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1:32 Lockheed EC-121K Constellation/Warning Star


Iain

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Kev - work from home 2 days a week - nice to get away from the computer @ lunchtime! :)

 

Have dug out all the Connie parts, drawings and the Heller kit - now sat on the patio table. Unfortunately I have to do some DIY before I can crack on - but definitely in a Connie mood at the moment.

 

And wings are soooo much better than they were!

 

Iain

Edited by 32SIG
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Guest Nigelr32

Your trudging through nicely Iain, I look forward to seeing her all buttoned up and finished at Telford :hmmm:

 

 

Please post a pic with something to scale these parts, just how big are they??

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  • 2 weeks later...

Me? Nah - impossible!

 

I did have a moment where I thought 'no more photo's 'till Telford' - but only lasted a few seconds...  :)

 

Wings at a stage where I can clean up the aileron openings - and make a start on the wing area above the flaps - balsa core - polystyrene sheet skin - in this case 30 thou...

 

IMG_1481.jpg

 

Aileron areas boxed in with 30 thou sheet.

 

Balsa/plastic composite sections cut and bonded - currently oversize (you'll see why later) and ready for sanding session to make the balsa core triangular in cross section (i.e. taper towards trailing edge):

 

IMG_1483.jpg

 

Tail surface areas being boxed in also - ready for final shaping and making the surfaces themselves:

 

IMG_1484.jpg

 

Whilst all the cyano 'curing' - time to start drawing up the spars - again - these will be a balsa/plastic (80 thou) composite.

 

Have now decided how all this will hang together - will build wing - tip to tip - complete with joining surfaces - then insert into fuse from below as one unit.

 

Manufacturers drawing not to scale (actually too small!) - but gives me all the wing station points in inches:

 

IMG_1485.jpg

 

More tomorrow - promise!

 

Iain

Edited by 32SIG
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OK - everything's out again...

 

A lot of work since last post - not that it shows - yet - but I will post an update tomorrow with lots of images.

 

One example being discovery that the rudder hinge line on the middle fin is 5" further forward than the outers - so that's been re-done.

 

Also a *lot* of thinking on how I progress from here - some challenges thought through and sorted in my head.

 

One of those is interior.

 

Originally I'd planned a full interior - but that's a lot of open fuselage interior that just won't be seen!

 

Plan now is to get the side windows in and the nose gear bay completed. Make up some beefy internal bulkheads for the middle area of the fuselage - and cut away a top section above the front radar op areas/cockpit so that I can assemble and sand the fuselage prior to adding the interior details from above.

 

That's the plan anyway...

 

Right - about that spar!  :)

 

Iain

Edited by 32SIG
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Guest Peterpools

Iain

Looking forward to tomorrows update and photos .. and one detailed plan to follow. Hoping the updates start to flow now that the juices have returned

Keep 'em coming

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

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And, and, and...

 

The wings are fitted (dry) to the spar - it all works!!!

 

I know - simple things - but it's taken a lot of work to get to this stage...

 

P'raps we're on a roll at last!  smile.png

 

She'll be at Telford - *might* even have the wings on!!!!

 

Iain

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Just finished reading the whole thread.

 

 

Awesome build to say the least :bow: !

 

Like Arnold StrongNbigger said, "What does not kill you, will make you stronger." Well; You're definitely stronger with your perseverance, that's for sure!

 

I will be following your build. Inspiring indeed!

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Pix as mentioned - more to follow...
 
Composite spar:
 
IMG_1486.jpg

 

In place in the wings:
 
IMG_1487.jpg

 

Flap upper section/wing trailing edged in progress - one balso core shamfered - second to follow - before upper skins:

IMG_1488.jpg

 

Tail feathers shaped to within half a mm of their lives - dust everywhere! Middle fin shaped to fit over tailplane and all control surface areas boxed in:

IMG_1489.jpg

 

Aileron areas boxed in and additional sheet added to correct trailing edge curve:

IMG_1490.jpg

 

Scratching head on tip tanks - shortened to match Heller - but now think these are quite a bit out - research needed:

IMG_1491.jpg

 

Just looking at these images - they really don't convey the size of these parts and, therefore, the elbow grease that's gone into them!

 

Maybe more later - have some DIY to do first...

 

Iain

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