hacker Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 I QUIT! Well not really but work like this wants you to pack it all in and all it a day....Then again l am stubborn and will carry on l like references like this! Nice job Peter Hacker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 16, 2018 Author Share Posted May 16, 2018 thanks folks I was wondering why I was sort of stumbling along with this build and then I realised it is because I don't have the PE yet which is where most of the cockpit structure is, let alone all the things I love doing like instrument panels and widgets.. ..so, I thought why wait until ALL of the design work is done, why not just get the first fret made up and at least then I have loads of bits I can just pick up and make - I can always do another fret for other bits of the airframe like access panels, U/C bay etc this is the finished first PE fret that went to PPD today to make up.. I did a 36 page tutorial on doing this in my book on building the Spitfire (in the autosig below) and would encourage anyone to try it - it just changed the way I model.. ..all I have to do now is wait for it to come back from the etchers and the pace can really pick up TTFN Peter 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flarpen Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 36 minutes ago, airscale said: and would encourage anyone to try it - it just changed the way I model.. TTFN Peter Looks great as usual Peter. I'll second that. After being inspired by your work and reading your tutorial I ventured into making my own PE, not in your league but you have to start somewhere, and I must say that it's not as hard to do as I feared. As long as you have good references to work from it's quite straight forward. And the PPD site is also very good as it tells you about everything you need to think about when designing your PE work. /Johan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 Looks very nice! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hacker Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 3 hours ago, airscale said: ..all I have to do now is wait for it to come back from the etchers and the pace can really pick up TTFN Peter l got two of these in 1/32 in the planning stage. One is the old Revell kit and the other is a conversion for the new Revell D into a B. So this info is good and a great help Hacker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 thanks for stopping by folks :) ..no assembly news today, but I have spent days on recreating all the placards and stuff for the bespoke decal sheet for the model. I will tack it on to an airscale stock order so will end up with lots and lots of copies, but at least I only need one of everything on the sheet and will have lots of spares placards, labels, the front of a Bendix radio in this pic.. ..fuel routing diagram, fuel controls, part of the control panel,trim control wheel labels etc in this one... ..instruments, throttle quadrant and IP bits & bobs to finish off... ..good to get this done while I wait for the PE and still need to add some external markings (most will be masks...) and see what is what for any decals I need outside the cockpit... TTFN Peter 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipthepilot Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Hello Peter, I have been following your WIP with interest and wanted to thank you for sharing as it is really inspirational. Philip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Looks very nice! It would be very nice to build a kit that size! Not ever considering where to put it, once it's done! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 (edited) Hi folks The postman has just dropped the PE off, so time to take a look at what we have... ..rear fuselage floor - this is where the fuselage fuel tank sits... ..and it's rigid layer.. the top layer of the IP, and the IP surround layers.. ..the middle layer of the IP - this carries just the bezels.. ..one of the fuselage frames and inside it a number of cockpit switch panels - you can see the layers - a solid back layer onto which a detailed relief layer is added. From these designs the decals for all the labeling is scaled so I know they will fit.. ..same again with another frame.. ..a bunch of fuselage station formers - these need a strip adding to them so they look like a pressing... ..you can see part of the sub-floor here for the main fuselage - the real aircraft has multiple floor panels - this panel is to mount all those sub-panels to, and inside it some more formers - I think this is the spare lamp bulb hatch.. ..some of the individual floor panels - these will be laminated with micro plywood as the real ones were wood construction, but with a metal backing like this I can be sure I get the shape right and all the fixings & screws... ..the throttle quadrant and levers.. ..and the rudder pedals with their embossed logo & text.. So, with all the first tranche of parts done, I can start to make things now and start to get the internal fuselage structure built out.. TTFN Peter Edited May 23, 2018 by airscale 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Another masterclass - and another masterpiece in the making. [The book is superb, by the way] 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 That etch set is stunning. I particularly like the details on the rudder pedals. Good luck with the rest of the build. This is going to be good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 That photoetch is amazing! A lot of work there I imagine? You know, it's going to have to be a 1/18th B-17G after this....😎 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Very nice looking etch! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 thanks folks :) I couldn't resist making a quick start on a PE part, so started with a floor panel - this was stuck to some 0.4mm ply I have had since I was a kid, I have no idea where I got it, but it's perfect for this application.. ..I drilled out the holes from the back onto a hard sheet of perspex after covering it in tape to stop the surface splintering and put little lengths of lead wire through the holes... ..note also I haven't cut the final shape until all this was finished so I have a larger, more stable part to work with rather than lots of little edges and cut-outs..... ..the underneath is a mess of CA holding them all.. ..then all the stubs are sanded flush.. ..and on the bottom too... ..and then it's cut to shape from the back, using the PE part as a guide.. ..I will likely varnish it or something so I can wear off the black paint later for scuff marks.. ...will repeat for the other wooden panels.. TTFN Peter 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Interesting technique! Looks good! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted May 24, 2018 Author Share Posted May 24, 2018 Help needed folks... does anyone have any detail on the external labelling on a P51? I can see there are many dotted around the airframe, and have asked Aircorps if they have anything showing what they are, but in the meantime is there a P51 resource somewhere that shows them for a 'C'? TIA Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted June 3, 2018 Author Share Posted June 3, 2018 evening folks :) been away a bit lately, but have got a little done in the last few days :) first, thanks to the direction to the aircorps librarary reference to all the external markings on drawing 106-00010 I have finally finished the decal sheet (well except for Don Lopez's name & kills marking but I need to find the right font..) and I started to make up the fuselage structures - you can see here in a pic Denzil from Aircorps kindly provided all the internal formers & stations along the cockpit walls - these I have made in PE and they are designed to sit in some 'U' shaped brass channel which acts as the main fuselage longerons top & bottom they all slot into.. ..I started with a simple first pair (station 89.75) - each of these is a full thickness PE part, laminated with a more detailed one, and now I am adding the strip that runs along the internal edge to make them look like pressed parts... ..each of the parts of station 104 is more substantial, these are a core but laminated both sides, plus another lower laminate for the strengthening plate - seen here with the brass longeron & some strip ali.. ..station 104 is actually two sets of formers joined together so here is each half of the left side with some brass spacers.. ..and assembled.. ..the right hand fuselage side of station 104 is the spare lamp storage which has a little hatch, so the base of the hatch is in PE and the hatch cover will be added later after painting - sprue was threaded through holes to make the bigger bolts at the bottom (these still need cleaning up)... ..and assembled.. the PE panel has cross head screws in the artwork and it is testament to PPD's quality that I can actually see them with my opti-visor :) ..another bit of PE was made for one of the mounts for a cockpit component - it starts life flat, and again the PE artwork takes the drawings and just adds in each elevation so you end up with what it would look like unfolded flat.. ..quite dificult to fold as it has folds on all four sides - this was the best I could do.. ..so the first parts start to take shape.. ..and this is sort of how they will go to make up the cockpit sides.. ..thats all for now - a LONG way to go :) TTFN Peter 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 Awesome work! Quite some work to do there! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totally Mad Olivier Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 Dear Peter, I just fell by chance on your thread, as I left my own build for a few days because of holidays. Well, I have no words, I am so impressed by what you show here... Hats off, Sir, not surprised at all you won the IPMS National with your Spit!! Your Mustang seat is just incredible... Cheers Olivier 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsyouruncle Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 Incredible stuff. Takes 'attention to detail' to a completely different world. Fascinating to watch it all come together. Amazing. Cheers Bob. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted June 8, 2018 Author Share Posted June 8, 2018 evening ladies & thanks so a little bit more news on the P51.. I started with the map case - this is just some PE parts with plastic strip to build the body.. ..then another layer was added and the small flap & latch made.. ..and all assembled.. ..no idea what this is, but it is a PE face with shaped card to give body and a dremelled slot where the depression is. The knob is a watch gear with its teeth ground off in the dremel.. ..the throttle quadrant was next - here I am building up a kit of PE parts for it - the main body in the centre has been folded, including the rounded strip at the top which was part of the single part just bent over and rounded to shape.. ..the PE levers are derived from parts plans so are dimensionally correct and allow for the bends yet to come.. ..the throttle lever has a big silver ball as the handle, so I found a bit of plug chain and drilled it to accept the R/T switch and a tiny hole to accept a pin on the top of the lever..(I had to grind this in as I made the PE a circle the size of the ball so I knew the size of it..).. ..a brass spigot was used as a core to assemble all the levers & parts - blobs of CA were used to add the little ball shapes on the ends of the other two levers.. also the main body had a little assembly added to the front which is some sort of adjuster.. ..and the completed assembly - I part cut through the central spigot before assembly so I can just snap the completed quadrant away when the time comes.. ..still millions more to go, but a little kit of parts is coming together... ..thats all for now TTFN Peter 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Amazing amount of detail in this cockpit, like the sidewall ribs which are depicted as solid in 1/32 and even 1/24 kits. I think the item in post 71 between the map case and throttle assembly ( again more amazing detail ) is something to do with the IFF destruction. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crushkill Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Stunning 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 Hi folks :) after a bit of a break, I am back at the bench.. so an actual update is needed as some actual modelling has occured... I was expecting the decals from Ray at Fantasy Printshop and a few days ago these arrived - as you can see I have quite a few... I laid it out with only one of each decal as any duplicates can be taken from another sheet.. ..the quality is up to Ray's usual standard - ie exceptional... lets take a quick tour from right to left... beautiful instruments ..there are a bunch of airframe stencils too - all studiously copied from the original drawings.. As far as selling / making in 1/32 or 1/24 I think that is unlikely before you ask :) Now my bench is reassembled, the decal's arrival spurred me on to actually get started again after a long hot summer - I thought I would dress up the Throttle quadrant first.. ..simply sprayed it black, added the decals and a quick shot of varnish to seal them in and it was done... ..now I had bust my cherry, I wanted a fairly simple but nice to work on mini project so I settled on the MN-26 Radio Compass – it’s the grey unit seen here.. ..to make the body of the unit I used a PE blank to score the size I needed from a sheet of Perspex acrylic.. ..I started to make all the knobs, buttons & switches – here I used a Dremel to spin up a bolt and a file to shape that into one of the larger tuning knobs.. ..I had a PE blank of the front panel of the unit and used this to reference where to drill holes in the perspex to take all the knobs.. ..the knobs are an assortment of bits fashioned from old watch parts (I bought a little tub on ebay for £5 ages ago – super useful stuff) – the most challenging was the tuner handle in the middle – this has a shaft, crank & handle – the handle was scored with a fine saw blade to try and give the impression of the tiny ridges that give grip… ..here are the watch bits – lots of tiny metal shapes of infinite precision, brilliant for repurposing.. ..then the handles were all painted black, the Perspex unit grey, and I prepared the face decal that carries the colour & markings.. ..the decal was stuck to the PE face & varnished, some ‘glass’ was sourced from ultra thin sheet and the decal for the dial face prepared.. ..the first stage of assembly saw the face added to the unit as a laminate with some glass and the dial decal.. ..and all the gubbins added.. ..so thats it. Back in the chair and enjoying myself again.. next up I am thinking of the cockpit 'A' frame and the longerons that link all the bulkheads together.. TTFN Peter 14 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Amazing! Håkan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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