Trak-Tor

Ohhh F the shipping cost - I'll donate a Hasegawa P-40E

Well, this year I'll repeat my last year's offer, again.
Is it a tradition now, isn't it?
I'd like to donate 2 books of choice from Valiant Wings Publishing + shipping. As 2 separate prizes.
This year, too, a few novelties have been added. And others are on the way.
 
And put me down on the list as a recipient as well, please. Once only. 
Thanks for your time and effort.
 
Juraj

Came today.
 


 
I've not built a Z-M kit yet. Perhaps I'll use this for the next Group Build (starts tomorrow.) I'll have to do some research.
 

These three arrived today, compliments of Casemate. I'll be popping off reviews ASAP.
 

Usually, I'm not a Black Friday/week/whatever shopper. But with Tom's beautiful Griffon Spit coming along nicely in the WiP section,
I pulled the trigger on Mathieu's resin conversion. The 30% discount on the Tamiya low back Spitfire was just icing on the cake.
Looking forward to building one of these as well!
 

Kent, I've tried to search Flickr for you. No luck with the interior. But...
David Whitworth has two interesting albums:
DH.89A DRAGON RAPIDE G-AGJG
 
DE HAVILLAND
 
He is also visiting Duxford on daily basis, so may be it's worth to ask him for a few pictures. He's a nice chap.
Although I'm not sure Duxford is opened these days.
 
And here are some more pictures that might be useful:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Juraj
 
 

This build was kind of a rush job, I had nothing to work on since my Apache project ground to a halt pending decals.    What this means is that I didn't spend a great deal of upfront time researching my subject, I kind of just dove in.   I had no idea how complex the Blackhawk interior really was, also had no idea how many differences there are between the various versions (and even the same model as it was upgraded over time).  It's scary how much crap is present inside these beasts.    

 
Oh well, the journey of a thousand miles starts with the cabin ceiling, right?   The real thing comes in two flavors.   Either with the sound proofing in place or removed, showing all the wiring and other parts.   Behing inherently lazy, I opted for the former.   On a new helo, the sound proofing panels are all a uniform dark green.  Over time and with heavy usage, they turn all sorts of shades, from a light cardboard brown to a dark OD.    Here's the real thing.  The grey structure is a drip pan for the transmission housing.   Note the clear drain line tubing.   Also note that in this particular case, the tubular bar used to mount the troop seats is running for and aft.  Typically it runs side to side.   

 
The KH kit gives you multiple extra parts, with no real info on which to use.  It's a mix of parts from their MH-60L kit and the MH-60S.    In this case, you get two options for cabin ceilings, one with most of the sound proofing removed and the other with it all in place.   The only problem is that the drip pan isn't accurate in either case.   Here's where I started:

To the basic part, I removed the raised ribs and that extra release latch on the drift pan.  Nothing complicated about this, just careful cutting using a fine chisel blade and some sanding.   I then added the seat mounting bar referenced above, a FRIES bar (fast roping attachment, it's not labeled in teh kit instructions, but it's provided), the "H-Bar" up front (from the Werners Wing's set) and a bunch a scratchbuilt details.    Here's how it currently looks:

 

 
More to follow...

As my Spitfire XIVe build is nearing its finish I going to start building the ZM FW-190A-4:
 

 
I have some aftermarket already including the ZM 3D cockpit set, HGW seatbelts, Master armament set, AIMS decals for making masks, and TopNotch camouflage masks. I've already prepainted the parts with Tamiya AS-12 primer, so I'll be starting soon. Come along for the ride!
 
Cheers,  Tom

Howdy folks,
 
I've just published this week's What's New update.
 
Enjoy!
 
Kev

i´m in as a recipiant and donate on osprey book: "Tornados of the Gulf war"

I'm in as a contributor, with a Fly Hurricane Mk.IIc.
 
Here it is on top of Mrs Shoggz's Mini Cooper convertible!
 
 

The brackets for the elevator stop lever and the connecting rod are ready to install.

Hi guys!
Italeri newest release, overall fine fit with raw surface and good interior details. I changed look of elevators and rudder, corrected fuselage wide lines and erased few on wings, added some cables and missing things in engine compartment. Corrected by a bit spinner too. I've made some rivets by painting from handmade masks and using watercolor crayons.
WIP MC.202 Duo Camo

Hi all, as many of you know I have had a challenging few months with sickness, redundancy, new job, writing my vehicle off in an accident with my son in the car etc.  I have been off the forums for a while but needed a 'Quick Build' to get my Mojo going.  
Here I present you with the Tamiya 1/32 Mustang I decided to build for a good friend who has been my certifying engineer on my own 1:1 Auster T.7 rebuild.  This was their family's plane in the late 60's early 70's.  She sadly got sold overseas and now flies with Kermit Weeks as "Cripes A Mighty 3rd"  She was much admired and loved by the public and owners before she left our shores. She was always well presented and kept in immaculate condition.
 
I tried to build OOB but ended up using some of Roy's (Barracuda Studios) bits and Ventura Publications gorgeous new decal sheet.  I have to say the quality of Ventura here was amazing.  I also used Mr Color for all the paint.  Sorry I didnt do a WiP as I was just doing it for mental health reasons....and actually finished it LOL!  Anyway I hope he and you guys like it.  I suspect it will be gone in a week or 2.
 
Back to the 32nd RAF FG.1 conversion again now!
 
Thanks for looking

 

 
Outside shots taken this morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Because she was so beautifully maintained and cleaned after each flight I really struggled no to weather some more....
 
Cheers Anthony

I'm in as a recipiant
 
And I'll donate a Hasegawa P-40E

Recommend plastic rod to start.  Metal rods are OK for smaller 1/48-72 builds as well. 
 I do a lot of in-flight builds....PM me if you have any questions.
 
Cheers
Collin
 
 
 
 

 
 

Hi Chris    I've built several in-flite models in the past, likely to do more in the future.
I had the idea while I was remembering the old stands from the past which had a semi-spere
with a map of the world molded into it. I'm sure they were Aurora kits. Anyway, I thot it would
be cool to have a themed stand that I could build myself. The base of the stand is flat wood
available at local home improvement stores. I use acrylic rod as has been mentioned here as it's
both strong and shapeable. The diameter of the rod would depend on the weight of the model
but I can't imagine any plastic model snapping an acrylic rod. Here are some pix of some of them,
all 1/48 but could be done in any scale by changing the obvious variables.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Simple stuff really, the bases required me to summon my junior high wood
shop skills and a band saw and a cheap router. It could be done in other
ways. I bent the acrylic rod by laying the straight rod in a shallow frying pan
full of boiling water. Didn't take long but when it was soft enough, I grabbed
it (yes wear rubber gloves) and bent it around a can or something cylindrical
laying around the kitchen. There's more to the story so I can go into more
detail if anyone needs it. Let me know what you think.

Done, and thanks very much for the offerings.

Well, this year I'll repeat my last year's offer, again.
Is it a tradition now, isn't it?
I'd like to donate 2 books of choice from Valiant Wings Publishing + shipping. As 2 separate prizes.
This year, too, a few novelties have been added. And others are on the way.
 
And put me down on the list as a recipient as well, please. Once only. 
Thanks for your time and effort.
 
Juraj

Hi everyone, this year i'll donate an oldy, box has a little bit moldy spots on the outside (been in the stash for quite some time now, guess some 32 years....), but the parts are all okay, some of them separated from the sprues, but complete, and decals have been kept separately . Was planning on building, but you know how things go........!!!
 

 
Oh, and i'll have to shorten the original box  by about an inch in order to put it in a sturdier outer box for transportation.
And i don't have to be a recipient, have fun!!!

Well, this year I'll repeat my last year's offer, again.
Is it a tradition now, isn't it?
I'd like to donate 2 books of choice from Valiant Wings Publishing + shipping. As 2 separate prizes.
This year, too, a few novelties have been added. And others are on the way.
 
And put me down on the list as a recipient as well, please. Once only. 
Thanks for your time and effort.
 
Juraj

Well, this year I'll repeat my last year's offer, again.
Is it a tradition now, isn't it?
I'd like to donate 2 books of choice from Valiant Wings Publishing + shipping. As 2 separate prizes.
This year, too, a few novelties have been added. And others are on the way.
 
And put me down on the list as a recipient as well, please. Once only. 
Thanks for your time and effort.
 
Juraj

Well, this year I'll repeat my last year's offer, again.
Is it a tradition now, isn't it?
I'd like to donate 2 books of choice from Valiant Wings Publishing + shipping. As 2 separate prizes.
This year, too, a few novelties have been added. And others are on the way.
 
And put me down on the list as a recipient as well, please. Once only. 
Thanks for your time and effort.
 
Juraj

Happy Holidays modelers.  As I stated in my last progress report, I needed to do more surfacing, and so I have.  Missing were the surfaces around the radiator and oil cooler outlet areas.  Recall I already did the inlet and made a part - this:
 
 
 
It's been gathering dust.
 
Just aft of it will be surfaces as defined by these additions to my surfaces Rhino model:
 

 
Those new surfaces, like the surfaces already there, are defined by tables of point data from vintage North American Aviation "ordinate" drawings.  I put those points in my Rhino model and create curves from them, and then create surface patches and/or lofted surfaces from those curves.  Sometimes it is easy, other times it is very difficult.
 
The hard part here was the transition from the contours at the aft end of the outlet to the fuselage proper - this:
 

 
Another exercise in frustration, exasperation, and determination.  But it is done and is behaving well, meaning it can be used to make a solid model and then a part.  
 
A couple more pictures:
 

 

 
Part of making surfaces in this area is surfacing the insides at least those that will be seen.  In that last shot, imagine the radiator in there at the front end of the opening, and a hinged door covering most of the opening depending on how closed or open the door is.  Mustang fans know this:
 
  
 
I am getting to the point where my fuselage surfacing is complete back to station 248 (the manufacturing splice where the aft fuselage and tail attach to the mid fuselage).  This model will also have a manufacturing splice there.  That means I can commence with more part design and 3D printing.  Namely - the windshield area, fuselage around the cockpit, and the radiator and oil cooler area.  Lurking in the shadows though are the wing-to-fuselage fillet fairing surfaces which I would like to avoid for now, but might have to address sooner rather than later.... 
 
Stay tuned - it's gonna be fun I guarantee.     

Modelling time has taken a hit with school work having priority - end of term reports and exam marking… yawn… have been taking up my evenings. 
 
However, these arrived last week from our very own Peter of Airscale fame (and probably the most talented model builder of our times) and are a bit of an upgrade of my efforts of main wheels cobbled together from the HK Lancaster wheels and scrap plastic!
 

I’ll get these fitted and see how they look when next at the bench!