I can slop the glue in behind it and let it dry before pressing it into place.. and the same on the other side.. ..in hindsight I should not have laid the fillets until now, but I must have got carried away at the time... ,,once the panels were set down I took it out in the garden to get some natural light pictures... ,,not too many more panels to add before the fuselage is complete - the main one is the big one behind the cowl so I need to get looking for references for this mark.. 1 hour ago, Nigel Heath said: Wonderful. How did you make the narrow slot in this panel? This is bordering on witchcraft. Hi Nigel I just scored the two longer cuts and sort of stabbed the ends with the point of a scalpel from each corner to get the ends and then flexed it until the scores broke away and then cut the waste in the middle so I could peel it away - metal is much easier to work in that respect than plastic so no witchcraft to it until next time.. TTFN Peter 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Hi Peter, I for one am looking forward to seeing how you resolve that which is left of the fillets. The curved wrap-around of the upper trailing edge leaves little surface area for adhesion and so has my interest in how you are going to tackle that! (I know it's going to be awesome! A lot like the leading edge of the horizontal stabs perhaps?) Anxiously waiting and enjoying every instalment of this artistic saga!! Brilliant as ever...........PR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave665 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Peter... I have to say this photo made me step back and utter a heartfelt "WOW!". On 2017-5-14 at 19:50, airscale said: What a difference the recent panels have made. Stunningly beautiful! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 16, 2017 Author Share Posted May 16, 2017 evening folks thanks again for dropping in and leaving words of encouragement next up was the panel that covers the forward fuselage fuel tank, between the main engine panels and the cockpit. On the real aircraft it was made of heavier gauge aluminium to protect the tank and in lots of photo's is poorly fitting and quite agricultural in appearance - also as far as I can tell it had no rivet detail apart from around the various filler caps & inspection hatches... ..it is also the last of the upper fuselage panels to do so I was quite looking forward to it.. ..first the usual tape template - here also using dymo tape to get the straight line at the rear - I also marked out the positions of the details from a scaled blurry pic I have of TZ138 sat in the hangar (I foumd it hard to find good close ups of the top of it as in most ref pics it has been removed & no-one takes pics of the panel itself :)) ..the template was transferred to metal and worked on.. ..I curved the panel (prematurely as it turns out as I later found rivet detail around the openings...) and added some backing to the big hole as there is a tiny gap between the skin and the fuselage.. ..at the bottom are the parts I started to make for the fuel filler cap.. ..on TZ138 the fuel filler cap is set in a bevelled metal fitting (some Spits have a gap between the skin & the tank..) so I started to work a bit of thick sheet and set this under the skin.. ..the last detail is the big inspection panel - here I used a shaped scalpel blade to punch through the tiny oblong openings and added the rivet detail... ..the panel is quite proud of the fuselage at the rear edge so I added a strip to the fuselage to space it slightly, which I think works but you be the judge.. ...also when I went to fit the panel in place I very nearly screwed up the positioning, but thankfully managed to peel it back without ruining it by sloshing lots of glue thinner behind it and once in the right position that was it... so thats it for now, I expect I will do the tailwheel area skinning next.. TTFN Peter 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 BRAVO!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Peter, your work is progressing rapidly now towards the finish and it's an absolute pleasure to watch. I can't wait to see your next project. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markleecarter Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 WOW! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Stunning work Peter, us mere mortals look on in amazement. Simon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsyouruncle Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Totally amazing, stunningly beautiful work. I don't know how I'd not seen this before but looking forward to seeing more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 I like the customised scalpel blade tool, clever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 What they all said works for me too. Excellent work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 evening folks & thank you so a little bit more done... ..this is an early shot of the tailwheel well showing it is just an open floor I needed to skin and add structure to.. since this was taken a brass fin post was added that defines the lower contour... ..I needed to add a foundation structure to skin onto, so I set out the shape and made a base shape.. ..working from the holes, I later snapped out the waste.. ..and this was added and checked with the tailwheel oleo for positioning.. ..I then started to make up some of the skinning.. ...and the work in this area starts.. ..this allows me to work forward now on the under fuselage towards the rear of the wing - once that is done it is just the wing tips and the skinning will be complete ..back soon TTFN Peter 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastor Rich Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NIGH!!! For skinning that is..... Actually, this was a GREAT instalment for me clearly illustrating the process for creating this part as I try to learn this technique. Thanks, Peter! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 10 minutes ago, Pastor Rich said: THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NIGH!!! For skinning that is..... Arrgh! You made me come over all unnecessary there for a moment! I agree (unfortunately) that this epic build is on its final lap. I deeply admire the skills on display here, knowing that I would make a total Horlicks of it. Still it it has inspired me to 'up my game' as it were. Incidentally, how much does this weigh??? Trevor 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Wonderful! Quote once that is done it is just the wing tips and the skinning will be complete Excellent, looking forward to that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 evening ladies thanks as always for dropping in and your kind words incidentally, it weighs 0.8kg so I guess it will be a kilo or so once finished... ..I have nearly finished the skinning now, and have done the underside and most of the wing fillet area.. ..under the fuselage started as usual with a template.. ..working forward to the wing... ..upper fillet added, leaving just the one piece endcap to go... ...before that though, there is a capping strip the covers the trailing edge of the fillet itself - this was a horrible shape to make as if you fold metal (even soft metal), it becomes very rigid along the fold and kinks & buckles when trying to make it adopt a curve.. ,,I taped down the ends and gently tapped it into shape with a ball pein hammer, working out the kinks and forming the fold... ..then it was cut to size with sharp scissors... ..and it was added and the kinks & folds sanded & tapped out... ..and finished after adding rivet detail... ..funny part was peeling off some of the protective tape to get to the wing fillets - I forget there is a finished aeroplane under there - in fact when I have finished the end caps I might just peel it all off to see how it looks until next time folks.. TTFN Peter 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 It never ceases to amaze me how you tease the metal into shape Peter - it's a real art. Can't wait to see how she looks! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Awesome craftsmanship! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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