I won't let this Skymaster master me!

[billn53]

This is the WIP that wasn't supposed to be!

 

I recently completed the seventh addition to my collection of Wisconsin Air National Guard aircraft, the OA-37B "Dragonfly"

 

 

which left just two more aircraft to complete my project: the A-10A Thunderbolt II (a.k.a. "Warthog") and the O-1A Cessna Skymaster.

 

I've never been a fan of the Skymaster, mainly because that's the aircraft the Wisconsin ANG was given when their F-102 Delta Daggers were taken away from them. Imagine, going from a supersonic hotrod to a pedestrian, prop-driven general aviation aircraft! But, that's what happened. In 1974 the Wisconsin ANG's 115th Fighter Group converted to the forward air control mission and became the 115th Tactical Air Support Group, trading in their Delta Daggers (top speed: Mach 1.22) for Cessna Skymasters (top speed: 200 mph). The group flew Skymasters until 1979, when they transitioned to the OA-37B "Dragonfly".

 

 

 

My plan was to begin work on the A-10 as my next Wisconsin ANG model. However, a few aftermarket items I had ordered hadn't yet arrived, so I decided to do a quick build of the Airfix Skymaster sitting in my stash. My thought was, being a simple kit, I could get the Skymaster done in a few days (a week at most) and then start on the Warthog. No WIP, just build the Skymaster and post a quick RFI.  Little did I suspect . . .

 

Here's the kit:

 

 

 

Opening the box, I found just what I had expected: a couple of sprues, a few clear parts, a small decal sheet, and rudimentary instructions. I began with the cockpit items.

 

Instrument panel -- not exactly like the real thing, but not much will be visible anyway:

 

   

 

Cockpit. Airfix provides four seats (like the civil version), but the O-1 had only two, plus a boatload of radio equipment in back. I left out the two surplus seats and scratched a representative rack of electronics:

 

  

 

Again, not much will be visible, so I didn't put a bunch of effort into replicating the actual aircraft's interior.

 

I then turned my attention to the fuselage, and that's where things began to go south . . .

 

First off, the clear parts don't fit at all. The windscreen is about 1mm wider than the fuselage, and the openings for all the other clear parts are too large, leaving major gaps around the clear parts.

 

For the windscreen, I was forced to cut it in half and remove enough from the center to let it fit the fuselage. Fortunately, the actual windscreen has a central frame, which I re-created with styrene strip. This not only hid my cut line, but provided extra support for the glue joint. My solution for the two windows in the cabin roof was to cut away the roof, frame in the clear parts, and (later) glue the framed-in windows into the roof:

 

 

 

The O-1 has glazing in the starboard door and forward fuselage to improve downward visibility on the righthand side of the aircraft. Airfix included clear parts for this, but they only vaguely resemble the actual glazing and (like most all the other clear parts) are much smaller than the cutaway they are supposed to fit into:

 

   

 

To correct this, I thought I'd try a technique I found in @Rob K. 's ongoing B-17 build -- namely, use UV-activated clear resin to create the desired windows. I cut away part of the starboard fuselage and replaced it with a styrene panel, in which I had cut the desired window openings. I then put tape on the outside of the panel, filled the inside of the openings with the clear resin, and cured it with a UV lamp:

 

   

 

Not bad, I thought (patting myself on the back). Then I realized, I had put the windows in UPSIDE DOWN ! ! !  

 

So, I had to do it all over again, right-side up this time.

 

   

 

With that embarrassing situation behind me, I was able to close-up the fuselage (not forgetting to put in copious nose weight):

 

    

 

(Note the putty around the side windows, filling the huge gaps caused by Airfix's too-large openings)

 

I also began work on the wings. Each wing comes in top and bottom halves, with a slot for the boom. How Airfix expected anyone to install the booms is beyond me, as there is clear daylight almost everywhere between the booms and their corresponding slots:

 

 

 

I packed the slots with styrene strip until I was able to get a close fit:

 

 

 

The real trick will be assembling the wings and booms so that everything is properly aligned and square. I'll likely need to rig up some kind of jig to help with that.

 

Anyways, that's what I've been about the past couple days. I can't wait for my A-10 items to arrive, so I can begin an easier, more relaxing build!

 

 

[Bandsaw Steve]

Great work. 
 

That trick with the UV glue is a beaut! 👍

[billn53]

1 minute ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

Great work. 
 

That trick with the UV glue is a beaut! 👍

Thanks. Be sure to use the “hard” UV resin, you can polish the hard resin but not the standard stuff. 

[Jackson Duvalier]

6 hours ago, billn53 said:

I've never been a fan of the Skymaster, mainly because that's the aircraft the Wisconsin ANG was given when their F-102 Delta Daggers were taken away from them.

 

Occam's Razor suggests somebody a few rungs up the bureaucratic food chain was miffed at them over who knows what.  

 

Some decades back I saw an article on tape-and-resin windows using clear packing tape and clear two-part casting resin.  I'm curious about what resin and which tape you used-- will just any moderately low-tack tape do or is there some expensive specialist tape required? 

 

This promises to be a fun build (to observe, that is).  One doesn't see many of these on the contest tables.

[billn53]

46 minutes ago, Jackson Duvalier said:

 

Occam's Razor suggests somebody a few rungs up the bureaucratic food chain was miffed at them over who knows what.  

 

Some decades back I saw an article on tape-and-resin windows using clear packing tape and clear two-part casting resin.  I'm curious about what resin and which tape you used-- will just any moderately low-tack tape do or is there some expensive specialist tape required? 

 

This promises to be a fun build (to observe, that is).  One doesn't see many of these on the contest tables.

The rumor was that Wisconsin senator William Proxmire (famous for giving the “Golden Fleece” award to over-priced defense programs) initiated the change in mission as a DoD cost-savings opportunity. 
 

As for the tape question, first time around I used Tamiya yellow, but it created a rough surface on the resin. Second time I used clear packing tape, which was better, but left some adhesive on the resin which I removed with Goo Gone. I also polished with Tamiya polish and clear-coated at the end. 

[perdu]

Now look what you made me do, ordered hard uv activated resin From-azon immediately.

 

Would the resin have worked as a window packing instead of white filler?

 

Anyway the work you're doing on the Skymaster is little short of fabulous, I understand the build isnt what you intended but do you mind me hanging around for more magical trips in the journey?

 

Brilliant start.

[Jackson Duvalier]

40 minutes ago, perdu said:

Would the resin have worked as a window packing instead of white filler?

 

That's a grail question, innit?  Think of something like the nose of an Airfix Hudson, for example, or maybe an Airfix O-2 Cessna?  A hard, clear, sandable filler (that bonds optically with the clear styrene bits) would be just the thing to make the kit parts work as directed without resorting to more heroic measures.  

 

None of my experiments in that direction have ever really worked, but I'll bet Bill can pull it off!  🙂

 

 

1 hour ago, billn53 said:

The rumor was that Wisconsin senator William Proxmire (famous for giving the “Golden Fleece” award to over-priced defense programs) initiated the change in mission as a DoD cost-savings opportunity. 

 

Laudable mission, reining in the MIC, but that short term cost-savings stance seems baby-and-bathwater-ish.  One wonders if re-training supersonic interceptor pilots to fly at a lower level of technology might've been wasteful in its own way.  🤔

[perdu]

Does this mean I have to try?

🤔😲😵

[ColinChipmunkfan]

I  built this kit when it first came out.  I am impressed with your skills and attention to detail to turn it into replica of the real thing.

Well done sir!!

Colin

[billn53]

I've made a bit more progress on the Skymaster:

 

Begun framing in the windscreen:

U 

 

Opened up the cooling inlets in the nose:

 

 

Added an intake opening for the rear engine (previously, this had just a blank face)

 

 

Dropped the flaps:

  

 

Reduced the size of the landing light opening in the wing leading edges:

 

And, filled in a gaping hole at the bottom-rear of the fuselage, caused by a short-shot mold:

 

 

Next step will be to mask off the windows & windscreen, prime the fuselage, and fix any flaws that are revealed.

 

 

 

 

[RidgeRunner]

As always, Bill, that is nice work!

 

Martin

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well its not an A-10 but I’m still a fan of the type. Ive mets som FAC pilots that flew in SEA. You want to talk about some nutty guy’s. You needed to be bit crazy to do what they did virtually unarmed and unarmored. 

[billn53]

5 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Well its not an A-10 but I’m still a fan of the type.

Patience, good sir! The A-10 is just about to the starting line, all I’m waiting on is for the post-lady to deliver the resin cockpit I’ve ordered. 

[TheyJammedKenny!]

This is impressive work, and a real big change from the OA-37 you did, to say nothing of the F-4s!  I never built the Airfix kit, but it looks like it was a dog of a kit.  You're doing a major overhaul!  Really bold move on the clear parts, BTW.  Alex

[Andwil]

Looks like there won’t be much Airfix left in this by time you’ve finished!  Great work with what looks like a dog of a kit.

 

AW

[billn53]

Good progress these past two days . . . I'm nearly at the point of painting this thing!

 

Added landing and taxi lights to the wing leading edges, and glare shields from brass shim:

 

 

Engine exhausts, front and rear:

 

 

With those details in place, it was time to attach the wings. I made a simple Lego jig to help with alignment and to achieve the Skymaster's 3-degree dihedral:

 

 

Next came the booms and horizontal stab. This was easier said than done, because the booms wanted to twist longitudinally. I did the best I could, but close inspection will reveal that the fins are slightly "pigeon-toed" (i.e., the tops of the fins are closer together than the bottoms).

 

 

I'll let that set up overnight, and then begin the task of puttying and sanding wing roots and where the boom joins the wing.

[Jackson Duvalier]

This is going to look so good when you're done with it.  😎

[billn53]

Just now, Jackson Duvalier said:

This is going to look so good when you're done with it.  😎

Don’t jinx me, JD!

[heloman1]

Neat work, what crock (kit) of doggy doo!!! You are saving it!

 

Colin

[billn53]

1 hour ago, heloman1 said:

Neat work, what crock (kit) of doggy doo!!! You are saving it!

 

Colin

Funny thing is, as I’ve been working on it, I see so many other things I could have done to improve upon it that I (almost) want to buy another!
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NOT!
 

[billn53]

I used stretched sprue, covered with sprue gloop, to fill in the gaps along the wing root and boom-to-wing join. It looks pretty ugly right now, but once the sprue gloop is completely hard, it should sand down nicely.

 

 

 

Test fit of the wing struts show that they are a little too short. Most probably because of the dihedral I (correctly) added-in. I won't bother trying to make a new strut, but will adjust the fit by moving the fuselage join a bit higher.

 

 

 

All photos I've seen of Wisconsin ANG Skymasters show only one pylon per wing, so I filled in the extra holes under the wings. I also filled in the huge hole that Airfix gives for the pitot tube -- I should be able to scratch up something closer to scale for that.

 

 

 

The kit pylons were horrible. I tried re-shaping them but decided in the end to modify a pair of leftover pylons from my A-37 build:

 

    b

 

Likewise, the rocket pods leave much to be desired. I'll replace them with a better aftermarket item:

 

 

 

Finally, the kit propellers are acceptable but the blades are too thick. I used a scraper to thin them down. At least Airfix remembered that the props for the front and rear engines should have opposite pitch!

 

 

 

[The Good Sergeant]

You're my hero! I've got four or five kits in the stash, so you're inspiring me!

 

Steven Brown

Scale Model Soup

 

[heloman1]

On 7/16/2021 at 1:12 PM, billn53 said:

Funny thing is, as I’ve been working on it, I see so many other things I could have done to improve upon it that I (almost) want to buy another!
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NOT!
 

I know what you mean buy buying/building another. I think I might well have built the kit in it's early days. Good luck if you do...

 

Colin

[billn53]

1 hour ago, heloman1 said:

I know what you mean buy buying/building another. I think I might well have built the kit in it's early days. Good luck if you do...

 

Colin

Yeah, I did.  Found a new-in-the-box Airfix on eBay last night, and couldn’t resist. 

[AdrianMF]

Gosh Bill this is epic! The 1960s Airfix kits were a bit hit and miss. Some went together beautifully, and some .... were like this!

 

Regards,

Adrian