Jump to content

Fairey IIIF 1/48


wellsprop

Recommended Posts

Thanks for the images, very useful for reference!

 

Aside from some detailing on the floats, the external design is complete! Floats next, followed by the interior :) Hopefully, I can have it all complete within another 10 hours or so - I'm at a total of just over 50 hours design time!

 

 

F22

 

F21

 

After all that, there is then just the small matter of learning how to use a 3D printer and the accompanying software. Hopefully my new Anycubic Photon will be with me soon :D

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm calling this one done!

 

Floats detailed, windshield and interior complete - a total design time of around 60 hours, although I did manage to cram that into only 10 days (alongside a full time job)... Of course, now I need to get everything ready for printing...

 

FaireyComplete3

 

FaireyComplete4

 

FaireySunset

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Oh my word that looks good...great actually!  Pretty impressive you could do this in about 60 hours.

 

Great work buddy, I bet you cant wait for your printer to arrive now?

Thanks :D I'm really pleased with how it;s turned out.... To re-iterate, it's the first time I've ever made a CAD model of an aircraft!

 

Printer arrived yesterday! I've got a long weekend this week, so hopefully I'll be able to learn how to use my printer :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, flarpen said:

This is some truly excelent work right here. I'm really impressed.

What software are you using?

I'm trying to get some grips on Fusion360, but i'm nowhere near this kind of level.

Hi Flarpen,

 

Many thanks :) I'm using CATIA V5, I don't think I'm particularly good with it (at least compared to my experienced colleagues), much of the part infrastructure I've used is quite messy and I'm not very quick!

 

I think the most important thing when designing is to have a good plan and good plans. I build everything from a wireframe (based on plan and section  views) then convert it to solid bodies. Extracted surfaces can then be used to project recessed/raised detail on.

 

It takes time and learning, YouTube and engineeringtips are amazing resources - all my CAD is self taught from the internet, but I also use it as part of my work.

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, my first attempt at printing the forward fuselage was a total failure, I didn't create enough of a platform/base for the model to stick to the build plate so it fell off.

 

I modified the model to include a base, increased the first layer exposure time and also added the mid and rear sections to the print. The total print time was 9.5 hours, I left it to print overnight.

 

I woke up this morning, and the result.....

 

IMGP0871

 

IMGP0872

 

IMGP0873

 

It printed! Ok, it's not 100% perfect, there are a few very small ridges, but overall, I'm delighted :D

 

Not bad for a 2nd attempt at 3D printing. I'm now setting up and running the rest of the model.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is amazing, it looks great. I am really struggling to set up my printer just to print a test piece........all of yesterday almost wasted. That was even with quite a bit of help from Mike , my wife and a friend who popped around last night. Well at the end of it we did get a print of a test piece but it is not amazing, but it felt like a victory as it is something printed. I think I have damaged the FEP sheet, but have more on the way today, so I have learnt how to change that, and lots else, during the battle. I am also using the plant based resin, grey are you using plant based? 
Now this is the big question once you have sliced your file and let us say you call the part frontfuselage.(dot) what is the file extension thereafter....... because that is where non of us can figure how to get the correct file extension name. Because my machine would seem to want a pws extension, and nothing else. When we slice a drawing on chitubox we get a .photon extension, but these do not show up on the printer lcd print screen.

any ideas would be greatfully received

cheers Ali

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Ali62 I think the key to getting a good print is the levelling stage (I'm assuming you too are using an Anycubic Photon). The instructions tell you to place a piece of A4 beneath the build platform to level it - where it tells you to lower the Z until the paper has resistance to movement, I then moved it another 0.1mm lower (based on what I'd read on forums), this seems to have worked. Also, make sure when you tighten the build platform to level it, that its firmly pushed and levelled.

 

I'm just using the PWS file extension. I'm using Anycubics own slicer as it seems to do what I want. I don't suppose you can just rename the file .pws when you are saving it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben

i have done the levelling bit. I am sure I have got that spot on now, it is the file handling. I bought the same machine as you through the special that Mike put up, so we are on the same machine. I looked at the instructions and that looked really complicated so Mike said to use Chitubox, but I will now go back and try the software that came with the machine.

the Fairey is looking great, from the cad I could not really see the scribed panel lines.

what resin are you using?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben, if you are cleaning up with water then I presume it is plant based, if you are using normal resin you will be cleaning up with IPA.

Did you buy the cleaning and curing machine, of how are you cleaning up and curing the parts?

cheers Ali

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Ali62 said:

Hi Ben, if you are cleaning up with water then I presume it is plant based, if you are using normal resin you will be cleaning up with IPA.

Did you buy the cleaning and curing machine, of how are you cleaning up and curing the parts?

cheers Ali

 

 

Just checked, normal resin! Cleaning it with blue roll and IPA before throwing it in a jewelry cleaner (with the girlfriend's permission, of course!) and then letting it cure under a UV lamp (UV nail polish light thing, also with the required permission!), 5 mins on each side.

 

I've been very pleased with how it's turned out seeing as it's my first attempt. Shame I failed so catastrophically removing the parts from the base.... Oh well, I planned to reprint at a higher resolution anyway.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, wellsprop said:

 

Just checked, normal resin! Cleaning it with blue roll and IPA before throwing it in a jewelry cleaner (with the girlfriend's permission, of course!) and then letting it cure under a UV lamp (UV nail polish light thing, also with the required permission!), 5 mins on each side.

 

I've been very pleased with how it's turned out seeing as it's my first attempt. Shame I failed so catastrophically removing the parts from the base.... Oh well, I planned to reprint at a higher resolution anyway.

Well, the parts look fine, but I am wondering how you are going to separate the fuselage parts from the build bases you printed.

I think it would help if you raise the actual to be printed part a bit from the first base base layers and insert some supports between them. I also see that you are printing them perpendicular to the build platform. That in combination with the direct connection to the base, creates a closed section during printing. This then leads to high suction forces which is turn may lead to your printing object falling off the build platform (which you experienced in your first attempt).

So in short, if you bring some space between the first printlayers and the part, you will have minimal suction (assuming that the printed object is open at the end near the base.

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Pouln,

 

Thanks for pointing this out, I must admit, I hadn't even considered that! I've now created the part in CAD, raised 5mm from the base and I've used the slicer to add supports all the way around - I think this will really help with removing the part easily :)

 

At the moment, I'm removing the parts the same way I'd remove parts cast in resin - with a dremel, care and great difficulty!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great work Wellsprop!


For a first time CAD designed plane id say you did bloody incredibly good! - Ive been avoiding all this surface modelling malarkey (been able to get away with procedural and solid bodies till now) but think i may need to go back to it if your getting such good results.

 

How are you controlling the mess and fume generation? these are my main issues with resin machines, but you all seem to be doing such a good job of it i may need to get involved too

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Kushan!

 

There isn't really any mess or fumes to be honest. The only slightly messy part is cleaning the parts off, I just scrape them off the build platform, towel off the excess and throw them in the parts washer. I haven't noticed any fumes from the resin, there is a very slight smell, but nothing strong.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After 60 hours of printing (which included reprinting the fuselage), I'm getting somewhere....

 

The floats and prop take the longest to print out of all the components (17 hours!), the results, if I say so myself, are fantastic!

 

IMGP0887

 

IMGP0897

 

IMGP0884

 

IMGP0885

 

I'm really happy with the level of detail in the print, even the lug on the front of the float has printed well :)

 

The cockpit, struts and wheels/trestles are currently printing, they'll be used in the prototype build that is underway. The prototype build has highlighted a few issues, the biggest being the way the components attach to the build plate. As Pouln mentioned, having the component join at right angles to the large plate makes them difficult to separate, this was a particular problem for the wings, after removing the wings, the chord had been reduced.

 

 

IMGP0894

 

IMGP0890

 

IMGP0889

 

I've now redesigned the print supports so that the wings are raised on lots of little sprue type joins (see the floats). Once the cockpit is printed, I will trial fit it in the fuselage before making any required changes.

 

The "production" fuselage will be completely reprinted tonight, raised up on the supports, the wings, then the tail (horizontal and vertical) as well as the wingtips/wing-centres will be printed as the "production" i.e. all raised on supports for easy separation - this will take another 50 or so hours of printing!

 

However, by the end of the week, I am expecting to have a complete kit printed to the final "production" standard. Then. myself and @mahavelona (who seeded the whole idea of making a 1/48 Fairey IIIF) have some work to do; getting together, decals, brass tubing (for struts), colour schemes, instructions etc, etc - this should get the project to the point of having the first complete kit ready to build.

 

My intention is to offer this as a complete kit to fellow Britmodellers, this means I need to do some sums on the complete cost of materials and work out a price, that makes the 60+ hour print time worth it, also gives me a bit of a reward (for the £150 printer cost and ~70 hour design time) - but I also don't want to be ridiculous. I intend to send the first kit in to BM for an in-box review, whilst I print a second complete kit - myself and @mahavelona being the lucky recipients of the first two kits :)

 

Out of curiosity, is there anyone genuinely interested in this as a kit? If so, what would be a reasonable price for a high quality (at least for a 3D print!) printed kit that comes complete with decals, brass tubing and the extra little bits such as wheels and trestles (ground support equipment)?

 

Cheers,

Ben

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben

Great work buddy!  I am genuinely interested in one if you were prepared to do it in 1/32.  I know my friend Mike is too.  We have both watched this unfold and are loving it.  Keep up the great work and bringing a unique airframe into model form, love it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been watching along and helping Ben with references and very very happy to see the kit become reality.

 

I will be working up decal schemes for this using decals sourced from aftermarket... If there are any airframes you are interested in let us know!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Hi Ben

Great work buddy!  I am genuinely interested in one if you were prepared to do it in 1/32.  I know my friend Mike is too.  We have both watched this unfold and are loving it.  Keep up the great work and bringing a unique airframe into model form, love it!

 

Hi Anthony,

 

I intend to run off a couple 1/48 models and potentially a few more if there is genuine interest in that scale. As for 32 scale, I am certainly open to it and now things are progressing, I am getting closer to potentially being able to offer this. What it would need, at the very least, is to scale up EVERY part and save it all, under a new product/file structure, before splitting larger parts for printing. I imagine it could take nearly 2-3L of resin alone, so just the material could cost could be up around £60-100, it will also have quite a few more parts due to splitting them down to fit in the printer.

 

I'm certainly open to it, it is all a bit new to me however! Out of interest, which version would you intend to do, there are different floats and different cockpits, all of which need different models!

 

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wellsprop said:

 

Out of curiosity, is there anyone genuinely interested in this as a kit? If so, what would be a reasonable price for a high quality (at least for a 3D print!) printed kit that comes complete with decals, brass tubing and the extra little bits such as wheels and trestles (ground support equipment)?

 

Cheers,

Ben

 

 

Hello Ben,

 

 

Fantastic job ! Congratulations

 

I've always wanted an 1/48 Fairey IIIF so I'd really be interested in one example.

 

Marc

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Ben

 

I'm in the same boat as MarcB having always wanted a IIIF in 1:48, so would be interested. Would you consider producing a bare kit without the decals, struts etc? It might be an option you could offer.

 

I have a great interest in this aircraft as my father worked on them whilst on HMS Eagle during the 1930s. I've still got his photo album from his two year tour of China/Japan with a lot of details of IIIFs. His pilot (dad was an engine fitter) was Lt Williamson who went on to lead the Taranto raid in WW2.

 

What was it that persuaded you to do a IIIF? I thought you were a Spitfire fanatic...

 

Hutch

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...