Oh my God, another one! Some Special K, Monogram A-26A/B converted to an A-26K SEAC Counter Invader

[LorenSharp]

Whilst this was drying I started work on the wings and main gear boxes.

Fist thing was to open up the pass thru vent and boxed it in.

Then I drilled out for the landing light

I used a stick on kids jewel for the light and because there is a gap I took a piece of square rod and ran it around the edge. Why did I do this? Well  let me 'splain.  

This was a used kit and most of the Clear plastic was MIA. so I'm going to experiment once I get lower portion painted with filling in the hole with clear UV resin to see how that will do. I have an outdated bottle that might be good for something like this. It's too old for using in a print job. I have some 2-part acrylic resin but I think that might get too warm while curing and possibly warp the wing.

[LorenSharp]

Clipped the wingtips for the resin tip tanks

and reshaped the cowlings removing the intake on the rim and smoothing everything out.

then added new wing intake dividers, one part from the P/E set the other I made from plastic strip.

[LorenSharp]

After that I started on the extra detail for the inside of the nacelles beginning with the upper portion adding cross bracing and  piping.

Then made a new firewall from sheet plastic and bits of rod and strip.

Because of the black plastic, its hard to see anything but I did add the P/E (which had to be modified because it didn't fit at all well)

After that I went to work on the landing gear. Because of the weight and some more missing parts I'm using SAC metal gear set. But even that didn't have all the pieces, so I made new bits as best I could along with the addition of brake lines from brass wire and additional linkages, other lines and hydraulic pistons from plastic rod.

Slapping the gear in place, they actually fit!

Sometimes I amaze the heck out of myself.

[LorenSharp]

Attaching the wing halves together I made sure the landing light tube sealed ok and added the tip tank. The cutout on the tank was too small to attach to wing and had to be enlarged, a lot, to fit.

Sanded down all the filler on the fuselage in prep to adding the wings.

[LorenSharp]

Time to paint the wells.

once that dried I used  Mig-ammo Dark wash to highlight the detail. Now I can see what I'm looking at

With the wings added it's now starting to look like an Invader.  And it's not a tail sitter! I have correct tires and and engines printing and should be ready by tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll scribe the panel lines on the rudder and sort out the extension to the tail tip along with adding the vortex generators to the starboard side of the rudder. Then finish up the observers/photo specialist's position, add the cockpit glass and canopy. God willin' and the creek don't rise I hope I can start  painting the exterior by wed or thurs. So until then stay safe and stay healthy.

[BKirwan]

Amazing work on upgrading this old Monogram kit. With all the CAD work involved in the 3d resin stuff you must have a lot of hours in this build. 

 

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your progress. 

[LorenSharp]

5 minutes ago, BKirwan said:

Amazing work on upgrading this old Monogram kit. With all the CAD work involved in the 3d resin stuff you must have a lot of hours in this build. 

 

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your progress. 

Thanks BKirwan. Surprisingly, my actual work time isn't all that much maybe 15-20hrs. counting the CAD work. Printing though has been well over  20+.

[BKirwan]

That's impressive, you use CAD in your day job ?  

[LorenSharp]

 

I did Computer animation back in the 90's.  A program called Lightwave3D. the modeling side is similar to CAD. I still keep my program up to date. About 4 years ago  it added the capability to save out in STL. One of these days I'll get around to learning a proper CAD program. But for right now I can do modelling in LW practically in my sleep as  long as I have decent reference material.

[81-er]

More excellent work there, Loren. The added deatil is really looking fantastic, I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

James

[LorenSharp]

Thanks James. Speaking of finishing a project, time for another installment.

[LorenSharp]

I finished up a few more small details. Starting with installing the bomb bay fuel tank and piping. The piping I used some spare electronic wire that I have laying around. the tank was printed and the strapping from flat strip.

Then began work on the cowl flap setup and the cowlings.

The cowl flaps from the P/E set. but before I attached them I cut away the old engines and the moulded on flaps, leaving a ring

I printed out a new intake the finished up the modification of the cowling. once I got the shape where I wanted it I smoothed out with glazing compound and added some thin strip to make a new intake channel and contoured the sides with more compound. once i let that dry overnight I sanded everything down smooth. The inside of the cowling had several  sink holes that needed filling as well.

[LorenSharp]

Of course, with new cowlings you need new props too(Would be a tad difficult to get off the ground otherwise.)

Now OZMods provides a nice set of clipped  C-97 props. one problem.... the Props are supposed to be straight, not curved and fairly straight at the tip.

so I sanded the mould imperfections down and too some very thin strip to run along the outer edges of the prop blades. once the CA set and cured I add filler to fill everything in, let those dry overnight and then sanded everything down smooth. Removed the kit prop blades and drilled new pilot holes for the re-built blades to set in.

[LorenSharp]

If you have all this , of course you need new engines too. So with the removals of the faux kit engine fronts, which were the wrong type for this aircraft anyways, I printed a new set of PW R2800-52 engines.

painted AlcadII semi matte aluminum for the jugs and Mig-Ammo Dark gray for the crankcase housing.. I did print out new exhausts, those I'll add last before buttoning up everything.

[LorenSharp]

More from the printing dept.  New updated wheels. the kit wheels were 50's vintage rather than the 60's versions.

Not all the tread showed up because of thinness.

 I also printed  new wing strengthening strips. I tried to cut thin strip but after several tries, I couldn't get the cuts to remain straight along the full width. These printed strips will need to be sanded down further, They had to be thicker to print correctly.

I then used a small bit of Milliput to lengthen the tip of the fuselage. The K model's rudder's cord was increased by a foor so the fuselage was adapted accordingly and sanded down to shape.I still have to add the tail marker lights.

The rudder had to be reprinted because of shift lines(gouges actually). I still had to use some filler to smooth out the "stair-stepping' but not too much. After that dried I scribed new lines on the rudder, added new hinges and added a vortex generator to the starboard side. Finishing with a short piece of tubing for the tail nav beacon.

[LorenSharp]

I masked off and added the rear gunners glass. The Cockpit windshield has been dipped and the pilot and co-pilot's access hatches cutaway to reposition in an open configuration. I'll probably have to add some strip tidy up the edges and look more window frames. Once the Kleer dries and frames added I can stick that on and begin the prep work for painting.

So a little bit closer. I may just be able to get this into the Gallery before this GB ends.  I'm hoping to start the painting process tues-wed. and get the final bits on, ordinance, antennas and anything else I can concoct in the mean time. on by the end of the week. So until then, Stay safe, stay healthy.

[81-er]

Another update that was well worth waiting for, Loren!

 

James

[LorenSharp]

Just a small update while taking a break. Worked a bit on the Engine nacelles adding the exhaust. These I printed. Originally I was going to make from 1mm Brass Tubing but that was taking too long to saw the pieces with a hack saw and my Dremel was too big to cut consistently accurate  sections. This was much quicker.

Painted the Firewalls and Cowl flaps on the interior side with some yellow Zinc Chromate then a misting of Oily Black to tone it down. I'll add further exhaust stains later.

Did the same for the Cowlings on the inside.

 

[LorenSharp]

Got the wheels painted up, then worked on the cockpit canopy/windshield

I cut some plastic sheet to make interior framing and plastic strip to box in the overhead console. The right and left access canopies I added plastic rod fro framing then bent some beading wire to make the canopy latches.

The over head center console  was from the P/E set that I painted and added some levers from plastic rod.

Glued in place, this has the best fit of any canopy I've added, kit or aftermarket, in recent memory. After the glue cures I'll mask  off the windshield and put foam sponges in the interior to protect while painting later this week.

[LorenSharp]

I haven't added the engines yet but I did get the props painted. It almost looks like an A-26 now.

I still have the double flaps and mechanisms to complete and I should have those done by this evening, double check everything is copasetic and then tomorrow it's off to the paint shed.

[LorenSharp]

Slight delay  because of issues getting the double flaps to correctly print but to carry on,

After many prints over 4 days I ended up making the thin top portion of the flaps out of thin strip with a edge from .030 rod then slightly filled in on the inside with glazing compound to then sand down into a curve.

It finally dawned on me that even though my printer is a MonoX the final resolution is going to be 10um(microns) Up and down, and 50um side to side. Then you factor in that the piece at its thinnest is 150um it doesn't leave much room to print enough layers to be solid enough to use. These I'll add at the end so they don't snap off.

I did have success with experimenting making the landing lights. I have some clear UV resin that I piped into the cavity the stuck the area under a UV light to cure. Lot easier than trying to cut a tiny circle from clear plastic. then feeding it to the carpet

 monster. 

[LorenSharp]

Now for painting. Since this kit was moulded in black plastic rather than priming and pre-shading. I'm using the base black as the pre-shade and adjusting the thickness of the paint to give the variations. I'll still further accent with washes and pastels ,but this will be something different to try. But first all the openings... need covered up.

So I cut up some cosmetic makeup applicator foam. Basically wedge shaped foam pads. great for filling in odd shaped areas to mask or delicate sections like the wheel wells or cockpit to prevent from breaking off pieces as well.

The top area got the SEAC camo. I see a few things to further work on nothing major mostly a few pits here and there that I didn't catch un the final sanding. The strengthening strips will have to be sanding down further. Not supposed to be this prominent.

The underside I applied some Polly Scale Weathered Black. I'll let these dry, do my few corrections, touch -ups then start the weathering. The topside will get toned down some with  a light tan filter coat ,a dark wash, then pastels to bring out the surface detail and add  some griminess. The underneath will get light gray pastels to bring that detail out. From there decals, a matte sealer coat then add the final bits. still a little bit to go but the end is near and with luck I hope to have this in the Gallery by Friday.

[81-er]

Really nice progress there, Loren 

 

James

[LorenSharp]

Almost down to the finishing line. I've finished the piping on the engines and mounted them

Although one of these days I'll learn to take a photograph without making it blurry.

 

After many iterations I finally have the flaps mounted. Not really to my liking and I may try to re-hang one more time. But I'll look at it with fresh eyes in the morning.

 

[LorenSharp]

The ordinance that hopefully will be mounted tomorrow.

And added the decals, since it's a counter insurgency platform, no national insignia. Not much to add, tail codes, fuselage stripes, and walkways.

I'll let these dry overnight then tomorrow, finish the weathering, exhaust staining and any touch-ups, followed by a matte coat. Then on to the finals, Props, bay door, antennas, lights, guns and ordinance I may just get this bucket of bolts across the finish line yet. so stay tuned for tomorrows final episode . Same bat time, same bat channel.