David H Posted March 25, 2022 Author Share Posted March 25, 2022 Solar Cap, Part I. After spraying the solar cap base coat, i noticed some....lumps....in the crown skin over the cockpit windows, and i can not un-see them. So there's gonna be a bit of a detour while i rectify this prior to laying on the gloss white. I might spray gloss white on the bullet fairing so i can remove the masking and see how everything looks. Stay Tuned. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 25, 2022 Author Share Posted March 25, 2022 well, after i discovered the nose needed some rework, i decided to paint the tailplane fairing, and about half of the fuselage with gloss white. Then i removed the masking to see how everything looks. You be the judge. Mr Color has this weird habit of lifting up in small flecks with no rhyme or reason, and this was no exception. It can certainly be fixed, but enamels never do this... I should now be able to finish spraying the rest of the solar cap with Gloss White.... then comes more grey. i could probably start mixing up a suitable batch of BOAC dark blue. However, the way the blue cuts under the tailplane fairing is going to make for a hairy masking job. Until next time..... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-104 nut Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 David love following this build buddy . Looking really great can’t wait to some blue sprayed on her Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Step 2 of painting the solar cap is done. Time to paint more grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 27, 2022 Author Share Posted March 27, 2022 Okay, time to mask off the model for more grey paint. I'll let the pictures tell the story. As i write this, *most* of the grey is on the model, but the left inboard wing fence needs some repairs before i can paint the left wing. Thanks for shopping! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 Okay kids. Masking removed, paint carefully sanded with wet 3600 and 6000 micromesh to eliminate the paint ridge along the waterline. Wing fences were press fit in place for painting.... once i figured out which ones went where. Until next time.... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 Okay, this is what i actually consider one of the more harrowing aspects of painting the model. The leading edge of the vertical fin is actually gloss white and i had to guesstimate the width, going from photos. The pointy things that project forward of the vertical fin were not on all Super VC10 schemes. The 26 Decals sheet offers alternate decals, but the illustrations show the points terminating at the bulkhead line just forward of the aft port Passenger door. Inspection of photos showed them projecting considerably more forward, so there may have been variance between aircraft. Getting the actual shape right involved some guesswork but i believe they lined up on the panel lines delineating the upper fuselage crown skin, following the panel line aft and then tapering inward to meet the base of the vertical fin at the rudder/tail cone. The hardest part of the masking job was the juncture of the dark blue with the underside of the white Fin/Stabilizer fairing. I thought it best to just paint one side, in case of screw ups and i wasn't sure i'd get the clean result i was looking for... On the subject of the dark blue: It's a hard colour to quite nail down. Given typical English weather, it often appears to be a very dark blue, like Navy. I originally considered Tamiya Royal Blue straight from the bottle, but it was noticeably darker than the blue used on the 26 decals. I think it was Ian Woodward who told me that the colour actually has a purplish tint as it fades, and a purplish note was visible when directly illuminated broadside by sunlight. If its slightly too light, i'll just shrug and attribute it to scale effect. Since tomorrows trip got CXed, i'll probably mask and spray the left side. As always, comments and criticisms are welcome. Thanks for shopping. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 So far so good! Interesting your note about the fin colour, I'd say on first look it's too light, but if you've colour matched the decals there's not much you can do about it 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 9 hours ago, Alan P said: So far so good! Interesting your note about the fin colour, I'd say on first look it's too light, but if you've colour matched the decals there's not much you can do about it 🤔 Yeah, that was my concern as well; I thought it looked too light, too. i kept going back and looking at the test swatch next to the decal....."Gee, it sure SEEMS to match up...". I'm hoping that when the gold speedbird is juxtaposed on the fin it will look more "right". With the possible exception of where the blue swoops down under the nose, this is probably the toughest masking job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweener Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 I've been considering a VC-10 tanker for some time now, but seeing this build I feel a bit put off by the thought of it. Are Roden panel lines always so inconsistent? I understand they're a company known for a bit of inconsistency and overcomplicated assemblies, but I'd have thought such a thing would be ironed out after a few years of operations. Perhaps we all take Eduard and Co for granted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 14 minutes ago, Tweener said: I've been considering a VC-10 tanker for some time now, but seeing this build I feel a bit put off by the thought of it. Are Roden panel lines always so inconsistent? I understand they're a company known for a bit of inconsistency and overcomplicated assemblies, but I'd have thought such a thing would be ironed out after a few years of operations. Perhaps we all take Eduard and Co for granted... The panel lines on this kit are inconsistent; crisper, but definitely deeper on the wings than the fuselage. My idea of filling the fuselage windows from inside and outside didn't help, either. The fuselage doesn't have the vaguely pebbly surface texture the 720 and C-133 has, so that's a plus. For me the big obstacle is the rather vague fit of many of the parts. But By God, it sure LOOKS like a VC10. Speaking of the 720, on that one i'll attempt to fill the windows from the backside, using epoxy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 Very nice. As more colour goes on and the masking comes off, it starts to look more like an airliner. That blue looks spot on to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sohoppy Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 (edited) I remember seeing the tanker versions frequently at Brize Norton which I used to visit from time to time (as a civvy) for various reasons. Noisest damn things you ever heard on take off. In a startling contrast, the C-17s that used to pop in could practically sneak up on you and say 'boo' they were so quiet. Edited March 30, 2022 by sohoppy error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 (edited) On 3/30/2022 at 7:35 AM, sohoppy said: I remember seeing the tanker versions frequently at Brize Norton which I used to visit from time to time (as a civvy) for various reasons. Noisest damn things you ever heard on take off. In a startling contrast, the C-17s that used to pop in could practically sneak up on you and say 'boo' they were so quiet. That doesn't surprise me; the R-R Conway is best described as a "Leaky Turbojet". Unlike the P&W JT-3Cs, i don't know if any effort was made with an exhaust diffuser to lessen the noise somewhat. I know i've seen those on the 707-400 series. On paper, the Conway engine had considerably more thrust than the JT-3 (J-57) and JT-4 (J-75), but somewhat less than the JT-3D, so i understand why it endured into the 1980s longer than one would think.... Edited May 11, 2022 by David H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 8 hours ago, John_W said: Very nice. As more colour goes on and the masking comes off, it starts to look more like an airliner. That blue looks spot on to me. i'm working very slowly on the cheatline, going in incremental steps, alternating left to right to make sure everything stays symmetrical. The blue stripe is .24 inches wide until it gets to the wing leading edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 6, 2022 Author Share Posted April 6, 2022 Well, its a week later than i had hoped, but the paint is on, cleaned up, and we're ready for decals.... i had a lot of problems with overspray, mismatch between the stripe segments, paint chipping, and masking tapes leaving residue on the Tamiya paint (oddly enough, not on the lacquers). And if that weren't enough, the Tamiya putty in the windows started lifting out with the tape.. i have to now step away from this for a few days while i work and earn some cash, but maybe it'll be good for me. Stay tuned... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 Okay, i've gone about as far as i can with the decals, until some aftermarket windows come in. For the most part, the 26 decals have performed very well. They're a bit glue-ey and i wasn't able to get all the adhesive off. However slapping on another clear coat seems to have hidden the worst of the oopsies. The decals for the cargo doors and overwing exits have a nasty tendency to fold over themselves, at which point its game over. Fortunately, i bought two sheets. They are very thin and lay down very well to a glossy surface with no silvering. The sheet allows the modeller to build any of the Supers, with the choice of the earlier BOAC-Cunard logo (seen here), or the better known, Standard BOAC logo. There are some inconsistencies in the decal placement instructions, and some things i realized after it was too late to do anything about them. So in some aspects the markings may be "wrong", but they're at least consistent. I chose this angle, to cleverly disguise the fact that some windows on this side are a disaster. Definitely gonna approach things differently on the next one. i almost forgot...ELF drop-in navigation lenses for the win! At this point, it's time to revisit the engine nacelles. As you know, they're already assembled. I regret this now because as i've learned about the structural nuances of the Super VC10, there are a couple things i would liked to have rectified but its too late now. Suffice to say that if and when i build another VC10 i have some definite ideas about improving the engine nacelles. So until i have something worth photographing, enjoy the pictures. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 You’ve gone all in with this one -d-, very impressive. I also ended up tweaking a lot of things. By far the biggest faff I found were the engine nacelles. As I chose the awkward, late version of the EAA scheme (mainly due to the kit decals being pants), the multicolour rear fuselage wraparound ‘stripes’ proved a proverbial pain in the **** to conform to shape. I ended up removing the fuselage mounted nacelle ‘stubs’ to make things easier and modifying the horizontal parts to fit via brass rods. Looking good. Re the colour, the blue did indeed have a purple tinge to it (most noticeable around the forward fuselage), the same thing went for BEAs ‘Blue’ which had a green tint to it, nicely covered by Xtracolor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share Posted April 11, 2022 3 hours ago, general melchett said: You’ve gone all in with this one -d-, very impressive. I also ended up tweaking a lot of things. By far the biggest faff I found were the engine nacelles. As I chose the awkward, late version of the EAA scheme (mainly due to the kit decals being pants), the multicolour rear fuselage wraparound ‘stripes’ proved a proverbial pain in the **** to conform to shape. I ended up removing the fuselage mounted nacelle ‘stubs’ to make things easier and modifying the horizontal parts to fit via brass rods. Looking good. Re the colour, the blue did indeed have a purple tinge to it (most noticeable around the forward fuselage), the same thing went for BEAs ‘Blue’ which had a green tint to it, nicely covered by Xtracolor. Hello, Mon General! With regard to the engine nacelles, i've been talking this over with Robin Powell. The two big issues are: 1) The inboard engine inlets project ever so slightly forward (maybe .010 in 1/144th) of the outboard ones. I think Roden cast the inlet piece the way they did, because it was either easier or they just didn't know. 2) The way the engine pylon joins the side of the engine pod is actually rather tricky. The pylon hits the side of the nacelle pod higher up on the side than a conventional upper/lower half arrangement will allow, and it has a slope from front to back. Roden also located the joint of the intake lips well forward of the actual panel lines, which led to some confusion when it came time to locate and drill the engine surge/bleed outlets. Finally, i think the cross section of the pylon is too thin, especially after having read about the design and engineering of the so called "Spectacle Beam" which was the main weight/thrust bearing structure that integrated the powerplant to the airframe. Your mileage may vary. -d- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share Posted April 11, 2022 5 hours ago, general melchett said: I ended up removing the fuselage mounted nacelle ‘stubs’ to make things easier and modifying the horizontal parts to fit via brass rods. Yeah, i found the "stubs" hurt construction more than it helped it. You probably saw the masters thesis i wrote about re-engineering the..um, engines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 (edited) Great observations -d-, Quote The way the engine pylon joins the side of the engine pod is actually rather tricky. The pylon hits the side of the nacelle pod higher up on the side than a conventional upper/lower half arrangement will allow, and it has a slope from front to back. Yep, a strange arrangement to be sure, it's British so what's new? This head-on photo I took at Bruntingthorpe shows the angle well. Starts at the top of the pod and ends midway of the jet pipes. Removing the fuselage 'stubs' allowed me to adjust the angle of the pods so that they lined up horizontally with the trailing edge ending up in the right place. You could well be right about the cross section. Melchett VC(10)+bar(stool) Edited April 11, 2022 by general melchett 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share Posted April 11, 2022 Oh. When you say "stubs", do you mean the pylon itself? I thought you were referring to those raised bosses molded on the fuselage sides. I filed those off. Haven't touched the pylon/nacelle interface. Was too preoccupied getting the gap between pylon and fuselage handled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 -d- I did mean the raised sections which I removed to allow the decals to go down smoothly. I then added a narrow strip of styrene to each pylon end to make up the length difference before shaping them to conform to the fuselage shape, prior to attaching and filling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David H Posted April 12, 2022 Author Share Posted April 12, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, general melchett said: -d- I did mean the raised sections which I removed to allow the decals to go down smoothly. I then added a narrow strip of styrene to each pylon end to make up the length difference before shaping them to conform to the fuselage shape, prior to attaching and filling. oh, okay. I don't know if the thickness of the stub i filed away amounts to a hill of beans, but when i build the next one, i'll cut apart the inlet rings and shim the base of the inboard one by .010 to extend it forward, and i'll laminate a sheet of plastic to the bottom of the pylon to thicken its cross section. If i can find good photos i will also bore out the surge bleed valve holes and add the sabre drain vents to the undersides. I'm doing it on my present VC10 but the hole locations are largely educated guesswork. Another think i'm pondering is cutting up the fairing atop the vertical fin, so i can separate the stabilizer part and build up the whole tailplane as a separate assembly that can be painted up and dropped in place after painting. -d- Edited April 12, 2022 by David H i got a better idea... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 -d- there are several useful photos of the engine nacelles/pods here, particularly the last couple of posts of K3 ZA147 and Duxford's BOAC aircraft. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234913050-vickers-vc-10/ Here's a scan from one of my reference books showing the slightly forward position of the inner engine lips. It's small but noticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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