Mike Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 The trunks and exhausts are now fixed into the lower fuselage, while I add the rest of the feathers to the wings. I've also done as much as I'm going to on the main bays, although I could have done quite a bit of extra wiring, I decided not to, as very little of it will be seen beyond these here pictures. I used the occasional bit of aluminium foil to portray the oleo-struts of some of the actuator rams that festoon the bay, which is something I think I'll find myself doing more in the future, as the result is usually quite pleasing compared to NMF paints 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislowe Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Great stuff. This promises to be a good'un. The u/c bays look cracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 Cheers Chris Fuselage together shortly, after hiding the seamlines in the flap-tracks at the wing root. Can't remember if they were visible on the last one, so I'm filling them as a precaution 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 superb progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Not much to report today, just some house-keeping after the closing up of the fuselage last night. The short seams have been sanded back, and the forward fuselage has been prepared for installation later, by sanding back the mould seams from that fabulous 3D sliding mould process, just so everything was smooth and neat. I then decided to put in the IRST module, this time in the stowed position for a change. I found it sat a little proud for my liking after following the instructions and leaving off the "plinth". I sanded back the recess a little until I was happy with the sit, then flooded the join with some liquid glue. I added the missing strips and details from aluminium foil to keep the step in-scale too. The IRST lens was painted inside with white paint, and having used the gold smoked version, it gave a nice cream colour to it that matches the real thing pretty well. The aerodynamic fairing to the port (as you look at it from the underside) needs extending slightly, but I haven't yet decided how to do that yet, so I'll come back to it - you can just about see my pencil marks if you look closely. Whilst on the nose, I cleaned up the moulding seams on the nose cone, inserted a malformed self-tapper in to stop the pitot-probe hole from getting clogged up, then filled the cone with lead ballast, which I secured in place with 2ml of epoxy glue. That should give plenty of counter-balance right where it is needed, considering there are no nose weights included in this boxing. The rudder sink marks seem to have been slightly improved for this boxing, but I slapped a bit of Tamiya Basic Putty in the depressions anyway, as well as some in the little fairings at either side of the cockpit, which either weren't there on the older boxing, or I just didn't notice them Those have all been polished back to smooth now, so the tails can go on soon, although I won't be putting the nose together until I've got those pesky metal gear legs. The slats have been installed in the up position this time, as is sometimes seen on the ground, but I couldn't resist leaving the flaps down, and even remembered to put the actuators in before gluing them this time! They don't quite match the engraved box on the flaps themselves though, and there's something funny about the panel lines, almost as if they've been transposed during the CAD process. I'll have to check that out when I have a minute. Oddly, the nose now rattles ever so quietly 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim T Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Oddly, the nose now rattles ever so quietly Is it calling to the other one you built? Seriously though Mike, this is great work and full credit to AMK for producing such a superb kit. I will definitely be getting one of these. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 It's probably morse code back to the Centre in Moscow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solowing666 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Even without ever seeing the actual kit I can somehow tell that the qualities (the first build, this kit, and the modeler) are superb! Btw does the kit have any noticeable external differences between B and BM model, apart from periscope and weaponry? Thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 The instrument panels are different, although the side consoles are the same, but otherwise the B/BS seems very similar to the BM/BSM from a plastic POV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nachtwulf Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 The trunks and exhausts are now fixed into the lower fuselage, while I add the rest of the feathers to the wings. I've also done as much as I'm going to on the main bays, although I could have done quite a bit of extra wiring, I decided not to, as very little of it will be seen beyond these here pictures. I used the occasional bit of aluminium foil to portray the oleo-struts of some of the actuator rams that festoon the bay, which is something I think I'll find myself doing more in the future, as the result is usually quite pleasing compared to NMF paints Hi Mike, excellent work again! I am still using your first build to finish my Mig31. Looking at your pics it appears you might have put the exhaust sections on the wrong side of the fuselage. I did this on my build and only caught just before I glued them in, I hope I am wrong. Cheers, and keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 Dunno... will have to look into it. Whatever the end result of that investigation, there's nowt I can do about it now though! Investigation complete, and yes I did put them the wrong way round, as I have the tabs in the centre... poo! Wonder if nipping off the tabs will be sufficient to correct the error? Looks like it might Silly me! Oh well... just goes to show we're all human 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
March Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Dunno... will have to look into it. Whatever the end result of that investigation, there's nowt I can do about it now though! Investigation complete, and yes I did put them the wrong way round, as I have the tabs in the centre... poo! Wonder if nipping off the tabs will be sufficient to correct the error? Looks like it might Silly me! Oh well... just goes to show we're all human Oh, so you are human. That's a relief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 Well....borderline. Closer to a Bonobo monkey genetically, but don't tell my parents I said so 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 I've been doing a little folding of PE today, trying something I've not done before.... making a PE exhaust can! First up was a bit of annealing in a flame, then once it had air-cooled (if you quench it in water it's not annealing), I started rolling it around my largest rolling "pin" from the Small Shop set I reviewed way back when here. I had to tweak a few of the facet joints to get it suitably round, and with that done, I then took my life in my hands and Dremelled off the kit exhaust petals from the styrene part, leaving just a collar of styrene. I also had to enlarge the hole slightly to accommodate the thickness of the PE, which I did using the same roller, wrapped in coarse grit paper, adding an additional layer once it felt loose. I sleeved the PE inside, gluing one end down so that the relief apertures were at the top. Then I went round fixing the other facets to the styrene, making sure it was level. Then I folded over the little strips, and folded up the tiny actuators, which were quite fiddly, and you get no spares The relief doors were a mite tricky too, and I had to take care to get them well glued in place so that they don't get blown away by the airbrush later on. I left the attachment lugs on each one and folded them over at right-angles to give them a bit more mating surface. We'll find out whether that works when I break out the paint! I've got another one to do now, as you can see from the picture above. If I have to tell you the PE one is on the right, I think you need to get some new specs 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Holy crap! You've got more patience than I do. I don't think I could make it through one of those. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 I wondered myself! I'm just starting the 2nd one now, and trying it a little differently. I'm looping the tangs on the relief doors through the holes before I fold down the strips that cover up the holes. Might work, but as I've only done one so far, I might be getting ahead of myself TBH, the curving of the tube wasn't too difficult, and the ribs fold back down on themselves, so all you have to do is make sure you glue them straight. The actuators have to be bent before installing, and I'm just glad I didn't lose any, because there ain't no spares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 Good news on the decalling front - Andrey from Begemot is busily printing some code and badge decals for me bless him, and Martin from HGW is sending me some of the new Mig-31 stencil wet transfers that they've printed for this kit. If you're not familiar with wet transfers, you wet the decals as per the standard manner, and transfer the decal over to the model using the clear carrier film. Fast forward a couple of hours and you can peel off the carrier sheet and you're left with decals that don't stand proud from the surrounding paint-job. Certainly easier than standard decals, as I spent a couple of hours on the last build blending the carrier film in with layers of gloss clear and copious careful sanding. A big thank you to both of them for all their help! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 You should be a salesman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPMS19 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Good news on the decalling front - Andrey from Begemot is busily printing some code and badge decals for me bless him, and Martin from HGW is sending me some of the new Mig-31 stencil wet transfers that they've printed for this kit. If you're not familiar with wet transfers, you wet the decals as per the standard manner, and transfer the decal over to the model using the clear carrier film. Fast forward a couple of hours and you can peel off the carrier sheet and you're left with decals that don't stand proud from the surrounding paint-job. Certainly easier than standard decals, as I spent a couple of hours on the last build blending the carrier film in with layers of gloss clear and copious careful sanding. A big thank you to both of them for all their help! - Any chance to get some ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kotey Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 (edited) "Ave" for both of us? How i can stay calm and keep slowly work, if i recieve respond of little help with sign "Mike Owner – Britmodeller.com" IPMS 19 - if you can await untill end of summer - i can send you same set (of course we made not one, a little more), but it is not full decal - only few elements. Edited May 12, 2016 by kotey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPMS19 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 "Ave" for both of us? How i can stay calm and keep slowly work, if i recieve respond of little help with sign "Mike Owner – Britmodeller.com" IPMS 19 - if you can await untill end of summer - i can send you same set (of course we made not one, a little more), but it is not full decal - only few elements. - I' m O.K with this ,My only problems are the specific style numbers and special badges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 You should be a salesman. Adding the relief doors in before gluing down the strips on the outside seems to be working, but I'm folding the tangs backward so they latch over the lip of the hole. I've only got 6 done before I ran out of steam though, so the others will have to wait until tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 That's the other one done, and although it was a bit more fiddly, latching the flaps over the edges of the holes resulted in a much stronger joint. A bit of cockpit painting is underway now, so don't expect much progress for a wee while, as I'll be detail painting next. here are both of 'em together. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 While I'm cockpit painting, does anyone do a suitable pilot figure for the -31? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPMS19 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 While I'm cockpit painting, does anyone do a suitable pilot figure for the -31? - I think I have a crew, I'm not sure they are Russian but I think they could make it; Just send me your adress by PM if interested. 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