Butler Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Looking spot on Kev It will be really nice to see a comparison with how it looked when you started out on page 1, maybe you could take a photo with it at exactly the same angle once it's done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeroenpeters Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Man! This is more inspiring than a scratch build! You're showing Revell how it's done! Respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 It will be really nice to see a comparison with how it looked when you started out on page 1, maybe you could take a photo with it at exactly the same angle once it's done? That's the plan. My main motivation when I started this project (nearly 2 years ago!), was to make it look better, by as large a margin as possible, than the original build. The A/B comparison at the end should be interesting, though I still don't think I'll be game to park it next to the Tamiya Zero in the display cabinet! Man! This is more inspiring than a scratch build! Thanks Jeroen, you're too kind. I'm just a ham-fisted hack, really, but I'm having fun! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcauchi Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Top notch work there Kev, you are doing a magnificent job, those old revell models can be made really great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Not so long ago, there was a thread here about the supposed lack of interest for japanese aircrafts. Well, between the Empire of the Rising Sun Gb and the other builds on members'builds part of the forum, there is for sure no shortage of japanese planes right now. And great builds they are all, including this one...I love the way you have re-lifed this old kit ! Makes me regret I threw away all my old kits when I felt I had no room to display them... Keep on the good work ! Hubert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 I find myself yet again grateful for your kind words fellas. Just a quick update on progress with the new cowl flaps. I've completed the port side, and here it is test-fitted: The white plastic makes the details a bit hard to see, but I think it looks OK. However, I completely failed to take into account the effect of the much thinner plastic I'm using: Since I've already glued the flaps to the cowling mounting ring, I figure I have two choices here. I can either rebuild the entire structure from scratch (including the mounting ring) to match the cowling's profile. Or I can live with it. Can anybody offer a third choice? I'm leaning towards #2... You might also notice in the photo above the rather large gap between the upper trailing edge of the cowling and the forward fuselage. This is definitely larger than it should be, and larger than I remember it being on this kit first time around. The trailing edge of the cowling should be almost in line with the trailing edge of the cowl flaps, but clearly isn't. Not sure if this is something I've induced somehow, or if the kit really is like this. This might be a better shot of the gap: I guess if I rebuild the entire area, I could potentially fix this problem too, but I suspect this is really too big a job for me, and not worth the effort. I'm starting to get to the point with this one where it's no longer about the quality per se, but just getting it finished! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 Work has slowed on this one while I make an effort to get the George finished before the GB ends. I haven't had a chance to do any more work on the cowl flaps, but I have been tinkering with the rudder 'housing' I was experimenting with: My attempt to use sliced styrene tube didn't really work out. The walls were too thick, and the resultant inset wasn't deep enough (despite vigorous filing and sanding by yours truly). For the top section, which was too narrow for the tubing, I bent some thin stryene sheet into a semi-rounded shape and glued it into place, trimming it after it had set. This appears to have worked much better, as the walls are thinner and the inset is deeper. While for this particular model it's probably a bit of a waste of time, at least I have a useful method for next time. The top L-shaped section is simply capped with sheet styrene. I'll probably put a brass pin in place at that point to secure the rudder. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imatt88 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Kevin, Very impressive. Love rebuilds Couldn't tell you the last time I actually built a kit OOB... Cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre F-86 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Your rebuild of this old beast is coming along nicely. Its good to breathe new life into an old clunker. It prevents an oldie from ending up in the landfill for a while longer and as you say, builds your skills. I see your work on the rudder post and cringe, As I've tried it several times myself and was never really satisfied with the end result. So rather than bent sheet into a channel, I've taken to thinning out the trailing edge of the fin, as you have, but instead of making up a curved channel, I now just put in a piece of flat stock, recessed back to where the deepest part of the channel would be. Then I thin the fin edges to razor sharp so that the rudder will fit in and rotate without a gap. Add the hinge supports from small bits of flat strip and the rudder will hang off them, rotate a bit and still have a very tight fit. The flying boat I'm working on is all sheet, and the control surfaces are all done that way. I gotta say it saves a lot of misery trying to bend that sheet into curves. Have you had any success with the torque links for the landing gear? I'm at the same point with the A6M3 conversion, having shaved off the clunky bits of plastic that 21st Century molded on, but havent gone past that yet. I suppose the easiest way is to carve them out of flat sheet and just nail them in place. Perhaps a look at the Eduard site for the PDF insturctions on their PE sets may give me an idea. Any idea whose aircraft you are going to finish this one as? Sabre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 Your rebuild of this old beast is coming along nicely. Its good to breathe new life into an old clunker. It prevents an oldie from ending up in the landfill for a while longer and as you say, builds your skills. I see your work on the rudder post and cringe, As I've tried it several times myself and was never really satisfied with the end result. So rather than bent sheet into a channel, I've taken to thinning out the trailing edge of the fin, as you have, but instead of making up a curved channel, I now just put in a piece of flat stock, recessed back to where the deepest part of the channel would be. Then I thin the fin edges to razor sharp so that the rudder will fit in and rotate without a gap. Add the hinge supports from small bits of flat strip and the rudder will hang off them, rotate a bit and still have a very tight fit. The flying boat I'm working on is all sheet, and the control surfaces are all done that way. I gotta say it saves a lot of misery trying to bend that sheet into curves. Have you had any success with the torque links for the landing gear? I'm at the same point with the A6M3 conversion, having shaved off the clunky bits of plastic that 21st Century molded on, but havent gone past that yet. I suppose the easiest way is to carve them out of flat sheet and just nail them in place. Perhaps a look at the Eduard site for the PDF insturctions on their PE sets may give me an idea. Any idea whose aircraft you are going to finish this one as? Sabre Thanks for the feedback mate. Your alternative idea for the rudder mount was a bit of a forehead-slapping moment for me - why didn't I think of that? Too late now of course, but I've got yet another idea filed away for next time. I really wish I hadn't bothered separating the control surfaces on this one now, but that horse has well and truly bolted. As for the landing gear, I've decided to pinch what I can from the Doyusha A6M2 kit I have, as I'll be converting that to a Rufe (going to pinch its drop tank too, as the Revell one is a joke). I haven't looked at them closely yet though, so I'm not sure how suitable they are. I looked at the links on the Tamiya kit, and replicating that is way beyond my skill level, so hopefully the Doyusha parts will suffice. I'll be using one of the markings options in the Modemania book on the Zero, though I forget which one exactly! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Excellent work Kev! I wish I've had a look on this earlier! The tip about the wing root step would have been useful, and perhaps saved me some work with filling and sanding! My thought when building my Zero, was that the general fit was very good, except for the mating of the wings and body! Cheers, Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted August 15, 2009 Author Share Posted August 15, 2009 Just a minor update on this one. Remember the dodgy openings for the wing cannon I pointed out in an earlier post? Got 'em fixed: I opened the holes large enough to insert some plastic tube (and split the wing join on both sides in the process... ). Once the glued had dried sufficiently, I trimmed the tube back and filled the gaps with CA. Once sanded back to shape you get the result above. I still need to drill out the openings a little wider to fit the cannon into, but other than that it's done. The next job will be to finish the cowl flaps... Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Matt Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Great stuff Kev, You're far to humble mate. I think you're making a super effort. I see what you mean about the half pipe in the rudder area. Maybe a softdrink straw? Hmmm...cowl flaps... Cannons look sweet Don't some of the guys on LSP make it look all so easy... .. Hang in there mate...its going great guns Cheers Matty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Today marks the second anniversary of this project (and thread)! I've had a few weeks off from this build while I finished the George and started the Folgore, but I intend to resume work in the coming days. I'm quite excited to have a set of the Master Model brass barrels to deploy on this build, and the set includes a fabulous pitot tube as well (many thanks to James H). Look for an update soon! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 OK, now that the haze has cleared from the second anniversary celebrations, and you're all once again clear-headed and bursting with excitement, I thought I might risk an update. Firstly, I managed to get the elevators and rudder installed: I also managed to totally screw up the alignment of the starboard elevator, resulting in a large and obvious gap, but, well, meh...I should never have removed them in the first place. I've decided to rob some parts from the Doyusha A6M2 kit that I won't be using, as it will be converted to a Rufe. Firstly, the drop tank, with a comparison to the Revell version (green): Secondly, the undercarriage legs: I've abandoned the idea of scratch building my own, as the Doyusha examples are surplus and give me an easy way out, plus they're better than I could've done anyway. I've just got to get them to fit over my pre-installed brass pegs. I still have to finish bashing the cowl flaps together too... Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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