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Aerotech Supermarine S5


TorbenD

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OK, I get it!! Had a hard time visualizing what was off, I see now. That's a lot of work, but it wouldn't look right if you left it alone. Great progress!!!

 

Don

 

Thanks Don, it took me quite a while (and Hubert) to get it too - much happier now so worth the effort. As I make so few, I want to get this right.

 

 

Great work, Torben!

 

Kev

 

Thx Kev, always appreciated.

 

 

Great show!

:popcorn:

 

Juraj

 

Thx Juraj

 

Wow Torben! It is fantastic to see how much you care to achieve the correct shapes for this model.

 

It is interesting to see a way many of us seem to take when making a model. At first, we tend to trust what is offered us as essentially accurate, then when work and knowledge of the subject progresses, we find more and more problems with the kit. Some problems, like the exhausts in your kit, might only become obvious when it is all assembled and you can compare to the real subject! After all that, we can decide what we will do...live with it, or take things apart and start over like you have. I'm glad you did and the results speak for themselves!

Still wonder if starting with a square block would take less time in the end!

Keep up the great work!

Alain

 

Thx Alain - great comments and how true! I'm working my way up to a full scratch build at some point. To be fair I'd  still be staring at a square block instead of what now looks like an S5 if I'd not had the Aerotech to base everything on. I love all the research but sometimes it is a curse as it stops things being far more straightforward as I find it difficult to un-see and ignore the extra detail or incorrect shapes.

Edited by TorbenD
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Ok, I take the blame :DodgeBall: ... :)

 

Can I the also take the praise for achieving a much better-looking front fuselage ;) ?

 

No, I think all the praise should be for you, Torben :goodjob: !

 

Hubert

 

Ha! Hubert thank you! You can take blame and prise in equal measure!

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Torben,

You're just about scratch building this kit. Great progress!

Gaz

 

thanks Gaz - talking about scratch building I'll have to show you my new legs tomorrow as a bit late tonight!

 

Cheers, Torben

Edited by TorbenD
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One area where the kit is genuinely a bit on the chunky side is with the float legs. 

 

DSC02526-X2.jpg

 

Looking at every photo reference the legs are much more slender. 

Screen%20Shot%202017-10-29%20at%2009.33.

 

Although cast in pewter(?) for strength I'm guessing if the kit'd legs were to scale thickness they would be prone to warping. Indeed when my first trial to thin them started with an attempt to sand the metal back I broke one of the them near the top.

 

DSC02524-X2.jpg

 

So, first job was to cut some lengths of some thick gauge brass wire. The gauge was approx 2/3rds the width required, the length, the correct scale length plus extra to allow a very secure anchor point at both ends. I also drilled out the holes in location points of the floats so they were nice and deep and had a bit of wiggle/adjustment room.

 

Taking some strips of 20thou I carefully bent these in half lengthwise around the edge of a steel ruler using a little heat from a candle. The outside of the fold forms the leading edge of the aerofoil shaped legs. I inserted the wire inside the fold which bows the sides out and then pinched the rear ends, clamping and sticking the inside edges together with CA. The thickness of the plastic card is key as it needs to be thin enough to flex nicely to create a nice aerofoil profile but thick enough not to kink when tensioned around the wire.

 

This left me with legs of a similar depth and thickness to the originals. 

 

DSC02510-X2.jpg

DSC02509-X2.jpg

 

Once the CA was fully set I filled the remaining cavity in front and behind the wire with gap filling CA which was then left to set. This CA was there not only to add extra strength and rigidity but also allowed me to sand back the legs beyond the thickness of the plastic card and retain a sharp rear edge.

 

Talking of which out with the sanding sticks. The depth was reduced down from about 8mm to 6mm and much thinned at the sides to nearer  the thickness of the wire.

 

DSC02513-X2.jpg

 

DSC02514-X2.jpg 

As you can see the CA pretty much takes up the rear section of the leg which has a fine fairly sharp edge that is far more sable than the same thickness of plastic card. N.B these images are not the final, profile which was further refined and straightened after the photos were taken

 

Repeat four times… 

 

DSC02512-X2.jpg

 

Add two sessions of primer with sanding in between and I ended up with something I was much, much happier with.

 

More in a mo'

 

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Next stage was to set up a jig so everything could be aligned properly. This was aided by using the ready made trolley frame that comes with the kit which lines up the floats in the correct position.

 

Talking of which Aerotech have accurately caught the offset nature of the floats very nicely (the starboard set 8†further out to counter the torque of the propeller) and so using the original legs as guide the rest of the jig was formed from foam board and mount board using the original legs as a guide. 

 

DSC02516-X2.jpg

 

DSC02518-X2.jpg

 

Once set I offered up the new legs

 

DSC02520-X2.jpg

 

DSC02521-X2.jpg

 

Then, although not glued yet I couldn't resist a look see without the jig - 

 

DSC02523-X2.jpg

  

Whilst in this unglued set up the rear port leg is slightly twisted I have to say this is looking pretty promising! Phew!!!!

 

DSC02522-X2.jpg

 

Certainly much, much better scale thickness and strong too.

 

DSC02525-X2.jpg

 

Like I said I still need to fix everything accurately and then sculpt some fairings but at least I feel I've cracked the last of the major structural fixes.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Torben

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