Postman’s Porter - Finished

[JOCKNEY]

Congratulations Grandpa, this build is looking really sharp !

 

Cheers Pat

[Andwil]

7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Congratulations Grandpa, this build is looking really sharp !

 

Cheers Pat

 

On 8/31/2021 at 3:36 PM, CliffB said:

It's definitely looking like a Porter now 

 

7 hours ago, JOCKNEY said:

Congratulations Grandpa, this build is looking really sharp !

 

Cheers Pat

Thanks fellas, I’m quite happy with how it’s coming together, a bit more work than the Eduard Nieuport I’m building over in the French Fancy GB, but a lot of fun.

 

I finished the wings and tailplanes and attached them to the fuselage.  The wings required a bit of fettling to sit right and I checked the fit of the struts, which fit well.  A little filler was required on some small gaps.

 

 

After these joints have been sanded and smoothed I will attach the fin, windscreen, and wing struts.  In attaching the tailplanes I managed to knock off and lose one of PE plates from the rear of the fuselage so I will need to replace this with plastic card.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[Andwil]

Continuing with construction, the fin has been attached, I am leaving the rudder off until after painting as this will make masking for the dayglo fin tip easier.

 

 

Then a lot of time was spent attaching a number of small PE greeblies to the underside of the wing.

 

It must be a law of the universe that CA only grabs instantly if the PE part is in the wrong place....

 

Question for those with more experience of PE than me, how do you file/sand away the little nubs left after cutting the parts from the fret, when the part in question is 1) too small to hold and 2) filing is likely to destroy the part itself?

 

AW

[Toryu]

7 hours ago, Andwil said:

It must be a law of the universe that CA only grabs instantly if the PE part is in the wrong place....

 

... or upside down!

 

I use nail scissors and cut the pins off.

 

[Andwil]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:13 AM, Toryu said:

 

... or upside down!

 

I use nail scissors and cut the pins off.

 

Thanks for the tip, I’ll have to get myself a pair (of scissors!)

 

After taking a break from sticking tiny bits of brass to the Porter and concentrating on the Nieuport 17 in the French Fancy GB, I got back to it today. The windscreen was attached and masked.  The mask provided by Dora fits we’ll size wise but absolutely refuses to adhere over a curve so it will need to be augmented with tape.  I also assembled the main undercarriage, which is quite fiddly.  The oleos were cemented to the lower v strut part, which was then glued to the underside of the fuselage.  Then the oleos were positioned against the fuselage sides and Tamiya green cap wicked into the joint.  After it was set CA was wicked into the joins with a cocktail stick.  The whole arrangement is a bit flimsy and I have my concerns that it will not support the weight of the model, which for a small one is quite heavy.

 

 

Note the mask lifting from the edges of the windscreen.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[roginoz]

It's all very nice for kit manufacturers to provide masks with their kits, but if they don't fit/stick/lift, generally on curved surfaces, then they're not worth the effort.

 

Any such masks, and that includes Montex, made of vinyl or similar go straight in the bin. The only masks I use with confidence are the Eduard paper masks, otherwise it's good old Tamiya tape.

 

Nothing worse than de-masking your model, only to find paint has bled under the mask or, worse still, the mask has left a sticky deposit which necessitates clean up threatening damage to paintwork.

 

Having got that perennial grump off my chest, you're making great progress with your build @Andwil, might have to look out for the kit myself.

 

Cheers........Rog  

[CliffB]

19 hours ago, Andwil said:

 The whole arrangement is a bit flimsy and I have my concerns that it will not support the weight of the model, which for a small one is quite heavy.

 

 

It looks like you're missing a strut AW, but maybe it's hiding behind the oleo .

 

Cheers

[Andwil]

2 hours ago, CliffB said:

 

It looks like you're missing a strut AW, but maybe it's hiding behind the oleo .

 

Cheers

Yeah that’s what’s happened. It’s definitely there but the angle of the photo has put it directly behind the oleo!

 

AW

[Andwil]

Well little progress to report, I have had little modelling time the few days, Mrs Andwil had a health issue that resulted in two nights in hospital for tests and observation, fortunately she has been cleared of anything serious and is now much better and at home.

 

I have managed to get the wing struts, steps anda bit more etch  attached.

 

Apologies for the out of focus photo.

 

Windscreen properly masked with tape and she’s promoted to the model stand.  I had to use the biplane jig for the wing position.

Happily the undercarriage appears to be able to take the weight of the model, the oleo leg provides strength to the arrangement.

 

Only a few more bits to do.  The Porters had various different aerial fits over their life and also varied from aircraft to aircraft so I am studying photos of my subject to try and work exactly what was fitted during its time in Vietnam.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Sorry to hear about your better half AW, I hope she is getting better at least ? 

[Andwil]

13 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Sorry to hear about your better half AW, I hope she is getting better at least ? 

Thanks Dennis, she is much better now.

 

Gave the Porter a spray of primer to check the upper surface seams.  A little work on the nose but the one I was most worried about, the wing/fuselage joint, looks OK.

 

 

Propellor has been painted, light grey on the front face, black on the rear, spinner chrome.

 

 

I’ll need to touch up the white stripes a bit.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[Andwil]

No photo today, but I have finished the PE with the flap actuators and also temporarily attached the starboard door with pva to mask the insides, so it is ready for the paint shop.  First though I want to finish the Nieuport over in the French Fancy GB to clear the decks.

 

AW

[Andwil]

Primed yesterday:

 

 

and green today:

 

 

 

AW

[Andwil]

A whole week has gone by since I had the chance to do any modelling, I thought retirement would give me more time!

 

I masked and sprayed the anti glare panel black, and the wing and fin tips dayglo orange over a pink undercoat.  I think the dayglo will need a second coat though.

 

 

and I painted the wheels.

 

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[John Masters]

Looking very sharp.  I do love this aircraft.  I have the kit in the post, en route, so thanks for the primer!

[Hewy]

Can't beat a bit of dayglo,its looking the part now

[Andwil]

On 10/1/2021 at 1:56 PM, Hewy said:

Can't beat a bit of dayglo,its looking the part now

Thanks Hewy.

 

I have tidied up some bleeding and a little overspray and removed the masks:

 

 

 

This will get a gloss coat and then it’s on to decals.

 

Exhausts painted, the top two are the correct ones for an Australian Army Porter.

 

 

Thanks for looking.

 

AW

[stevehnz]

Really staring to look the business now.

Steve.

[Andwil]

Yesterday I started on the decals, it was a false start.  This is the first time I’ve used Dekls decals and it’s very likely to be the last.  I started, as usual, with the top of the wings.  I carefully cut out the first roundel, dipped it in warm water for about 15 seconds per the instructions.  It loosened quickly, I placed it on the wing and.........it broke up into about a thousand pieces.  Strong language followed.  Fortunately there are sufficient decals on the sheet to provide some spares.  I sprayed a fixative over the sheet and left it to set overnight.

 

Recommenced this morning.  First roundel, went on nicely, second roundel likewise.  “Hooray I’ve solved the problem!”  The gods punish hubris.  First Army title shattered attempting to position it.  Second one went on ok.  And so it went, two or three good decals and then a shattering.  Got halfway through and ran out of patience when the serial, provided as two decals and the smaller army titles had to be stitched together from multiple pieces.  The decals are very thin and fragile and have to be handled with kid gloves and even then a prone to tearing up.  Decided to give it a rest.  I might try again another time.

 

If Dekls, a local producer have a presence at this weekends SAPMA show I will ask them for a replacement sheet, or find out what I am doing wrong.
 

Here is as far as I got:

 

 

Thanks for looking.  Any advice welcome!
 

AW

[Andwil]

Good news on the decal front.  Firstly, I tried a decal from another Dekls set on my mule, it went on with no problem.  Secondly, Dekls had a stand at the SAPMA show which is on this weekend (and conveniently in walking distance from home!), I spoke to Derek and explained my problem to him.  Before I finished my explanation he said he knew what the problem was, was very apologetic and gave me a replacement sheet for free.  Apparently his supplier had given him the wrong type of paper for digital printing.  Can’t do better than that, excellent service.

 

He recommended that I strip off the few decals that I had got on in one piece as they were unlikely to survive a top coat.

 

AW

[Andwil]

The major decals are now on, the replacement set worked perfectly.  “Only” the tiny stencils to go.

 

 

 

Given the hand painted title on the starboard fuselage of this aircraft, I have fashioned a suitable load for it out of milliput:

 

 

based on my memory of the start of my working life in the mailroom, two of the large mail bags of the time.  Delivering the boys letters from home, packs of socks and Anzac biscuits and subscription copies of Go-set and Hustler.

I’ll put these into the cargo cabin and pose the port side door open.

 

Thanks for looking 

 

AW

[roginoz]

The finishing line is in sight, and what a good result on the decals !

Rog

[Andwil]

Last few bits on and it’s finished.  Happy that I was even able to successfully attach the little PE mudguard to the tail wheel without too much drama.  An enjoyable, if testing at times build and an interesting and unusual addition to the collection.

 

 

 

with its slightly over scale load:

 

 

Gallery pics to follow, after my return from a weeks well deserved, and long overdue trip away to do some walking, bird watching and relaxing generally.  It’s been a hectic year with a family wedding, house move and arrival of first grand child all against the backdrop of Covid uncertainty (although we have been lucky in South Australia and been spared the trouble experienced elsewhere).

 

Thanks for looking and thanks to the hosts for an interesting group build.  See you over in Ragnar’s Return in a weeks time!

 

AW

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well done sir. 

[CliffB]

Congratulations AW and it's nice to see that everything turned out so well in the end  

Enjoy your break.

 

Cheers