DerekB
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Posts posted by DerekB
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...and I've made some progress on the fuselage CAD model too. Finally discovered how to create solids from surfaces, so that bodes well. Still some tricky areas to finish around the wheel fairing and the fairings between the fuselage and the horizontal/vertical stabilisers, but I'm particularly happy with the wing root fairing, particularly the aft end which has some tricky corners...
I expect this should work out very nicely, so I'll probably ditch the KittyHawk T-6 fuselage sides... and I might ditch more than that in the end. Check the list on the first page of this thread for Peter Malone's suggested "new items list"...
And yes, @mozart, it will be a very short step from this to a Harvard Mk.I !!!
- scvrobeson, mozart, Martinnfb and 5 others
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oh wow, that looks stunning, and super-clean! nice work!
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Some more digital modelling this week, I recently purchased an entry-level resin printer, so I should be able to knock up some complex parts now, despite Shapeways ending their service a while ago.
So I've re-started my 3D CAD work on Wirraway bits. Here are the instrument panels (ready to go) plus some electrical panels, about to be turned into 3D versions...
At the lower left is the forward cockpit instrument panel (with space for the forward guns either side of the top row of instruments), above that is the early-style rear cockpit instrument panel, and above that is the post-war style rear cockpit instrument panel. At the top right is the late model rear cockpit electrical panels, and the three panels in the bottom right are the instrument and bomb control panels for the prone bomb-aimer's position. These might be my first home-brew resin prints, since they're relatively straightforward. If they work, I'll load the STL files on my website for downloading.
- geedubelyer, denders, patricksparks and 6 others
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A bit of work completed over the long weekend (following a short visit to Melbourne's Model Expo on Saturday morning for a quick catch-up with modelling and publishing friends)...
With the fuselage frame taped securely to a flat surface (upside down) it was time to attach the floor of the aft fuselage. Some Revell Contacta Professional (?!!) made quick work of this step:
It was then left to dry until this evening when I carefully cut through the sellotape and tested the fit inside the fuselage... looking good!
I still need to add a few more tubes to the fuselage framework, then I can start installing "furnishings" as they called them back in the 40s...
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Adding missing details to the inside of the fuselage sides, and building the floor for the rear fuselage floor. There's going to be a lot going on in the rear fuselage, with two flare tubes (with hatches), F-24 camera (with hatch), Aldis sight (for framing vertical photos), Mark VII bomb-sight (with hatch), antenna reel, bomb-aiming instrument panel, bombing control panel, and the TR.11B radio installation.
- LSP_Ray, KiwiZac, TankBuster and 7 others
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Hey @The Phantom (and anyone else interested), I've added some downloadable STL files to the following page - let me know if you're able to download them, and I'll add some more soon...
https://dbdesignbureau.net/modelling-the-wirraway/
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On 4/28/2025 at 6:44 PM, jcweston351 said:
Derek, are you going to or do you need to relocate the landing gear location for the Wirraway?
Hi JC, yes, I'm looking at how to correct the landing gear also. As you mentioned, it needs to be repositioned slightly outboard of the kit location. Plus I might actually mount the gear with pivot pins through the spar as in the real thing... more to come on this...
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Looks like a fun conversion Kev.
A dumb question: if all the canopy panes are flat glass, why does the canopy need to be thermoformed at all? Just cut from clear sheet and fold to shape? I realise the sides are pinched in the middle, but it shouldn't be too hard to form, should it?
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The side frames for the aft fuselage framework are a little simpler than those for the forward frame... once again a simple jig to make a matching pair...
Then assemble the rear fuselage frame upside down...
Yes, the temporary cross-piece (red) is still in there... that will be removed later still. The rear frame is tapered more than the real thing, to make sure it fits inside the molded fuselage sides, which are of course much thicker than the real thing. Next step is to make the floor for the rear fuselage...
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Wow, 10 years... almost as long as one of my builds!!
I'm usually into things with round engines, but US jets of the 50s and 60s are just fascinating to me. Can't wait to see this progress to its conclusion!
- Hubert Boillot and Martinnfb
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And what a relief... it fits! A test-fit of the basic fuselage framework (the forward section) inside the fuselage shows that it fits snugly. The photo below shows it sitting in the starboard fuselage half, mating correctly with the upper skin of the wing centre-section.
Next I need to finish adding all the tubes along the "floor" of the framework, add some smaller tubes to the side-frames, add the roll-over truss, plus build the rear section of the framework. But it's great to confirm this is heading the right direction!
- scvrobeson, SwissFighters, Kais and 10 others
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The basic fuselage framework has been completed on the jig. I've attached the kit firewall at the front of the frame, after sanding down the top edge of the firewall, which differs a little on the Wirraway. The red cross-piece is temporary and will be removed after the rear part of the framework has been attached.
- scvrobeson, Martinnfb, KiwiZac and 5 others
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The landing gear bays on the Kitty Hawk Texan are a poor approximation of the real thing, and they should really be stripped out and corrected for an accurate model.
Being an early member of the T-6 family, the Wirraway has some minor differences, so these need to be incorporated too.
The first problem with the Kitty Hawk kit rendition of the undercarriage bays is that the aft edge of the opening for the landing-gear leg is at a slight angle relative to the forward spar, when on the real thing this edge is parallel to the spar. It is also too far aft. The forward edge of this opening is also wrong, but we'll get to that later. Correcting this problem will be don in two steps. First, I've filed the aft edge to be parallel to the spar (shown in the photo below). Next I'll add a strip to move the edge forwards, so it's only slightly aft of the aft edge of the wheel opening (not shown below).
That might seem like a simple problem to fix, except that Kitty Hawk decided to include an incorrect rendition of the front face of the forward spar above this edge. So that had to be removed as well. The photo below shows that incorrect spar face removed, and a new full-length spar fitted, carrying all the way across the centre-section, just like on the actual aircraft. This is just sitting in place to test for fit and size, and it will now be detailed with stiffeners and rivets. You can see how different this is to the unaltered piece next to it...
Here's another view from the rear. You can see I've also removed a section of false spar from the upper portion of the wing centre-section, the piece at the left of the photo.
And the photo below shows where all this is heading, a view of the port undercarriage bay on Wirraway A20-687 at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook (painted to represent A20-561)
The front face of the forward spar is very prominent, all the way across the two wheel wells.
And for comparison, here's what a later Harvard IIa wheel well looks like... the front spar is still prominent. The Kitty Hawk kit doesn't come close to this, and even the photo-etch kit by Eduard doesn't correct the problems...
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Before I continue work re-shaping the nose, I need to close up the fuselage... so I'm starting on internal details. First step is to add a floor in the cockpit... just the top surface of the wing centre-section actually. I'm not planning to add much detail, as it will be hidden by all the internals. The photo below shows the floor in place, glued to the starboard fuselage side.
And I also need to complete the fuselage framework... so I made up a jig to hold the two side-frames at the correct distance so I can glue in the cross-pieces. The photo below shows the jig with the side-frames clamped in place, ready to start adding the cross-pieces of the frame.
More coming...
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On 3/11/2025 at 10:35 AM, The Phantom said:
Derek. Anychance we can buy these shapeways bits?. I actually have the A20-10 Camo panel on my wall, ill send a pic when I take one
Phantom, sadly ShapeWays went out of business (edit: actually they're back, but not doing the same type of things). But if someone wants to offer 3D printing services, I could make the files available for downloading...
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Nicely done Ken! I have one of these in my stash, will have to drag it out some time.
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What a fabulous build Marcin! Thanks for sharing it with us. The toolkit complements the maintenance work! A most enjoyable tableau of an attractively-proportioned racer!
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OOH Splendid! I was waiting with bated breath for the "bright scarlet*" to appear! Looks wonderful!
* according to Charles Mendenhall -
The engine looks magnificent @Marcin_Matejko! Leaving the cowl panels off will be very rewarding! And leaving the fuselage innards visible will be great too, such incredible detail that you've replicated in there!
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Love a slick racer, and these were sure slick! Your rendition of monsieur Detroyet looks great!
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Hi Mike, I have one of these in my stash, so I'm enjoying seeing yours come together! Nice work so far, and great to hear tips from other builders too.
1/32 Wirraway
in Works in Progress
Posted
Cap, I'm doing this in TurboCAD Mac Pro v14. It's very basic, I have no idea how it compares to those others.