ruzlkampf Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 Thanks Kevin! Rudder will be filled in between the ribs with A&B epoxy putty. It's miracle stuff. Wet finger with water, and just smooth it in. This is how I will get the "depressions" between the ribs with VERY little sanding. 30-40 minute work time. Engine will actuall be 3/8's inch further forward, and fuselage will flare into it nicely. I just cut the original Merlin off at the panel line. Gap will be filled with same putty. Saving the engine for last, as it will actually be the easiest part of this build! I just put a Griffon engine on the front of a P-51(I build/modify a lot of WWII fighters into Reno air-racers) and made an RB-51 Red Baron doing the same thing. This engine mod on the Spit is actually pretty straight forward as everything lines up amazingly well. Can't wait to show pics to show how easy it will be.(unlike the wing from hell!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loic Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Looking dam good Russ! I am glad the pic were of some help. How is your finger doing? Loic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 HI It's relly starting to look nice. Great job your doing. Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Still hoping to find a pic of a clipped wing Mk14 during wartime,(bubble-tops had em, but not high-backs) but....looks like it'll be classic eliptical. Sure wish I could find evidence otherwise. By "wartime" do you mean early 1945 specifically ? M M ...I have a coupla shots of clipped wing XIVs immediately post war (late '45 and '46) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngoMango Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 ruzl, great job on a very appealing build. We can never have too many spitfires and we don't often see late model spits in 1/32, so your build is filling a void in LSP society! Can't wait to see more progress. Cheers Ango Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 Day 13; Almost 2 weeks into the build now. Tail is almost done, and my band-aides are off! (insert fanfare of trumpets/drums here) I missed posting for a night, so here are some pics of the tail feathers being filled in last night.(just to give an idea of how I'm doing it.) I'm pretty much done with it now, just waiting for the last putty to dry and final sanding. This is what it looked like with the ribs sanded down.(actually left them standing a little "proud", cause I wil be still sanding on them for final shaping) sheesh, lens flare makes it look like the ribs are "fanning out". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 Here is a shot of the other side. I putty alternating ribs so I don't mess up the adjacent section. This stuff dries like a rock, and I don't want to sand anymore than I have to. Takes awhile, as I have to let each set dry...more putty...let dry, ect. This whole side is done now, and awaits sanding. Turned out better than I'd hoped. Looks kinda rough now, sure...but this is a new technique I'm trying and I wanted everyone to see what Russ is cooking. Hard to see in this light, but there's a shallow "scallop" between the ribs in the putty. I'm hoping the ribs look like the tape that goes over them when it's fabric covered. Wait til ya see it finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 While the putty dries between "sets", I shaved the light and antenna base off the top of the fuselage. It'll get a whip antenna there. Also still working on the wing from hell. Making some new cannon bulges, and re-scribeing some lines, cause I got new info. Only the 1st batch of Mk14's had the C-wing(late), and all others had the E-wing. Verdict is still out on the wingtips. ALL bubbletops had clipped wings, but the "razorbacks" had the option depending on mission. Still no photo proof this was ever done during wartime. Post-war definitely(also 3 spoked wheels are common?) Hmm, this just might morph into a post-war silver/natural metal or Far-East camo Mk.14. I'm going to get the details down before I decide. The cockpit is completed, and the pilot repainted, but won't be installed until after tail is sanded. Then, I can start installing the motor. I originally looked at pics of a Mk12 when cutting the fuse for the engine, and those only have a single stage blower. A Mk.14 has a two-stager Griffon(and ran 150 octane fuel..whoohoo!) so it's 6+inches longer. Rear exhaust stubs are over the wing on a Mk12, on a Mk.14 they are in front of the wing. That's why the taper doesn't line up on the fuse, so I will be extending to correct. Should have the fuse done by this weekend. Thanks for all the kind comments everyone, this build is a blast and I can't wait to mate the fuselage with the engine. Got lots of pictures coming when I can take time from building to post. Gotta finish this tail, so I can install engine! Later, Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Great work Russ, most impressive. You seem to be learning a heck of a lot about late marque Spitfires! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks, Kevin! Yeah, finally got some good research materials AFTER I started,..Dohhhh. I can't leave well enough alone either, now that I've got good reference stuff. I know where all the rivets are supposed to go, and I want a riveting tool. My girlfriend doesn't want me to get any more sharp pointy things to play with though. I wonder why? Having my fingers all bandaged up did have a silver lining though. I really played the "sympathy card", and gave her the corny puppy dog eyes, quivered my lower lip, mewling like a kitten, ect. and told her if I had a scribeing template(a non-sharp pointy object) I wouldn't have hurt myself. I don't have to work to hard to be pitiful. Got a raised eyebrow, evil eye, and she didn't believe a word.....but I got the tool. Want to really do this justice as this is a 90yr Tribute to the RAF. Besides,...this is a savvy tough crowd, and they might start throwing rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Javlin1 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Russ that is pretty darn interesting how you fabed the rudder there .The bird of prey is coming along nicely.Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Okay!, what is this, Day 17? I''ve been re-aligning/re-defining the engine fit tonight, but I can't install it until the wing is done. Couldn't put the wing on until the tail was finished, can't put the cockpit in til the tail is done. Cockpit is done. Tail is done. Working on the wing, and that should be done in the next 2 nights. Sooo..., I've been working on the wing from hell, got the landing/identification? lights installed on the underside, shell ejection chutes re-done, changed the wingtips AGAIN, did some re-scribeing, and got the cannon location/MG nubs pretty well in place. Cannon barrels/bulges are made, just deciding which location/wing type I'm going to go with. I have quite a bit of research material now, but all of it is conflicting with each other over panel line locations/wingtip types/cannon locations blah-blah-blah. I'm just going to make this the way I think it should look. :angry: As usual all input is welcome, but will probably be ignored! On to the pics! Here is where I was on the wing Sunday. The undersides. Lights are scribed in, more scribeing, and latest weapons configuaration. I've also tacked the radiator flaps on to check the droop angle. Port is down more than starboard, but looks to be the correct angle. These will bust off, and won't be glued until I've got the LG put on. Just checking the fit, and locating the actuating mechanism on the inside of radiator shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Here's another view, showing the radiator flap test fit and angle check. Wish I'd just tacked em both on at the angle of the port wing so they wouldn't look crooked, but I needed to show more pics and show this project is still alive and kicking. This is where I was, not where I'm at now. Another angle After getting more research stuff, I've realized those bumps under the guns don't jive with the drawings I've been going by. Phhhhtttt, lots of conflicting info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Moving on to the tail. Thanks for the boost Kevin(Javlin), here is the 98% finished tailfeathers. I am going for a sublte "stretched fabric ribbed" look so it won't look so plain. Wanted to try some new techniques out also. Pics aren't the greatest, but I was trying to get the "effect" I'm going for to show in the lighting. First the starboard side, took me awhile to get that trim tab actuator arm whittled/shaved down...that thing is SMALL!!!! Can ya'll make out the ribs/slight texture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruzlkampf Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Here's another shot in different light angle. Kinda hard to see it, but it looks OK from my house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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