ProfSparks Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) Hi All The bandages are off, and it's not as bad as it started out as There's plenty of opportunity to exercise my filling-in practice, especially on the underside, where a huge thumb print has appeared out of nowhere... Anyhoo, once more unto the filler dear friends, once more. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Looking great so far Professor, and fingerprints are good luck anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) Hi All An accidentally productive evening! Was meant to be fitting light switches, but you know how things go. Got thinking about how to tackle the engine cowl vents and had to have a try. So, coffee stirrers, a broken file, a Stanley knife blade, Lego, clamp, etc etc The blade was clamped to the top of the file to mark the edge, and the Lego was a guide to not make the groove too deep Success! Sort of, as the cowl is too large initially, and should be the diameter of my rebate (ie the same as the body) all the way to the nose. However, I'm not going to fret over it. The next step is to make a strip of thin plastic look like the vents. There's fifteen of them, alternating wide and narrow. I don't fancy cutting them individually, so will probably scribe somehow. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) Hi All From photos, the real vents are two sizes, one looks about 50% bigger than the other. The strip round the cowling measured about fifty-six-and-a-bit mm. So, bear with me on this, if I make a big flap three Units, and the small flap two Units (with me so far?) then seven small flaps and eight big flaps total thirty-eight Units. (7x2)+(8x3)=38 Dividing 56mm by 38 gives a Unit as nearly 1.5mm, so a big flap is about 4.5 mm and a small one about 3mm Accounting for pen nib thickness and parallax, that should be spot on. I made cuts across almost the width of the strip, forming a useful bend One end was glued on and left to set, double checking I'd glued the continuous edge on Then the other end was brought round to meet it, leaving a gap at the top where there are no vents Needs a bit of trimming, but as can be seen, the induced curve splays the cut ends open slightly I'm counting on the irregularities being soothed with some patchy dark black on the inside and a lumpy dark blue on the outside. That filler could do with some soothing too. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 That's pretty ingenious! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Old School Modelling, brought to bear on an Old School Model! It's like following an article in a 1968 copy of Airfix Magazine. Lovely stuff, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished kit. Tony. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) Hi All Now then, where were we? Ah yes Two replacement rear doors and one replacement ruler. The doors had to be replaced because And the ruler had to be replaced because.. Anyhoo, it's just as well I'm not doing it wheels up as there'd be more trouble On the plus side, I did manage to mount the engine cowling lower so the size is less noticeable Off to paint it now while I still have Chi. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 (edited) Hi All Gave it a quick once over with primer, then, being the suspicious type, I gave it a quick flash of very thin Black 33 to try and give the Midnight Blue 16 something to hold on to. Some of it could almost be black bias pre shading? Anyhoo, the Blue sprayed nice and fine But it's obvious where the black undercoat finished That Midnight Blue definitely had a touch of Calligraphy Turquoise about it. So, off to give it a couple more blasts on where it's thin, although in some lights it looks like wear and tear Probably won't be that noticeable once the large decals are on. Still, overall it looks ok for what it is so far Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) Hi All Shiny! I might be half way through the decals, or I might still have loads to do. There are dozens of tiny stencil markings, in tiny black print, that go on dark blue. I've put a couple on, but as I'm having difficulty seeing them with my magnifying eye helpers (and I know where they are!), I might not do the other three score and ten. Also, remember the quality of the decals from way back on the #1 Sopwith Pup? Here's more of the same An evening spent keeping them soaked in Micro Sol and we get this Should look ok once they've dried. I think I'll pass on the stencils for this one, however the #5 Harrier looks to have hundreds of them. I'll burn that bridge when I get to it. Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 I'm sure the decals will come out OK looking at that. Definitely with you on the tiny black stencils on dark blue, an exercise in frustration if not futility. I admire the job you're doing on this old girl. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Yes indeed, it's looking great Professor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) Hi All I skipped the stencils, and once the Micro Sol had dried, I gave it a thinned coat of that Windsor & Newton Matt Varnish Slightly coloured? Reacting with the Micro Sol or the Pledge? Anyhoo, started on the front legs. They look a bit far back (and I'm ignoring everything else wrong with them for the moment), so I notched out part of the support for where the front flap should go And I'm going to put them in there. Also, to me they look a bit long The wheel should be almost touching the front flap, so I cut off about 2mm and it looked slightly better. The wheels, struts and doors were all painted the same blue as the airframe, so while they dried I had a look at the canopy. Wish I hadn't... It fits least bad when it's lined up at the front, but it leaves a gap round the back. Any thoughts on blending it in? I don't want to use any after market parts, or a canopy from another kit, I'd like to keep it simple in line with my abilities the rest of the build. A strip of plastic card? A wedge of putty? Hey-Ho, at least those decals have conformed well. Comments, suggestions, and transparent putty welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 That's looking nice in its BPF markings Professor. Perhaps carefully microsaw the canopy from the windscreen and pose it open? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Maybe several horse shoes of thin card laminated onto the back of the canopy. This will enable them to conform to the shape if they thin enough, build up to just a little more than you need & rub back for a neat fit & it shouldn't disturb your paintwork. Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 17 hours ago, stevehnz said: Maybe several horse shoes of thin card laminated onto the back of the canopy. This will enable them to conform to the shape if they thin enough, build up to just a little more than you need & rub back for a neat fit & it shouldn't disturb your paintwork. Steve I agree thats probably your best bet for getting the job done without disturbing paint. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 (edited) Hi All I must admit that I'm struggling with thoughts of fitting the canopy. Shimming horseshoes in behind it has me all prickly, and cutting it open would reveal the kid's bedroom cockpit. Anyhoo, the traditional method for dealing with indecision is to put it to one side. Or is it? In the mean time I got the main wheels and doors on And the bombs on those... er... whatever they're meant to be Still trying to avoid the bubble, I started on the tail wheel Not exactly inspiring. However, with a couple of sprue scraps and some guesswork Ta-dah! So, back to the canopy then... Comments, suggestions and other distractions welcome Oh, look, a pink elephant! Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christer A Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Here's another vote for sawing it open. Sure, the cockpit might be far from the real thing, but no one will notice that when it sits on the shelf, whereas the non fitting rear hood will stick out like a sore thumb. Very nice paintfinish too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 The success of sawing open the canopy depends a lot on how thick the plastic is. If you cut the canopy from the windscreen, the canopy will still need to fit over the fuaulage in the open position. The thickness of the canopy material will probably stop this from happening. Unless you fancy some plung moulding of clear material (I've never really had success at this) I think I would go for an after market canopy which is thin enough when it is cut to spring over the fuselage but there again if it's a good fit you might choose to leave it closed.. As an aside, I have seen a picture somewhere of a pilot on cockpit readiness, reading the paper with an umbrella up over the canopy shading him. So it you want the canopy open but don't want people to see so much of your cockpit then perhaps a 1/72 umbrella is the thing... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 (edited) Hi All Having slept on it, I'm going to throw trepidation to the wind and saw it open! As far as I can tell, it should be wide enough to slip over the back without looking as gnarley as bodging it in closed So, anyone got a favourite saw, and where do I get one from? I've sometimes thought of getting one previously, but now I have good reason Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teuchter Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=22c079e8453f0a8c72f989409cc78854&cPath=77_112&sort=20a&alpha_filter_id=77 I got some microsaws from this company at Telford, knife through butter, etc Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I have had an Exacto saw for years. Decent length of blade. Nice and rigid for straight cuts... http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/tools-accessories/detail/X75300 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 (edited) Hi All On 1/27/2018 at 7:29 AM, Teuchter said: http://www.radubstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=22c079e8453f0a8c72f989409cc78854&cPath=77_112&sort=20a&alpha_filter_id=77 I got some microsaws from this company at Telford, knife through butter, etc Don Thanks Don, I've had a look, plenty people use them and they seem like the biz, so I've ordered a set. And just to make up the postage I've included one of their PE bender gizmos too. It's inevitable that I'll lurch from cobbling together naff old kits, to cobbling together decent modern kits with PE etc, so best be prepared! Anyhoo, the end draws on apace. I fitted the tail wheel Although the auto focus seemed more interested in my paintbrush holder and coffee stirrers. I have some fine mesh that I intended to cover the wing radiator intakes with, but I tried for ages until could feel the Red Mist descending, so made a tactical withdrawal I may try again later when it is less possessed by Mischievous Demons. Thso, apart from the engine wash and prop, that's about as far as I'm going. All it needs is the canopy sawing apart and I'm going to wait on the delivery before I tackle that. Would it be bad form to start the next one before this one's finished? Comments and suggestions welcome Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfSparks Posted February 8, 2018 Author Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) Hi All Toys in the post... They do look so lovely, it's almost a shame to get them out and cover them in grubby fingerprints. I've put the bending machine to one side as to not get ahead of myself. There be plenty fun later! Locked and loaded, supported internally as it's already cracked from out of the bag in post 1 I put some masking tape over to give a guide line for the cut, and after several minutes of holding my breath It worked And it didn't crack any more! So there we have it. The canopy frames were less than distinct (who would have guessed?) so I painted them freehand. Slightly darker, but not a deal breaker. I'll get some RFI pics tomorrow if it stops raining, but for now I'm calling it done. Thanks for all your help and support, see you on the next one! Comments and suggestions welcome (but it's too late now) Cheers Steve Edited April 16, 2018 by ProfSparks 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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