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


Iain

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Yup - just a plain rubber seal/edge on the pot - it just sits on top.

 

Acrylic sheet is 15mm thick.

 

Forms a strong vacuum - down to -0.95 bar is as far as I've had it. You can safely lift the perspex lid - and the pot + any contents underneath.

 

Advantage is a very quick on/off (with valves open to atmosphere) - and easy to see what's going on. I normally have to go down in pressure in stages - otherwise the cup would just 'froth over' with liquid rubber.

 

My pressure pot is nothing like as friendly  :)

 

Iain

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Juggling projects this afternoon - but a few update images on the Spit.
 
Some more internal detail - plus seat straps and rear instrument panel to do - but test fit this afternoon.
 
Note the new metalwork on upper rear cockpit frames - to go with the new seat strap routing on the two-seater - made from etched brass spares, brass rod and stainless hyperdermic syringe tubing.

 

48b427_a4a1af93042a4e1ab74609afd08c0f3a~

 

48b427_485957b80b6449b099b94617667af048~

 

Engine and frame all dry fitted - a lot more detail in progress...

 

Iain

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Meant to post this one too - canopy castings done so will be cutting up and splicing over next few days...

 

48b427_a82cda7068064c9bbbbdd18742561e58~

 

Note - the interior grey-green looks very odd here - I had to up the contrast/colour saturation quite a bit so you could see the resin castings!

 

Have fun!

 

Iain

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Loving this, Iain!

 

I was speaking to Kevin Nunn of Brigade Models at Southern Expo today and he's currently working on a 1/32nd two-seat conversion to make the Revell MkIX a TR9.

 

It'll be a drop-in double cockpit with a few other bits and bobs. He's doing the blown cockpit glazing as seen on the Irish machines as well as a full decal set with both Irish Air Corps and a modern day "warbird" twin seater as options.

 

Too late for you, but thought others might be interested.

 

Tom

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Loving this, Iain!

 

I was speaking to Kevin Nunn of Brigade Models at Southern Expo today and he's currently working on a 1/32nd two-seat conversion to make the Revell MkIX a TR9.

 

It'll be a drop-in double cockpit with a few other bits and bobs. He's doing the blown cockpit glazing as seen on the Irish machines as well as a full decal set with both Irish Air Corps and a modern day "warbird" twin seater as options.

 

Too late for you, but thought others might be interested.

 

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

 

Wasn't aware they were working on a conversion - but I'd probably have gone the route I have anyway...

 

They're going to have to do a new fuselage to do it properly IMHO?

 

I should be able to provide canopy mouldings to anyone that wants to do a Grace type airframe (there are a few now) based on this new conversion.

 

Iain

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  • 1 month later...

With apologies to my ace client for the delay - a little update on where I'm at - a lot of background work, and third time lucky on patterns...
 
We left the story with the casting of copies of the Tamiya canopy parts - the plan being to produce extended versions of the kit parts as masters for vaccing new components in clear PETG on my vac-forming machine.
 
It's taken three goes so far to get it right - but now have something I'm happy to share.
 
48b427_bd70ca50cec3447787e8e196b482ed05~

 

Note the cut outs at the rear of the frames - to clear the aerial post on standard marks - these will need filling...

48b427_af1810a9891f4015a69d46932635d855~

 

Castings were cut in appropriate places, surfaces dressed off on wet and dry paper - on a flat surface, with that classic 'circular motion'.

 

Resulting components 'tack-welded' with cyanoacrylate glue - followed by a 'filler' of freshly mixed resin. 'Tunnel' section still needs a little resin 'filler' to make good.
 
48b427_8c7b00b750dc4e1caf16f1c13257aaa2~

 

Next job on these is to bond the sliding component to the tunnel and fair together as per the original. I need to be in the right frame of mind to do that!

 

The 'tunnel' section *is* too long here - but I'll trim back the resulting clear vacced part.
 
48b427_121f47102158457d8f48e3ef179852c1~

 

Now - on the full size airframe - the rear canopy is 4 inches longer than the front, but based upon the same patterns.

 

By my calculations that's 3.175mm in 1:32 - close enough for Government work?  ;)

 

48b427_f94decd04213477cb7508c2b7891d9b6~

 

Hope that's been of interest - off to finish the cockpit (hopefully today)...

 

Have fun!

 

Iain

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  • 3 weeks later...

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