1/48 S/H CAC CA12 Boomerang ZA@O

[Kahunaminor]

Hello all,

 

Having finished my 1/32 Eduard Bf109E-4, I though I would kick off the new financial year with an Australian project:

 

 

This is my first "limited run" kit so I am taking it a little slowly but I am surprised by the small parts count for what can be a very nice kit.

 

 

 

 

 

The A/M team:

The additional PE is from MPM and is supposed to be for the CA 13 but will do nicely. I won't need the Airscale instruments. I also got some True Details P-40 wheels (27") smooth tread.

 

 

The cockpit framing is coming together and the seat:

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Regards,

[LSP_Kevin]

Nice project Kent! The kit looks at least a little better than the old Tasman one I have in the stash. Looking forward to your progress mate!

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Time for an update. Firstly thanks to Ed Russell for some timely advice and an a copy of the the Model Art article on the SH CA12. The kit instructions are a little confusing in areas as to placement. The first I discovered was the IP support bracket. The instructions would have you attach this to the rear of the upper IP in a vertical positions as shown in the photo. 

 

 

Following a good look at some photos you can clearly see the "open" end of the bracket protrudes between the upper and lower IP, meaning it should be attached in the horizontal plane.The solid piece goes against the support on the firewall like this:

 

 

Another incorrect area is the MG cocking mechanism on the starboard side:

 

 

Doing so according to the instructions leaves the asembly at the bottom of the support cage and totally out of reach. It should be moved upwards and sit between the two diagonal braces, abreast of the foot troughs. The freshly chewed plastic shows where it was:

 

 

The cockpit framing detail is excellent but requires dry fit, dry fit and then some remedial work to get it to sit right. The fuselage sides have been painted with WEM RAAF interior green and aluminium. The boxes have been picked out in MM Aircraft Interior Black and the relevant PE.

 

 

You can see a bit of surgery to make room for the cage. The throttle control and the radio will be added after the cage is secured so I have left the areas bereft of paint to get a good seal:

 

 

The seat has been painted and the PE harness attached. Not entirely correct but close enough for me at that time:

 

 

More to follow....

[Kahunaminor]

Part deux....

 

The cockpit has been completed. The armour plating behind the head has had the kink removed, the lower IP has been painted and the PE attached, compass installed and the upper IP and boxes attached and wired at the rear. The IP faces will go on next and then coating, wash and weathering for all.

 

 

 

 

 

The wheel bay is in and ready for aluminium with a heavily diluted YZC wash. I also put some card behind the landing lights to fill the voids. It has been painted WEM RAAF interior green and black. I intend to add some little lenses to make the lights before covering the openings. The wing uppers and lower have been joined and I think I got the correct dihedral but it may be a bit flat. The transparencies have been added to the three identification lights and will be masked. The camera window in mid rear fuselage will be painted over.

 

 

 

 

 

I have also started work on the engine, fitting the main components:

 

 

 

Many thanks for looking and again to Ed for the advice and help. 

 

Regards,

[LSP_Kevin]

Looking good Kent. I must pull my own Boomerang kits out of the stash some day! Nice inspiration here.

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Thanks Kev,

 

They really area nice, if trying, kit. There is also the Redroo set which gives you correct shaped MLG covers which I have sourced and will add.

 

Regards,

 

Kent

[LSP_Kevin]

Thanks for the info Kent. I don't actually have this kit unfortunately, just one of the old Tasman ones, plus the FM vac kit in 1/32.

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Onward ever onward!

I have installed the main IP PE, harness and installed the seat. Some silver prismacolour pencil for various chips and Tamiya "dry brush effect" grey weathering pastel. Next a gloss coat, oilw wash and dullcoat for all the cockpit related areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kahunaminor]

I returned to the problem of the fuselage and spent some more time dry fitting and pondering. Stephen's photos seemed to confirm my thoughts that the fuselage lacks circumference to fit all the innards and meet the wing root area joins. I think it goes further that that. The lower wing fillet join to the fuselage is also too thin and would benefit from creating a wider join with the lower wing.

 

 

If you continue that widening forward you end up with a gap at the lower front but the wheel well joins line up much better.

 

 

It has the effect of spreading the fuselage outwards to meet the wing root areas:

 

 

 

 

The fuselage will still need thinning at the wing roots as they are way too thick. I have thinned them here but a tad more may be required along the entire length, particularly at the trailing edges:

 

 

 

But even now it is a better fit. It still catches on the wheel bay rear bulkhead, causing some problems and I will have to take some plastic from there as well.

 

 

In securing the fuselage I am going to work from the tail forward and cement only the top seam. Hopefully this will enable me to fiddle with the placement of the various parts. Hopefully I can seat the cockpit, engine and associated bits in their correct places from underneath and I will then build up the gaps with plastic, dry fitting the wings to ensure a best fit.

 

Thanks for looking,

[LSP_Kevin]

Wow, tough gig Kent! Looks like you're getting it licked however. I have grave fears for my Tasman kit now!

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Time for a small update.

As hinted at earlier, the tabs on the rear firewall will foul the MLG attachment points. These have been trimmed from square to triangular to accommodate the MLG leg. I wasn't happy with the attachment points, which seemed a bit shallow. The MLG legs were drilled and pinned and the attachment points drilled until just under the surface of the upper wing:

 

 

 

The pins can be finished off later but it provides a sturdier join.

 

I am still test fitting the fuselage and cockpit. I found the starboard secondary IP fouled the thick fuselage side wall so I removed a metric poofteenth (smaller than an imperial poofteenth) with a micro chisel:

 

 

The other side had some removed for good measure.This will allow the frame to sit better, allowing the radio to be seen:

 

 

Attached the cylinders to the crankcase. They still need a bit of tidying up:

 

 

I also drilled out the prop shaft as I had snapped it off due to ham fistedness. I shall pin the prop later.

 

Regards,

Edited August 5, 2014 by Kahunaminor

[Kahunaminor]

Moving forward...slowly!

 

The assembly line:

 

 

I have completed the cockpit assembly, washed and flat coated. Still need a little highlighting of the IP and some future for the glass. The wash doesn't show that well.The gunsight and arm rests will go in at the end as they will be easily accessible (I hope):

 

 

 

 

The engine is moving forward:

 

 

I have commenced joining the fuselage halves. The tail area and the upper seam to the rear of the cockpit have been glued. Just forward of the tail wheel assembly and everything forward on the lower side and forward of the cockpit is still open. The join on the upper rear is quite good and will require minimal finishing. The plan is to shoehorn the engine and cockpit in and then commence sealing the uppers engine cover seam. Leaving the lower seam for modification. The clip just forward of the tail is inserted and gives me just about the correct gap all the way forward:

 

 

 

 

Many thanks for looking,

 

Regards,

[LSP_Kevin]

Nice update Kent. Glad to see you're finding some time at the bench!

 

Kev

[Kahunaminor]

Hello all,

 

A small update:

 

Prepping the resin cannon. The pour stubs need careful removal. Rounded file followed by sandpaper. One down, one to go.

 

 

Work on the engine...5cm push rods cut from pre painted 0.5 rod. Only doing the front as I cannot get to the rear ones and I doubt they will be seen. Pipe work from cylinder heads to collector. The pipes from the front cylinders are way too short, so I will cut them at the mounts and replace them with relevant sized rod painted appropriately. Some burnt metal touch ups, PE wiring harness, gloss, wash and weather to follow. Then hopefully I can get it into the fuselage in close to one piece!

 

 

 

My wife is away in Melbourne for the rest of the week,the kids will be in school/daycare and with the forecast for pouring rain for the remainder of the week, I hope to get some quality bench time in!

 

Thanks for looking and regards,

[mozart]

Your difficulties mirror many of the problems that I had building some of the Classic Airframes kits, especially the Fairey Battle which had many fit issues. I think you're tackling it in absolutely the right way Kent - taking it slowly, dry fitting time and time again and occasionally having to use a bit of muscle! Similarly, the instructions need a lot of thought and checking with other references because of vagueness and ambiguity.

You're doing a brilliant job, and the finished plane will be all the more satisfying because of the effort that you've put into it!

Max