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'Grace' type two-seat Spitfire in 1:32


Iain

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Item 'the next' was to look at the new frame at the back of the rear cockpit.

 

Whilst I had a spare second frame from the kit, the cross-section - internal opening shape, as well as structure, were all wrong.

 

However - it did give me a shape that wasn't too far out to act as a pattern.

 

I wanted the top section to go to the outside edges of the fuselage - to be sanded back, flush against the fuselage, at a later point in the build. So - lines marked at the correct height on the Tamiya frame and a rectangle of styrene bonded in place on the top half. This 'edge' will act as a guide line when shaping the areas below the cockpit opening that will need to fit flush with the inner contours of the fuselage. A separate sheet of styrene was bonded in position on the lower half and, once dry, carved back to the outline of the Tamiya frame.

 

This was then carefully sanded back using sanding sticks until the frame was small enough to fit inside the fuselage and match the contours.

 

At this point the centre was opened up with a fresh scalpel blade to match the shape in my photos of the 1:1 fuselage.

 

Images below show the frame at this stage:

 

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Note the mustard yellow sections on the out fuselage on the above images - filler primer applied where the fuselage 'plugs' I added need further smoothing.

 

Next up - the internal 'V' that I'd removed from the frame at the back of the front cockpit has been fitted - along with some additional framing to match my references on the two-seaters.

 

Lightening holes - and more details - to be added - but now good enough to mock-up fitment of the main internal components.

 

48b427_a721e7d82eef4cc69838bf7fdc0001ee~

 

Have fun!

 

Iain

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Now we get to some of the biggest structural differences with the single-seaters...

 

The two seaters feature horizontal cross-bracing around the front and rear instrument panels.

 

This cross-bracing is then covered in sheet aluminium on the front cockpit to form two triangular shelves either side of the main panel - with thicker longerons that taper back towards the rear cockpit frame.

 

I've added these from sheet styrene - now blended in with the thinner longerons on the kit supplied frames. The shape isn't quite perfect yet - need to get the scalpel out later - but all now blended in with the existing structure.

 

With lots of cutting up, sanding, more cutting and general mess, I couldn't resist placing the unfinished main panel in place in the following photos  :)

 

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You can also see the area I've had to remove and sand back at the front of the cockpit tub to avoid fouling the firewall mount bulkhead mentioned earlier.

 

Back later...

 

Iain

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Testing fit of the main components - some more trimming at the base of the Eduard Brassin cockpit side sections methinks...

 

48b427_980df95cf1ca47fb9fcf561e8e4b1b4c~

 

And placed in the starboard fuselage half - the Eduard resin sections will be straightened as they're bonded to the insides of the fuselage:

 

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Iain

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Aha - more study of my structural photos this morning - and the horizontal longeron I've mentioned previously (the upper section of the front cockpit in the previous photos) does, in fact, carry through to the rear, at the same level - with a new braced longeron above.

 

This means that if I trim more from the bases of the Eduard Brassin sidewalls in the rear and mount lower than originally planned, everything will line up perfectly - subject to some more scratch-building of detail above.

 

Another 'eureka moment' - and fortunately I hadn't already bonded in the original position I'd planned.

 

On the case now  :)

 

Iain

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Internals almost done - certainly the basics...

 

Images blow show where I'm at - with apologies for sanding dust - and some gaps now filled. Also bear in mind a lot larger on screen that real life  :)

 

Resin side-walls bonded in place - and upper structure added from styrene sheet:

 

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Sill structure reshaped - and compass mount added:

 

48b427_97b8e6d3a2e04e27b16daf381d17ee01~

 

Rear former with seat mount added. A little more detail to add:

 

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And loosely placed inside fuselage:

 

48b427_70be914572994f7f94a8f1b0a68e0612~

 

48b427_bca764c4bc6242e2941fdedc1d18af96~

 

Have fun!

 

Iain

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