alhenderson Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 On 26/09/2020 at 05:54, Planebuilder62 said: Hi Al SBS make replacement radomes that come complete with a brass pitot tube. regards Toby I'd seen that elsewhere and convinced myself I didn't need one. Wasn't quite so strong second time round 🙂 As for the nosewheel, I found one reference on here on how much to take out (1.5mm) but can't quite work out how I would go about that without trashing the nosewheel leg? My lower centre fuselage piece is a bit warped, meaning that the right hand undercarriage bay (left hand side of the picture) doesn't fit properly. There are some fairly large gaps. I can't clamp it in all the 3 positions that are needed to get a decent fit, either. Wonder if there's something I can do to ease the plastic into a better shape before glueing the u/c bay? Not convinced the glue is going to be enough 😞 Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128fiddler Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 9 hours ago, alhenderson said: My lower centre fuselage piece is a bit warped, meaning that the right hand undercarriage bay (left hand side of the picture) doesn't fit properly. There are some fairly large gaps. I can't clamp it in all the 3 positions that are needed to get a decent fit, either. Wonder if there's something I can do to ease the plastic into a better shape before glueing the u/c bay? Not convinced the glue is going to be enough 😞 Al. Maybe use the other side as a template for a plasticard reinforcement rib, so the fuselage gets it's symetrical form back? Or maybe try and glue in a few times, for example, first the top seam, maybe reinforced by some additional sprue glued on top (without melting the fuselage, like I once did on a Sea King...), and then glue the bottom, so that you can split the clamping it needs 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christer A Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Spacers in the form of plastic card or a bunch of carefully attached sprues could perhaps help? Measure them to correct height on the non warped area and then attach them to the other side perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted September 30, 2020 Author Share Posted September 30, 2020 Postman came today 😁 That pitot tube is a work of art!! And the nose is black, don't need to paint it 🤣 one question, on the back it says to use cyanoacrylat glue for the resin. Is that a posh word for regular modelling glue? Still pondering the warped fuselage issue.. probably start with glueing and clamping one side at a time and see how that goes. Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, alhenderson said: on the back it says to use cyanoacrylat glue for the resin. Is that a posh word for regular modelling glue? Super glue. Agree about the a Master pitots, they are amazing, I don’t know how they can turn a piece of brass so small. AW Edited September 30, 2020 by Andwil Inadvertently Posted before I finished! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 6 hours ago, Andwil said: Super glue. Agree about the a Master pitots, they are amazing, I don’t know how they can turn a piece of brass so small. AW Thanks, glad I checked otherwise I'd have just used regular glue! Think the real pitots are silver, can I paint brass with normal paints? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Yes, the Master pitot on this Harrier was painted with acrylic paint after priming with Stynylryz. AW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 @Andwil thanks! Is the priming vital for painting brass? Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Probably not, though the paint may rub off with frequent handling but I don’t suppose you would be handling a small very sharp pitot very much! AW 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 1, 2020 Author Share Posted October 1, 2020 Just now, Andwil said: Probably not, though the paint may rub off with frequent handling but I don’t suppose you would be handling a small very sharp pitot very much! AW I'd certainly hope not! Turning it into a cold war diorama and surrounding with barbed wire would soon discourage that 🙂 Al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 2, 2020 Author Share Posted October 2, 2020 While I mull over what to do about my warped fuselage, I've been trying to move on with other bits. Looking at the instructions for the tailplanes, it says not to use glue to attach them to the rod, but rather use a hot surface to melt the pins. I'm a little curious as to why they recommend this rather than glueing. I don't see what the problem would be with glueing those bits as I don't think it's going to impede any movement. I'm assuming there's something I'm missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 The 48th scale Italeri kit has the same idea. No idea why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 Glue might weaken or dry out over time, and the pin might drop out. By flattening the pin in it's socket, you would get a secure lock. Of course, that is based on older glues. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 4, 2020 Author Share Posted October 4, 2020 Went to paint the grey bits on the wings yesterday. I don't have anything in my small paint stock that really matches so figured I'd try and darken dark sea grey a bit. And this is why I don't like mixing paint, always need multiple coats, but chances of getting the same colour second/third time round? Non existent. The finish on this looks awful 😔 might be due to mixing Matt black and gloss grey? So I've sanded that back, time to think again. Might primer the wings and go from there. The grey primer I have might actually work... On the plus side, spent a nervous half hour sawing away at the nosewheel leg, and I think I've successfully shortened it 👍 Slowly, slowly... Al 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 6, 2020 Author Share Posted October 6, 2020 Got the grey bits round the wing sweep painted. Had a eureka moment when I was considering how to get the right grey, having tried (and failed) to darken RAF Dar Sea Grey with black - what's the best way to make grey? Black and white, of course!! Really wonder how I've made it this far in life sometimes 🤣 Also got myself a yoghurt pot and some clingfilm so I could keep the mixture wet and be able to do second coat - genius! Still looks quite dark, but I think when there's camo on there it'll not be as obvious (fingers crossed!). Its actually quite hard finding photo evidence of these areas on came GR.1s. Some photos seem to show that it's a light grey, almost silver, on others its not even obvious that there is any grey there at all! Also had an attempt at mixing the colour that Revell recommend for the thrust reverser cans and base of the fin. 35/65 mixture of leather brown and aluminium - I don't have leather brown, so used the only brown I had. Whilst I quite like the colour I ended up with, not convinced that its particularly realistic. Another excuse to thumb through the Tornado books 🙂 Going back a few steps, I got the u/c bays glued in by clamping one side at a time. I had hoped that that, along with mating the top and bottom would sort out my warping problem. Unfortunately not.. Going to have a problem with the join to the forward fuselage, I think. Have tried bracing a piece of sprue on the LHS (as you look at it) to push that side down, but that also makes the other side worse. Quite a noticeable step around the gun port on that side as well 😡 On a slightly different note - how does everyone go about sanding filler down and not removing the surface detail? I'm using Humbrol filler but struggling to sand it particularly well (as you can see from above!). I'm using wet and dry paper at the moment... Cheers, Al. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 Bit the bullet last night and attached the forward fuselage. The result's not great, sadly. The join is crappy all the way round, particularly top of the spine and the lower fuselage as below. I'm going to have to do some kind of surgery to make that indentation line up again 😞 Also dry fitted one of the intakes, but it was a very tight fit due to the fuselage problem and has slightly split the wing glove join. Not sure I'm going to be able to get it out of there again to sand the wing glove down a bit and make more room. Not very impressed at this point, unfortunately.. Maybe its just as well its going to be a dry weekend and I have some paving to lay... Al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 Any way you can get the intake off and refit it after some trimming? For the sanding I can recommend a sanding block to provide a flat surface behind your paper to ensure smoother blends but sadly the lost detail only returns from re-scribing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 17 hours ago, Col. said: Any way you can get the intake off and refit it after some trimming? For the sanding I can recommend a sanding block to provide a flat surface behind your paper to ensure smoother blends but sadly the lost detail only returns from re-scribing. I had a go at getting the intake off, but couldn't. Need to have another go, though. You're right, a trim of the wing glove is ideally needed. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share Posted October 18, 2020 Been struggling with this build in the last week or so. The amount of filler needed around the fuselage join is horrible. I went to build the drop tanks (hindenberger, of course - they just look the business!) and the join on those is almost as bad - more filler 😠 In the interests of path of least resistance, I was planning on doing the airbrakes closed. Until I tried to fit one of them! On the plus side, the BOZ pod went together pretty well 🤣 I've ordered some sanding sticks to see if they are easier to work with on my join - fingers crossed! Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128fiddler Posted October 20, 2020 Share Posted October 20, 2020 For the airbrakes, cut out the interior, except for some small tabs, which you can use for controling the flushness with the surrounding surfaces. I do tend to glue these shut before I close the fuselage, as i could poke 'm out again if they are too deep 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 20, 2020 Author Share Posted October 20, 2020 49 minutes ago, 128fiddler said: For the airbrakes, cut out the interior, except for some small tabs, which you can use for controling the flushness with the surrounding surfaces. I do tend to glue these shut before I close the fuselage, as i could poke 'm out again if they are too deep Thanks for that tip, I'll have a look. There's a lot of fiddling involved in this kit, isn't there? Wasn't prepared for that! Was spoiled by my previous couple of kits, I guess (Fujimi Phantom and Airfix Vampire). Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128fiddler Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Indeed great looking kit on the sprue, but like you say... I have (motivational) troubles at the moment to get these intakes looking like they should. The inside is quite laughable, with the most visible sidewall having the indent where the airflow devider between fuse and intake situates. Then there should be some sort of a shock cone on the inner upper corner, and the actuator fairings for the aux air intake doors... pfff 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 48 minutes ago, 128fiddler said: Indeed great looking kit on the sprue, but like you say... I have (motivational) troubles at the moment to get these intakes looking like they should. The inside is quite laughable, with the most visible sidewall having the indent where the airflow devider between fuse and intake situates. Then there should be some sort of a shock cone on the inner upper corner, and the actuator fairings for the aux air intake doors... pfff 😊 I've just got some sanding sticks which has transformed my ability to clean up some of this stuff. Can't believe I've never used them until now! Still a lot of work to do, though. But maybe feeling slightly more motivated 🤞 Your comment about the intakes reminds me. There's a ramp in there which seems to fit really badly. Doesn't reach the top of the intake, which seems odd.. meant to try and check some pictures but never not round to it. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128fiddler Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 The ramp could be fitted to the U-shaped half of the intake without to much problems it seems. I then filled the space on the inner intake half and afterwards sanded away the extra plastic on the ramp. That makes it rather good, but now the scratchbuilding for some extra detail is holding me off a bit... 🙂 I'll try and post some pics in my dhahran topic today, if I find the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Although it may not seem it this is progressing. Hope that you have got the intakes sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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