1/18 Curtiss P40C

[airscale]

evening ladies

 

..well it seems I was wrong - I saw what I wanted to see with the gun covers, but it was pointed out by keener eyes than mine that there are indeed gun covers on this bird..

 

 

 

I had already asked Tim Perry to print the gun cover parts before I thought there were no guns on my subject, so now i know there are, these were up next..

 

I had only 3D modelled the basic shape and knew they would need a lot of work to get in the right place and faired in on the model..

 

 

..first, a lot of careful measurement & marking out..

 

 

..then chopped out the upper cowl so the parts fitted and made up a jig with carbon rods to hold them at least parallel in one dimension - in the end the whole model was laid out over datum lines to make sure the covers were level in all 3 axis...

 

 

..CA'd in place and filler added...

 

 

..more fettling..

 

 

..and done... fortunately these are painted black as they are in the anti glare panel, but I haven't figured out how all this area will be skinned with all the many panels, fasteners & rivets (some raised) in this area...

 

 

 

..with that done, it was time to get back in the cockpit - starting with adding some components to this sidewall... I hope to get both sidewalls finished and I might join them where they meet above the instrument panel (all done in a jig) so I can add the panel and cross bracing and then drop all that onto the fuselage floor / seat bulkhead..

 

 

..with some components added, including the canopy winder and other bobbins..

 

 

 

..then the seat frame which is quite recognisable..

 

 

..started by drilling and filing some ali tubes to get the mount points that meet the bulkhead, and adding some micro rivets as seen in the photo..

 

 

..the bend was added by ensuring the rods were parallel, taping together and clamping against a rounded block of card - I also fed fuse wire into the tubes so they didn't kink when bent..

 

 

..then they were made to fit the mounts on Sta #5 and the floor..

 

 

..to make sure I could add the rest of the structure, but at the same time ensure it still fitted where it should, I CA'd a block of card jig to hold everything exacty where it was while I added the remaining frames..

 

 

..then the remaining framework was bent up and added and the jig carefully removed..

 

 

 

..and a test fit of the seat to see how it all looks..

 

 

 

 

 

..still a ton to do, but getting there slowly

 

 

TTFN

Peter

[Pastor Rich]

Well colour me wrong.  Great catch team on the gun fairings!!  Brilliant display of artistry as usual.  Many thanks for sharing it here with us, Peter!!

[airscale]

evening

 

so a little more done - I was messing about in the cockpit still & made up the landing gear / hydraulic thingummy with a handle that is on the left of the seat and generally got the left sidewall nearly finished..

 

 

..the zipped pocket was a little trick - i tried making it in PE as the frame and mount and then made the centre pocket in PE too with a zipper image I nicked off the internet.. apart from being flat, when I would like it a bit more lifelike, I think it just about works..

 

..also finished the seat frame, mounted the seat and added seatbelts - only lapstraps as this is pre-1942..

 

 

 

..next was the support beam that holds the instrument panel..

 

 

..it's just a bit of square brass tube with some fittings added - the lower centre bit is folded PE and filler and is part of the gun controls..

 

I made up the control handles from brass rod soldered together as these were about 4mm and plastic would be too week a joint to shape properly...

 

..there are still decals to go on these bits and the main panel..

 

 

 

..the intention was to get all the inside done and get the sidewalls, floor in fact everything all buttoned up before starting the wings, but then I thought there will be so much handlind and filling & sanding in making the wings fit and especially the big wing fillets that I thought really I should rethink the approach and get all the big chunky work done before the model id filled with fragile detail..

 

so....

 

..I spent some time making factory drawings into my own drawings that work on the principle of a 2mm plactic card keel..

 

 

..these were then printed and the blanks cut out... there are about 6 ribs I had the aerofoil of so these were drawn with a 2mm area in their middles that need cutting out for the wing blank. It meand you lose the rounded tip, and some of the fine point at the back, but this can be shaped later..

 

...here the two blanks are clamped together to get uniform shape..

 

 

..the slots are for square brass spars that slot into the brass square stub spars in the fuselage..

 

..these were defined long ago when I used a centre rib to randomly place two spar locations..

 

 

..the ribs had these marked and the wings were assembled with top & bottom ribs, slots for the spars and a carbon rod spar for stiffness..

 

..the random placement of two spars, bit me on the ar$e as one is where the wheel well is (I didn't expect the U/C track to be as narrow as it is) so the stub spar is very short..

 

 

 

the flap area is also removed as only the upper skin is there on the real one so the ribs also make an allowance for that and once I add a sub skin in brass sheet the bits sticking out are scored ready to break off..

 

 

..there was quite a bit of chopping about to get it to fit in the right position and it won't win any engineering precision prizes, but it does work..

 

..the rear stub spars are about 0.5mm out, but it is enough to stop them sliding in until I modify the mounts

 

 

..this is all a dry fit with the spars until I am happy..

 

 

..and on a good day for Red Bull, we also have wings...

 

 

 

TTFN

Peter

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Mind is properly Blown ! 

[airscale]

evening all

 

I got the rest of the cockpit decals which this time Ray at Fantasy just did as a one off on his new digital printer - they worked out well - not as good as silk screen, but in this case I don't have to pay for 80 sets as they are not part of an airscale restock order..

 

added to the throttle & some placards..

 

 

..manufacturer plate and canopy wind instruction placard..

 

 

..finished IP with the exception of a couple of switches..

 

 

 

..then it was on to the wings..

 

I added a litho sheet for the flap upper skin and cut a tip shape template for the quirky uptick in the tip profile (at bottom left), also bulked out the tips with sheets of 2mm card..

 

..on the underside the flap web with all the holes - I cut away the wing core so there was space behind the holes - the wheel well aperture was made by building around a mini ketchup pot which was the right diameter - this is oriented to the vertical leg, not perpendicular to the wing skin..

 

 

...started blocking out the shape with hard foam stuff and the tip template has been let into the wingtip

 

 

 

..mucho sanding later the basic wing profile is found..

 

 

..this is then covered with a thin layer of P38 filler and sanded back..

 

 

 

..primed, filled, sanded & repeat until right..

 

 

..the white bit on the lower leg is where the brass U/C mount plate will go - I didnt mount it as I learned before that having the stub sticking out makes block sanding the profile much harder..

 

 

..the plate will be mounted to the core about here - it allows for the rake and dihedral but is just a spigot soldered into a plate..

 

 

 

..one down, one to go.. just needs the foam sanded etc..

 

 

 

TTFN

 

Peter

[airscale]

Good evening

 

todays fun and games is making this...

 

 

..a couple of oleo struts for the gear - as is normally the case, there are a number of diameters and features to be allowed for. I started with drawings and was going to try to turn them on my mini lathe, but in the end opted for brass tube..

 

..here the main legs have had one minor profile change put in them, there are some ali tube inserts to reduce the diameter to take the oleo strut and I cut a number of rings that are seen which also bracket a collar with the retracting struts..

 

..also seen are the lower legs which were assembled from turned bits and include the axle & tie down ring...

 

 

...I later realised there are two kinds of torsion links & I had modelled the later one so the attachment bracket was remade..

 

..the rings were glued square on the tube by using another telescopic bit of tube to level them, plus the ali tube insert has been fitted..

 

 

..the early torsion links were made using my proxxon mini mill and grinding to shape - they still need some casting features adding. The strut is stainess steel rod..

 

 

..the close up doesn't do my lathe skills any favours but this is the lower leg & axle which is quite a complicated little assembly with many shapes - unfortunately solder over ran into some of the edges, but it is what it is..

 

 

 

..the kit of parts..

 

 

..and a completed strut dry fitted so all the bolts & assembly are loose so it can be disassembled for painting..

 

 

 

..times two...

 

 

 

..and they will sit on a brass spigot & mounting plate that makes the correct rake and inward cant to allow for dihedral - there is no leg wheel well to speak of, the legs have a complex gear assembly to twist them that sits on the wing surface - still got all that to make...

 

 

 

..thats it for a while - off to Tuscany tomorrow (if my flight is not cancelled..) to give away my daughter at her wedding on Friday

 

TTFN
Peter

[Pastor Rich]

Congratulations on the joyous event!  Enjoy Tuscany and praying a safe journey for you to and from!  Oh, and excellent work as always!!  (That goes without saying).  Cheers!

[Triet Cam]

This is modeling at a stratosphere level. Absolutely incredible work. 

 

[airscale]

Evening

 

 

So, looking at the upper gear legs, there is a collar that holds the retraction struts and another arm that goes inwards towards the fuselage..

 

...there are also pinion gears which I have done in 3D but not printed yet..

 

 

..the collars are quite hard to make - I started by getting a short length of tube, drilled it to accept the retraction strut mounts and soldered a tube through those holes. Once done, I cut slits and soldered a sheet to represent the jointing plates - here it's about half way through..

 

 

...after working those parts and grinding away the inner parts of the plate & tubes, I added the remaining details & cleaned the parts up..

 

..also added a fillet of filler to the lower ring the collar sits on..

 

 

..the retraction struts are laminates of PE and brass, with tube ends..

 

 

..and the assembly dry fitted - it is only held together with wire so lacks all the assembly nuts & bolts..

 

 

 

 

 

..the other wing was finished, the mounting blocks & struts fitted and first pass at the angles looks good enough - there is a little play to get them truly vertical..

 

 

 

..looks a bit more like an aeroplane now

 

 

 

TTFN

 

Peter

[Pastor Rich]

Okay, my brain hurts.  Excellence on parade somehow seems so underrated.  MOJO on full display!!!

[Pete in Lincs]

And I just did a long overdue catch up. Good job I'm sitting down. Fabulous scratchbuilding as always. Beautiful details.

[airscale]

evening chaps

 

... some P40 stuff..

 

..in trying to get the basic airframe done, it was time to move onto the landing gear housings - unlike most aircraft of the period, the gear is mounted to the wing, only the wheel goes in a well. This means the gear leg is in this bulbous housing full of lovely compound curves...

 

 

..I couldn't find the drawings that detailed the shapes and was trying to piece together component cross sections when I contacted Waroff on LSP for help. He literally knows every nut and bolt of a P40 and soon put me onto this drawing...

 

 

..it has all the cross sections and in combination with some others, I could scale aand create them all in plastic card to make a master for vacforming..

 

 

 

..with both of them done, I sprayed them grey so when I slather them in filler and sand it back, I stop when I hit the grey..

 

 

..a quick spin in my little vacformer...

 

 

..and I had some copies - I used quite thick card as they need to be skinned so need to take quite a bit of pressure as the metal is worked, this meant the contours are a bit more vague - I might pull a thinner copy and see if I can improve them..

 

..also the tops of the nosecaps didnt come out as it's too much of an undercut so these will be done seperately..

 

 

..I was getting all set to add them to the wings when I realised there is still way too much to do to the gear bays while I have open access

 

..I had just made two big circular openings as the wheel wells will have canvas liners, but as you can see here, there is one visible bit of structure that needed adding..

 

 

..this meant chopping out quite a bit and adding that wall and the upper wing skin & stringers...

 

 

 

..this was all then primed and painted.. I had read that zinc chromate was mixed with green for airframe parts vs the more cockpity green in the interior, so I made a mix with a more yellow hue..

 

 

..the circular opening for the wheels needs defining so a subskin was made, this has a lip going into the well

 

..I use aluminium plumbers tape on a bit of litho so I can tape the skin down and CA a strip of litho to form the lip, safe in the knowledge it won't stick to the tape..

 

 

..the panel also had slots cut in it for the retraction struts..

 

 

 

 

 

..and the gear housing sort of goes here..

 

 

 

..still, loads to do, but the important thing is to get the build sequencing right so I don't build myself into a corner..

 

TTFN

 

Peter

[Pete in Lincs]

Lovely work as always. With the ribs showing, the gear fairings look almost organic.

[Pastor Rich]

What's not to love about your work Peter?  Congrats on the new vac machine.  I remember the one you built for the F7F and still have the how-to build one guide on file!  It boggles my mind the amount of time it must have taken you to do all of the photo etch artwork.  Not hard to do, just really time consuming I'm sure! 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Pastor Rich

[airscale]

evening ladies

 

I had a fantastic day on Sunday, having spent the morning crawling all over The Fighter Collection's P40C G-CIIO. The team were really helpful, taking the covers off, opening the cockpit and even dropping the flaps!

 

I took 300 pictures of every inch of the airframe and cleared up many mysteries in realtion to what a drawing says and what real life looks like..

 

just a few here..

 

..got lots of the cockpit..

 

 

..lots from angles you just don't see unless you have access - see the spine panel layout & rivet patterns..

 

 

..and lots up close and personal in places the internet just doesn't get to..

 

 

..I will have to work out a way of sharing them for other builders..

 

anyways, when I left you last, I had vacformed the wing gear leg fairings..

 

 

..well, I didn't take any in progress pics (slaps wrist..), but these are now fitted, blended and most of the basic internal structure added...

 

 

 

 

 

..clearly, still lots to do but happy enough for now..

 

..next up was assembling the PE I made for the wing part of the flap structure - the plan was to drop these into the space left when I skinned the top of the wing

 

..complex assemblies with a lot of parts, but both were assembled over a couple of days..

 

 

 

..the torque tube slides along to raise & lower them - something I learned from the Duxford guys..

 

 

..before I could assemble the big panel with holes in it, I had to prime and paint underneath it so everything was given a basecoat... after that the little strips were added which are part of the individual rib pressings on the real one..

 

 

..once finished, these assemblies didn't drop in as expected, well they did, but the trailing edge of the wing skin was a bit wonky and it would have doubled the thickness, so I chopped the skin off and just let the flap structures into the wing..

 

 

..these were then blended in...

 

 

..and from underneath..

 

 

 

..starting to get closer to working on the wing fillets, which is the final major shaping / sanding - then I will cut out the ailerons and start skinning the wings..

 

 

 

TTFN

 

Peter

[Pete in Lincs]

Wow! as always. Wing flap heaven! 

[Biggles87]

Seconded!

[KingTiger435]

Been a while since I checked this thread, beautiful work!

[Pastor Rich]

In other words...there's nothing you cannot do without a bit of PE, P38 and bits of clock parts.  Another masterpiece?  I'd say!!  So, the question is, can you be awarded a three way tie for first place at Telford for the Mustang, Fury and Tomahawk?  All are top contenders in my book!  Cheers!!

Edited July 22, 2022 by Pastor Rich

[Sabrejet]

I always look forward to seeing your updates; some lovely work going on here. Can't wait to see the finished article!

[echen]

This, @airscale, is absolutely awesome. Terrific skill on display here. Looking forward to seeing the end result.

[airscale]

thanks Gents

 

I used a slitting disc to cut free the ailerons - they have a rounded nose and the cutout in the wing is much shorter at the topside vs the bottom. Once cut away a false triling edge was added from cut down brass 'L' stock and the fairing shape carefully rolled from ali - then the hinge & other cutouts added..

 

 

 

..then the first skin panel was prepared - drawing first, then that is stuck onto litho, any holes for access panels done first, then the edges scored & cut and an awl used to add each rivet..

 

 

..the rear row of rivets are raised, so these are embossed from the backside..

 

 

..the panel is added with contact adhesive both sides, and a tape rubbing used to determine the outline of the access panel..

 

 

..both wings are done simultaneously with about 20 mins work on each panel then rotate to the other until both are complete - avoids fatigue & boredom - I hate repeating a lengthy task having completed it..

 

 

..decided to do the panel above the last one as one long continuous panel (it is two) and added cutouts for gun ejection chute hatches, lending light (one side) and an inspection panel..

 

 

 

..the landing light was dremelled out and a recess created for some glazing (still with protective wrap)..

 

 

..the landing light itself was made from a bit of an old pen, some bobbins, a dome from ali shaped over a ball, and the PE cover plate..

 

 

..the ammo chute panels look like this on the real bird..

 

 

..so these were made up using PE panels etc..

 

 

..same deal, both panels worked on at the same time, so once complete, these were laid down..

 

 

 

 

..and the other side..

 

 

 

 

 

..and this is where its at on both wings...

 

 

..still about 20,000 rivets to go... 

 

probably do topside & leading edge so I can get to the U/C fairings and stop short of the wing/fuselage join. I tried to do the fillet shaping, but it's impossible before the wings are on the fuselage, and for that to happen the cockpit needs to be closed up..

 

will plod on with skinning the wings and see how the phasing goes... might be a bit dry in terms of variety for a bit

 

TTFN

Peter

[Sabrejet]

Certainly not dry: keep it coming!

[Pete in Lincs]

Yes indeed. Bring it on. Awesome.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Excellent build, Love all of the detail work on all of your builds. I know you have a subject but I built a NMF P-40C myself years ago to represent a 51st F.S. Plane from Guatemala and the Galapagos islands during the War. 
 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:51st_Fighter_Squadron_Curtiss_P-40C_41-13442.jpg#mw-jump-to-license
 

It is one that I plan on re-doing soon myself as I did it originally with rattle can paint when I first returned to the hobby. 
 

Dennis