Piprm

This model is putting up a good fight! (for an old fighter) Phil

Hi Dutik, Yes - I showed the metal crossbars connection to fuselage in earlier posts... and the main ribs are there to carry the brass tube crossbars ... as well as the resin extensions at the back of the wheel well - all these are incorporated into this main wing attachment structure... but no, to answer your question, the wing is way stronger now with above incorporated strengtheners...than a normal injected wing of same dimensions, so it doesn't really need any more metal rods (fore and aft of U/C bay), other then the two main Fuselage/ Main wing metal rods already employed... but I understand why you suggested that. The main things here is, drilling holes that are true and square - in these inner wing ribs to connect the crossbars right though the entire midsection, but this needs careful attention for accuracy., as far as getting the wings square to the fuselage. I'm not sure yet, if I have to get EricG's drill press involved here or not...But , these will be shown soon in the coming posts. Intakes - exhausts? Yes coming up soon! ... after I play on EricG's lathe.. when we can get a shared day off from work. Yes the exhausts will go all the way to the exit fans of the engine ...deep inside - but again... these are the next posts... Be patient my friend! Phil

Niagara Falls, sounds like a holiday to me! Phil

...check out the radio controlled model aircraft versions...(on youtube) RC FOCKE WULF TA 183 - HUCKBEIN JETCAT P-20 TURBINE AT BARKSTON WARBIRDS - 2014 as you will see , the aircraft flies beautifully - which goes against what one of the F/W engineer/designers thought of the aircraft flyability at the end of the war . (he had reservations) Phil

Purposeful ... even mean looking - but not UGLY! Phil

Ah - Ha! This might be the answer to your fit problem - Kev! Phil

Ditto - here Matie! Phil

Erh.. Kev, maybe a silly question.. but have you checked fitment of prop to your front fuselage problem yet? No, I think something inside fuselage isn't sitting right or maybe something isn't trimmed fully... ...my thoughts are, something not right at the bottom is pushing the alignment out at the top. Phil

Thanks Lothar, I'm still learning too! Phil

Thanks Craig, Being such a big model.. (one side of the main wings is as big as a P-51) then, I want to feel the rigidity of the completed model - when i pick it up... That's the true test for me - on the quality of construction. And as I said, I'm doing it only once .. so I might as well shoot as high as I can. (for what it is) Phil

Wing Tanks: I decided on mounting the tanks to the wing via an internal bracket ... 1/. for reason of rigidity and 2/. so i can mount and dismount them as needed. Gluing the tanks to the wing, would be the usual or normal thing ... but, this is not for me - in this instance..... plus, I am feeling a little self-indulgent right now with a little extra time on my hands... My motivation behind the elaborate way of mounting the tanks is - I am only doing the Canberra model once in my life, So I might as well do it any way I want! (can't blame me for that?) ... So to start - Time to cut the wing off the carrier sheet... To note the photo above: the nuts are fixed into the internal bracket - at the bottom, so the screw can be attached and detached, multiple times. Again, recessed into bracket - glued and heat-melted in place. (she ain't goin' no-where!) The photo is slight distorted by the angle of the shot , but the Tanks are Mounted and Square and not going... Anywhere!

Thanks Uncle Les, i'm glad you're enjoying it - so far! Phil

Thanks Paul... Yes, it now has hardly any flex at all , after my treatment (take my word for it)... compared to original I.D piece - which was as strong as cardboard... (as you know). Phil

Thanks Kev, I'm the 'out there' - sort of guy! Phil

Upor, Got my P-1101 the other day... Very nice! You do very good work my friend... I like the rubber tyres, by the way... Mine is #28... how many do you plan to make, is there a target production number? Thanks Upor! Phil

Main Wings construction - (continued) ​: The following photos gives you an idea of the structural integrity I am shooting for...( sample is Top of Main Wing) Interesting comparison between Tigger and I.D version main wings.... For those of you planning to build with the Tigger version and main wing construction in particular ... i would suggest the above rib and spar plan. ​Alternatively, you can go with expandable foam too... though messy and I'd probably keep it to the outer wing areas... but that's me.

Wow!...Thanks Jack! ...I really appreciate your kind words! I have to admit - your great work on your Canberra B8, inspired me to start this! Phil P.S .. still need that camouflage netting though...

Gidday Matie! Yeah Eric... will be in touch real soon!... we'll give that lathe a good work out! Phil

Completion of building the main wings (structurally) - The main wings proved tricky to construct and more-over.... support as a complete model part as the jet 'tube' design is incorporated into the top of the main wings and has a double crease or edge on the sides of the jet-tube, running halfway along main wing... and the problems is - like any 'crease'.... it weakens the overall piece (especially plastic vac form pieces!) like folding a crease into a piece of paper and then open it and watch it flop down at the tip! So this is my solution... I wanted the top wing to be strong right across the wing (through the jet - tube) to the wing tips.... ... so I heated up plastic styrene rods with my trusty (and sometimes lethal) hot air blower, ....the plastic strip tend to curl when heated , so this made things easy to form bracing parts for the jet-tube reinforcing... .....Then, as I sometimes do with these sort of projects ... I made things up as i went along... You are thinking - "what the hell is this guy doing?" (and you'd be right in thinking this) ... but this is the beauty in doing vac forms... you don't have construction plans to go by (I.D.models or for that matter - most vacuform producers don't supply them) showing building steps to follow or even construction tips - for that matter.... and showing parts marked e.g : "Part 4A goes with 4B"... Nope... you go with what-ever works! The main wings have such a big surface area.... it needs special construction methods - especially this ID version! i Found that gluing these critical load-carrying parts can be sufficient to some degree .... (9 individual small pieces glued together to make one structure....) as apposed to my way of - 9 individual pieces melt-welded together, to make 1 solid plastic part - piece... as a complete structure in itself... ... it is a lot stronger structure - I would argue. And i feel this is needed too..... by the size of the main wings of the Canberra! - which are HUGE! Note: if you plan to do this in future.. make sure you do it in a well ventilated area! .... away from the burning plastic fumes!.. which can be pungent

Acquiring Tools and supplies for project: I thought I'd take a breather at the moment to stock up on some supplies and tools I'll need in the coming build stages... - which are sadly lacking, since i last dabbled in this hobby...through moving multiple times over the years... and loosing this and that, along the way... I'm also gearing up my new garage-workshop ... for resin production, so I guess now is as good as anytime... I will be using a mixture of riveter wheel (of various dimensions) and rivet punches for various effects - inside and out. After researching the colours for my aircraft ... it turned out to be RAAF Extra Dark Sea Grey and Vietnam Olive Drab (Green).. ...which were the colours used in Vietnam by the RAAF Canberra Squadrons. I found these recently released RAAF paints on the internet - which are special matched mixes - in enamels (my preference) ... I know acrylic paints are the modellers choice these days .. but I'm an oldie who prefers his old ways - I guess! (Ha ha)... ...plus I think after inspecting the real thing recently... the paint on the Canberra aircraft used is enamels and applied thick on the airframe... - so I might as well keep it real...

The Circle is complete! Phil

Good one Bill! I know Echelon was one of the better vacs of the past ... so it will go together well - I am sure! 1 question... how thick is the plastic sheeting? ... Phil

Just stumbled upon this thread Kev, Great job you're doing with this kit! I have the Special Hobby version too... I would guess The Revell (sorry Kittyhawk) made a few improvements to the first version S/H P-39 kit?... Phil

Yes, Brick .. he has this effect on most of us here! Phil

["Vacuform modelling is like a blank canvas; be prepared to experiment, think laterally and to fail at times but it's great fun!"] Yep!.. got it, in One Max! Shaka... { One day, I will tackle one of these, but I definitely lack the patience and skill for such an endeavor.}... I don't agree... if you are capable of assembling an injection kit...reasonably well .. in my books, you are qualified to build a vac! You will find your skills improving 4-fold as you progress... at your own pace... because you will be finding yourself (as Max correctly stated before)... thinking - planning more laterally and in ways you never did before! This will become obvious to you once you go back to the injection kits... your skills will definitely be 'improved'... I think you should give it a go - now! Phil