dodgem37

I looked into the drop tank and have come up with this. I'll make a few assemblies and compare my effort with the kit condition before I determine if I'll go the cheap route and just modify the kit part. I mixed together some of this. Plunked it down on the points under consideration on both tanks. Came away with these. Added some resin. And out popped these. My resin is old. The reason for all of the bubbles inside the part. I'll have to buy new resin if I go this route. There still is a lot to do with these. Additional stuff below in another reply.

Vaughn, You aren't the first one to question my mental state. But I assure you, it's not insanity, it's a philosophy. Thank you for your compliment on my work. A few pictures on the G-14 drop tank that I reworked with 4mm tabs. This is a fast sketch I did of the condition in the engine compartment. Lower left is of the lower aspect of the fastener. It is hollow and receives the 'T' screw located on top. Washer and bolt round out the fastening condition. Right side is a side view. Parts layout. Alinimum corners were champhered 45 degrees then sanded round. Left aluminum 1.5mm wide x 4mm long, opening is 2mm. Slot is .5, .5, .5mm. 3 pieces of .020 rod, 1.5mm long. Right aluminum same dimensions except the opening is 2.5mm deep (it needs the room to accept the bolt). .5mm deep .25 bolt. .010 rod, supposed to be .5mm long. .020 rod in place. Aluminum in place. Snug the aluminum up into the crevice between the rod and tank wall, superglue it and leave it alone to dry really well. The joint needs to be firm to be able to round the aluminum over the rod. Use an exacto knife blade to gently coax the aluminum into place and glue, then add bolt. Other stuff: Close enough for government work. Other side. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you everyone. Matt, I didn't have a chance to finish my thought before SWMBO gave me the eye of doom and I had to leave with unfinished business here on the forum. But after performing this surgery on the G-6 & G-4 I wanted to try another route. But that brings me to this, and it occurred to me this moment: since what I am scratching is separate from the applied roofing, and there is space between the two parts, I need not stay within the lines to create the illusion of depth I need. All I need do is to maybe not violate the straight line plane (I'm not sure, I'll look into that), and simulate the curviture of the applied roof. Hmm. I think this might work. I'll check this out. Thanks for the epiphany Matt. Jerry, Firstly, no criticism is taken. Thank you for your offer. After seeing the image of your generousity it occurred to me I have seen photos of this condition before in, I think, Hasegawa's book of the G-6, so Oh Yeahhhh. I remember that! Thank you. I had forgotten about that assymetric mounting condition with all that is running around in my brain. I took a look at the part and the condition looks do-able. Thank you. Paul, Thank you for your compliments. You are right, learning is simply the key. I find three-dimensional problem solving fun as well. Once again everyone, thank you. Sincerely, Mark

Looong time no see, Bekim. Good to see you again. Major effort. Whew! Nice detail. Tight as a tick. Do you have a Euro or somethng to put next to it for scale? Thank you. Sincerely, Mark

Big Matt-Glad I could help. Matt, I know the pain. I did the same for a G-6 build. I vac formed the bulges. Milliput infill, grey primer to smooth things out. A stalled G-4. Superglue smeared on the rudder. I used remover to remove the glue, which crazed the plastic. I'll probably just mold and cast the rudder from another kit. Close-up of the G-4. The faint linework is the location of the bulge. Your work does help. All contributions help, and most certainly I appreciate your contributions. Thank you. Sincerely, Mark

Last one for the day. I've got errands and chores to do. This bubbled up thru all of the other stuff I've been thinking about and seemed like a good idea. It should help me to stay between the lines when I start scraping and sanding. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you everyone. Your praise humbles me. There's not much to report or show, but there is something. I've completed the new wall outlines for both wheel wells but have yet to put in the lightening holes, and started work on the roof of the other wheel well, sanding off the detail, making the .005 base, and outlining the wheel opening. For show I have this: I've fine tuned the canopy mold. I'm waiting for it to dry before I do another test fitting. Here's a better picture of the loop antenna. Where'd that fuzz ball come from? This drop tank has 4mm metal strip. The sliver of a screw shaft needs to be adjusted. Comparing it to the G-14 tank with 5mm metal strip. The 4mm strip is a better proportion, so I'll remake the G-14 fastener. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

I've been spending a lot of time working on the wheel wells of the K-4 found in 'Ready For Inspection' and have only been doing bits and pieces on this build, but I haven't forgotten this build by any means. When both builds are ready in my mind for cockpit painting I will venture there. Much of the miscellaneous efforts and details between the two aircraft are similar. In the meantime, this is what I've done that will apply here: The light grey tank is for the K-4. The darker grey tank is for the G-14. I had wanted to detail the retaining strap on the G-6 build but couldn't find any clear imagery on the web or in my references when lo and behold I found a fastening condition in an engine compartment that looked similar, or impressed me as looking similar, and drew a sketch so I could see if I could scratch it. You may notice that the darker grey tank has longer straps than the lighter grey. The darker grey was the first effort. The metal strips are 5mm long. The lighter grey tank the second effort, with 4mm strips, which has a better proportion. I had the idea of constructing the canopy defrosting conduit so I made this. This is the first fine tuning effort. It's still curing. After it dries I'll see if any more fine tuning is necessary. That's all for now. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

I've made a little progress on the wheel wells and worked on some bits and ideas in between. That's .005 plastic card with the layout drawn on. The condition appears to be a multiple part condition, but rather than making the 2 parts I just scored the separation mark. It's not very noticeable here. But, the score line is the left line in the center section, the one with the arcs. Opened up. The inside wall was a little short so I shimmed it and will make a new one. Also, the lightening hole, I think, based on photographs, should be moved a little more toward the spar. In addition, the hole doesn't match the lightening hole sizes of the outer wall, which I'm currently working on, so it's just as well that I replace it. The little strips where the outer wall is located is double-sided adhesive film, used to hold the part in place. The inside of the outlined area needs to be removed. I forgot to score it so I would know the outline when I begin scraping and sanding. I'll score it later. The hole at 10:30+- is for the landing gear up/down indicator rod that will stick up out of the wing top. I had the hairbrained idea in the middle of the night to maybe look into constructing the defroster tubing attached to the canopy inside wall so I mixed up some Apoxy Sculpt because I couldn't find my Milliput and made this. I'll fine tune it after it dries. I'll also worry about the armored headrest after, or if, I solve the construction problem. I squished some .020 solder almost flat and made this. I rounded it with a paint brush handle and burnished it a little bit to get the kinks out. I'll work on making a teardrop later. Boy, is that blurry. Sorry about that. I'll take and post another picture of it later. Last but not least. I've wanted to try my hand at this since the G-6 build but couldn't find a clear picture of the fastening condition when I came across something feasable that is on an engine. So I drew a sketch and am giving it a shot. .020 rod, 5mm long aluminum. I think the aluminum may be too long. Maybe 4mm will do. I'll make the G-14 drop tank with 4mm strip and compare. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Ralph, No apologies necessary, in my book. All of your work is always eye-candy to me. Sincerely, Mark

Great work, Pete. It's always a pleasure, and education, to see your projects. Sincerely, Mark

Ken, Saw your write-up in Fine Scale Modeller. Good show. Sincerely, Mark

Is that the hula girl from Space Cowboys? Love what you've done with your den. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you. That is such a nice compliment. I wasn't planning to do the flex hose for the landing gear, but as I mentioned in the K-4 post, I received a PM from 'He who must not be named', so. . . I did them. The antenna with a spring and sewing machine invisible thread as the wire. One of the springs will become the cockpit spring that helps hold the open canopy in position. The other will do the same for the K-4 canopy. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Manny, Jereon, Thank you very much for your compliments. 'He who must not be named' sent me a PM concerning the landing gear not having the flex hose. I have done flex hoses in the past for 2 109's, not particularly to my liking, but done none the less, and, since they are hidden behind the wheel and gear door I wasn't planning to include them in this build, but. . . I did them anyway. The single springs are springs that go in the cockpit. The antenna is for the G-14, which I'll also post over there. The filament is invisible sewing machine thread I picked up at a fabric store. It comes on a spool. It's meant to be the wire. I'll be painting that steel later on. I wrapped it around a drill bit then twisted the 2 ends a couple of times real tight, then super glued and trimmed it. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you, Troy. The joy stick faux pas has been corrected. Sincerely, Mark

I've been plugging away on the wheel wells and did some bits on this and the G-14 in the Tribute to Russ Group Build to take a break from the wells. Exhaust shields cut from and aluminum pan top. I made the spent cartridge chutes anyway. Out of the same aluminum. Outside wall. I'm building out the wall edges. Inside wall. As luck would have it, I did OK the first go around. This was the easiest wall. How could it not be? It's just trimmed squared strip. I cut some index card strip and taped each to the spar on the wing's top and bottom then glued them together. This solved the problem quickly. I found it's easy and fast to check the fit if the wing is clam-shelled. That's all for now. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you very much for your comments. I haven't put much effort on this kit as I have been putting most of my time into the wheel wells of a Bf109K-4. But I decided to take a break from all of that figurin' out and did some little bits. I put in the fuselage gun chutes anyway. I glued together some plastic strip, stuck on a piece of double-sided adhesive film to hold a thin aluminum strip in place, wrapped the aluminum around the plastic strip, removed it, and dropped it in place. The aluminum is cut from a top of an aluminum pan. The tops are much thinner than the pan bottoms. I bent a brass rod to hold a spring I'll eventually make. I made exhaust sheilds out of the same stuff. Sanded it down a bit. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Dang! Right On! Loved that fuel spill seeping along the panel line, then you showed the engine and prop hub. You are a monster! Great job. Thanks for sharing. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you Dave. Thank you, Paul. I'm dutifully plugging away with the remaining 3 walls. I've been making their outlines with index card. I have some fine tuning to do and luckily they are falling into place. It's all of that extra detail I am now noticing that I am now asking what have I gotten myself into. The photos I have don't have the leather half cover like the Hartmann G-14, so all of the conduit, wiring, and lightening holes are exposed. Oh me! I received a PM from a gentleman by the name of (Mr.) Ali, who, it appears cannot post as of yet, noticed that I had installed the control column here (and to the G-14 on the other thread) backward. You are as right as rain! Thank you for your eagle eye. Luckily they snapped off at the point of connection and after a little sanding and scraping they were able to drop into place without too noticeable a reveal. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

In the immortal words of Jeffrey 'The Big' Lebowski: Dude! Great stuff. Sincerely, Mark

Lightening holes center-lined, drilled, and backed with .010 strip. Back. Rivetted. To accomodate the .010 depth of the lightening holes some plastic removal was necessary. I have attempted to locate it in place but because the wheel shaft area is layered this aspect does not want to curve as easily as the rest of the part so a ridiculous gap is the result. As soon as I can remedy this I'll post it. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Thank you, gentlemen. I haven't been able to put a lot of time on this this week because of work, but I do have a little something to show. I wasn't planning on putting in more time into the wheel wells but I threw caution to the wind with the hope that I wouldn't mess this effort up and starting scratching the parts. I hesitated to document and post the process because I don't know if anyone would be interested and I wondered 'Who am I to show others how I do something when so many of you have so much more skill than I', and besides, one can buy the stuff from Radu. Firstly, forgive me for stepping on your toes, Radu. But, I decided to chance it. I know the images are large, and I apologize. I don't know how to make them smaller. So here goes: I cut out a piece of index card and tacked it down with Uhu (brand name) white 'blue tac' and traced the opening onto the card. Here I've already sketched a general layout. 19.8 is the mm diameter of the outer circle. The base and side must abutt. This is a constant. Interestingly enough the base the card sets against is the wing spar. Which is good. Here it is with the wing bottom attached. I shimmed the front because of a gap. I used adhesive backed paper packaging tape to use as a stencil. It's sturdy, won't stretch, and can be used again, for the other well. So only one stencil needs to be made. You just work on the other side of the part to make the opposite hand. I've already trimmed it. The excess that wraps the corner will go underneath the small strip and intersect with framing. Since I would be removing the side panel I went ahead and stenciled it as well. The stencil was removed, located on .005 plastic sheet, trimmed with 1/2 mm excess on top and bottom, and the ridges sanded off. A little adhesive residue needs to be clean up. The side panel was removed. The curved line of the well walls were retained in the removal of the small strip and a small shelf carved into the corners. Strips of double-sided adhesive flim were located to use as an adhesive for mock up. The part in place. Linework. Three more pix to come. Thanks for looking. Sincerely, Mark

Sweet like cherry pie! There's nothing wrong in my book with this build. I have liked Hurry Home Honey's scheme since I first laid eyes on it. Great job! Thanks for sharing. Sincerely, Mark

Thanks for the compliments gentlemen. 'which decal set will you use?' Nick, I'll be making my own stencils. I had been searching for a stencilling material to use other than frisket and/or (Tamiya, 3M, painters) tape, as both of these materials stretch when being removed from the transluscent mylar I use onto which I draft/trace the image. And of course the tape is opaque, which makes seeing the image doubly hard. Though for tape I had to tape the mylar on a small table top light box I picked up years ago for tracing purposes, to see the image. Then again, tape is thick and the drafted image has a bit of distortion, which makes cutting it out accurately a challenge. Not to mention both gave me fits when trying to apply them square on the aircraft, because each material had stretched. I found a laminate at a crafts store (Michaels, here in the Silver Spring, Maryland area) that is used as a photo page cover. It has good tensil strength, is clear, doesn't pull future off of the aircraft, adheres really well, and doesn't stretch. I think it is nylon. I don't have the label anymore, but it comes in a roll about 18" x 36". Sincerely, Mark