JWM Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 (edited) Hi, Apparently in last time I've cought some weaknes to American Navy boats. It started with Grumman GB where I did three Grumman amphibians (Duck, Goose and Widgeon), then I made two fast build of Curtiss: SC-1 Seahawk and SOC3 Seamew and still unfinished third Curtiss - Seagull. Then in the Martime and CC GB I have just finished Consolidated PB2Y Coronado (Mach 2) and I am advanced wih build of another flying boat - Martin PBM3s Mariner, also by Mach 2. So I think it is a good time to start work on another big American flying boat - the Boeing 314 Clipper. About a year ago I bought it from one of BM mate. It is very basic and rather por quality vacu by Combat Models. There is a resin Anigrand kit of Clipper in gentelmen scale but it is a bit costy (~160 $ plus postage) so the challenging vacu is maybe better option.... Here it is in comparison with Mach 2 Mariner: I cut out all parts: I collected some drawings in Net, and scaled them to 1/72. Fie example that one: There are even drawing with shapes of fusealage transections The first problem I noticed about the proper shapes of the Combat Models is that front of hull is made V-shape whereas it should be concave from both sides of keel. So with micro circular saw Dremel) I made a surgery - I made long cuts in front of hull in both half of fuselage And then glued inside the elements with desired concave shape I glued inside fuselage some reinforcements That all for today with Clipper Regards J-W Edited February 12, 2019 by JWM mispelling corrections 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 This is serious modelling. Do you plan doing a British Clipper? Nils 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK4m Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Looks like some serious business ahead of you, Sir... Cheers Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Vingtor said: This is serious modelling. Do you plan doing a British Clipper? Unfortunatelly I am rather thinking on Dixie Clipper with Franklin Delano Roosvelt on board on the way to Casablanca for a conference... Something like that - with seven shades of grey (ok, blue gray) In some part of war she was painted in standard three colurs blue: I was considering British livery, but I will do Short Empire in British colours... Regards J-W 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Big vacu floating bird - I really love that kind of stuff! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
occa Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 J-W you will tame this I am convinced 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 Thanks for good words at start! So the front of hull got some concave shape: I made some reinforcements in fuselage and in wings (not sufficient still) as you can notice I cut out rectagulars in places of windows. I t is better to glue in bigger clear transparent plates and mask windows then glueing each window separately... I will try this way . Regards J-W 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Stunning work already J-W. This is just vast 😯!! Your modifications at the front look good, a good tip for making the concave shape. I would love to make something like this, but firstly it looks very difficult and secondly, we have a small home: it would be hard to find a place to display it. What is the quality of the main transparencies in the kit? Will you use them or maybe scratch build your own? Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Wo-o-o-ow! I’m hooked already! And @TonyTiger66 glad to see you back! Regards, Adrian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 7 hours ago, AdrianMF said: And @TonyTiger66 glad to see you back! I am also glad to see Tony back on BM! Thank you Tony, Adrian, Martin and Alexey for words of support. Tony, regarding the transparet (clear) parts the only one is hatch/astrodome on top of fuselage. And it looks OK. All others I will do from a transparent plastic plate - this time it will be box of Austrian Mozart Kugel chocolates: This box is made of outstanding quality clear styrene For a modeller who (like me) likes scratch build this box is much more tasty and temptating then chocolates themselves Regards J-W 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 I agree, various boxes are good sources of clear plastic. I used to use CD cases but nowadays they are almost instinct, 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 I'm looking forward to Easter. Lindt Easter Bunny boxes are an excellent source of vacforming plastic! Regards, Adrian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 12 hours ago, JWM said: I made some reinforcements in fuselage and in wings (not sufficient still) Have you ever tried to fill cavities with foam? Works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 18 minutes ago, AdrianMF said: Lindt Easter Bunny boxes are an excellent source of vacforming plastic! Making a note of that. Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 5 hours ago, Pin said: I agree, various boxes are good sources of clear plastic. I used to use CD cases but nowadays they are almost instinct, Me too, often - especially that the CD box costs 1 zł - so it is some 25 euro cents. 4 hours ago, Pin said: Have you ever tried to fill cavities with foam? Works for me I only thinking on this but I was afraid if the foam will not dissolve plastic. Good to know, that it does not! 5 hours ago, AdrianMF said: I'm looking forward to Easter. Lindt Easter Bunny boxes are an excellent source of vacforming plastic! Regards, Adrian Good hint! Anyway I have no practice with vacu forming, I have to start one day.... Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) The plastic of vacu formed model is very soft or weak as you like, so the reinforcements, especially of large elements are very importnt. In case of wings the height of wings (its thickness) should be reconstructed with care, especially in case of a poor quality of form, On the drawings from front I measured thickness of wing and at fuselage and at 27 cm from this point, than cut out the spars from side plastic from model.. I printed also the profile in different scale, then cut out some ribs. I glued them together into wing Then I glued ups and downs of both wings: The side floats, tailplane and fins are just glued togetehr. I prepared some time ago egines copied in resin from MPM Boston . So main parts are pre-prepared... Cheers J-W Edited February 6, 2019 by JWM 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 That is some serious reinforcing, I know what the combat plastic is like as I have the C-17 in the stash and it will need a lot of work to reinforce as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 7, 2019 Author Share Posted February 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said: That is some serious reinforcing, I know what the combat plastic is like as I have the C-17 in the stash and it will need a lot of work to reinforce as well. C-17 in 1/72 is much bigger, I suppouse... Indeed, in the morning, when glue cemented the wings are definitly stiff. I am rather glad with that. At one place near the trailing edge a bit concave fragment appeared, It has about 2 cm2 area. I will have to use some body putty to fill it. Anyway the wings still need "some" work to get a good surface... Cheers J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 Hi, I think, that in display cabinet it will look better on a beach platform (see my post #4 above). So I put the question on Classic civil aviacion forum about the drawings Hope that maybe somone has it....And will share... Report from build: I started to do windows. I made several openings on sides of fuselage and glued transprent plastic rectagulars From outside I masked places where windos appears Then I put Tamiya putty on After sanding I had to replace some maskings but I wil keep it almost to the end... I glued more walls and flours I've pour some epoxy glue (working in addition as filler) to fill all unperfect joins with fuselage and painted inside with light blue-gray, which I think was on Pan-Am machines. This is a base for inside. Now I will add some details which I can find on some photos: More photos herehttps://raymondhandling.com/aviation-history-from-rhcc-customer-boeing/ To be continued Regards J-W 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallBlondJohn Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Hi JWM, I remember you talking of buying this vacu-form in my Boeing 314 thread in the seaplanes and flying boats group build. i hope my trials and tribulations come in useful. Bravo for taking on the interior! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 7 hours ago, TallBlondJohn said: Hi JWM, I remember you talking of buying this vacu-form in my Boeing 314 thread in the seaplanes and flying boats group build. i hope my trials and tribulations come in useful. Bravo for taking on the interior! Thank you for recalling! I have found now your WIP of Airfix Clipper with some very usefull photos, regarding beach platfor for instance: And the second one in GB I am giving those linke here also to myself, to have easy access when I will need some.... Regards J-w 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 Hi, Despite the expected very poor visibility of inside I made some furnitures The anti-sun shutters in windows I made from corrugated alu foil glued with clearfix. I sanded sides and removed all masks to check the result: I think it is OK. I will have to mask again for painting. I am continuing work on cockpit. I am not very pricise, but there the visibility will be also rather limited.... The sterring wheels I made from scratch. To be cont. Regards J-W 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Hi, I glued fuselage together. After initial sanding looks this way: I cannot resist to see how she big is: To be cont. Regards J-W Edited February 20, 2019 by JWM mispelling corrections 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudman1961 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I’ve been reading through this thread with my mouth open. This is incredible stuff. Serious modelling, indeed. A recurring theme with Airfix is ‘I remember this from the 70s’. I do recall the Airfix Pan Am Clipper but I had forgotten that it was in the 144 scale! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallysDad Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Looking forward to more of this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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