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Bless my soul it’s a Fairey Firefly in 1/48 by Trumpeter


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What a bizarre day. I didn’t watch the funeral but there were snippets on the radio as I paid my respects while sitting quietly contemplating a million little things. I left the build in a good place, or so I thought. Read on dear friends, read on.

I started early this morning by adding detail ribs to the now solid wheel well. 

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Oooh looking good. Until. 😦

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hmmmmm. Now isn’t that a thing. What if I??? Erm what about??? 😩 Back to the drawing board. 🫠

Take two. 🎬

instead of gluing the walls to the well and shining as before I figured if I taped the well in place I could at least get the height right. 🤗

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Now this seemed like a good idea at the until I noticed I wouldn’t be able to fit the other well. 
Take Three. 🎬

Take Four 🎬

Take Five 🎬😩

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This is Just getting ridiculous. 😬😦

 the problem is these things.

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The circular rims that are designed to take the drum shaped wells of the kit. They are just proud enough to scupper any chance of fitting anything other than that shape and the tolerances are soo tight that you don’t really have much wiggle room. 🤔🤔🤔 

Take Six 🎬

I decided to document this in case anyone wants to copy. Heaven forbid.  The square base was cut aligned to the wing and not the well and trimmed to the closest edge of the drum shape. ( those outward pointy bits got trimmed back too )

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I used the same method as take two to get the height then used TET to set in place.

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Then continue around the perimeter. The overshoot is a bit much but I can trim later.

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Eventually you will get this.

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The diagonals can then be glued in place and everything is the right height, except for that darned circular rim. 🤔🤔 well here’s whatcha do. 🤩

cut yourself a super thin strip of plasticard and run it along the rim of the…. Rim. Giving you a slight lip and negating the locating gap.

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The outer edge of the box you have made should fit snugly on the outside of this hiding all joints. 🤩🤩

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And.

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At least we’re getting somewhere. 🤗

I let that dry while I wrestled in the IP and got the fuselage together.

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Next time I’ll ping the location points off replaced sections. 😬

Eventually I squeezed everything in like an overweight punk Getting into some skinny jeans. 
Now while waiting for drying of both of those things I decided to do the other well. Easier I think to try and trim the walls before you glue in place. The second one went like a breeze.

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Now I did a dry fit as Sod’s Law says it won’t! 
well it didn’t.  😱🫣

Not quite.

See that locating pin (line)on the left?

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Well that has to be cut off like this one.

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That will then allow for the new angled wells.

Now are you making notes? There will be a test. 🤣🤣🤣

 

After all that the fun could start.

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Some styrene strip a bit of glue and a squirt of primer later we have this.

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And fitted she looks like this.

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I’ll add pipes and wires after paint but that’s the easy part. Sheesh that was a struggle. 
 

One down one to go. I think I’m going to light the fire and get a beer. 
 

See you all on the other side. 

 

Thanks for dropping by on this strangest of days off.

 

 Happy modelling chums.

 

Johnny.

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Those wheel wells look fantastic, well worth the effort! (Sorry!)

I was working most of the day but have been watching the procession to Windsor and ceremony there in the bar. Very moving. I still can't quite get it into my head that she's gone!

 

Ian

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Absolutely fantastic work on those wheel wells, Johnny! They fought, but you've thoroughly beaten them into submission, then continued to make sure they know who’s boss!

 

James

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Wow, that was a struggle and a half for sure, but the end result looks magnificent from here. Here being beside our little pond in the garden, talking to our friendly frog!

 

Ever thought of making some resin casts of those wheel wells you jare making? I reckon there is a market for disgruntled Trumpeter Firefly owners!

 

Terry

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On 19/09/2022 at 17:16, Brandy said:

Those wheel wells look fantastic, well worth the effort! (Sorry!)

I was working most of the day but have been watching the procession to Windsor and ceremony there in the bar. Very moving. I still can't quite get it into my head that she's gone!

 

Ian

Yes it was an odd day. And thanks. 😃

On 19/09/2022 at 20:11, giemme said:

Well worth it,  though! That wheel well looks spot on now! :clap:  :clap:

 

Ciao 

Thanks G

23 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Oh wow Johnny the U/C bay looks fantastic. 

Great work and worth all your efforts. 

Chris

Thanks me mon. 😄

22 hours ago, rob Lyttle said:

That's quite picturesque.... It gives a real feel of what you're working on .... 😊

Wheel Wells, eh? Tsk 

I know. Sorry about that. 

20 hours ago, hendie said:

I don't know what you're blethering on about. It looks easy from where I'm sitting :D

 

Nice job though :clap:.  Those wheel bays look much better. 

 

 

It was easier the second time around. 🤪

19 hours ago, CJP said:

Very nice job on the wheel wells

CJP

Fankoo

17 hours ago, mark.au said:

Great perseverance and a well earned result on the wheel bay.

Thanks

17 hours ago, woody37 said:

Just caught up with this, loving the detailing of those wheel bays

Cheers. More to add with the wires. 😇

11 hours ago, 81-er said:

Absolutely fantastic work on those wheel wells, Johnny! They fought, but you've thoroughly beaten them into submission, then continued to make sure they know who’s boss!

 

James

Thank you. Too kind. 😃

8 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Wow, that was a struggle and a half for sure, but the end result looks magnificent from here. Here being beside our little pond in the garden, talking to our friendly frog!

 

Ever thought of making some resin casts of those wheel wells you jare making? I reckon there is a market for disgruntled Trumpeter Firefly owners!

 

Terry

Say hi to the frog for me eh. 🐸

 

I have never made resin casts. Part of me wishes I had of printed them now. 
 

😎

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Wow! Thankyou for all the kind words. Yesterday was indeed a struggle that left the bench in a bit of a state.

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So I had to tidy that up before I did owt else. 🧹

Then as fate would have it my internet was down for heading the day so in between meetings this happened.

Decidedly faster than yesterday. 😇

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Now I have seen these all colours. Well ok: Grey, green, grey green. Any one have any orders or am I ok with any of the above. Was going to go with grey green/ green to match the office.

I also fitted the sight thing. I had to extend it with a smidge of plasticard and the glass can go on later.

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Also planing on having the youngman flaps down like this. They looked smooth on the kit but then again they do here too.

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Sprue goo to hide the seams.

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And after a few wafts with a sanding stick the frankly beautiful canopy just spotted into place.

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Then the internet came back soo I had to get back to work. 😕

 

oh well it pays ze bills.

 

 More soon chums.

 

 Johnny. 

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Good job John !!

These canopies look far better than th SH ones....

Take care about the flaps, I'm not sure that the early marks deploy that way....

Well, well, these wheel wells are well walled, wales engineering well done.... Hoops... Sorry, I forgot to place a Whale... 🐳

You will finish it in September.... !!

Congrats !!

CC Hu Well.....

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59 minutes ago, corsaircorp said:

Good job John !!

These canopies look far better than th SH ones....

Take care about the flaps, I'm not sure that the early marks deploy that way....

Well, well, these wheel wells are well walled, wales engineering well done.... Hoops... Sorry, I forgot to place a Whale... 🐳

You will finish it in September.... !!

Congrats !!

CC Hu Well.....

Thanks Alain. Yeah I’m really impressed how clear they are. Hmmm🤔 maybe I won’t bother with the flaps. Just in case. 

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Patience has been well rewarded on those wheel wells; just crying out for some Johnny Flory-mastery now.

 

And those canopies are as clear as you get I reckon, which is good, seeing as there’s a beautifully crafted and painted cockpit that needs to be seen. :D

 

 

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Camo? Why wouldn't you?

 

Lovely work so far Johnny.

 

 

Now you've sparked a debate with this silly desire to remove the model's seams.

 

I mean why bother?

 

On the Sunday club meeting I could see the seams all along the competition winning Huey Cobra's fuselage.

 

Over the upper engine cowling and down the nose to the gun.

 

 

But it had a beautifully clear cockpit canopy and doorwindows.

 

And was big.

 

Big always wins.

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On 21/09/2022 at 06:43, Fritag said:

Patience has been well rewarded on those wheel wells; just crying out for some Johnny Flory-mastery now.

 

And those canopies are as clear as you get I reckon, which is good, seeing as there’s a beautifully crafted and painted cockpit that needs to be seen. :D

 

 

Thanks Steve.  I’ve just looked and i

the wires are the same colour as the wells so I’ll do those first. 😇

On 21/09/2022 at 08:06, bigbadbadge said:

The wheel bsyd look fantastic with some paint on, great work Johnny,  the kit is coming together quickly now too.  Canopies do look good.  

Chris

Thank you sir. They turned out ok in the end. More to go though.

On 21/09/2022 at 10:18, giemme said:

Sure, why not?  :D 

 

Ciao

Hmmmm green and brown with a custard bottom. 😃

On 21/09/2022 at 11:47, perdu said:

Camo? Why wouldn't you?

 

Lovely work so far Johnny.

 

 

Now you've sparked a debate with this silly desire to remove the model's seams.

 

I mean why bother?

 

On the Sunday club meeting I could see the seams all along the competition winning Huey Cobra's fuselage.

 

Over the upper engine cowling and down the nose to the gun.

 

 

But it had a beautifully clear cockpit canopy and doorwindows.

 

And was big.

 

Big always wins.

But seams. Surely that’s why we are all here? To remove unwanted seams. That’s the meaning of life. Not 42 or other such madness just unwanted seams it seems.

 And you know what Benny hill said in the Italian job! He weren’t wrong. 🤣

 

 Johnny

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I'm just catching up too, the wheel wells look fantastic and they were definitely worth the effort!

I don't know about resin copies but I'll be using this thread as an instruction manual when I do my Firefly!

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