ClumsyDude Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Those holes are terrific ... I'll have to remember the technique. Good stuff! Jim TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel_W Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Amazing, simply amazing. Joel TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Barry Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Very nice work, Torben. Impressed! TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 Cheers Kev, Hartmann, Martin, Jim, Joel and Jim B, really appreciative of your encouraging compliments!! Not much time at the moment and everywhere I look there's stuff to still to do but she's looking more and more like a P39 these days. A WIP shots to follow in a mo'... Torben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 (edited) Finally managed to get the tail feathers attached and have started to blend in and clean up the joins. I've deliberately filled the rivets in the fillets, there are a few too few and should be raised. Once everything is cleaned up over the whole frame I intend to use suitable Archers raised rivets/screw heads. Talking of fillets - once the main wing route gaps had been filled and blended in I wanted to reinstate the fillet edge detail to a nice clean subtle edge. Before: As you can see I've also carved in the two small vents on the side of nose cowling that were missing and have fully tidied up the the top plate near the front of the windscreen that sits under the armour plate to be fitted once that's installed. To recreate the fillet edge I first taped two pieces of electricians insulation tape on top of each other and cut a thin section of to act as a mask. I then carefully positioned this so the inside edge was at the fillet edge line. This was repeated on both sides - I've just realised in the image below that they don't look like they're even shaped 'reflections‘, fortunately the kit ain't that wonky and this is just an optical illusion - they mirror each other perfectly! I then painted Mr Surfacer 500 on the inside of each tape line - two thick coats, with 24hrs between each two so they were thoroughly dry. If not fully dry I've learnt that the next step, sanding back, gets gunky and unstable. By carefully sanding back I gradually brought the level down so that the edge of the tape was fully exposed and level with the filler which was super smooth. The inside edge of the Mr Surfacer was blended in to match the curve of the top half of the fillet. The front of tape was then slowly peeled back to check the height of the new fillet edge - I figured if it was too much I'd stick the tape back down and fully peel off the top layer and re-sand to that but fortunately I was happy withe the height of the original so continued the peel back to reveal a smooth lipped edge. I just need to clean up a fraction and reinstate the vertical panel joins and rivets etc... Phew! Pretty pleased that this came out well with my first ever attempt at such a long panel edge, it normally requires quite a number of goes before something like this comes off! Next stop back in the pit so I can get that pesky canopy on. Cheers, for looking, Torben Edited August 6, 2017 by TorbenD Jim Barry, Whitey, KUROK and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Wonderful work Torben !.......Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Barry Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Great! I love the tape and build up approach here. It worked really well. TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) Thanks Harv, thanks Jim, much appreciated. Gosh, it's been a while. Work, family holidays, work, life, work, yada yada... That and quite a bit of boring repair work after my cat Pip decided to see if this model could fly off my bench!! Fortunately the carpet cushioned the worst but I still have a persistent stress crack on one side where the plug I lengthened the fuselage joins but hopefully that will fully disappear after I apply yet more Mr Surfacer. Small photo update to follow shortly... Torben Edited September 20, 2017 by TorbenD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClumsyDude Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Ooh, I dread model drops at this stage of a build. But I don't doubt you'll recover it, Torben ... brilliant work so far. Jim TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted September 20, 2017 Author Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) Back in the cockpit. I wanted to add the radio relay (?) not sure what this is...) behind the roll cage that is evident on the images I have RAF Airacobras. I started with heating the end of some plastic rod and plunging it into a suitable sized semi-circle dip in a jeweller's former to create the main body of this element. Once the semi globe was chopped off I made the rest from punched plastic card and hand cut/folded thin brass sheet. The final connectors were made from Albion Alloy's tubing and thin copper wire. I also added a fine raised rim/door seal detail from 0.5mm x 0.28mm plastic card, intending to extend this into the canopy frame once that goes on - I may reduce the height of the seal ever so slightly once everything has set rock solid.. not sure... I also made the inner frame that goes over the top of the instrument panel - this was out of plastic rod as the kit version was far too thick scale wise. The tiny info card holders either side of this frame are made from very thin plastic card - the slotted edges hinted at by first placing a thin piece of tape the shape of the backing (minus the frame width and thick Mr Surfacer applied over the whole card shape. Once dry, much how I've done the fillets (but on a micro scale ), I sanded back to reveal the tape which was then carefully removed leaving just a sliver or Mr S on the edges. All other framework detail, bolts etc. were from punched card and thinly sliced stretched sprue. I had to redo the radio connector on the front after this pinged off into space after it's test flight as well as scrape back/blend in the paint around the door rims so aside from repainting/finishing I only seem to have the following relatively minor tasks before I can finally attach the canopy: 1. Adding cocking levers (I'll have to scratch these as I foolishly lost the supplied etched version) 2. Scratching the rear armoured glass panel 3. Adding top door frame handles 4. Adding a rear view mirror and final bold detail inside the canopy 5. Securing and ‘plumbing in‘ the previously made throttle quadrant and connectors. 6. Decals, placards etc. 7. Redo instrument panel lenses as some got scratched.. Actually.. that's quite a lot considering my build speed!!! Thanks for looking, Torben P.S. On point 5, if i can I'll probably leave right until the end of the build... any thoughts/advice on how to mask up prior to painting much, much appreciated... Edited September 20, 2017 by TorbenD MikeMaben and LSP_Kevin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 I was so impressed with that jewellers former block that I decided to seek one out. And then I discovered how much they are! http://www.jewellerssupplies.com.au/category/214-daping-blocks-punches-sets Kev CANicoll 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hi Kev Wow!! I guess those there are for professional jewellers. My dapping block is made of brass, (I think mild steel is also an option) aimed at craft jewelers - much, much cheaper - I got mine from a small tool suppliers in Hatton Garden London for £15 a few years ago. I've seen plenty on Ebay for around £20-30 - not sure if you have a local source in Australia but don't see why not... specify brass dapping block in your search and you should hopefully have more joy. I've not (yet) invested in any matching dapping hammers but hey, one can never have too many tools Let me know if you're still struggling an I can look into getting one ordered and sent to you. Torben LSP_Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Thanks, Torben - I'll get back to you! Kev TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 I just looked myself.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/112349683992?chn=ps&dispItem=1&adgroupid=45192390362&rlsatarget=pla-331477171812&abcId=1129006&adtype=pla&merchantid=7434894&poi=&googleloc=9046472&device=c&campaignid=861899495&crdt=0 Great work on the Airacobra Torben! TorbenD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 (edited) Thx Kev, thanks Radders, that ebay set looks good - great for scratching landing light lenses with thin soft pewter/foil Mini update tonight: I wanted to try an recreate a mirror in scale and after much searching found thin plastic mirror on the cover of a baby “look at me, look at you†style book in a local £1 Shop - that had, once liberated from it's card frame, this perfectly reflecting mirror (chrome backed acetate) I carefully cut the correct shape: Fortunately it sanded beautifully around the edges and I avoided scratching the acetate face. I ran a black spirit marker around the edges which not only gave it a scale thickness frame but also eliminated the internal reflective edges, visually thinning the protective acetate to get the effect I was after. I reckon that baby safe mirror should last me for a lifetime of modelling! I then glued it in place with white glue, at the same time I tried out Archer raised rivets for the first time to finish off the windscreen bolt detail. Loved them.... I then carefully picked out the new bolt heads in Silver Phew!!! Finally, I've just turned my attention to the ailerons which needed similar treatment to the elevators in that the moulded on slats and framing detail was far too raised compared with my references. In the mages below, the top aileron is after careful sanding/scraping etc. The bottom as original... The rear edges/trim tabs were also thinned significantly so they're good to be attached to my previously thinned wings. Thanks for looking Torben Edited September 30, 2017 by TorbenD CANicoll, Mark M, Gazzas and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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