radial Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Very happy to see a 30's a/c being modeled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thanks fellas. I'm planning to use epoxy glue (Araldite) for the major components on this one, as it offers some wiggle room, and cures much stronger than CA. It also won't become brittle over time, with a tendency to 'let go'. So far I've found Araldite easier to sand than CA, but other brands probably differ. I'll use CA for most of the detail parts. As promised, here are some shots of the the major components taped together (bearing in mind this is after much sanding and test-fitting): Doesn't look too bad! But it took a lot of work to get this far, and as the next photo shows, it's far from perfect: That rear part is still just slightly oversized, but I'm not sure where else I can take any more material off at this stage. I think it'll just be a case of some heavy clamping followed by some serious fill/sand cycles. Here's the bottom: The tape hides most of the joins unfortunately, but it looks OK. I'm reasonably happy with the rudder too, but the end tail piece is slightly mismatched. The front cowl ring is only an approximate fit to the cowl itself: Again, should be no big deal to fix that, other than some concerns about retaining its shape. I'll move on to the cockpit parts next so I can begin construction. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RacerDave Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Wow! One of my favorite planes as well! You definitely have some work to do but nothing you cant handle! I've found resin is just as easy to work with as styrene, just the parts tend to be thicker and you use a different glue. No big deal really! I'll definitely be following this build!! btw, I'll be following your lead in reverse! The MC72 is my first resin, next I'll tackle a vacform! cant wait! Harold 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Paul Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Way to go Kev! This should be a really good looking plane as well as fun learning experience too when its all done! Keep up the great work! All the best, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRutman Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I am glad that you took the plunge and are building a resin kit. Even better,this is a very cool airplane. I have liked it since I saw the DeCaprio movie about Howard Hughs. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 WOW, about the best one I've seen ! Good job so far, my friend !.............Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hey, thanks fellas. I'm going to push this one aside for a few days while I finish my Tunnan and 767 projects. This one will demand my full attention from here on out, so best not be distracted by butterflies. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xmh53wrench Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hmmmmm, I am actually wondering how someone who actually KNOWS what they are doing, is going to handle that polished fuselage....KEV, that would be you I am referring to....can't wait to see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hmmmmm, I am actually wondering how someone who actually KNOWS what they are doing, is going to handle that polished fuselage....KEV, that would be you I am referring to....can't wait to see! Ha! Thanks for the vote of confidence Lou. At this stage I'm planning to use Alclad II for the first time, but that's highly dependent on how well the surface shapes up. The more filling and sanding I end up doing, the harder it will be to use something like Alclad. I thought fleetingly about foiling it, but I recall Brian (and possibly Ken too) having issues with foil sticking to resin, so I don't think I'll go there. If Alclad doesn't work out, I've plenty of other NMF paint options - though they won't be quite as effective as Alclad at providing that highly-polished result. A long way to go before then though! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Does anyone know of a 1/32 figure of (or that could pass for) Howard Hughes? I've decided I'd like to pose the completed model on a base with a figure. I haven't decided on the exact nature of the base yet, but even just a nicely finished wood base with aircraft and figure would look pretty good I reckon. Trouble is, I can't locate a suitable figure! Anybody got any recommendations? Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) Looking really promising Kevin. Resin models are nothing to be afraid of. They offer different challenges than plastic kits, and take a bit more time, but are not really much more difficult. As others have said, it is all about test fitting and making parts fit....you can't assume anything will fit out of the box. I also like epoxy to construct them, as it doubles as a good filler at the same time. I also find it much more predictable than CA glue. The key to epoxy is that it is a "mechanical" bond...which just means parts need to be slightly rough for it to stick well. I have never been able to predict when and where CA glue will hold solidly and when it won't...much to my dismay. I only use it now for detail parts where great strength is not required. XS models is interesting. The only website I can find has an order page (in German) but no listing whatsoever of what they have to sell. I saw a PDF of one of their catalogs once, but it would now be several years old. I cannot believe a decent website to sell your products would be particularly difficult or expensive to do.... Edited January 17, 2013 by Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Anybody got any recommendations? Some further Google searching led me to a thread right here that I'd forgotten about, which in turn led me to Kings Road Miniatures: http://kingsroadminiatures.com/hughes.htm Looks good! Not cheap though, but probably worth it for this project. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Kev Looking real good and the speed at which you're moving, could cause whiplash, if you're not strap in when working. No going back! Alclad is the only way to go. Just take your time on the sanding and polishing and then a super smooth coat of gloss black. You're home free from there. My BBD Mustang was my first go at Alclad and as I kept working on it, the results just kept on getting better and better. The last parts I did were the drop tanks and by then I finally figured it out and then look like mirrors.. The key is a super smooth, gloss black base. Keep 'em coming Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 The key is a super smooth, gloss black base. Thanks Peter. What gloss black did you use? All I've got at the moment is Humbrol, which I'm not that fond of. Also, did you polish out the black undercoat or just applied the Alclad over the top? Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvrobeson Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) This is really cool! I've thought about doing the Hughes H-1 for awhile, but will probably do the 1/48 version. About the gloss black, I've always found model Master enamel to work well, but lots of guys have success with Krylon spray-paint. They say that works well. You can polish it up, but the Alclad will need something to key into, so it can't be like glass, or else you run the risk of paint peeling. Keep up the great work! You're going to burn through this one. Matt Edited January 17, 2013 by scvrobeson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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