Aeroclub Felixstowe F.2a 1/72 ++ FINISHED ++

[PeterB]

Hi Ray,

 

Yes the Aeroglub guns are rather nice but I have plenty including ones on a Foster Mount - just sent Pat my only set of the jacketed ones I think. Back in 1994 they were only 60p for a bag of two - remrkably good value even in those days! The offer stands and you know how to contact me if the need ever arises.

 

Pete

[Ray S]

Today was another 'crunch time' for this model! It was time to take the biscuit, bite the bullet and pull the dog by it's tail, and cut out the top decking excess plastic. Over the last few days I had been tentatively scribing along the line for it to part company from the fuselage trying to make it a little easier. I started this process again with quite a bit of care, I was really not too sure how well the fuselage had glued together and I did not want it falling apart. The scriber slipped! I managed to gouge quite a canyon on the port side of the fuselage. I said 'Oops' and quite bravely carried on. Nothing fazes a keen modeller...

 

Once I had cut it out successfully, I could not resist dry fitting my interiors into the fuselage:

 

 

The crew seat bench was one casualty, it fell out fairly quickly in the process, and the bulkhead also started to come adrift. You can probably see why I left the excess in situ to begin with because, as there is no underside except aft of the planing surface, there would have been minimal area to glue to get the halves together. Cutting out the cockpit opening in the raised top decking was fun too, there was not much plastic to keep between the front and back under the opening. I have pared it back as best I can, but the rest will be done when it is fitted. I cannot do that until the lower wing has been added.

 

Speaking of which, I have also got the underside wing ribs painted with Humbrol 110 Natural Wood. I am glad I have a plastic ruler with a hand grip running along the back of it, it makes a great handhold to keep the wing straight and untouched while painting it. I belatedly remembered to put some masking tape on the ruler so I could still use it as such later!

 

 

That will come in especially useful for when I do the upper wing as it is considerably longer than the lower one. I have to decide what colour to do the underside. They were Clear Doped Linen, and Roden suggest Humbrol 74 (Linen), while Wingnut Wings suggested Humbrol 28 (Camouflage Grey). Whichever I use, I am hoping to get the coats brush painted on so the ribs still show through slightly.

 

Then it was time for dry fitting again:

 

 

I was pleased that with the bulkhead and interiors dry fitted, the wings went into place with minimal readjustment, and that the planing bottom fitted too. There will need to be remedial action for the nose. I cannot help thinking that because I will be doing plastic surgery on the nose, I should go to Harley Street...

 

A few things I must remember before I glue that lower wing in: I must drill the strut location holes (already marked), drill out the rigging holes, to work out where the dihedral starts (it is marked on the plan but they are not scaled the same as the plane) and also how to fix that dihedral. In the Rareplane's Gotha GIV I was given recently, they suggested scoring the underside of the wing, bending it to the right angle, and flooding the score line with liquid glue to hold it. That does sound familiar from the old, ancient days when I did one of those before.

 

That is it for now,

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Ray

[Marklo]

On 4/3/2021 at 2:41 PM, Ray S said:

Whichever I use, I am hoping to get the coats brush painted on so the ribs still show through slightly.

If you’re brush painting I’d mix it with some clear varnish and a bit of thinners and use a large synthetic brush. Possibly worth experimenting a bit beforehand.

 

I love the build btw.

[Ray S]

Hello all! There has not been much going on with this over the last couple of days. I was stuck concerning building in the dihedral on the wing. Aeroclub suggested 'bending' the wing which did not seem a good idea to me (it may well be okay!). I chose to score on the break line and flooded the joint with liquid glue, then taped the wing down to a solid surface, while propping up the wing tips to get the angle. If it does not work, I will leave it as-is.

 

 

I am leaving that to set overnight now.

 

In other news, I have glued in the mid upper gunner's floor and refitted (again!) the bulkhead, hopefully it will stick this time. I have also drilled out the strut location holes in the lower wing, and am deciding which rigging line points to drill out later before I attach the wing to the fuselage.

 

I know it is short and sweet, more soon with luck!

 

Thanks for looking, Ray

[Ray S]

Hello all. I have had a very productive day today. I used my new-found(!) skills with the computer and produced an instrument panel which was not far out from the right size and fitted it to some 20 thou card with PVA - probably not the best thing, some of the ink has smeared but I can only see the problem when I have my magnifiers on!

 

 

You cannot really tell it was the Wingnut Wings instruction manual decal placement diagram complete with lines showing what transfers go where! I sanded the top edge to a slight curve and added it to the underside of the top decking:

 

 

I will need to add a mounting post on the left hand side later when I get the floor ready to fit. Aeroclub supplied the control columns in white metal. They had been bent, but I found out that white metal is really soft so it bent back nicely. The colours are WNW suggestions. I think I maybe should have cleaned the columns up a little more, but in actual size they look fine:

 

 

I have also added a bit more detail into the interior floor pan area; a couple of rudder pedals (they are about right in position as I used a pilot from the Airfix Be12c to judge how far away they should be), and I also added a rudimentary bar to allow for the future fitting of a backrest for the 2nd pilot (port said) - he only had what looked like a canvas backrest to lean against!

 

 

I have put a couple of 'cushions' on the seat board, and the wide lap belts were made from 2mm tape:

 

 

Dry-fitting the floor pan in and it all fits (amazingly):

 

 

I have marked where the control columns go, they must fit in between the rudder pedals and the seats. Not much will be seen once the top decking goes on though.

 

 

The nose area is still not glued yet, it will need some work, and the front of the top decking will be pulled down to the fuselage when I do glue it, the gap is not that bad. The top deck will be glued once the wing is fitted, but before the interior, as that will give me chance to get the needle files in to clean up the cockpit surround.

 

Thanks for looking, I am really enjoying this kit, thanks Aeroclub!

 

Cheers,

 

Ray

[Ray S]

Hello all.

 

I have drilled out the rigging holes on the lower wing today for a 'simplified' rig (still bloomin' complex) and taken the plunge and fitted the wing. I had a lovely twenty minutes while I was trying to get the Revell Contacta and the Humbrol liquid poly glues to come out of their metal tubes - I used both only yesterday and they were fine then. At one point I was seriously wondering if they were telling me not to commit yet!

 

 There was a little bit of coercion needed:

 

 

You can see why I have not attached the planing surface yet...

 

 

... and why I have not glued the nose either just yet. Doing it this way has helped me get the top decking on and reasonably flush with the fuselage sides, but some filler will be needed. The clamp hides another area which needs filler - the rear join of top deck to fuselage.

 

I will be leaving this to set now, so I am back off to do some to a Twin Otter I am using as my 'relaxation' from this. I was going to do a nice, easy kit but have ended up modifying the Twotter's cockpit windows and built an interior!

 

Thanks for looking and putting up with my rambling,

 

Ray

[Marklo]

17 minutes ago, Ray S said:

I had a lovely twenty minutes while I was trying to get the Revell Contacta and the Humbrol liquid poly glues to come out of their metal tubes

I have a length of .5mm brass rod for this. I trend to run it through the metal tube first every time rather than fiddling with the bottle to try to get it to come out.

 

Great build so far.

[Ray S]

2 minutes ago, Marklo said:

I have a length of .5mm brass rod for this. I trend to run it through the metal tube first every time rather than fiddling with the bottle to try to get it to come out.

 

Great build so far.

 

So do I! I might have cut it a bit short - it is still longer than the tube, but I did not leave enough to hold the rod in pliers - the number of times I have given myself a brass rod injection in a finger or thumb when I have tried to break through a glue blockage... I must remember that pressure increases in direct relationship to force used and size of rod - the smaller the more painful it is!

 

Cheers and thanks for the suggestion to do that EVERY time I use it - I only tended to use the rod when thinks were gummed up first.

 

Ray

[Jonners]

7 hours ago, Ray S said:

I was trying to get the Revell Contacta and the Humbrol liquid poly glues to come out of their metal tubes

I keep a small coil of fine 'top E' steel guitar string for that very purpose: fine enough to fit down the narrow tube, stiff enough to do the job and coiled to make it easy to hold without risking a puncture wound! Get yourself one and you'll wonder how you ever managed without it...

 

This is looking great, Ray. I've occasionally thought about buying one myself, as it would be so much more satisfying to build than the injection alternative, but I haven't yet taken the plunge. I may well do so at some point, though, as you are providing me with plenty of inspiration! It will look superb when it is finished - ungainly and yet elegant at the same time. Love it.

 

Jon

[PeterB]

I too have various coils of piano wire in several thicknesses which I use for modelling and I also find it good for freeing up glue nozzles amongst many other things loke whip aerials on planes and the thicker ones on tanks!

 

Pete

Edited April 9, 2021 by PeterB

[CliffB]

I'm just catching up again with this one Ray.  You're doing a fantastic job .

 

I should have the parts for a Roden beaching trolley in my spares box (assuming I haven't scrounged them for something else), which you'd be welcome too if they would be of use.  I think the rules allow for the addition of a few injection moulded bits .

[ColonelKrypton]

14 hours ago, Jonners said:

I keep a small coil of fine 'top E' steel guitar string for that very purpose: fine enough to fit down the narrow tube, stiff enough to do the job and coiled to make it easy to hold without risking a puncture wound! Get yourself one and you'll wonder how you ever managed without it..

 

You can buy a cheap set of guitar strings for not too much or ask a friend who plays a guitar for their cast strings and if that all fails you can get what is referred to as 3d nozzle cleaning kits. These contain what look like bits of guitar string in short lengths having their own storage tube. Here is an example; search and you will find many more, some very inexpensive:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Tangxi-Cleaning-Ultimaker-Makerbot-Flashforge/dp/B07S35PN8Q/ref=sr_1_32

 

cheers, Graham 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Ray, I am not a member of tge GB so hope you don't mind me posting but, have caught up with this build in between some chores.  I am very impressed with this it is fantastic work you are doing and looks great.  I often see these on Ebay and the thought of a Vacform kit of the type frightens the heck out of me (Although I have just cut the fuselage sections for my Aeroclub Anson).  When I look at my Roden kit I keep getting it out of the stash for a look and put back again.   Maybe this will help,  thank you.

Chris

[stevehed]

Great work so far Ray. The Roden seems to be prone to lower wing droop but I see this one has a centre section which I would imagine will provide more support. As for glue hardening in the metal delivery tubes I have a simple solution but as no one has mentioned it I'm wondering if I'm doing something terribly wrong. I heat the tip of the tube with a lighter flame. The glue burns off and normal service resumes.

[JOCKNEY]

12 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Hi Ray, I am not a member of tge GB so hope you don't mind me posting but, have caught up with this build in between some chores.  I am very impressed with this it is fantastic work you are doing and looks great.  I often see these on Ebay and the thought of a Vacform kit of the type frightens the heck out of me (Although I have just cut the fuselage sections for my Aeroclub Anson).  When I look at my Roden kit I keep getting it out of the stash for a look and put back again.   Maybe this will help,  thank you.

Chris

 

I know exactly what you mean Chris but every time I see a Felixstowe completed I kick myself that I haven't built my own. 

 

Time for a Felixstowe STGB ?

 

Cheers Pat 

[bigbadbadge]

7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

 

I know exactly what you mean Chris but every time I see a Felixstowe completed I kick myself that I haven't built my own. 

 

Time for a Felixstowe STGB ?

 

Cheers Pat 

Yes likewise Pat, oooooo an STGB would be good.  I think we might struggle with numbers though!!!.  

I will do it one day soon, honest!!!

Chris

[Mjwomack]

On 4/10/2021 at 7:16 AM, CliffB said:

I'm just catching up again with this one Ray.  You're doing a fantastic job .

 

I should have the parts for a Roden beaching trolley in my spares box (assuming I haven't scrounged them for something else), which you'd be welcome too if they would be of use.  I think the rules allow for the addition of a few injection moulded bits .

This MB is such a friendly place, that's a very generous offer and well under the 25% IM allowance so very allowed.

[Marklo]

12 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Time for a Felixstowe STGB ?

I would agree but my Sopwith proposal and the Fokker one are so slow seeing as how the Felixstowe is fairly obscure, I don’t reckon you’d get anywhere near to thirty  entrants.

Maybe a WWI flying boat/floatplane would get more traction?

 

hint, hint

Edited April 12, 2021 by Marklo

[Ray S]

On 4/10/2021 at 7:16 AM, CliffB said:

I'm just catching up again with this one Ray.  You're doing a fantastic job .

 

I should have the parts for a Roden beaching trolley in my spares box (assuming I haven't scrounged them for something else), which you'd be welcome too if they would be of use.  I think the rules allow for the addition of a few injection moulded bits .

 

Hello Cliff, thank you very much for the offer. I will see how I get on first if you do not mind, but I will send you a PM if I go for it. It will certainly be better than trying to scratch build one.

 

Thanks again for the kindness,

 

Ray

[Ray S]

Hello all.

 

I have now started the filling process. The first area I needed to deal with was the aft section where the top decking met the rear fuselage. There was quite a gap and a bit of a step. I glued in some plastic scrap which would then allow filler to stay put rather than fall through. I used Perfect Plastic Putty, but it is probably not the best stuff to use for this. I did not want to use Squadron filler as it might have eaten through some of the thinner plastic. I needed three or four applications before I got something I was reasonably happy with.

 

I then reverted to the cockpit, and added the co-pilot seat back. It was rather flimsy, a bit like having one of the wide lap belts to support your back. I made mine from two thicknesses of Aizu tape and secured it with some CA:

 

 

The control columns were fitted across the fuselage (after test fitting and minor adjustment), and then the cockpit interior was fitted very carefully. Thankfully it all went in okay, and the distances between seats, pedals and controls seem okay to me. I added some bracing underneath the flooring to try and secure it to the sides of the fuselage and prevent it falling off later. The flooring was glued to the fuselage framework I had added early in the build, so there was not much glue area. My new-found regimen of clearing out the glue nozzle whenever I first use it for the day is helping out very nicely, so thanks for the advice.

 

I let that set for a while, and then closed up the underside of the fuselage. I do not think I sanded the planing surface quite thin enough, but I will try and adjust things when it is set.

 

 

 

The problems I had at the nose can be easily seen now, that was MY fault, not Aeroclub's, I got the sanding wrong. That probably would not have happened if the Felixstowe was an aircraft where the fuselage could have been moulded completely in two halves and could have been sanded on a board in one go. I added some plastic card behind the nose which will act as a key for filler later. The mould is a bit thicker there, so I will probably use the Squadron filler, or try Milliput. You can also see another step I am going to have to deal with in front of the cockpit area.

 

 

 

Plenty of tape was needed to bring the bits together. It is setting now, so I will see what I can do later when it is ready.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Ray

 

PS, A Felixstowe/WWI Flying Boat/Floatplane Group Build would be good!

[pheonix]

Only just found this one. A Felixtowe as a vacuform must be taking the medium close to its limits. However you are doing absolutely sterling work on this: the scratch built parts are top notch and the extra details inspiring. I will follow more closely in future.  (So many interesting projects in this GB...)

 

I too would vote for a ww1 flying boats/floatplanes GB.

 

P

[Ray S]

@pheonix thank you for your kind words indeed!

 

Well, over the last few days I have been on the fill, sand, fill, sand cycle and got most of the joins sorted out as best I can, just do not look too closely. I was really itching to start slapping some paint on the outside of the Felixstowe, but I had to remember that other things had to be done first.

 

I had already cut and sanded out the smaller parts of this, so I cleaned up the tail fin and prepped it for fitting. Aeroclub suggested adding support aids in the form of plastic rod to help alignment of the tail fin. I managed to drill four .8mm holes into the base and rear of the fin, to allow rod to be inserted. I then added some paint blobs to the pins which would fit into the fuselage and pressed the fin down into position. The wet paint transferred to the fuselage, and I knew where to drill and did so. So simple.

 

Then I drilled two more holes into the fuselage top, because I had mis-aligned the fin in the first place and it had overhung the fuselage at the back, where it should have been flush. Doh! I personally blame my magnifiers because they throw perspective well and truly out, and it was nothing to do with me not following the 'measure twice, drill once' rule, honest! Thankfully, my two errant holes did not interfere with where they should have been, so was able to get the holes in the right place second time around.

 

Today, I was looking after the horizontal tailplanes. I wanted to make the control horns for them and the rudder. I got some 20 thou card and drew out the basic shapes, 5mm high, 2mm wide (I do not know if that is accurate, but they look in keeping) and scored the shapes but left them intact on the sheet. I then drew lines 2mm in from top and bottom, and used the lines as a guide to cut the shapes out.

 

 

 

I have seen some of these made in a different shape, with holes drilled at the ends, but my skills, eyesight and hand-eye coordination do not go that far! I will sand them down and round off the edges later.

 

The tailplanes themselves were moulded in upper and lower halves, with the control surfaces too. I separated the movable sections, which I hope will allow a better chance of cutting out the slots to fit these into. It also showed me that I still needed to thin this section down a little, so I created more dust for my pile.

 

 

I have also cut out the slot to allow the tailplane to slide onto the fin, and the location holes for the three support struts either side have been drilled out, this time, no measuring was required, as their positions were moulded in.  Somehow I managed to retain a sliver of plastic between the rear holes and the edge! The obligatory dry fit shot follows, to see how it is looking at the moment:

 

 

You can probably see where the filler has gone, especially near the nose, mid upper gunner location, and cockpit.

 

I have decided to do something else to this too now. Earlier on, I had added rib tapes to the underside of the lower wing. I have decided to add the 0.7mm Aizu tape to the upper surface of the wings too, along with the tailplanes (upper and lower) and, possibly the rudder, to unify the effect all over the model.

 

Well, that is it for now, thanks for looking and for the comments and likes.

 

Ray

[AdrianMF]

Looks great Ray!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Ray S]

Hello all, I promise you I have not been being lazy, but have still been working on this. Over the last few days I have added the rib tapes to the fixed portions of the tail fin, horizontal tail surfaces and the upper section of the lower wing:

 

 

Those sections have also had a gloss varnish (brush-painted enamel) added, which will hopefully seal the tapes down. I have also ordered more of this Aizu tape in various thicknesses (thinnessises?) as it is so good. And I still have to do the upper and lower top wing, and the movable surfaces not already done. This rib-taping has given me some grief, leaning over and causing backache, and going cross-eyed due to getting close up and personal - and then seeing the filler'd areas still need more work! Ah well, that is why we love modelling so much, isn't it!

 

More soon with luck, and I am now a few days nearer to getting some external paint on!

 

Cheers, Ray

[JOCKNEY]

Looks terrific Ray

 

Cheers Pat