AltcarBoB Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 I am just putting the finishing touches on a Heller Bloch MB174 and the undercarriage was very flimsy and wobbly. I ended up making reinforcement out of black plasticard fitted as a pair of diagonal cross beams tying the legs to the engine firewall. Painted Matt varnish you can't see them unless you pick up the model and look directly up. I prefer the undercarriage to be sturdy and I am not too bothered if it's not totally scale. I have a Breguet 693 ready to hit the bench as soon as I have finished off the Bloch. After that I have a Arsenal vg33 in the stash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Oooh, that's an, er, um… interesting subject. What the French call 'Jolie laide' eh, literally 'pretty, ugly' Writing part numbers on the part trees - why didn't I think of that - genius! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 On 22/06/2020 at 12:31, CedB said: genius I have my (rare) moments. I do have bouts of depression - as do many of us. Usually, I’m just a bit grumpy, some might say grumpier, and can generally get on with life. Sometimes I hit the bottom of the trough hard. When I’m at that point, none of the things that usually lift my spirits and keep me going hold any attraction for me. The sofa, plus fast broadband and various streaming services just about keep me going in such times. Worryingly, I’ve noticed a trend to much darker thoughts in recent times, probably attributable to the general unpleasantness we are all coping with. Anyway, let’s just say Tuesday was a dark day. Thankfully, it was just one day this time, because today I bounced back with renewed vigour. Something that had me utterly defeated and even questioning my existence yesterday was powered through successfully in about an hour this morning. Go figure. Enough about me. While generally mentally at a low ebb, I sought as many clear images of the 63-11 as I could find. I now have a reasonable handle on the exterior shape, but interior images are rare. The picture shows the front observer's position, and the two-man pilot's cockpit, as rendered in a hard grey polyurethane resin. Sanding the pouring block from the front part took ages. I very nearly hacked the block off the rear part until I realised it was needed! Anyway, seats and control column fitted. I am actively seeking information on the seat belt arrangements, so if you’ve any ideas now would be a good time to pipe up. There’s a masking set available for this kit. Sadly, it’s one of those vinyl affairs. I’ll get it anyway. Amazingly, for a short run kit, there’s a ledge moulded in the fuselage side for the cockpit tub to rest on. Only the one side, mind, but I’m thankful for small mercies. The bulkhead also has small ledges moulded in, on both sides! Using some styrene strip I added a ledge on the other half. To round off a short evening session, I’ve painted the interior dark blue. Previous French models have seen me use Humbrol 96 for this task, and although I entertained the possibility of going for Hu104 I stuck with what I’d done before. A little careful picking out of details, a dark wash, and some weathering will be done, plus masking tape belts once I can work out the layout of such things, and the fuselage can be buttoned up. I think I should make the propellers soon. I’m not at all keen on the Ikea format for such things, but I’m sure I’ll manage. I think I might survey the rest of my stash to see if other kits require such fun and games, and then to decide if acquiring a tool is worth the expense. So, stay cool and I hope the heatwave here in Blighty doesn’t disrupt sleep too much. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Glad things are looking up today Heather, these are trying times for even the most optimistic among us. The Potez is really coming together nicely. You make even short run resin detail parts look like they belong there naturally, when we all know that they have an instinctual abhorrence of conforming to any known plastic interior shape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 13 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said: You make even short run resin detail parts look like they belong there naturally, when we all know that they have an instinctual abhorrence of conforming to any known plastic interior shape. Actually, they fit really well. Just a couple of swipes with a sanding stick to remove any crusty edges, and some careful application of CA on the joins. If the rest of the kit goes together as well, I will be a very happy camper. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Nice progress Heather and pleased to hear you're 'back up'. Strange times we're in and an unwelcome test of our mettle - and now they've added a heat wave too! Nice work on the cockpit too - can't wait to see what you do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Sorry to hear you have been feeling low. That cockpit detailing looks like it was prescribed to help you feel better! Regards, Adrian [edit - that pilot must have very long legs though] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Good to hear you're back on the upside again. Nice interior work as always, but I had also thought about the length of the pilot's legs! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 I think they had to select for longer legs! I’ve stuck the seat as far forward as the mounting block allows. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 I thought I check the seat by plonking an Airfix figure in. It’s not that bad, if you assume the unoccupied seat hasn’t been adjusted for flying yet. I think I’ll leave it. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AltcarBoB Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Got to leave space for his wine cooler and Baguette holder 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 2 hours ago, Heather Kay said: It’s not that bad, if you assume the unoccupied seat hasn’t been adjusted for flying yet. I think I’ll leave it. Agreed. At least he gets to keep his feet! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 For no better reason than I hate leaving a job undone... I detail painted the cockpit parts, added masking tape belts, and did a bit of aluminium scuffing around the areas boots would go getting in and out of the machine. I think that will be adequate, so I’ll plan to join the fuselage together tonight, and then get on with wings and things. I just realised I should work out some method of securing the wings neatly, as they’re currently just a butt joint. Plastic sprues have been made in other builds, so I will investigate that option. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Nice to see the observer's got a couple of flaggons of the local red plonk aboard! And yes, it's still me. I just underwent a name change! Ian 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Looking good Heather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jur Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 I have been reading through your thread from the beginning, and I love your models. Those French birds had a distinctive look about them and you have done some excellent work on them. I have just got back into aircraft modelling and my (still modest) stash has a few French planes in it. Just yesterday I got myself a Dewoitine D.510 from a well known outfit in Lowestoft. A slighltly earlier era than the ones you've built but apparently one or two still saw service in the 1940 campaign for France. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 1 minute ago, Jur said: A slighltly earlier era than the ones you've built but apparently one or two still saw service in the 1940 campaign for France. Hi and thank you for you lovely comments. I am aware of the older planes still being in service during 1940. I like to fill in as many blanks as I can, but for now I’m going to leave them out. I can always go back and fill in the gaps later. I have a similar situation with the Bloch MB155 and the Arsenal VG33. Both flew in 1940, both entered service, but neither really saw action. Again, I am leaving them out for now, and may add them to the collection at a later date. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 That cockpit looks very nice. I'm intrigued by the use of a saddle for the third seat and it's harness arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 7 minutes ago, Andy G said: I'm intrigued by the use of a saddle for the third seat and it's harness arrangement. The harness is best guess. Looking at a cutaway drawing I found, there ought to be a back rest as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 Okay, after a day playing my least favourite game of car insurance renewal, rearranging the workbench and trying not to get too overcome by the heat, I have managed to do a little more on the Potez. The wings are standard short run fare. Thick edges, gates in awkward places, and in this case lumps of resin to glue into the nacelles for the undercarriage to fit into. Well, we can hope. I like to scratch the mating surfaces of different materials like this so the CA has something to grab on to. A fair deal of scraping, filing and sanding eventually got the wing halves to sit together acceptably. I therefore clamped them and glued them. I think I’ll give the trailing edges a little more attention to thin them a little further when I set to cleaning it all up anyway. The fuselage had been joined up, and while the fit wasn’t terrible, the join needed some attention with scrapers and sanding sticks. I’ve avoid filler so far, which is nice. I may need to reinstate some of the delicate panel lines where they cross the join area. The wing-to-fuselage butt joints had been giving my brain cell a workout. My initial scheme would have seen a substantial rod of brass glued across the fuselage through an 'ole created by myself. Turns out the wings have open ends, so before I glued them together I made a rough tracing of the internal shape on the fuselage roots. I have a vague plan to add some styrene to the roots of a suitable shape that will let the wings plug in place. We’ll see how that turns out. Plan B would be metal rods at the leading and trailing edges to give some rigidity to the structure. That's it for now. There may be more over the weekend. Installing the transparencies before fitting the wings seems like a sensible idea. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 32 minutes ago, Heather Kay said: I have a vague plan to add some styrene to the roots of a suitable shape that will let the wings plug in place. Wing spars, like the more recent Airfix kits do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 On 6/25/2020 at 10:29 PM, Brandy said: Nice to see the observer's got a couple of flaggons of the local red plonk aboard! And yes, it's still me. I just underwent a name change! Ian As Long as it's only a name change Ian, we've got the Mrs Browns Boys episode on with Caitlyn Jenner in it & for a moment I got quite a start. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 14 hours ago, Heather Kay said: …before I glued them together I made a rough tracing of the internal shape on the fuselage roots. Clever. Another Heather gem for the memory bank* * The least secure bank in the world 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share Posted June 27, 2020 I think this will work. Blocks of 1.5mm styrene sheet were shaped to roughly fit the internal wing spaces, then glued to the fuselage wing roots and checked for alignment. One idea I had was to add more layers to make a good stub, then I figured gluing sprue as pegs would be quicker. I'll let that set, while I ponder the transparencies. I really need to order that masking set, don’t I. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AltcarBoB Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I did something similar to my Potez 630 except I didn't use sprue to make the pegs I used 4mm plasticard tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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