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Trak-Tor

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  1. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to patricksparks in 1:18 Scale B-17G Flying Fortress Forward Fuselage   
    A little update, I have printed some preliminary seat frames with the armor plates for the flight deck, they need a little tweeking, but pretty good.. I just happened to have a 21st century 1:18 scale pilot figure which has movable joints, which I never thought about how much it can help to get a real image of how things fit together..sizes look pretty good so far.. I had some old printed cockpit parts that were a free download for a RC B-17, instrument panel, throttles they are ok but I have aready drawn a new panel and will also draw a throttle set up to fit better and a bit more detail...I finally got the chin turret drawn and printed, pretty good but I need to tweek it a bitdiameter needs to be reduced slightly which I can do in the slicing program but I also need to open the barrel ports slightly..
    enjoy,
    Pat
     







  2. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to patricksparks in 1:18 Scale B-17G Flying Fortress Forward Fuselage   
    I have always wanted to do this project and now being able to draw and print in 3D it makes things more inviting to me than scratch building.
    I plan to cover the airframe with embossed(rivets)aluminum and leave it "Bare Metal", Hopefully....
    The parts are as large as I can print on my printer which is a Anycibic Photon Mono X. I printed the airframe parts with relatively thin skin, .030, so that it won't get too bulky with the aluminum skin applied to the surface. I hope to be able to use a fairly heavy primer on the interior surface so that I can spray a bare metal finish to the interior of the bombardier/navigator's compartment and the area below the flight deck.
    I plan on installing the "cheek" gun positions but I have had difficulty trying to draw them for printing, I want to print them as vacuum form patterns so that I can pull clear petg for the windows but I also want to form the aluminum skin over the same pattern for the clear piece to live under and add the assembly to the airframe.
     
    Pat

     
     
  3. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Pete Fleischmann in 1/16 scale scratch built AT-38B Talon-The Smurf jet is back!   
    Popped this circular panel out in brass just because I thought it looked cool-

  4. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Pete Fleischmann in 1/16 scale scratch built AT-38B Talon-The Smurf jet is back!   
    Hey all-
    more nozzle stuff-
     





     
    The rusty and smoky patina was done with MiG pigments over the previous painting steps-
     
    cheers
    P
  5. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Pete Fleischmann in 1/16 scale scratch built AT-38B Talon-The Smurf jet is back!   
    Butt joint filled and sanded..
    Kinda like that-


     
    cheers
    P
  6. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to BiggTim in Hello all!   
    For those of you who don't already know, in June of 2023, we purchased all of the AMS Resin molds and product line from Harold Offield, in an effort to keep his great products available for those who want them, and as a creative outlet for some of my own designs. It's very much a side hustle for us as we are both employed with regular jobs, but if there is anything you should want from the AMS Resin line of products, please email at bnresindesign@gmail.com, and I'll do my best to get you what you need. We've kept the prices the same as Harold had them, and have already added some new products to the line, as well as remastered a couple of older products using 3D printing. I've also begun 3D printing some things on contract for a few people, so if there is something you'd like to have printed and shipped to you, let me know. 
     
    I plan to use this forum to post new products, or showcase some old ones that you might have forgotten about, so please stay tuned! 
     
    Thanks much,
    Tim Biggers
  7. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to LSP_Kevin in New Sponsor: B&B Resin Design!   
    Please join me in welcome long-time LSP member Tim Biggers as our newest sponsor, with his company B&B Resin Design.
     
    Welcome aboard, Tim!
     
    Tim now has a dedicated home in our Sponsors section, so look out for upcoming news and information there soon:
     
    https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/forum/125-bb-resin-design/
     
    Kev
  8. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to sandbagger in 1:32nd scale Macchi M.5   
    Hi all
    The model has moved on a bit since my last post.
    The upper wing has been fitted and all wire rigging done.
    I just have the outer wing support struts to make and fit.
    These will be made from 0.9 mm formed Brass tube.
    Also I have to fit and rig the two ailerons, under wing floats and propeller
     
    Mike
     

  9. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to coogrfan in Christmas Raffle 2023 Winners List   
    I arrived back in Houston this morning to find the Big-scale Vipers Part II decals from chaos07 had arrived. I normally eschew aircraft w/o propellers but one of the schemes really caught my eye. My parents are from Sioux City. When I saw that this sheet included a SC based IANG Viper, I realized that I am fated to build my first post-1950's jet.  
     
    Thanks to chaos07 in particular, as well as everyone who participated.  Let's do this again next Christmas. 
     
     
  10. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to JeepsGunsTanks in How many still use books?   
    I had one of David Doyle's reserve copies in my cart, and they wanted more than 400 bucks. I think it was 450 plus shipping! I love books, and I love the Sherman, but I can't spend that kind of money on the two-book set. I hope they do a more affordable softcover edition. I just can't justify that much of my modeling budget on one purchase. 
     
     
     
    I don't think you will regret it. Its sections on each fighter are better than most single books on the subject. 
     
     
    Yeah, they have put out some amazing books and relatively few stinkers. I may have a book problem. 




    I clearly like their products, and I have more squirreled away around my desk I missed!  That three-book set on the 5th Fighter Command in the Pacific is simply amazing. The only down side is when you have to pack them up to move, the boxes get really heavy! 
  11. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Archimedes in How many still use books?   
    You make a hugely important point Chris about telling stories: Underlying all of our motivations when we build a model is the desire to tell a story. Well said!
     
    Kind regards,
    Paul
  12. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to MikeMaben in So I'm not dead after all ...   
    Haven't been here since Monday last week. So what's  your excuse fool ??
    Well,  I fell and fractured one left rib and my right thumb (fractured not broken).
    Don't wanna whine but I hope none of you have to spend any time in an emergency
    waiting 'lobby' (they called it).  It's like a nightmare form hell  .
    Anyway , glad to be back , won't be much on the thunderbolt project but I'll do the
    best I can.
  13. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to LSP_Kevin in “Building the Trumpeter P-47D” Now Available!   
    I’m pleased to announce that the twentieth title in our Build Guide Series, Building the Trumpeter P-47D Razorback in 1/32 Scale, is now available!
     

     
    In this 319-page eBook, John Kim tackles the Trumpeter 1/32 P-47D “Razorback” kit, combining it with a small selection of aftermarket items to turn it into a stunning masterpiece. Expertly built and masterfully weathered, John’s build is full of tips and tricks to get the best out of this model.
     
    Along with John’s terrific build, we’ve also included an extensive kit review by Chris Sherland, and our usual selection of Appendices detailing available aftermarket and reference items.
     
    The book is available for immediate purchase and download from the KLP website for 18 Australian dollars:
     
    https://www.klp.com.au/product/building-the-trumpeter-p-47d-razorback-in-1-32-scale/
     
    Kev
  14. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to LSP_Kevin in KLP Publishing in 2024   
    With 2023 now drawing to its inevitable close, I thought I’d take a moment to look forward to the year ahead and see what we have in store for 2024. We do have several very interesting projects that are not far enough along to make any public statements about just yet, but as soon as it’s appropriate to do so, I’ll make those announcements separately.
     
    But of our confirmed, scheduled projects, first cab off the rank is John Kim‘s Building the Trumpeter P-47D Razorback in 1/32 Scale:
     

     
    This is currently undergoing proofing and revision, and should be available by the middle of January.
     
    Next up will be Geoff Coughlin‘s build of the new Airfix 1/48 Sea King for Build Guide Series No. 21:
     

     
    Work will be getting under way on this one shortly!
     
    There’s a strong possibility that one of our unnamed projects will come next, and it will be closer in style to our Phantom series than a straight modelling guide. Failing that, it will most likely be a book that was actually planned for 2023, but failed to make the release schedule:
     

     
    The recent news that Zimi Model plans to re-release the Kitty Hawk range should see the Texan/Harvard kits available once again (if not already), and Chuck Sawyer‘s build guide will be the perfect companion. (Note that the cover is subject to change prior to publication.)
     
    The release schedule for the rest of 2024 is less certain, and largely dependent on when various projects come to fruition. But look out for a Build Guide on the Wingnut Wings Fokker D.VII series by Gary Boxall, a second volume of sci-fi & fantasy builds by Jason Gares, at least one more Build Guide from John Kim, and others covering the ICM 1/32 Yak-9 and Zoukei-Mura 1/32 Skyraider.
     
    We also have other projects under negotiation or development, that—again—aren’t quite ready for a public unveiling. But stay tuned for all our usual announcements and updates as they come to hand!
     
    Many thanks to all our customers for a great year in 2023, and I wish you all a Happy New Year for 2024!
     
    Kev
  15. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to LSP_K2 in Zvezda 767-300 (KLM)   
    Top & bottom seams, which I always bevel to one side, now all slopped up with wonderful Gunze liquid putty.
     

     
     
  16. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to upor in Lemkits 1/32 Horten-X - Limited edition resin kit   
    Greetings friends and colleagues. The moment has come when my new project finds its name and close to the final appearance. Meet the first photos of more "Hot" castings . Lemkits 1:32 Horten Ho-X "Project-X" - Limited edition resin kit. I discovered a lot and learned a lot , an extraordinary object.
  17. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to LSP_Kevin in What's New - 21 January 2024   
    Howdy folks,
     
    I've just published this week's What's New update.
     
    Enjoy!
     
    Kev
  18. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Shoggz in Revell 1:32 P-51D (‘Late’ boxing.)   
    I’ve traditionally not published an ‘RFI’ for my completed projects, as well, quite frankly, I’ve not thought them worthy to be sat alongside some of the amazing work that gets published here.
     
    I’m not actually sure this one is either, but I do think it is a stepped improvement from my previous work and also because I’ve employed some ‘non-standard’ techniques to achieve the results I have!
     
    What sets this apart is my use of Humbrol’s Metal Cote for the NMF. I used it on a whim, as I’ve never had much luck with all the ‘traditional’ metallic products.
     
    And I’m really quite pleased with how it turned out!
     
    I hope you agree with me. 
     
     
     
  19. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to ChuckD in A Birdcage in Turtle Bay - An F4U-1 Diorama   
    Years ago, I was on a road trip with some buddies of mine when we got stuck in an hours-long traffic jam in Chicago.  We crept forward, inch by inch, baking in the hot July sun.  Inevitably, we started bitching and complaining when one guy, the driver, piped up and said something that stuck with me all these years later.  "Hey, as long as we're moving, we're making progress."
     
    And so it is.
     
    We are moving and, thus, are making progress.  Though, I'll admit, we're not exactly headed the direction I was thinking we were.  I guess I should know better than to say things like "I'm just about done with the figures!" (to paraphrase)
     
    As I started to get serious about placing the figures, I realized that I'd originally placed the pilot too far aft when roughing him in.  I think the general consensus here is that these photos were taken just after Lt. Ray returned from a flight, not as he's boarding up to leave.  He taxied up, popped off his chute harness, and - probably to the benefit of the camera men - clambered down left side of the aircraft.  
     
    You can see his right foot is almost directly behind the forward canopy and his left hand is on the weirdly-painted patch on the fuselage.

     
    While my resin figure isn't bent over at quite the angle Lt. Ray was, it still actually fits pretty closely in the more correct position...

    ... all except for the hands.  The hands will make or break a figure, in my opinion.  So, off they go.  I chopped them off with a fine razor saw and recessed the area inside the cuff with a rotary tool.  This will hopefully allow me to sculpt fairly realistic hands that appear to be coming out of a sleeve, rather than butting up against it.

     
    I drilled out a small hole and added some wire.  I'll use this to rough in the angle I need for proper hand placement, then as a base for the putty to grab on to.  I've never tried to sculpt hands before so this could get really interesting.  I'll work on that slowly over the course of the week.  I'm back to work now (boo), so modeling time is catch-as-catch-can.

     
    I also got annoyed with the fact that the angle of the feet on the crew chief wouldn't allow for him to stand upright on the wing roughly where the chief was in the photo.  Given the angle of the wing while on the ground, the figure kept falling over and to place him such that he stayed put required me to put him in weird places.  Sure, in the end, I could probably have super glued him to the wing and wiped my hands of it, but he would have likely had a perpetual Michael Jackson-esque forward lean to him and that would have looked bad.
     
    So, out came the trusty sword of exact zero and off went the feet.  Same deal here, holes, wire, proper angles aaaand...

     
    Ta-da!  He stays nicely in place on his own two feet (no super glue required) and he's more or less where the crew chief was in the reference photo. 

     
    What I haven't mentioned yet is that I burned an entire new year's eve day (and a blade on my cutter) building a couple palm trees and prepping the base.  Here's a teaser shot of the work in progress.  I've got more work to do on the pictured tree and whole second tree in the works too.  

     
    That's it for now, but stay tuned for all the fun and excitement of the adventures to come.  Join us as we explore:
    Irrevocable f-ups in hand sculpting! "Did the Marines really accept pilots with 11 fingers?" Figure painting from your nightmares! "His eye appears to be running down his cheek. " Palm trees that apparently can't support their own weight! "It fell on the plane again." And more!
     
  20. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to ChuckD in A Birdcage in Turtle Bay - An F4U-1 Diorama   
    Thanks, Thierry.  It looks like the most of the Airfix and Verlinden stuff is out of production.  Not rare necessarily, but catch-as-catch-can on ebay and the sorts.  Thank you to you and @mc65 for the lead.  Regarding the academic figure and posable mannequins, in David Parker's book "Crew School," which is all about sculpting figures in our scales, he has exactly the thing I'm looking for. (Great book, by the way.  Highly recommend.)  However, it's a custom creation of his and I believe is/was 3D printed.  I haven't pulled the trigger on a 3D printer yet (yet another skill for my brain to try to build and keep sharp), but stuff like this pushes me ever closer.  Ugh.  I can't find any references on Preiser's site regarding the multipose figures (google is coming up short too).  Do you have any links?
     
    Anyway, today was a productive day at the bench, and I'm more or less done with the sculpting, I think.
     
    First, an unexpected detour back to the pilot as I decided to address what, to my eyes, was the most glaring inaccuracy... his boots.  As mentioned above, the figure was intended for the ETO and would be considered a bit overdressed for the PTO.  So, I started by shaving off most of the lower legs.

     
    This was to allow room to sculpt straight pant legs over the remaining material.  Without removing that material, I suspect he would've looked like a man who never skipped leg day.


     
    The general process for me is pretty straight forward.  Wet down some Green Stuff and roll it fairly flat, then stick in position.
    \
     
    Then, using silicone brushes, spatulas, toothpicks, and just about anything else, start shaping folds and creases into the material.



     
    Lastly, I use a sharpened toothpick to add a gap between the cuff and the figure.  I had to pop the figure off the wine cork that I'd attached it to for painting and a bit got left over.  So, that's not in-scale dog poo on his foot. 



    There will be a little bit of filling and sanding required at the meeting of the putty and the figure, but I think it'll turn out well.  In the end, I'm pretty pleased with these results.  The rest of the inaccuracies of this figure will have to be addressed via squinting. 


     
    And I finished up the crew chief as well.  I added pockets to the front of his jacket, as in the source material, he's got something big and heavy in his right front pocket. I also added collar and the patch for his rank insignia.  It's out of scale, sure, but I feel it gives it some visual interest.  Once these cure overnight, I'll prime them and clean up any rough spots, then get them with a coat of paint.



    I cleaned up the collar near the neck well a bit after this shot, so it's a lot cleaner now.  
     
     
  21. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to ChuckD in A Birdcage in Turtle Bay - An F4U-1 Diorama   
    Thank you!  I'm glad to know it wasn't operator error.
     
    Anyway, good progress today.  
     
    After sifting through my spares bins, these were the two best candidates for the lower half of the crew chief.  The left is the standing pilot figure from this Corsair kit.  The right is a 1/35 scale Wehrmacht Nashorn gunner figure also from Tamiya.  Curiously, they're identical in dimensions despite the difference in scale.  In the end, I opted for the standing pilot figure and began scraping off details that I wouldn't need.

     
    This is after getting the torso down to almost nothing and adding the wires for the arms.  Front:

     
    Back:

     
    Here is the basic jacket sculpted with Green Stuff.  The hands are from a 1/35 set of heads and hands from Hornet.  Again, despite the "smaller" scale, they look a little large, but I'm hoping that will become less obvious after the arms are fully sculpted.  I'll also be adding some pockets and such to the jacket once the base material cures.

     
    The back is okay.  After this photo, I went back and did a little more detailing, so it looks a little better.  I'll bend the arms into the proper position before adding the sleeves and such.

     
    I also filled the gaps in the pilot figure, including the gaps between the parachute and the figure itself.  I suspect I'll have some cleanup to do once I can get some primer down, but so far, I'm happy with the results.



     
    While waiting for the epoxy putty to cure, I decided to build the Anyz Models canopy rail.

     

     
    Unfortunately, I hacked off the mounting brackets for the mirrors while I was removing the frame from the 3D printing supports, so I had to fabricate absolutely tiny new ones from wire.  Not perfect, but if they all hold together until final assembly, I'll be very happy.  Lastly, I took the time to mask all the clear parts as well, so I'm getting close.
     
    I hope to finish up the figure sculpting tomorrow, then start the final prep for painting on those.  After that, I'll start focusing on the groundwork.  
     
     
  22. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to ChuckD in A Birdcage in Turtle Bay - An F4U-1 Diorama   
    Hi, all.  Back with an update after making good progress today.  
     
    First, our gallant protagonist has been roughed in.  Surprisingly, the Black Dog resin figure fit the scene pretty well.  I will only have to do some minor shaping and filling behind the left shoulder to clean him up.  I'll need to fix his fingers as they broke when I tried to straighten them a bit, but that shouldn't be too big of a problem.


     
    I'm going to have to deviate from the source photo just a bit here as the parachute is going to cause a bit of an issue.  In the reference photo, I believe Lt. Ray had his parachute pack on the seat pan with the straps splayed out the cockpit and down the side of the fuselage.  On the figure set, the parachute pack (not attached) is integral to the figure and all the associate straps and harnesses are already molded onto the figure.  I don't think I've got it in me to remove all the molded detail then sculpt in other detail that would inevitably be needed after such a task.  So, in our version of history, Lt. Ray will be entering the a/c with his pack on his rear.  Artistic license, etc, etc, etc.


     
    When I got to looking at the second figure - the one that I need to sculpt from the waist up - I realized he was standing on the section of wing outboard of the fold line.  So, I needed to build the wings.  After that, I was so close to being done, I decided to finish it up.  So, aside from some clear bits, antennae, a pitot tube, and the Anyz Model canopy rail, the build is more or less done.  All the gear stuff is dry fit, including the doors.  Same for the prop.  



     
    As others have said, this is a wonderful kit.  The engineering on it is just superb and it really went together well.  The only fit issues I have are near the top of the cowling, so, I'll need to do a little filling there.  But, outside of that, it was a good clean build and I'm glad I've got another in the stash.    That's not to say I missed any opportunities to shoot myself in the foot... I forgot to add the little clear windows on the leading edges for the gun cams and such.  I didn't realize it until I'd almost closed up the small panels on the top of the wing above them.  Fortunately, by reaching into the small panel on the top of the wing, I was able to finagle the two clear pieces in place without too much trouble.  Story of my life.
     
    Anyhoo, I hope to make some progress on the figures and the base now.  The build work will be halted until those have been addressed.  Again, I don't want to paint and finish the airplane, as I just know I will run out of steam if I save the figures for last.
     
     
  23. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Jan_G in New Italeri Macchi MC.200 Saetta in 2024   
    posted in their 2024 catalogue
     
    https://www.italeri.com/en/article/830
    preview catalogue download link 
    https://www.italeri.com/uploads/news/0hFsarN8VqpofmHNCQiD0phaHkvlSZQY30JTdrFK.pdf

     

     
  24. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to JayW in 1/18 Scale P-51B 3D Print Build   
    I have much to show.  Progress seems slow, but actually it is not.  
     
    In order to continue with fuselage construction including a good cockpit, and in order to assure this model P-51 is going to look straight, with wings accurately attached, I know I must create a major assembly fixture for the forward fuselage (forward means between the firewall and the tail section).  My forward fuselage will be in two pieces - one from the firewall back to station 200 (this is where the fuselage tank ends), and one from station 200 to the beginning of the tail section at station 248.  The main reason for this is the size limitations of my 3D printer.  The short aft portion (sta 200 - 248) will not need an assembly fixture; I will 3D print practically the whole thing, like I did the engine cowl.  
     
    Actual P-51 fuselages were manufactured in much the same way, or any fuselage for that matter.  Here is a photo of some major assembly tooling for the Lope's Hope forward fuselage at AirCorps Aviation:
     

     
    Peter Castle gave me a whole lot of pictures including this - thanks Airscale!  Note there is a heavy frame and plate for the firewall interface, and way in the back a similar frame and plate for the station 248 interface.  Also note the longerons and some of the fuselage frames are in place.  And there are posts coming up from the floor to support the lower longerons.  My fixture must have the same stuff.
     
    The upper and lower longerons are the major structural elements of the fuselage. plain and simple.  Everything starts there.  That will also be the case on my 1/18 model.  So first thing for me to do was to design, in Rhino, the longerons.  In real life they are H-section heavy extrusions, machined to be lighter the further aft you go.  And they have tension fittings on either end.  I would attempt to duplicate all that where the longerons are visible.  Many many things attach to the longerons, so it was a long drawn out project with much research into the configuration - fuselage frame locators, simulated cockpit floor brackets, all manner of other location tabs or flanges for other stuff (like the engine control quadrant, the flap actuator torque tube mounts, landing gear uplock fittings, windshield frame tabs.....) - endless it seemed.  And I probably missed some stuff.  But here are completed longeron details in Rhino:
     

     
    3D printed:
     

     

     
    See that little nested white block on the top longeron?  I fractured that one and repaired it with CA'd plastic.      The real forward fuselage longerons are longer - they go from the firewall to the manufacturing splice at station 248.  Mine will end at station 200 as I already mentioned.  As they are, they barely fit into my 3D printer.  Glad mine is as large as it is; many are smaller. 
     
    In order to produce those longerons, I had to model many of the parts that interface with them, so the locator features could be included.  Here are some of those parts in Rhino:
     
     
     
    Took quite a while.  You have already seen the windshield parts.  I will remind everybody that before any of this modeling could be done, I first had to generate exterior surfaces using ordinate data from the original drawings - something I have been toiling at for months now.  That's where it all starts.
     
    Now for that major assembly fixture.  It must have the following features:
     
    1.  A firewall plate with four longeron locators (two upper, two lower).
    2.  A station 200 frame plate also with four longeron locators.
    3.  A center platform that controls the four points where the wing attaches to the longerons. 
    4.  Two intermediate supports/locators for the longerons (they are long and flexy and need those additional supports).
    5.  A flat floor plate to assure no warping or bending, with attach holes.  The attach holes for the firewall plate and the station 200 plate must be slotted to allow fore/aft movement such that fuselage side assemblies can be extracted and re-inserted into the fixture during build-up.
    6.  A centerline slot in the floor and matching flanges on the tools to assure good alignment.
     
    And it must be very dimensionally accurate if I expect the model to fit together - for the already completed engine cowl to properly attach, the aft fuselage to attach, the wing to attach, and the radiator intake/exhaust area to attach (you have seen some of these parts as well).  I cannot rely on pre-molded parts like in an actual kit to fit everything together, and felt I could not make equivalent parts.  So I will build up this part of the fuselage like they did the actual airframe.  And hoping I get great accuracy with 3D printed fixture parts.
     
    Here is the forward fuselage major assembly fixture in Rhino:
     
         
     
    It consists of two end plates and frames, two center support bases, two intermediate detachable support plates, and a stiff mounting floor. 
     
    The canted firewall plate and frame (note the four longeron locator posts and skin panel flanges): 
     

     
    The station 200 plate and frame (also note the longeron points and flanges for skin panels):
     

     
    And 3D printed.....
     
    Half the fixture parts fresh out of the resin vat still dripping resin:
     

     
    Cleaned, cured, painted.  Note the flanges on the undersides that will fit into a full-length slot on the floor: 
     

     
    The center pieces mounted to the floor (no end plates yet):
     

     
    The floor is made of .08 thick plastic sheet, and will itself mount onto long .25 x .75 inch evergreen plastic bars (due in the mail any day now).  That should give me a robust flat floor that doesn't flex.  Right now it's a bit flexy.  As noted in the picture, this fixture has locating posts for the wing, located with great accuracy.  Critically important.  There are holes in the lower longerons that match up to those pins.  
     
    All the fixture parts in their glory, bolted onto the yet-to-be completed floor:
     

     
    And viola - with the longerons!!
     

     
    All appears to be in order, and I believe I have the accuracy I need to build up a proper forward fuselage.  Now I can begin fabricating individual frames and other elements and attaching to the longerons using the integral designed-in locating features.  Next post you should see some of that.
     
    And a sneak preview of how this jig will work for me:
     

     
    A very pumped modeler here.  Hoping I can make my dreams come true with this approach.  Some of you may suspect this is a bit overkill.  I think not.  This assembly method is going to allow me to do alot of very cool things.  You will see.  Stay tuned, and keep warm all you folks in the Northern hemisphere!
     
     
     
     
     
     
  25. Like
    Trak-Tor reacted to Battletweety in Trumpeter 1/32 ME262A-1a   
    I've recently discovered this forum which is a coincidence as I have recently started building large scale aircraft. I typically build aircraft in 1/48 and 1/72 scale. I took the plunge September last year and had a crack. I wanted to do a subject that is my favourite aircraft from WW2 and not too huge. This was also reasonably priced (compared to other 1/32 kits at least).
    The kit went together okay. There were definitely seamlines around the engines, the fuselage and underneath, but noting a bit of filler and some sanding won't fix. I also found the eduard cockpit photoetch which seems to be hard to find but it makes a huge difference. The kit does come with some photoetch for the seatbelts which I used and it also comes with a bit of film for the instruments with a clear plastic piece to fit over the top but I wasn't happy with the detail on that so went with the photoetch.
    The camouflage was a lot of research and trial and error. I eventually settled on:
    SMS PL189 - Lightblau (RLM76) for underneath
    SMS PL77 - Forest Green (FS34079) for the lighter green
    Tamiya XF-27 - Black Green for the darker green.

    Overall I'm happy with the way it turned out and I'm definitely a fan of 1/32 scale for WW2 aircraft, but its the start of the learning curve so hopefully I get better as I build more. I'll post a few of my other works here for interest.









     
    cheers
     
    BT
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