1/32 Sea Gladiator N5567 HMS Eagle 1940

[iang]

One of the projects I started in lock-down 3.0 is ICM's 1/32 Sea Gladiator.  I've been meaning to start a build log, so here is progress so far. I have an asthmatic in the house, and use enamel paint, so spraying indoors is out of the question. I'll need to wait for better weather before any paint goes on.   I decided that I wanted to use this opportunity to dry-fit assemble as much of the model as possible, in preparation for disassembly and a primer coat when the weather warms up. I'm also using the Eduard photo-etch sets, AIMS etch set and Aerocraft Models brass struts and landing gear.

 

Although overall this looks to be a really outstanding kit, there are a few areas of  the depiction of the cockpit that I do not like:

 

1. The cockpit behind the seat has been blanked off. The real aircraft had an open structure behind the seat bulkhead.

2. Opening up the area behind the seat bulkhead means that the cockpit framing needs extending aft, and this area needs detailing as it is very visible.

3. The seat seems crude.

 

 

 

I started with the seat. This is the AIMS photo-etch seat with brass details and coil springs made from wire. I soldered this mainly, though the brass rods and coil springs are glued.  I still need to add the brake lever:

 

 

I prefer the AIMS seat to the Eduard one, though the latter isn't bad.

 

 

 

I built the extension to the cockpit from plastic tube and strip. The compressed air bottles are from the spares box with lead leads:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The support for the harness strap wires is from Eduard and fits like a glove. Various knobs and levers are a combination of AIMS and Eduard.

 

 

And with the seat assembly resting roughly in place:

 

 

 

That's all for now....

[bigbadbadge]

Wow this is great two Sea Gladiators being built, we are being spoiled. Great start the seat looks fantastic with the extra details and so does the extended cockpit framing etc.

Is that support that goes to the rear canopy section broken ?

Great job

Chris

[Marklo]

I too have an asthmatic in house, but I use acrylics and invested in a portable spray booth ( granted at €120 a fairly large size investment) but so long as they’re not actually in the room airbrushing is no longer a problem.

[iang]

I just hate acrylics, but it sounds as if you have a system that works for you. I'm happy to wait for a sunny day to spray outside, though I am backing up quite a few builds in the queue.

[iang]

2 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

 

Is that support that goes to the rear canopy section broken ?

 

No, it rests on a ledge on the rearmost cockpit bulkhead. I fitted the cockpit into the fuselage then attached the support, but only glued one end.

[bigbadbadge]

 

1 minute ago, iang said:

No, it rests on a ledge on the rearmost cockpit bulkhead. I fitted the cockpit into the fuselage then attached the support, but only glued one end.

Phew,  I thought it had broken. I don't get on with acrylics either.

Chris

 

[iang]

I added some details from the Eduard and AIMS set to the fuselage interior and fitted the insert for the arrestor hook, landing gear struts and the cowling insert.

 

I didn't particularly like either the Eduard or AIMS etch for the cockpit doors, so used only parts of the photo-etch sets inconjunction with plastic strip for the ribbing, which gives a better 3D representation in my view.

 

 

 

You can see from this photo how much space there is behind the seat bulkhead. There is a radio set to be fitted at a later stage.

 

I also struggled with the access panels on the port fuselage side. AIMS provide nice looking replacements in photo-etch, which involves scrapping off those moulded on the kit. However, despite several attempts I could not get the AIMS replacements to conform to the fuselage ribbing contours in a convincing way. I took them off and used plastic strip and photo-etch fastener heads instead. On my next build, I think I'll just settle for those moulded on the kit.

 

[bigbadbadge]

That looks Fab, you have done a grand job on the doors and the access panels too. It is great to know that the fit is good too for when I build mine.

Great work 

Chris

[mick b]

2 hours ago, iang said:

 

I also struggled with the access panels on the port fuselage side. AIMS provide nice looking replacements in photo-etch, which involves scrapping off those moulded on the kit. However, despite several attempts I could not get the AIMS replacements to conform to the fuselage ribbing contours in a convincing way. I took them off and used plastic strip and photo-etch fastener heads instead. On my next build, I think I'll just settle for those moulded on the kit.

 

 

Hi Ian, perhaps some gentle annealing of the etch would have helped them conform?

 

Excellent work so far and very informative, I am tempted to get one! 😀

 

Mike

[iang]

Mike,

You are probably right. I didn't anneal them, though I did think of this after I had removed them. I still have the parts and may try this for my next build (I have 3 more of these in the stash). 

 

I've just discovered in the BM walkaround section, a nice picture of the area behind the seat bulkhead, confirming that Eduard got this 100% correct:

 

Clearly the lump of expanded polystyrene detracts, but the photo shows how inaccurate the ICM kit is in this area.

 

[iang]

Moving on to the wings. In preparation for the AIMS photo-etch flat profile rigging wire, a number of holes have to be drilled in the wings (using templates provided) and the lower aileron tabs have to be modified to accept the new replacement resin ailerons:

 

 

The replacement ailerons are a snug fit as can be seen from the above photo. Drilling the holes for the bracing wires was a reasonably time consuming job - mainly because as I'm sure precision is key here.

 

I also decided to use the Aerocraft Models brass struts and landing gear, The struts are straightforward replacements for the plastic items and require minimal clean-up, once removed from the pouring stub. Whether these replacements are actually necessary or not is another question. The plastic items look pretty good to me, but having brass struts does mean that the resulting model appears sturdier. Aligning the struts - whether plastic or brass - requires a small jig. The struts should be angled at 60 degrees and having cut a plastic card jig at this angle, I attached the first brass strut with 5 min epoxy, before moving to slow set cyanoacrylate, which worked better.

 

 

 

The fit of the replacements struts is excellent. I attached the inner fuselage struts by eye with slow set cyanoacrylate and then aligned them on the model with the wings attached.

 

I needed to use faster glue on one strut  and the photo shows the resultant messy application only partially cleaned up.

 

Checking that all the major parts fit before final construction, with no unpleasant surprises:

 

I think that a spar of some sort through the lower wings will help to set the correct dihedral, and there seems to be room under the cockpit to take a spar. 

[bigbadbadge]

Liking your approach creating the sub assemblies.   The struts look good too although I will use the kit ones,  I do have the PE rigging set for mine and will be interested in seeing how you do with them as to whether to use or use an alternative. 

Great job

Chris

[iang]

I've just resurrected this thread, updating the dead photo links etc. and changing the subject of the model. Progress has been made recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't seem to have saved any photos of the painted cockpit. I removed the Aerocraft struts for convenience as i'll go over the paintwork with a micro sanding sponge to remove dust when the paint has fully cured before post shading - there is no pre-shading applied to the model.  All painted with Colourcoat enamels and a Badger 200.

 

I used a least one photo of N5567 in my book, but have since discovered several new ones including one very clear photo taken from the rear starboard quarter. The Light Slate Grey/Dark Sea Grey shadow shading appears to have been applied to the rear fuselage and tailplanes (Admiralty instructions called for Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey in these areas).

 

More later in the week hopefully.