Jonners Posted August 29, 2020 Author Share Posted August 29, 2020 (edited) This evening I tidied up the nose panel lines somewhat, by filling the inaccurate lines and adding a full-circumference line just behind where the spinner will go. I made a loop of Dymotape for this and pushed it over the nose so that the aft part of the loop followed the nose contours: You can also see the float struts that I've added, though the port side (above) looks rough in close-up and needs tidying. The starboard side is a little neater but will still need some work to remove the rough edges that have been highlighted by the primer: The struts were made from sprue rod scraped and sanded to an oval profile. Their ends were drilled before being chamfered, then 0.8mm brass rod pieces were superglued in place. Each strut was then slotted into place in holes drilled in the float and fuselage. Needless to say, this took some careful measuring (and yes, I did get it wrong at one point)! Next job: rib tape lines on the tailplanes. Jon Edited August 29, 2020 by Jonners 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 (edited) Today's bit of tinkering has involved cutting the vertical tail surfaces from 40 thou card, sanding them to profile and adding paint lines to represent rib tapes: ...then glueing them into position: ...and priming them to highlight any flaws: The float struts haven't been tidied yet, but the horizontal tailplanes have received painted rib lines. I'm now starting on the interwing struts, beginning with the four centre-section struts, using brass stock to provide strength. Fingers crossed! Jon Edited August 30, 2020 by Jonners 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 3, 2020 Author Share Posted September 3, 2020 Another couple of small steps: Firstly, the front left float strut has bern replaced. The earlier close-up photos highlighted how the top brass rod pin had pushed through the side of the strut, so I made a new one. It will need a bit of thinning to match the other side but now looks much better: Secondly, after the usual faff of fettling I've made the four centre-section struts from brass strut stock. The upper wing is just dry-fitted at this stage and will be removed so I can make oval holes into which the main wing struts will (hopefully) slot. The amphibian had four struts per side, none of which were square or vertical, so once the upper wing is firmly attached to the centre section struts it will be a slow and methodical process to assemble the wing struts. I was pleasantly surprised to realise that this is actually starting to look like a Gurnard amphibian, so I'm equally surprised to believe that this might work! Jon 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 This is cracking on at a great pace, and definitely looking very, er, Gurnard like. Lovely work Jon! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 Nothing wrong with that Jon, looking well smart. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 3, 2020 Share Posted September 3, 2020 It's looking great. The strutwork looks pretty demanding but you are winning! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 More struttery, using brass stock slotted into deep recesses in the hollow top wing and resting in shallower slots in the solid lower wing, secured with small amounts of CA gel. First one side: ...and then the other: The joints will need a bit of a cleanup and I'll probably use dots of Formula 560 to fill the gaps where the slots are very slightly larger than the strut. For now, though, I don't mind admitting that I'm quietly chuffed with how this is looking! Jon 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Came in late to this, Sir, but this is a great build. They didn't ask much from the designers in the specification, did they: "An aircraft that could fulfil the fleet spotter/reconnaissance role but also be capable of intercepting enemy bombers as well as be operated as either a floatplane or from an aircraft carrier's deck. It also had to be strong enough to withstand catapult launches." 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 More struttery! More uses for Zap 560 canopy glue. I love it. Your thread is like a doctoral dissertation in model building, and taking good form despite minor setbacks along the way. She'll be a beauty when done, I expect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 What an odd strut arrangement. I'm hoping the original designer was just as chuffed at how it looked, assuming he could see! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Old Man said: this is a great build. 1 hour ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Your thread is like a doctoral dissertation in model building Those are very generous Transatlantic comments, gents; thank you. TJK: that's possibly the highest praise I've received for my humble hobby efforts, which is much appreciated as, in reality, I'm just cuffing it as I go along, and recycling ideas that I've learned from other BM'ers. 59 minutes ago, Brandy said: What an odd strut arrangement You're not wrong, Ian - once the wing floats and associated struts are added, it will look even stranger! To be honest, the 'surfeit of struts' is one of the reasons that I chose this variant. Both Gurnards were constructed with the inner wing struts only, like this: ...but the Gurnard II seems go have gained the extra outboard struts in its amphibian guise to carry the forces from the wing float main attachments: The diagonal underwing float struts meet the wing directly underneath the inboard interwing struts, presumably for the same reason. Bizarrely, I'm quite enjoying this! Edited September 5, 2020 by Jonners 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 That strut arrangement looks bizarre! Nicely modelled though! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I can only imagine that the extra struts were added to prevent the inevitable wing flutter/end bits falling off of adding those outrigger floats. It is a weird arrangement and had a fairly kludged look to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 6 hours ago, Marklo said: had a fairly kludged look to it. ...which is what I like about it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I'm enjoying it too but then percieved "wisdom" has it that I am bizarre anyway! Martian 👽 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 This evening's modelling has been very satisfying, even though I wasn't sure that it would work. I decided to bite another bullet and try to build the swing-up undercarriage legs, using brass tube for strength. I had a single piece of 0.8mm inside diameter tube that I found was just long enough for what I needed after I had measured and sketched out the dimensions of each leg. I marked a tile with permanent pen lines, very carefully cut the tube with a hacksaw (mounted blade upwards in a bench vice and gently drawing the tube along the blade to cut it) and then taped the pieces to the tile. A tiny amount of flux was applied with a cocktail stick then a very small amount of solder was applied to each joint while supporting the tube with tweezers: Once the pieces were attached, I cleaned off the flux and very tentatively tested the alugnment of the axle hubs by running piece of brass rod through them. To my great surprise and satisfaction, they lined up: The 0.8mm rod 'axle' on the model was trimmed to the correct size and the undercarriage legs were push-fitted into place for a dry-fit: While I still have to add the compression section to each leg, most satisfying of all is that they rotate as they did on the original aircraft: Happy days. Jon 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2996 Victor Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 This definitely needs a "Wow!" reaction! Absolutely stellar work, Jonners, I'm in awe! Cheers, Mark 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Oooh, working features! Very nice foray into the Dark Arts. Regards, Adrian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 (edited) 12 hours ago, AdrianMF said: Oooh, working features! Actually, didn't most kit manufacturers give up such gimmicks decades ago? Hmm... Anyway, while pressing on with the slow and fairly tedious job of making male moulds for vacforming the wing floats, I thought I would have a quick go at dry-fitting a pair of Aeroclub wheels and rubber o-ring tyres (thanks, John!) to the undercarriage legs that I soldered last night. All the parts are still in their 'raw' states and the wheels are held in place with long-ish bits of rod so that I can easily remove them, but this is what the model looks like standing on its own two feet: ...and in its floatplane configuration with the wheels retracted: That'll do nicely, sir. Jon Edited September 7, 2020 by Jonners 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 This continues to be brilliant; I’d never heard of the aircraft before, but it has that 1930s “Admiralty Jack of all Trades” Heath Robinson bonkers air - irresistible. And you’re modelling it beautifully. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Lovely job on the landing gear Jon. Why do I keep thinking that "Short Gurnard" was the name of some obscure punk band? Ian 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 The undercarriage looks great. It must have been quite "interesting" landing something so high with such a narrow wheelbase! Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 1 hour ago, AdrianMF said: It must have been quite "interesting" landing something so high with such a narrow wheelbase! Too right, Adrian. It's that ungainly, ludicrously high-C-of-G stance that caught my eye in the first place. When you put human figures into the image (which I might do in due course) it looks even more ridiculous! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Most excellent work with the undercarriage. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Impressive work on this, especially with the fine soldering. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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