Fun with Buffie's best '109G-10

[stevegallacci]

I'm doing "Yellow 7", the Erla-built 'G-10 using the Hasegawa kit decals mostly, and am doing a few fancy bits, like an open canopy. Since this is in 1/32 and you can actually see the level of detail, I've vacc'ed the Erla Haube and built the interiour structure, using the Buffie's Best CD for reference. I'm also building the latch and jettison hardware to go with it.

The snap is of the clear part plus structural bits added before painting.

Now I jsut wish I'd been as fussy detailed with the rest of the kit, as it was jsut a quicky knock together using my Erla conversion nose and ended up with too many layers of primer and such which I should have removed

[stevegallacci]

And here is a demo installation on the model.

[bsarnoffca]

Real beauty!

[MikeMaben]

Nicely done Steve

 

M

M

...good work.

[alaninaustria]

That is looking excellent Steve! May I ask: what kind of plastic are you using for the vac'ing..... I have tried to do mine for my Stuka build and after a dipping in future - it came out of form and curled up on the edges... any suggestions what I coudl try?

BTW... any update on your D-11/13 nose conversions? I woudl love to get a couple of those!

Cheers

Alan

[stevegallacci]

The plastic I used is from Squadron (?) clear for vacc'ing. It is a little on the thick side and I'd probably go with something a bit thinner next time if I can find such. The effect looks so good that I'll be doing all my Erla Haubas, closed or open, that way.

The D-11 and '13 conversions are only a couple of molds to be made short of being in full production. Before the end of August I ought to have some initial sets done. The wing 30mm Mk108s will also apply to various Fw190As as well and may be marketed as such too.

I'll have sample builds done and up this month of the 'D-11 (W.Nr. 220014 "White 61>", with EE decals), 'D-13 ("Yellow 10", of course) and a generic very late '190A-8 (big tail, wing Mk108s)

[MikeMaben]

May I ask: what kind of plastic are you using for the vac'ing..... I have tried to do mine for my Stuka build and after a dipping in future - it came out of form and curled up on the edges... any suggestions what I coudl try?

 

Hey Alan, some of the best stuff for clear sheet vacforming is called PETG. Here's a site with some more info, if you google it, maybe you could find a source closer to you.

 

http://k-mac-plastics.com/petg-sheet.htm

 

M

M

...hth

[stevegallacci]

I suspect the Squadron stuff is that smae plastic. But it is also about .020 and for me a bit thick. The extra stretch in being pulled over a Stuka canopy form may pull it a bit thinner and make it work. I've got a couple of sheets of .030 (4 foot by 8 foot) and will look into getting .015 or so for my own use. I could also make some available for LSP members too. There is a lot of packaging made out of this, and such has been an alternate source for my vacc'ing needs.

[alaninaustria]

Thanks guys! I will have to get myself some of that!

Steve: How the heck did you get the framing to adheare to the clear part? Regular styrene glue or CA?

Thanks

Alan ..............................man that camopy looks great!! That is exactly the kind of finsh I want to acheive with the Stuka build ..... but the plastic won't co-operate!! :angry:

[stevegallacci]

The edge frames were glued directly to the particular clear, as it will fuse with styrene using any of the "hotter" liquid glues, like those used for acrylic. The sections of tube in the folded portion is set in place with Future. Then the whole thing is dipped in Future. When I do it again, I'll likely pre-paint the folded section and rear arc tubes and set them all with future so I won't have to paint around them. The orginal structure was a sandwich of the tube, then the clear, then the outer sheet metal.

The He162's canopy was simularly built. On the Stuka, the inner frames didn't have outer sections, and even with a thin bit of Future, there would be a bit of a "web" around the rib to canopy junction. You might need to do the entire canopy, including Future and final paint and only then add the pre-painted ribs, just tacking them in place where the glue would not show from the outside. I'd suggest doing them out of thin lead/solder so they can be adjusted into place.