Starfighter Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 I can't wait to see more progress on this one, Iain. Please dig her out again! Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 Suitably booted up the backside inspired by all the photos Jennings posted yesterday I've gone and dug Connie out of the garage to take some update photos. Doesn't look like a huge amount since last photos - but it is significant given the time it takes to do anything on something this size (and stay motivated). As you can, hopefully, see the wing to fuselage joints have been blended - detail shaping to follow - and the area behind the canpy being faired into rest of fuselage with Polyester car body filler. Angus, my cat, for a sense of proportion: Back in a mo... Iain Coneheadff, Victor K2, scvrobeson and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 As posted earlier, wings are assembled over a styrene and balsa main spar - with additional torsional strength from the balsa, skinned with styrene, rear upper wing sections that run above the flap area. Wings are bonded to the fuselage with 30 min Epoxy - strong and very tough. The resulting joints have been filled with Milliput epoxy putty, followed by polyester car body filler and sanded back. This is first pass and will need subsequent filling of minor imperfections now showing up. Eagle eyed will spot filled holes on the top of each root - about 1/3 of the way back from the leading edge - and where the mainspar is. These holes where drilled in order to fill the area around the mainspar/root/lower fuselage with a *lot* of 30 min Epoxy in order to have a really strong 'foundation' to everything. These have been filled here with more car body filler. Getting there on the underside - not 'pretty' as the vacced fuselage halves are very thin in this area. However - I won't lose any sleep - the belly radome will cover this nicely! And here are the cut-outs for the flap areas - these will be detailed and the flaps deployed on final model. Wing roots will need further re-shaping at the rear once we're at the stage of doing the belly radome - this area is different on the radar Connies compared to standard to blend the area into the radar fairing. Iain scvrobeson, sandokan, Coneheadff and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Great stuff! Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 You deserve a gold crown for perseverance!!! Very nice work and thanks for posting!!! Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 Cheers Brian - someone once said to me that sometimes it doesn't matter how long some things take - as long as you continue to step forward. Hopefully this is a case in point! Two-seat Spit has been taking priority... OK - so a few more photos - this time showing the work being done to shape the airframe around the nose and cockpit areas of the Constellation - areas that have some complex shapes that will have to look good, or the model just won't look right. Not there yet - but a vast improvement on where we were. Grey areas car body filler - yellow my favourite high-build filler primer from Halfords. Cockpit 'plug' will be removed once I'm happy with shapes and used to vacuum form new parts for this area. A lot more shaping work needed! Iain Starfighter, LSP_Kevin, Victor K2 and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 10 minutes ago, Gene said: You deserve a gold crown for perseverance!!! Very nice work and thanks for posting!!! Thanks Gene - much appreciated! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor K2 Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Nice to see Connie again in all her splendor and none the worse for the wait, thanks Iain for bringing her back to the fold. Keep nibbling away and let her see more of the cat (but don't let the cat nibble) Bob clarkis and Iain 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 Cheers Bob! Last few images for today... Further work has been done shaping and finessing the tailplane/tailfin assembly (which is still a separate component). The area around the rear of the fuselage has also been reshaped - but Jennings' photos have flagged up a couple more things that need sorting. Held together with brass tubing in this photo - this is another area that must be spot on if she's to look like a Connie: One area I'm really pleased with is the scratch built tip tanks, which are really starting to look the part I think: Next stage is more filler either side of the area behind the cockpit and some more shaping - then mask the round windows and give the whole airframe a generous coat of spray filler primer. Have fun! Iain blackbetty, Kagemusha, MikeMaben and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 i am loving this, every time i look at new progress! nice job as ever... Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Great to see this back again, Iain! Kev Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chek Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 It's the best looking of all it's contemporaries like the Boeing 377 and the Douglas DC-7 and yet stangely looks even better with the big upper and lower radar pods. The nose of my far more modest Heller version looks similar since even when painted up in Engine Grey and flashy day-glo orange, the nose just didn't look right out of the box and I had to add the 'brow' above the cockpit and the more upright glazing. Of course Fisher made a correction many years later but where's the fun in that? I assume you won't be doing lowered flaps by the time you get to that stage? The corrugated flap bays were an adventure even in 1/72 and again well before any resin drop-in parts became available. And it likely doesn't need any further additions to be an impressive brute. Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 Cheers Check, Nose/cockpit shapes still a 'work in progress'... Will have all the flaps/flap bay - at least that's the plan. Idea is to draw up and photo-etch the interior of the flap bay - and make pattern for the flaps and mould in resin. All still a long way off... Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monthebiff Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Nice to see this back on the bench again Iain, Angus the cat looks a bit like " Really, not this one again" with a very serious cat face indeed. Regards.Andy Iain, MikeC and KiwiZac 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 Cheers Andy - Angus is used to it - but he does have a look when I dig it out - probably the cat equivalent of "haven't you finished that bl*@dy thing yet!" Still sat on the table this morning - I may treat Connie to some more filler at lunchtime - exciting life eh? Iain Victor K2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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