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The Summer Duck...finished (Merit Grumman J2F-5 in 1/48)


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4 hours ago, Chief Cohiba said:

Working on the canopy I think I can wave goodbye to my plans to open the canopy by simply cutting it open with a fine saw.

 

Here's why: I've noticed that the cross-section of the  canopy part looks roughly like this:


39559274ys.png

 

If I cut it open and try to slide it together, there would be a rather large overlay, like this:

 

39559334xg.png

 

Of course with some grinding and sanding it can be done, but chances are to destroy this part and itself then the kit are there. Also, I planned to do this as a nice in-between build, and that would go beyond that. Also, I do have my next build in mind already, so...

Does anyone do a vacuformed canopy for these kits, that could be an option ? 

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On 10/2/2020 at 5:12 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Does anyone do a vacuformed canopy for these kits, that could be an option ? 

Dennis, I thought about that too, and did find a few options, but not for the Merit kit and only on US ebay. First fact will cause fit issues, second leads to a price tag of 40,- $ plus and one to two months waiting until they're here. Not this time, I'd rather have this a clean and easy build this time...

 

Meanwhile im sanding seam of the body halves. Not that much, but will require some rescribing, I'm afraid.

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Nice work so far, Chief. As for your concerns about the rigging, on my shelf of doom is the Classic Airframes kit. If I remember correctly, that does include a rigging diagram. Right next to it lies a copy of Naval Fighters #84 on the Duck which may also prove useful. I'll try to post photos tomorrow.

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On 10/4/2020 at 7:40 PM, dnl42 said:

A vac canopy for the Glencoe 1/52 J2F is available here. Here's a quick photo

Many thanks, for the link, which looks reasonable. Still I'm afraid that shipping would be expensive and would take ages to come from Texas to little old Europe. Also, as it's for the Glencoe kit, I expect some more work than I'm right now planning to invest in this - I'm in a lazy phase currently. So, I decided to leave it closed and make my life a bit easier.  😉

 

On 10/4/2020 at 6:11 PM, dukdalf said:

Nice work so far, Chief. As for your concerns about the rigging, on my shelf of doom is the Classic Airframes kit. If I remember correctly, that does include a rigging diagram. Right next to it lies a copy of Naval Fighters #84 on the Duck which may also prove useful. I'll try to post photos tomorrow.

Many thanks as well, of course I would be grateful if you have a chance to post it, but with the links posted by Mike ( @72modeler many thanks again) I feel quite safe. Seems as if I haven't forgotten something so far on the fuselage.

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Just to keep you informed, here's some still life from the workbench and her current stage.
 

39588828jl.jpg

 

39588829lh.jpg

 

39588830zi.jpg


It's just sanding, the long and curved lines in addition with the fine structures make this a rather detailled work with slow progress, but I'm going on...

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This is a most interesting and informative thread and has bumped my kit up the "to do list" several notches.

 

Martian 👽

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Looking good, great work so far, have you looked at clear plastic packaging to make the sliding sections as it could be heat moulded using hot water from the kettle after being taped around a former such as a paintbrush handle, that could work and not cost anything extra.

 

Chris

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Looks lovely - the blue scheme looks very nice. Being an Airfix kid, I have trouble seeing Grumman Ducks in any other scheme than silver with red wingtips, but I'll get over it!

 

As to canopy, if you have some thin transparent packaging material, you can make a section of canopy by finding a pen or something with the same radius as the curve at the top of the canopy, then hold an offcut of the packaging over a candle flame using bulldog clips until it goes floppy, and pull it over the pen, holding the sides down at about the right angle. You can then cut out a section of the u-shaped plastic to use as the sliding section of the canopy. If you mask the windows you can then build up the frames with layers of interior-coloured paint to give it some depth before spraying the final coat. Takes longer to write out than to do.

 

[edit] In fact, here we go. Step 1, find a suitable radius rod for the canopy top:

E0582224-BC41-4262-AF3-C-3-C7-DE63-E1854

 

Step 2, heat source: my daughter's cooking blow torch:

2-E2-D53-DE-6-E5-F-41-B0-9-D56-9-BA6-ED8

 

Step 3, heat plastic, pull over radius rod, hold still until cool. Much easier with bulldog clips and not holding a camera!

4-FFDDDB1-874-D-4746-A711-306543115-DBD.

 

Step 4, cut to shape. I've outlined the shape with a silver felt tip marker just so you can see it:

9-C8-F09-AD-E607-48-BA-B0-C0-00691058390

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

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On 10/7/2020 at 8:07 PM, AdrianMF said:

Looks lovely - the blue scheme looks very nice. Being an Airfix kid, I have trouble seeing Grumman Ducks in any other scheme than silver with red wingtips, but I'll get over it!

 

As to canopy, if you have some thin transparent packaging material, you can make a section of canopy by finding a pen or something with the same radius as the curve at the top of the canopy, then hold an offcut of the packaging over a candle flame using bulldog clips until it goes floppy, and pull it over the pen, holding the sides down at about the right angle. You can then cut out a section of the u-shaped plastic to use as the sliding section of the canopy. If you mask the windows you can then build up the frames with layers of interior-coloured paint to give it some depth before spraying the final coat. Takes longer to write out than to do.

 

Yes, the Airfix Duck - I know. Looks great as well, of course. But as I was drawn into this scheme by some other kind of inspiration (see first post) it had to be blue and pacific. Maybe this is Atlantic as well, but if I leave the Decal with "Atlantic Fleet Photography..." of, it's pacific again. 😉

 

Many thanks for your brief tutorial with the canopy, I definitely will try in the future, but most likely not on this one - though this procedure definitely would fit. But the canopy is already masked and I want to make this a relax-piece, so I'll build it closed. 

But this could be something for the old Matchbox Lizzy I plan...

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Last days I spent sanding and rescribing the joints, and I'm at a place where I can almost move on. While it was rather a good fit, the structure is quite fine and a lot of ot, and also the edges are quite curvy, so it didn't take a lot of putty, but it was quite some detail work required. Nothing that I'm good at. 

 

Here's the state right now:

 

39623499pm.jpg

 

39623501gk.jpg

 

39623504ev.jpg

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A few more tiny brass pieces to be put together and prepared before mounted on the fuselage:

 

39639317na.jpg

 

and primed

 

39639310uq.jpg

 

After these are mounted I think the fuselage will get another layer of paint, some preshading to cover the sanded areas and then some more blue.

 

I am not 100% sure how to plan the subsequent steps, next will most likely be finishing the body halves including decals, or maybe mounting the lower wings in the same step as well. 

 

We'll see...

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And, it happened again; after an evening of crawling under desks and lookin on the floor with all kind of magnifying glasses, it's for sure - IT is missing. 

 

The following part has dissapeared into Nirvana, moved to another dimension, been eaten by a cat or simply thrown into a bin without noticing, but it's gone. Simple as that.

 

39645507he.jpg

 

So, what should I do? I've ordered another one at Hannants, but until it's here, this has gone to a break. Means, I will start something else, but this duck will have some time for a rest...

 

CU soon, guys...

Edited by Chief Cohiba
...the "duck" has to wait, not, the "dick", sorry for this language...
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  • 6 months later...

Guys, some time has passed, parts were lost, and been reorderedn, winter came and went again, other kits have cought my attention, but as sun is coming back here's the duck again.

 

I started to pull her out of the stash some days ago on a nice and warm evening in May (I'd rather had some nice Cocktails on a beachside bar, but, as you know there's still some things going on outside - so I went for some summer kit), dusted the duck off and moved on a bit.

 

First, I finally mounted the parts on the bow, which I lost in fall (I ordered them some while ago, but just didn't work on).

Here's it so far:

 

41187281oa.jpg

 

I didn't manage to place it 100% spot-on over the lines, which looked awful with the light primer, but looks ok after painting.

 

Also I put on the decals, here's the wings.

 

41187291du.jpg

 

They looked thick like a carpet, but after some larger amount of softener the went on fine.

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  • Chief Cohiba changed the title to The Summer Duck...revisited (still the Merit Grumman J2F-5 in 1/48)

Do you know this strange feeling? You notice some minor detail on a model, which really wouldn't be apparent to anyone but you, but... now you know its there, and it won't let you move on in peace, until it's solved.

 

I'm sure you know, otherwise you wouldn't be here. 😉

 

With the duck it was the colour of the bottom of the lower wings - I got the idea that the Light Gull Grey wouldn't be only on the kit's wings parts, but would most likely start at the root of the wing. I didn't find any evidence or picture, but it didn't let me rest, it became bigger and bigger...

 

41187296wa.jpg

 

It's better now - this night I can sleep peacefully... 😇

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There are a few other things that will need correction, but one thing didn't let me rest - I'm gonna open the canopy!

 

Here you see the current state, with first strokes with a PE saw already done - so not turning back:

 

41187681bi.jpg

 

I'm not 100% sure, if I open just the back or the front canopy as well. But so far it works rather fine. I'll keep you updated...

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Thanks guys - as usual, sometimes it just takes some time off to rewoke the mojo of a build. But right now things seem to go fine.

 

A quick pic of dryfitting engine and canopy - still closed - but this starts to look like a duck, with decals and overall blue.

 

41188636ai.jpg

 

Next I go hunting and see if I can source a fine Browning.

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Guys, I've opened up the canopy and with the right set of PE saws been able to cut these rather precisely, producing an edge that wouldn't look too bad once installed.

 

41198561ra.jpg

 

It needs some cleaning, but that shouldn't be that much of an issue. A mishap did occur, of course, when cutting the last segment, on the last stroke it broke apart.

 

41198809ep.jpg

 

I'm not too worried about it, as this is a quite clean fracture, so I am positive I can glue this, either with non-frosting CA, Clear Fix or simply standard poly cement. As it is hidden under the other segment it will not be that prominent. (The other segment you see close to the saw's blade will be dumped, as there is simply no space for it. 

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What will be an issue, and now I'm begging for your wisdom and kind advice - I have to bend the inner segment, to fit it into the outer segment.

 

Here's the situation:

 

41198835zw.jpg

 

Of course it could be forced into position and bend in cold, but I'm afraid of breaking it, so I'd rather would like to bring it to temperature and soften it before bending, so it stays in shape.

 

I think I have the right tool for that, as I would bathe it in rather precisely heated water - I'd use my sous-vide stick for that, which can be tuned in .1° steps. While I wouldn't trust it to be 100% accurate, I think it would be precisely enough for this matter, holding the temperature in a 1° - 2° degree range, which I did check on another occasion.

 

I just would be thankful for some advice what would be a good temperature range, I haven't found anything better than: "let it cook and then cool down a bit". I hope I can go more specific than that, as I ruined a Hobby Boss Typhoon's hull with a instruction like that.   ⚗️

Guys, what wuld you suggest?

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After a little research I got a few numbers; I guess it is fair to assume that the clear part of the Duck is rather the same PS/polystyrene than the other, and that around 85° it starts to soften. I think I'll start at 70° and then go up in a few steps.

 

Keep the fingers crossed...

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I started with 70 degrees and went up to 90°, which is highest the sous-vide stick can get. It didn't get really soft, but was easier to bend and kept shape when cooling down, so mission accomplished. 

 

With some sanding after sawing away the excess pieces we're slowly getting closer...

 

41227243iy.jpg

 

Only dryfitting, still, and not all of the dust from sawing removed...

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