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Scary Skeeter - Aeroclub 1/72


CedB

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1 hour ago, Terry1954 said:

Looks like I almost hit page 7! Can't keep up with you Ced, but agree with all before me, a great subject and a great build so far. Those old Aeroclub models are a great source of enjoyment, and weren't that bad for their time. I have a stalled Gamecock on the go here somewhere. Must get back to that soon.

 

Meanwhile, skeeter on!

 

Terry

Thanks Terry :) 

1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

Is that PETG clear plastic? It will be interesting to see how you get on with the bubbles (I got plenty!). I've just ordered some 30 thou acetate to give that a whirl.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Yes, that's the stuff. Tony has already warned me (and it's somewhere in Steve's too I think) only to move the sheet half way towards to heater and gently does it.

Fingers crossed :) 

57 minutes ago, perdu said:

Ced what are you doing?

Er, trying to build a Skeeter? Sorry Bill… :( 

57 minutes ago, perdu said:

That curved shield should sit further back, the rear edge begins at the undercarriage strut and at the front is over the pulley spindle

I think you need to relocate it back a tad and a quarter

Ah, OK, I'll see if I have anything more suitable. Or move it back and open up the foothold a bit more.

57 minutes ago, perdu said:

 

PETg, remember you need to warm it first then give it a reheating to make the workpiece bubble

 

Thanks Bill :) Do I want the workpiece to bubble??

 

 

Starboard exhaust.

Wide shot to show Heather some of the files and the drills:

 

49516052486_60f70742a5_z.jpg

 

Opened out with drills and glued on:

 

49515587743_2bea279e33_z.jpg

 

Tricky to get the angle of the dangle but I think that's right after much fettling.

I don't like this Plastruct much to be honest - it doesn't melt with TET so I've used tube glue.

 

More greebie hunting once I've worked out how big the bits need to be.

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All of this stuff you've been doing is good, Ced - but now get on with that clear vacforming, please. It's not for me, I'm just asking for a friend...

 

:D  :D  :D 

 

Jolly good job! :clap: 

 

Ciao

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1 hour ago, CedB said:

Wide shot to show Heather some of the files and the drills:

*wolf whistle* 

 

:laugh:
 

Oh, the new Plastruct, apparently, works with styrene solvents. The old stuff needed a concoction called Plastic Weld. The stuff plumbers use to glue together pipes might do it, but watch it doesn’t completely dissolve the polystyrene. 

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2 hours ago, giemme said:

All of this stuff you've been doing is good, Ced - but now get on with that clear vacforming, please. It's not for me, I'm just asking for a friend...

 

:D  :D  :D 

 

Jolly good job! :clap: 

 

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio - the plastic is here, just waiting for the plaster of Paris so I can (gulp) make a buck :) 

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

*wolf whistle* 

 

:laugh:
 

Oh, the new Plastruct, apparently, works with styrene solvents. The old stuff needed a concoction called Plastic Weld. The stuff plumbers use to glue together pipes might do it, but watch it doesn’t completely dissolve the polystyrene. 

Thanks Heather :) Brace yourself, there's some punches coming up.

Oh wait, that sounds a bit violent…

More tools I mean!

56 minutes ago, andyf117 said:

That's all it needs - whip it off, move it down and back, 'n stick it back on....

Thanks Andy, but as this kit is a gift from Bill it has to be as good as I can get it - the cover was a bit narrow.

 

 

Found several candidates for the gearbox but I won't know which one fits until I get the fuselage together, or do some measuring…

 

It's all getting a bit messy:

 

49516979227_37a975a436_z.jpg

 

…but with a new wider cover and a disc cut and chopped for the thing poking out of the top:

 

49516827186_347207db55_z.jpg

 

…I'm getting close to finishing what I'm now going to call 'The Ugly Side', if only because most photos are of the port.

 

Closer up:

 

49517048807_7b9e3d6397_z.jpg

 

The cover needs filing flatter when the glue's dry but I think that's done all bar the drive shaft, if Bill's happy?

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Yes Ced Bill is very happy thank you

 

And thank you for not blowing up at me, it IS your model

 

That new cover looks great mate

 

Yes, by the way I do want it to bubble

 

A far better shape than a piece of flat PETg

 

;)

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Nice progress Ced, but I think that grey bit needs to be further back.

The front edge should be about halfway back over the hole, and the rear edge just aft of the landing gear strut, It's still too far forward!

 

Ian

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6 hours ago, perdu said:

Yes Ced Bill is very happy thank you

 

And thank you for not blowing up at me, it IS your model

 

That new cover looks great mate

 

Yes, by the way I do want it to bubble

 

A far better shape than a piece of flat PETg

 

;)

Really pleased you're happy Bill :D 

Ah, bubble of PETg, not bubbles in it - got it!

6 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

Well, Ced you are giving this one the works.

Best of luck with the vac forming.

 

Simon.

Thanks Simon :) 

6 hours ago, limeypilot said:

Nice progress Ced, but I think that grey bit needs to be further back.

The front edge should be about halfway back over the hole, and the rear edge just aft of the landing gear strut, It's still too far forward!

 

Ian

Oh Ian, from the references I have it's hard to see where the back of XL812's cover is but I'm pretty sure the front is ON the edge of the foothold…

Done with it now I think, sorry :) 

3 hours ago, perdu said:

Is true


But Ced this is YOUR MODEL, do it how you see it

Thanks Bill :) 

 

 

A blanking plate has been stuck over the hole for the drive shaft:

 

49518471731_0b30c06f31_z.jpg

 

So that I can cut this down and fit it at the end of the build once the hole's been painted:

 

49518691337_4948417643_z.jpg

 

Hard to see the detail in that shot but it's pretty close, honest.

 

Time to start building the internals; cabin and engine bay.

I shall be looking at WWGMD!

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Bit of work this morning, bit of reference lookup.

 

The shaft and rotor head has been cleaned up and a gearbox candidate chosen:

 

49519215618_6cf221b452_z.jpg

 

 

In The General's thread, Steve (? @worm) posted some useful drawings including this one:

 

spacer.png

Which I hope will not be all blurred for you - if it is (and you're interested) click the link to Melchie's thread and it may be better - thanks PB :( 

 

It shows a tray for the secondary gearbox and lots of supporting rods. Hmmm :hmmm: 

 

Some time ago I bought this lot:

 

49519737841_a6745db628_z.jpg

 

… and a soldering station cheap(er) from Maplin as they were closing :weep: 

 

As I'm pretty scared already I may as well scare myself stupid (what do you mean even more!) and try to make the tray and frames from brass.

Gulp.

 

As I'll need pretty precise measurements I decided now was the time to join the fuselage halves:

 

49519216218_1e0c1d491d_z.jpg

 

Bit wobbly so I've just glued the tail boom for now.

 

Scary!

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Thanks Giorgio - kind of you, but things happen to slow me down! :D 

 

Like just now.

 

Before we get to that, I've dry fitted the internal White Metal (WM):

 

49520070042_7f6d22255b_z.jpg

 

Not bad once the parts are cleaned up a bit more and the plastic's trimmed (the shelf should be level with the front - I checked).

 

More WM:

 

49519335108_5f39a91360_z.jpg

 

Nose wheel, two short-shot control columns and the tail rotor mount.

 

A new game for you.

Which way round does this go?

 

49519380543_88258c009b_z.jpg

 

Having turned it around and around I think that's right 'cos there's definitely a lumpy bit on the port side and a bit on the back etc.

 

I sanded flat and drilled out the plastic and put a drop of CA in the end.

Then I offered up the metal and pushed gently.

No luck, it twisted.

 

Lesson 1: Do NOT try to adjust the location with you fingers. The part will stick to your fingers and come away. Ask me how I know…

 

OK, WWND?

5 minute epoxy, that's what.

Mixed a drop or two on an old business card:

 

49519936356_d74567a329_z.jpg

 

… and placed the part in the hole.

 

Then all hell let loose.

The window cleaners arrived and started banging their brushes on long poles on the upstairs windows.

Molly goes mad.

Tilly goes mad.

Part slips.

I go mad.

Mrs B comes in and asks if I can make her pre-work coffee.

:jump_fire::angry:

 

Calm, calm.

 

It's drying now:

 

49519420178_b95a69f19b_z.jpg

 

Then I can glue the front (ooh, I could do that now).

Then I can clear up the seams.

 

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Ced, this is excellent! Really brilliant little additions! Also I only realised how tiny this thing was till you pulled out the spitfire cannon bulge, very impressed with what your achieving especially at this size. 
 

Rob

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On 2/10/2020 at 8:58 AM, CedB said:

49512918167_246816562a_z.jpg

 

I keep looking at the drive shaft (the white thing).

Y'know, I keep looking at the 'drive shaft', aka 'the white thing' as well...

....and thinking it looks familiar - are we sure it's not a cunningly-disguised one of these?

spacer.png

On 2/8/2020 at 11:55 AM, Biggles87 said:

Probably a “ proof of concept “ attack version, you can see the gun barrel under the nose.  :whistle:

I think that might be right! A pre-Vietnam 'gunship' helicopter, with a fixed transverse-mounted Gatling-type gun...

....,in similar manner as later employed by the USAF's better-known 'Spooky' AC-47, AC-119 and AC-130 aircraft...

9 hours ago, CedB said:

49518691337_4948417643_z.jpg

 

Hard to see the detail in that shot but it's pretty close, honest.

So perhaps that cylinder thing should really consist of six barrels....

 

Ah, no, wait - even if the gun was the traditional British .303 calibre, given the Skeeter's load-lifting ability...

....it could probably only carry enough ammunition to tear up an area about the size of a table-tennis table!

 

Meaning it probably is a drive shaft, then...

 

 

Edited by andyf117
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22 minutes ago, CedB said:

Then all hell let loose.

The window cleaners arrived and started banging their brushes on long poles on the upstairs windows.

Molly goes mad.

Tilly goes mad.

Part slips.

I go mad.

Mrs B comes in and asks if I can make her pre-work coffee.

:jump_fire::angry:

 

he builds models

 

he makes poetry

 

What can we say, in awe old man

 

Utter absolute awe

 

I love that sprue  injection port(?) rotor gearbox

 

Lovely work

 

 

 

 

Are we all popping round to Ced's for coffee, Mrs B seems to be advocating it

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32 minutes ago, CedB said:

It's drying now:

 

49519420178_b95a69f19b_z.jpg

 

Then I can glue the front (ooh, I could do that now).

Then I can clear up the seams.

Like I said....

 

There's no stopping you....

 

:D 

 

Ciao

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2 hours ago, rob85 said:

Ced, this is excellent! Really brilliant little additions! Also I only realised how tiny this thing was till you pulled out the spitfire cannon bulge, very impressed with what your achieving especially at this size. 
 

Rob

Thanks Rob - yes, it is tiny, my poor eyes! :D 

2 hours ago, andyf117 said:

Y'know, I keep looking at the 'drive shaft', aka 'the white thing' as well...

....and thinking it looks familiar - are we sure it's not a cunningly-disguised one of these?

spacer.png

I think that might be right! A pre-Vietnam 'gunship' helicopter, with a fixed transverse-mounted Gatling-type gun...

....,in similar manner as later employed by the USAF's better-known 'Spooky' AC-47, AC-119 and AC-130 aircraft...

So perhaps that cylinder thing should really consist of six barrels....

 

Ah, no, wait - even if the gun was the traditional British .303 calibre, given the Skeeter's load-lifting ability...

....it could probably only carry enough ammunition to tear up an area about the size of a table-tennis table!

 

Meaning it probably is a drive shaft, then...

 

 

Thanks Andy :rofl2:

1 hour ago, perdu said:

 

he builds models

 

he makes poetry

 

What can we say, in awe old man

 

Utter absolute awe

 

I love that sprue  injection port(?) rotor gearbox

 

Lovely work

 

 

 

 

Are we all popping round to Ced's for coffee, Mrs B seems to be advocating it

Thanks Bill, very kind of you matey :) 

You're always welcome for a coffee, as are other BMers - just ring ahead in case I'm, ahem, indisposed!

1 hour ago, giemme said:

Like I said....

 

There's no stopping you....

 

:D 

 

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio. Not quite your level of detailing but I hope to get close :) 

 

 

Lots of pictures this post.

The arms were chopped off the 'gearbox';

 

49520533512_0a91fdfb54_z.jpg

 

Looks about the right size (just the top):

 

49520324081_dc2eff86b1_z.jpg

 

The shaft was chopped (using my 'old' razor saw):

 

49519815383_fd140f36b6_z.jpg

 

I needed t chop the top off to fit the shaft so the Micro-dividers came in handy:

 

49520339011_1aa9b45044_z.jpg

 

…and dry fitted:

 

49519826838_af49fde1d0_z.jpg

 

THEN I realised this is going to take the weight of the rotor so I fitted some 1mm brass rod:

 

49519857348_8efabdd264_z.jpg

 

Now put aside until the bay is done.

 

Seams have been filled with thinned Humbrol filler, sanded and polished when dry:

 

49519915538_8779a27dec_z.jpg

 

49520435341_bb810281cc_z.jpg

 

Not as easy as it looks 'cos the plastic has a weird 'skin' on it that sometimes 'lumps off':

 

49519917248_2ede65f563_z.jpg

 

See that bit? Weird.

It sticks back down with TET though:

 

49519920853_3e86f428c2_z.jpg

 

That's all for now :) 

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Question: How many idiots does it take to model a Skeeter?

Answer: Just one, but they have to be inattentive and really addicted to tools.

 

What's that about?

While waiting for the plaster to arrive so that I can use my new vacforming machine to mould a double-bubble canopy I thought I'd better check the kit canopy to assess how much work it will be to modify the buck:

 

49520498993_53a30e9627_z.jpg

 

That'll be 'None' then.

Oh well, at least I've got my vac former.

 

Don't tell anyone… I'm an idiot.

 

Now I have to decide whether to risk the kit canopy on my experiments or to just use the kit one.

Safer to use the kit one and not risk messing it up?

 

Risk assessment please…

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I want you to play with your new vacformer so when you've mastered it I can send you bits and pieces to mould for me! It's something I've never dabbled in (despite having a massive stash of vacs) so will be interested to see how you get on... :)

Edited by tomprobert
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32 minutes ago, tomprobert said:

I want you to play with your new vacformer

Me too Tom! I might experiment on some Airfix Catalina canopies like what Perdu did. 
 

Nice try for the bits moulding :D

 

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Really excellent work on the kit canopy Ced


I wuz gonna suggest dropping a hot steel rule across the canopy to give it a double bubble

 

But I forgot...

 

:(

 

do you want any Catalina pod bucks to play with?

 

I will never build another Airfix Cat

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