Aussie FAC in Vietnam. Cessna Bird Dog FINISHED!

[Shaka HI]

Indeed, this is beyond modeling. It's recording history in 3D!

[Simmo.b]

Looking great mate!!

[KiwiZac]

I love the FACs, Bird Dogs have always been a favourite, and I always enjoy watching your builds. I think I'll really like this one.

[mpk]

This is the highest compliment to which I can relate to you.

 

I see this in all your work. It is not long, but I hope you can derive both the mastery, artistry, talent and technique of this outstanding musician.

 

I hope you enjoy it. You're being compared to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.

 

https://youtu.be/W8L7JZP97X0

[LSP_Kevin]

Super work, Eric!

 

Kev

[Guyman1]

Very nice Eric,

 

This will be one very interesting build with your eye for detail looking forward to more updates.

 

Guy

[ericg]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys.

 

This is the highest compliment to which I can relate to you.

 

I see this in all your work. It is not long, but I hope you can derive both the mastery, artistry, talent and technique of this outstanding musician.

 

I hope you enjoy it. You're being compared to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.

 

https://youtu.be/W8L7JZP97X0

 

That guys seems to be just farting around on the drums..... now if you had compared me to this guy, who is a master, then I would be impressed! much more up my alley.

 

 

I have been a little busy attending a concert at Australia's premier music venue (the Sydney Opera house) instead of modelling, hence the lack of updates. Here is a pic of me (on the right) and my best mate looking slightly ragged after a couple of days of `entertainment' before going into the venue. It was a historic event considering that it was the very first time that an extreme metal band have played there. There were quite a few families hanging around doing the tourist thing until a sea of black shirts flooded the venue!

 

 

Some more work.

 

I have finished the instrument panel using a combination of a few different sets of Airscale decals. I then flat coated the panel before placing a small drop of future (possibly the only decent use for it BTW)  inside each instrument to simulate the glass. It would have been nice for Roden to at least try and include some form of instrument details either decals or moulded in into the plastic, but lets face it, Airscale is the way to go.

 

 

I approached the engine a little differently to the instructions. I found that by gluing the mounts into place on the firewall and getting them straight will set up better for installation of the engine later.

 

 

The engine was assembled in its entirety. It builds up quite nicely apart from the rather sloppy locating pins. I was disappointed that there is no cooling fin detail on the cylinders.

 

 

 

Painted

 

 

 

Installed

 

Edited February 8, 2017 by ericg

[Uncarina]

Excellent work, and it's great to see this come together! I was just at the Opera House in July during a layover--bet it was a bit cooler then. For those cooling vents, a work around would be to scribe them in with an X-Acto blade.

 

Cheers, Tom

[Shawn M]

or wind them with thin wire or ez line

[Harold]

A lifelong friend drove a Birddog FAC in SEA...if I could find the time, I would build one for him.

I am watching.

[KitmodellerNZ]

Opeth! Opeth!

 

Looking great so far. I'm really looking forward to Roden releasing the Cessna O-2

[ericg]

Excellent work, and it's great to see this come together! I was just at the Opera House in July during a layover--bet it was a bit cooler then. For those cooling vents, a work around would be to scribe them in with an X-Acto blade.

Cheers, Tom

Both of the nights we were there were the hottest pair of nights in 158 years apparently.

 

If I wasn't building this kit straight out of the box I was going to cut the fins with a razor knife.

 

Eric.

[aircooled_nut]

Awesome as always!

 

Phil.M

Edited February 14, 2017 by aircooled_nut

[ericg]

Upon further conversation with Mac, I have determined that I will do aircraft 51-12242. It was in this aircraft that he saw action leading to his nomination of a Silver Star which followed with the award of the of the Distinguished Flying Cross. He will be sending me a full account of that action as soon as he has it electronically and I will pass it on here. A quick brief from Mac:

 

`The action was on 10 May 1968 in aircraft 51-12242 (0-12242 on the tail as per photo) and I controlled four F-100s and four A-37s during a 3.25 hour sortie. This was the longest sortie I had flown in a Birddog and I was really stuffed after I landed.'

 

And some photos from Mac of that aircraft:

 

 

 

More work on the model.

 

I felt that the tail wheel assembly was going to be a major weak spot in the kit. The leaf spring is very thin and will break very easily.

 

Using a very thin bit I drilled a hole right through the length of the plastic part

 

 

And inserted brass tubing through it. I will have much more confidence in moving the model around now.

 

 

 

The inside of the windscreen has a step in it where its upper curvature is and I wanted to smooth it out.

 

 

Whilst the clear parts fit reasonably well, there is always room for improvement. Using a fine grade sanding stick I smoothed the clear parts into the fuselage.

 

 

There is a small gap on the rear edge of the windscreen. 

 

 

Filled with plastic card

 

 

Each of the major clear parts were then smoothed over with a sanding sponge

 

 

[ericg]

I then buffed each of the parts with various grades of Tamiya polishing compound to give exceptionally clear results, much better than from the box (or Future)