franky boy Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 Great work as ever Tom. I love that photo on the kitchen table. What a beast! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 It's looking very much like a Stirling, a particularly magnificent one! Richie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whofan Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 Tom, yet again a masterclass in making a Vacform model. The two little vacforms I have in my stash (1/72 dragonfly helicopters from whirlybird models) still look too daunting, but the hints and tips from this (and the Sunderland build) are slowly eroding the dauntingness! A quick question, will the Sunderland and (even if only part completed) Stirling be at Telford this year? Oh, and did you know Kotare models have a 1/32 Halifax and Stirling in design? (So I read somewhere, but can’t remember where, recently) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 On 3/5/2023 at 8:53 AM, franky boy said: Great work as ever Tom. I love that photo on the kitchen table. What a beast! James It’s useful as a sense of scale - she’s a big model! On 3/5/2023 at 3:10 PM, Whofan said: Tom, yet again a masterclass in making a Vacform model. The two little vacforms I have in my stash (1/72 dragonfly helicopters from whirlybird models) still look too daunting, but the hints and tips from this (and the Sunderland build) are slowly eroding the dauntingness! A quick question, will the Sunderland and (even if only part completed) Stirling be at Telford this year? Oh, and did you know Kotare models have a 1/32 Halifax and Stirling in design? (So I read somewhere, but can’t remember where, recently) Many thanks! The Sunderland was at Telford last year so I’m unlikely to take it again this year. The Stirling, if finished, will make the trip this year. I do hop about a bit so there’s no guarantee it’ll be done by then. And the Kotare rumour..? That’ll be the story of my life! The landing gear is certainly going to be the most challenging part of this build, so I thought I’d start with something relatively straightforward as a first, tentative step. When I inherited Cees’ parts he kindly threw in some spare HK Lancaster wheels which has been most helpful. The Stirling and Lancaster shared the same hub, but the Stirling’s tyre was larger. Plans consulted, I came up with a cunning plan… First up, I used some Evergreen block strip of the correct size to enlarge the Lancaster tyre to the correct diameter. Using strip, rather than a sheet of plastic card, means they follow the contours of the tyre well and reduce the amount of sanding needed later. Here you can see the modified wheels with the strip added: Next, I used some tape to protect the hubs, and layered on some P38. The rear-most tyre has already begun the sanding to shape: Both tyres sanded: And then primed: Not bad - although the shoulders need rounding off a little more. A job for another day. Until next time, Tom 30 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whofan Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 46 minutes ago, tomprobert said: The Sunderland was at Telford last year so I’m unlikely to take it again this year. The Stirling, if finished, will make the trip this year. I do hop about a bit so there’s no guarantee it’ll be done by then. Thanks Tom. I am full of remorse as having gone through all the photos I took at Telford, there isn't one of a Sunderland, so I suspect I missed it! If you do take the Stirling, which club table will it be on? 48 minutes ago, tomprobert said: And the Kotare rumour..? That’ll be the story of my life! I found the comment, apparently it's on the Kotare website ! isn't it an universal truth of modelling that as soon as you start or finish a vac form with lots of scratch building, , a very good injection kit comes along?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 That method of correcting the tyre depth is bloody clever. That made me smile...and make notes! Richie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 7:59 PM, tomprobert said: but my skills don't stretch that far That was a joke, right Tom? 1 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Lovely work as ever Tom. Vacform`s scare the **** out of me, but watching your builds has eased my fears about them. Though I doubt if I will be getting any as we don`t have the room. Simon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 04/03/2023 at 19:59, tomprobert said: something resembling a Stirling is slowly emerging That is looking magnificent! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted March 8, 2023 Author Share Posted March 8, 2023 On 3/6/2023 at 10:39 PM, Whofan said: Thanks Tom. I am full of remorse as having gone through all the photos I took at Telford, there isn't one of a Sunderland, so I suspect I missed it! If you do take the Stirling, which club table will it be on? I found the comment, apparently it's on the Kotare website ! isn't it an universal truth of modelling that as soon as you start or finish a vac form with lots of scratch building, , a very good injection kit comes along?? It'll be in the IPMS West Kent table if it comes along - I'm lucky that my club is very accommodating when it comes to taking up so much room when the club displays. I haven't been able to find anything on Kotare's website re. a Stirling or Halifax, but having done a Halifax MkII I've love a Hercules powered MkIII Halifax to go with it! On 3/7/2023 at 1:14 AM, RichieW said: That method of correcting the tyre depth is bloody clever. That made me smile...and make notes! Richie Many thanks, Richie! The simple methods always the best! 22 hours ago, Spookytooth said: Lovely work as ever Tom. Vacform`s scare the **** out of me, but watching your builds has eased my fears about them. Though I doubt if I will be getting any as we don`t have the room. Simon. That's very kind, Simon - but not all vacs are as large as this! There's a nice series of 1/73nd WWI fighters but the thought of those is enough to put anyone of modelling for life! Tom 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPMS19 Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 - I have just discovered this post.......What a monster...!!!! I cannot imagine the amount of work it requires.......::! and in vacu above all.......I fall on my behind..! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev67 Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Coming along great as usual, should be finished for Telford 😏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuraiwarrior Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Looking really super Tom. Wish I'd seen your Sunderland when you did it. Watching in awe and admiration. Thanks for sharing Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 I used up all my superlatives on the Halifax and Sunderland builds. I must have become used to Probert miracles 1/32 Stirling? Just another model from the plastic alchemist. TP turning dross into gold every time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whofan Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 7 hours ago, tomprobert said: It'll be in the IPMS West Kent table if it comes along - I'm lucky that my club is very accommodating when it comes to taking up so much room when the club displays. thanks for this. I look forward to seeing it in the flesh! I am wondering where on earth I saw what I thought was the comment about the Halifax and Stirling, I've even hekd my nose and looked at facebook, but no luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 WOW!!!! Just spent last night and this morning catching up on your beast of a build. Tom your skills are off the chart!!!! Loving this. I’ll tag along if I may. Johnny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 On 3/8/2023 at 2:00 PM, tomprobert said: There's a nice series of 1/73nd WWI fighters but the thought of those is enough to put anyone of modelling for life! You mean like these? Nothing scary there, just practice! BTW these are my 2nd and 3rd vac kit builds (all in 1:72) so I don't have much experience with them. Ian 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 (edited) Well… progress has slowed a little of late due to work, but I’ve made a tentative start on the very complex landing gear. This is a bit of an experiment, if I’m being totally honest, as I’ve knocked up some gear using spare sprue. I’ve no clue about working with metal or solder, so this may (literally) fall flat on its face, but we’ll see. I always keep large sprue trees as it’s so useful when it comes to scratch work. I’ve chosen some that’s a little thicker (by 0.25mm) than the HK Lancaster gear legs as my logic is if such diameter can support the heavier weight of that kit, it should be able to hold the much lighter vacform Stirling. So… some sprue and lots of small metal pins which will be used to reinforce each join: Following plans, I cut the main parts of the structure and these were then slowly put together. CA glue secured the metal pins in pre-drilled holes, and then when each ‘leg’ was complete TET was run into each join and allowed to dry for 24hrs to make a very strong join: Great care was taken to ensure each part of the gear was identical: The joins were then reinforced further with Milliput and sanded smooth: Next, the main cross members were added using more sprue and again strengthened with metal pins: And with the wheels added, they are starting to resemble the complex structure of the real thing: What I’m now going to do is temporarily fix the gear to the bays and leave it standing for a week. I’m off to Italy skiing so when I return, if the model is still standing securely on its gear I can call this a victory and crack on making and adding the rest of the detail - of which there is lots! If not, and I come back and it’s laying flat on its belly, it’ll be back to the drawing board and I may have to invest in a soldering kit and a whole lot of reading… Stay tuned! Tom Edited March 21, 2023 by tomprobert 31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Very smart Tom, thinking out of the box again. Enjoy your skiing sir. Simon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieW Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Really clever solutions Tom. The gear legs look perfectly identical and easily robust enough. I really don't think you'll be needing a soldering kit. Richie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuraiwarrior Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Hi Tom, They are truly works of engineering. Most impressed how they look so sturdy and all the joints blended in. I think that the Stirling will be standing up and to attention on your return. Enjoy your break, you deserve it! Thanks for sharing Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 On 12/03/2023 at 16:10, Brandy said: You mean like these? Nothing scary there, just practice! BTW these are my 2nd and 3rd vac kit builds (all in 1:72) so I don't have much experience with them. Ian Lorks!!!! They’re a bit special. 😍 1 hour ago, tomprobert said: And again. WOW!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomprobert Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 11 hours ago, RichieW said: Really clever solutions Tom. The gear legs look perfectly identical and easily robust enough. I really don't think you'll be needing a soldering kit. Richie 11 hours ago, Samuraiwarrior said: Hi Tom, They are truly works of engineering. Most impressed how they look so sturdy and all the joints blended in. I think that the Stirling will be standing up and to attention on your return. Enjoy your break, you deserve it! Thanks for sharing Kevin I'm hoping so, chaps. Doing something as complex as this in brass and solder, for my first time, would be a big ask. If it's still standing pretty when I return from my skiing trip, I'll be sticking with the plastic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I can see absolutely no reason why that should not be more than strong enough. Enjoy the skiing. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Have a great time skiing, Tom. Post us a piccie of the slopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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