LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Now following on, Time for an episode Tales from Shelf Crypt of Doom. Be warned this build is not for the faint of heart, weak willed , or knobby kneed. If I can finish this it will be a tale you can tell your Grandchildren,... and mightily bored they'll be. But anywho, I started this 7-8 years ago and stopped almost immediately realized I couldn't figure out how to do some of the aspects of the aircraft that I wanted. After many sleepless nights, quaffing a lot of legal beverages, some cypherin', and a little bit of practice building vacs, though probably not enough🤪 I've decided to take the plunge and get this plane built. I did actually get this from Combat models complete with detail set if it can be called that. That's not actually fair, it is a well produced resin set, just needs some work. Ok, it needs a LOT of work and I'm just whacked enough to try and bash this into some semblance of a Flying wing. So come on along as we travel down the march hares rabbit hole. Hard to tell what we'll find.Any comments suggestions, general mayhem from all, even the Naughty Corner and the Usual Subjects will be most welcome.  22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Looks interesting will tag along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 You, sir, are totally out of control. I built Italeri’s 1/72 kit a while back, it’s a big aircraft. I can’t imagine building a 1/48 scale one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Want. Want. Want. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 First step, check the instructions..... That doesn't quite look right... Thats better.... maybe. Heck with it, I don need no stinkin instructshins. What will be attempted in this build will be displaying the flaps, and elevons in extended position, stuffas much of the interior in as I can, detail out the landing gear and bays along with opening up the bomb bays. I'm also going to use Bare metal foil for the surface as opposed using Alcad . After removing said pieces I'm filling in all the panel lines, they're nothing but deep canyons in mostly the wrong places. There will be a LOT of sanding on this one. Some of the parts will have to be printed too. At least the leading edge intakes and some of the vents 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 20 minutes ago, Marklo said: Looks interesting will tag along. Welcome aboard the more the merrier 16 minutes ago, billn53 said: You, sir, are totally out of control. I built Italeri’s 1/72 kit a while back, it’s a big aircraft. I can’t imagine building a 1/48 scale one! Well it's not a B-36 but it's gonna be close. 15 minutes ago, tomprobert said: Want. Want. Want. If it helps I do have a YB-49 to go with it. But I won't be doing any time soon.. But I may need your input on some parts of this much plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 I did notice Bill that I may have to drag out the holding rack I used on the B-36 wings for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 29 minutes ago, tomprobert said: Want. Want. Want. You know you want to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 55 minutes ago, LorenSharp said: I did notice Bill that I may have to drag out the holding rack I used on the B-36 wings for this one. I was thinking (yes, a dangerous habit) that a large flying wing would make a great wall hanging Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Possibly, it will probably end up in formation I hope, with the -36. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Yikes!! I’m in for the ride!  Good luck, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Welcome aboard Adrian MAke yourself to home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 This will be good to watch!  I can pick up some tips for the vacs my stash... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 5, 2021 Author Share Posted March 5, 2021 Welcome aboard dnl42. Make yourself comfortable. I don't know if the tips will be worthy but they will be different. If anything you'll know what NOT to do.🥴 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Well after a day of sanding, sanding , and more sanding with the obligatory fine dust coating everything I have one side of the wing sanded down. not perfect, mind you but close enough at this stage to continue on with the interior bracing. I'll give everything a finish coat of glazing then polish everything down as much as possible. In addition to the canyon sized panel lines there are numerous places where the plastic is pitted , probably from debris on the mould during vacuforming, and a few spots that look like running waves. With out the bracing the plastic is too flimsy to do anything further because of size. with this big old piece of plastic its like wrasslin with a floppy fish. Hard to get even pressure for sanding smooth. Also because I want to use foil on this for the metal surface the plastic has to be as stiff as possible. Bare metal foil on an injection made model works great, but if the plastic is thin and bends easily the foil will lose its adhesion and begin to peel off or bubble up. This means I have to strengthen in both directions just like the real thing. just not as many pieces. After marking out how I wanted all the bracing spaced I used my depth gauge to get the curvature as close as possible. Again being big flimsy plastic it took a while to get the curves right. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 From there I transferred the shape to .040 sheet and cut and sanded as accurately as I could. The inside of the wing is about as lumpy as the outside. There is a portion of the leading edge that will be printed out. where the intakes are located. At those spots the bracing didn't extend to the edge of the wing. Then its a matter of measuring the length and height on both side of the cross pieces and cutting the Longitudinal pieces out of .060 stock and gluing into place. I did add a preliminary boxing in of the open bomb bays and the main gear bay. Now its stiff and solid with no give whatsoever. I can box in now for the flaps and elevons. I did make a step error now that I look at it. The inner flaps were a split type and I should have done this from top portion of the wing instead of the bottom. I may have to splice in extensions  for that area. But there you are, not a bad days work although at one point the bench looked like a food fight with flour had taken place.😷 Good thing I had extra masks nearby. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivind Lunde Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 My god. I can understand why this is back on the shelf of doom, but I admire your guts taking it on in the first place. Hope you find the time and energy to continue this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 More like lack of build space has kept me from getting back to it more than anything else. I still have a Privateer restoration to finish before I'll have the space to be able to get back to it fully, But never fear there will be updates soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 Looking forward to this competing!  I've got a 1/48 N-9M and this is the perfect tutorial considering the N-9M is a parent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 Â I built the Sword version long time ago. Is it the Wings N-9M Vac? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 2 minutes ago, LorenSharp said: I built the Sword version long time ago. Is it the Wings N-9M Vac? Yes, it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 Cool, If anything I'm doing here will help in your build ,I'm glad to help.  I've got several of the Wings48 in the stash that I may get to one of these years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 Looking good Loren.  So the age old debate over wether the Hortons or Northrop were first with a flying wing.  Bit like was it Germany or Britain first with a jet engine.  All I know is that this will be one impressive beast!  Good work so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorenSharp Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 And progressing about as fast as the original article. In fact I'm working out what the next build steps should be, which is ironic since it's "only" just a wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueYeti Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 I'm ready to watch ! 🤓 Amazing !   Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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