X-8 and X-9...Yet another DNF

[Angus Tura]

Hello,

 

This GB and bank holiday have snuck up on me. In a previous blitzbuild I made this:

 

 

which is a Lockheed X-7 ramjet test bed. I'd like to add the X-8 and X-9 which came in the same box, a present from Mrs.Tura when the world was young:

 

 

The X-8 is the little bag of bits at the top-middle. It's a sounding rocket. The loose bits in the middle are the X-9: a prototype Shrike missile. The two bags on the left are X-17s. There were two of these in the box, I suspect because the molding of its ground handling trestles is poor and you'd need two kits to get parts for one set of trestles. These might be another blitzbuild. On the right is a Japanese doll model-base which I'm planning to modify for the X-7, 8 and 9.

 

I'd like to go for the Great Escape option.

 

Today I had precious little time starting at 1535,

 

 

and finishing at 1710:

 

 

I've just got the body of the X-9 cleaned up and off its mold blocks and so on.

 

Mañana,

 

Alan

[Lanmi]

Did you see my pencil maybe? 😀

Very unusual and interesting choice, I will follow it for sure. 

[Angus Tura]

'Morning.

 

Breakfast:

 

 

My G.P., a woman whom I would not like to cross, tells me that marmalade is off the menu...permanently. So, I've changed breakfasts since the last blitzbuild. This is coffee, tomato juice, kielbasa wiejska, musztarda Sarepska and watercress sandwich.

 

9 hours ago, Lanmi said:

Did you see my pencil maybe? 😀

Very unusual and interesting choice, I will follow it for sure. 

 

 

Thanks Lanmi. I am a big fan of the propelling pencil, as I used to call it. A ramjet-propelling pencil would surely be a pencil to be reckoned-with.

 

1.5 hours gone yesterday.

 

 

Alan

[Jinxman]

Gotta love a propelling pencil. Breakfast looks good as well.

[Bertie McBoatface]

This is a very unusual subject. Good choice

 

[Angus Tura]

Thanks chaps. KRO Jinxers.

 

 

Family agonies kicked off at 12 o'clock. I've only just made this photo of progress till then. So I think that's 4.5 hours down.

 

The X-9 and its fins are all off the blocks, literally and metaphorically, but they all need chips and resin bubbles filling in. The casting on the X-8 is better, but its plagued with panel lines and mold-slip.

 

See you in a bit.

 

Alan

[Angus Tura]

Here is a restart.

 

 

Next up hen was bits of the X-8. The divits in the fronts of the fins here aren't bubbles but fit the rear ends of the external ducting:

 

 

Did I say the molding/casting was better on the X-8? Totally wrong! There are an awful lot of bubbles where the casting blocks were attached. I have filled the ones on the X-9 with zap-a-gap and accelerator,

 

 

These are all in nice flat places and easy-peasy to sand back. On the X-8 there are many more and they're in panel-lines and on panel lines and across panel lines. I wanted to fill them with Mr.Surfacer because its easier to sand but takes time to dry. So, I've assembled it and got a layer of Mr.Surfacer on to then get the bubbles filled ASAP so that if I can't sand them back tonight, I can do it in the morning.

 

 

The X-8 is in the airing cupboard as I type and will hopefully get it sanded tonight.

 

Another stop:

 

 

8.25 hours gone.

 

Alan 

[Angus Tura]

'Morning.

 

So another restart last night,

 

 

These are the bits of the X-9 in mid-filling of bubbles and chips. I forgot to photograph on starting: actually 10.30pm. I also forgot to post this very excellent roast chicken and Kartoffelnsalat contributed by Mrs.Tura.

 

 

Here are all of the bits of the X-9 done and assembly started.

 

 

Here are both complete but handling to joints &c. to do.

 

 

So that is 11 hours down.

 

This morning breakfast same as yesterday and and restart

 

 

So there are 13 hours left and 13 hours left in the GB.

 

'Piece of cake.

 

Alan

[Angus Tura]

So, a long afternoon of CA glue, accelerator and sanding later:

 

 

I've drilled out one of the two exhausts of the X-9 to go on the stand.

 

And then put washed and coat of white primer...

 

 

...and I haven't dried them out long enough after the wash and you can see the bubbles around the X-9's tail. 

 

Later,

 

Alan

[Bertie McBoatface]

2 hours ago, Angus Tura said:

.and I haven't dried them out long enough after the wash and you can see the bubbles around the X-9's tail. 

 

Aaagh! I hate that sort of thing happening.

[Angus Tura]

Ah me.  

 

Tea courtesy of Mrs.Tura: Baked potato with, my favourite Angostura bitters, olive oil and corn.

 

 

but then I got a bit bogged down. I got this far:

 

 

The X-8 is pretty much done, apart from the trolley. The X-9 needs a lot more masking and black bits painted.

 

As I said this snuck up on me. With a bit more prep this could have been good, but the casting bubbles did for me. Anigrand said "Bubble," and I said "Squeak". See you at X-mas.

 

Alan

 

 

[Jinxman]

So close, resin gets you every time, eh? Love the stand as well.