Dunny Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 Hi All, Some good progress today. I eventually found the gunsight components. Special Hobby (those little Czech tinkers) call out components G16 & 17: The components are actually C16 & 17 - no biggie but I was headscratching for a good few minutes Here's the sight in position - I used some clear packaging material to donate the lens, fixed in position with a dab of Krystal Kleer: Finally I was in a position to button up the fuselage after dryfitting a few times to ensure location was all good (it was - there are no location pegs): Here's the arrestor hook mount fitted in position with no issues: And here's the tailwheel doors fitted - for all these components fitting is vague so dry fit everything! Next I moved on to the wing. First job was to fix the resin undercarriage bays into position using CA. Here they are, in all their loveliness: The port wing has an opening for a landing light but curiously no light is provided. Not to worry - I knocked up a housing using plastic card: Once painted silver this was just fine. For the lens itself I chopped a length of transparent sprue, played it over a flame to 'dome' the end, then razor sawed it to length. I then polished the flat rear surface and painted it silver, then applied a frame in black paint to the front of the lens. This is the final result - not unhappy with that: The fit of the wings was making me nervous, so after much fiddling and procrastinating I decided to fix the bottom wing in position first. Here it is: And here's the top wings in position along with the empennage and the glazing - definitely looking like a Firefly now! For all the vagueness the fit is actually pretty good and only the odd smear of filler has been required. After a final cleanup I'll get a coat of primer on, but that's a job for next time. Thanks for looking, Roger 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahavelona Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Really nice neat job on this. Cockpit detail and painting look fantastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 30 minutes ago, mahavelona said: Really nice neat job on this. Cockpit detail and painting look fantastic. Thanks for the kind words - much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Oh wow this has come together quickly Roger and looks great. Greatvwork on the Landing light too. Got out my SH mk5 for a look and may be able to get yhst started soon. Will be an Australian machine too. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 10 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Oh wow this has come together quickly Roger and looks great. Greatvwork on the Landing light too. Got out my SH mk5 for a look and may be able to get yhst started soon. Will be an Australian machine too. Chris Thanks Chris - look forward to seeing an Aussie MkV (even though I'm a Pom 🤣) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Ha ha Sorry about that, I wrongly assumed you were Australian!!! I should know this from work, never assume anything!!! It's hopefully going to be a T5. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 21 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Ha ha Sorry about that, I wrongly assumed you were Australian!!! I should know this from work, never assume anything!!! It's hopefully going to be a T5. Chris Chris, Lived here for 15 years, citizen for 10 but still English when it comes to cricket! Look forward to the T5, Cheers, Roger 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 15 years crikey, i don't envy you guys out there at all!!! Not sure about a WIP yet. Although you made me start the Spitfire WIP again!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 24 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: 15 years crikey, i don't envy you guys out there at all!!! Not sure about a WIP yet. Although you made me start the Spitfire WIP again!!! Chris Ha ha - that's a result in itself! We do live in a beautiful part of the world, although the last bushfires were too close for comfort. No such problems in the Garden of England! Cheers, Roger 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Just bloomin windy here, outside that is!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 Hi All, Some good progress today. First task was masking of the glazing. I couldn't get hold of a mask set so tried my hand with Tamiya tape. A bit more fiddly and time-consuming, but not a bad result. I did later realise that the triangular sections at the front end of the observer's glazing should be painted over, but I'll deal with that later: Next the removable sections were held in place with blu-tac, and sprayed with a cost of interior green: Next a coat of primer. This showed up a couple of seams that needed work, and also a rather prominent mis-match at the wing roots: That was soon dealt with. I then preshaded with Nato Black - this shot is slightly out of sequence as I forgot to take a photo, so you can see that I've started to mask over the Sky: And here's the Sky - this was trial by paint as I just cannot get AK Interactive's Sky to spray well, but have not found a water-based acrylic alternative (I don't do lacquers): Once I'd finished masking up I sprayed the Dark Slate Grey, which was a pleasure after the Sky! 😃 I did add a little Mid-Stone to introduce a little variation, but I'm not going to heavily weather this aircraft: I then masked up for the Extra Dark Sea Grey: With the EDSG I added a little white to lighten after the main coat. After spraying I thought it looked a bit overcooked so I over-sprayed with a heavily thinned coat of the 'original' colour. Here's the result after a gloss coat: The transfers are nice and thin and in register. This happened after many applications of Micro-Sol: It's settling down as we speak but is still rather lumpy - hmmm. And here's the state of play with all the transfers in place: Next up, another gloss coat and then Flory wash, but I'll let those roundels settle down first! Thanks for looking, Roger 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Phwoar she is a beauty in paint Roger, great work and quick too. I do have a liking for the type. I got time yesterday to cut off and clean up the resin bits for the T5 off two kits. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 15 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Phwoar she is a beauty in paint Roger, great work and quick too. I do have a liking for the type. I got time yesterday to cut off and clean up the resin bits for the T5 off two kits. Chris I agree Chris - there's a definite pugnacity and attitude to her shape, Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsaircorp Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Hello Roger. Good progress, but you talked about a disaster ... What has happened... Not a drop I hope ?? CC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 16 minutes ago, corsaircorp said: Hello Roger. Good progress, but you talked about a disaster ... What has happened... Not a drop I hope ?? CC A terrible transfer tragedy Alain - all to be revealed tomorrow! I did save the day heroically though, so all is good! Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Just picked up on this one. That Firefly is coming along very nicely Roger. Must add a Firefly or two to my stash! Terry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 10 hours ago, Terry1954 said: Just picked up on this one. That Firefly is coming along very nicely Roger. Must add a Firefly or two to my stash! Terry Thanks for the kind words Terry - much appreciated! I can certainly recommend the Special Hobby kit, Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Hi All, Following a reasonably extensive time to allow the port wing roundel to sort itself out after gallons of Microsol, I ended up here: I have never seen a transfer remain in this state after Micro-Sol (all the others conformed perfectly), so I can only assume there was some sort of reaction with the paint/gloss coat. Never one to shy away from a good bit of bear poking, a bit of careful probing soon got me to this I cleaned this mess up as best I could, rescribed the panel lines, and sourced a suitably-sized replacement from the spares box. There is a slight colour mismatch but I think I've been brave enough for one day, so I'll live with that Once the replacement had settled down I applied another gloss coat, and then a Flory wash - here's the result post-Flory: And after cleanup and a flat coat: Want a closer look? It's far from perfect, but I'm calling that a save! Finally here's the state of play after removal of all the masks: Looking like a Firefly now! Thanks for looking, Roger 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nachtwulf Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 I'd call that a great save! I've seen markings on real aircraft that look rougher than that. I like what you've done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Me too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Nachtwulf said: I'd call that a great save! I've seen markings on real aircraft that look rougher than that. I like what you've done! 8 minutes ago, Biggles87 said: Me too Thanks gents! Much appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 Hi All, Another good day today (a bit of leave - yay!) First order of business was undercarriage - I had to replace the starboard undercarriage cylinder rod with some brass tube as it had snapped: This aircraft took place in Operation Mascot, and supposedly this was the first deployment of 1770 Sqn from HMS Indefatigable. I've therefore chosen to do very little weathering, just a little exhaust staining (happily missing the squadron crest 🤩) Next was the prop, which comprises individual blades mounted onto a hub. The MkI used the earlier 3-blade propellor: The kit didn't provide for the front antenna, so no problem - just used a length of stretched sprue and drilled a 0.7mm location hole in the cowling to accept it. I then rigged the antenna with Uschi Fine. 's I then fitted the wing position lights and remaining glazing. As per @Grey Beema's suggestion (cheers GB!) I put in an extra fold in the Observer's canopy. I also shamelessly stole borrowed his idea of an opening handle, fashioned from 0.5mm brass tube: Aaaaand I'm calling her done. Here's a teaser shot - will add more photos in an RFI: Thanks for looking, Roger 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Looks absolutely wonderful, Great work Roger. I love all FAA subjects. Will have to do mine one day soon. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Well, nice done. I did it with the wing fold. This is my challange for all carier based a/c. An idea for the future. If you need photos for wing folds, or technical adsvise, so let me know. Happy modelling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunny Posted September 21, 2020 Author Share Posted September 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, dov said: Well, nice done. I did it with the wing fold. This is my challange for all carier based a/c. An idea for the future. If you need photos for wing folds, or technical adsvise, so let me know. Happy modelling Thanks for the kind words - I may well do a BPF version and I quite fancy folded wings! Cheers, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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