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1:32 Lockheed EC-121K Constellation/Warning Star


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Hi both - thanks for interest - have done a little more on the wings - may post an update at the weekend.

Expandable foam - whilst you can get cans of insulation foam from your local DIY shop - I'd strongly recommend used a proper two-pack polyurethane foam as this guarantees it 'sets' all the way through and doesn't keep expanding over time.

Tiranti - Rigid Polyurethane Foam

Iain

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Wow Iain - just read the thread, that is one monster of a model, and if you do finish her with the hi-vis red areas - you are going to need some serious anti-dazzle eye protection too!! :)

Keep going - I'm hooked and I want to see her finished!

cheers - love your stuff

Jonners

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Wow - I just discovered this build thread. You are to be commended sir for attempting this project, let alone for the superb job that you are doing! My cap is off to you!

I never had the "knack for vac" kits, every one I've tried ended up in the bin. And they were nothing compared to this monster. I'll be watching this thread to see how you progress. The Connie is probably my favorite prop airliner! Anxiously awaiting more updates!

Cheers,

Bill

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Anyone remember Oddball from Kelly's heroes?

"Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves maybe we can't lose!"

:pilot:

Iain

"Woof, woof, woof! That's my other dog imitation."

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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Lain, what are you going to use to paint that monster?, I can recommend you to use acrylic car paint, you can use it as regular lacquers, you can get any color you want from the cart +16M colors :P, you can get 250ml for the price of two Humbrol enamel cans and that paint will dry after you get bored of painting models.

I been using them and the results are awesome.

Cheers

Luis

Edited by dergrunepunkt
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Have spray equipment in garage for spraying motorcycle/car parts (garage type compressor etc) - so may well go that route. White no problem and should be able to get a seaplane grey mixed up.

Anyhoo - we're still a *long* way off that stage!!

Have Alps printer - so can make my own decals...

Iain

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Only after reading your last post there have I come to realise this thing will be so big as to require you put away the airbrush and break out the spraygun!

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OK - with most of the day free today - and weather good enough to work outside I decided to bite the bullet and do the wing undersides - something I'd been putting off as I wasn't looking forward to it...

Well - after about 7 hours work and multiple power tools:

re2005435.JPG

Reason I'd put these off - upper surfaces were hard to do - but the cut outs here are a lot larger. Here I've marked out areas to be cut out and filled.

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And the cut-outs, well, cut out I guess :)

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After filling with 60 thou polystyrene sheet, filling leading edges with casting resin over a plastic sheet form, and an hour, or so, on the bench sander, followed by the Mouse...

re2005438.JPG

Getting there...

That's all for now - next stage is to add wing tips to the lower surfaces and mark up cut outs for ailerons and flaps so these can be cut out.

Iain

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outstanding job, its looking better all the time

mumble to self......

Now I wonder, file033.jpgwhen he said " ...an hour, or so, on the bench sander, followed by the Mouse...", is this thing that big he has mice helping, like in Cinderella??c_laugh.gif

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'Mouse' is a small orbital sander that's proving emmensely useful:

488996_KA161_A6.jpg

We ended up with one by accident. Our last orbital sander wore out - my wife was popping into town and offered to pick a new one as the DIY store was closing down. Came back with a Mouse - much to my mutterings of 'that's not going to be up to the job'. Didn't take it back as 30 mile round trip and store closed a couple of days later.

But - low and behold it's actually turned into an ace tool for vac models and pattern making! :devil:

Browsing around looking for more inspiration - not a lot of Warning Star stuf on YouTube - but found this snippet on the USAF birds:

And a nice walkaround:

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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BiG thank you to Julien for sending me some images and for posting this walkaround - brilliant stuff!

Few hours free this evening - so tips on the lower surfaces and, hopefully flap areas and ailerons cut out. Oh - and cunning plan for main gear bays and wu/c legs :)

Iain

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OK - fast progress tonight courtesy of Heller, an iPhone, a 1 meter rule and Swann Morton's finest:

re2005439.JPG

So - flaps and ailerons out! Upper surfaces have bowed - so need to stabilise before bonding the halves together.

NOTE: Yes - the wing tips aren't correctly shaped - but as they need to be clipped to fit the tip tanks that's a bit of a moot point! ;)

I have a positive vibe about this - would like to get some spars made up at the weekend...

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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Can safely say this is going to be a monster when done, Not just because the size!! Good work Iain..

If mines done around the same time, Maybe they might both make an IPMS together around 2013 :lol:

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Thanks guys - the help and support here has been amazing and is helping keep the enthusiasm going!!

OK - bit more this evening (I did say I was making progress) - but this time I wanted to start making something rather than ripping apart and sanding - so making a start on the nose gear bay:

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Here's a rough outline of the bay made by running a permanent maker around the opening.

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Foam cut out along suitable lines with a razor saw and bread knife!

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Here everything placed back in the starboard fuselage half to check size of cut-outs...

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Looks good...

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For those that have ever wondered why the grid on a cutting mat is so useful - how else do you square things off quickly? :) This is the rear bulkhead - in 30 thou sheet.

re2005445.JPG

A dummy ceiling has been made from 30 thou and aligned with a front bulkhead. All dry fitted at present...

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And rear bulkhead...

Happy that the core shapes/position of bay is good and everything square - I can now go and pour over photos and start making up the details :)

Back soon!

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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Is good to see you can keep the motivation on such a big project, I found myself freezing projects due lack of interest, please keep updating this thread.

For motivation you can look for a torrent named something like "Discovery Channel - Great Planes - Lockheed Constellation" I found it very inspiring.

Cheers

Luis

Edited by dergrunepunkt
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I have to agree with Al, but what a great inspirational build. I do enjoy seeing the effort some people put into models like this, even though I wouldn't have the attention span to do it myself. I will definately enjoy watching this one progress.

Pete

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